Week 2

I lost 2.6lbs this past week and again updated the other blog and not this one. Ooops. I also did really good eating and controlling my emotional urge to snack but I never did get off my butt and exercise. Ooops? I know I need to get moving and eventually I will.

On Wednesday I had an appointment with a general practioning doctor. I've seen no one but my Ob/Gyn for years and years and felt it was time for me to go in and get a routine examination so as not to continue to walk around oblivious to possible problems. I have been blessed with good health - no major illness', no injuries, no surgeries, not even many sick days - low resting heart rate, low end of normal blood pressures - heck, I even still have 20/20 vision. I do not feel that I take these for granted. I thank God that myself and my entire family are healthy but I know that my weight could be the primary factor in future health problems if I don't get a handle on them now and put the obesity behind me. Overall the visit was good. My dr sees no reason for concern but I will go in tomorrow morning for a fasting blood draw to verify other things - cholesterol etc.

I know I have a long road ahead of me but am, at this point, determined to see it through to maintenance. I want my good health to include a healthy weight.

I am at but the beginning of a long road but look forward to journey. :)

Week 1 ~ aka: The Final Wk 1

I'm still here!! I haven't given up ...again... already. I am also doing a group weightloss blog with some good friends and managed only to update that blog on Wednesday which is my normal weigh in day.

I have decided to put it all out there this time. A friend of mine outside of the other blog also just happened to decide to try again on the same Satruday a week ago and she did something a little different, she told anyone and everyone that she was trying to lose weight. She says it helps keep her on track and accountable. While I hadnt kept it a secret last year that I was trying to lose weight I also hadn't purposely put it out there so publicly. I wonder if it would truely help? The downside that immediately comes to mind is the "can you eat that?" I think I can handle that and am considering going public. Not only with the weightloss journey but another journey that I decided to tackle sometime last year.

I want to run a half marathon.

Wow, never thought I'd say those words. I do not consider mysef a runner, have never wanted to be a runner, swore I would only run when chased and my life depended on it. Something started changing in me last year and it was almost like a calling. Our city hosted a marathon that also had a half marathon element and I thought to myself that I could do that. I could run a half marathon. I can do anything I put my mind to. I kept getting little signs about running and the thought lingered in my mind for a few weeks and the clencher was the episode of The Biggest Loser when Rebecca closed with her running of a half. She was in tears knowing that if she could do this anyone could. She never imagined that she could have done something like that but now her life was changed.

I plan to begin the Couch to 5k training program and contineu beyond the 5k to run the half marathon here in my city in the fall.

Now I'm off to enjoy my Saturday, get a stopwatch, good sports bra and get going on the road to my half marathon!

Oh, I almost forgot. I lost 2.2lbs as of Wednesday. I have been 100% on program since last Saturday and intend to stay that way. Here's the scale shot of last Wednesday:

There is always Tomorrow....

Wow, has it really been almost an entire months since I last blogged? I kept meaning to do it....tomorrow. Why do we seem to put off everything, to justify our "cheats" by saying we can always start again tomorrow? I know that I am guilty of this. Heck, all of my diet days would be perfect diets days if only they stopped just after breakfast!

I really started thinking about this when I saw a recent episode of LA Ink (yes, the show about tattoos) I don't normally watch the show but found myself stopped on it when an overweight female comedian asked the star of the show to design a tatoo for her that was an oldtime pocketwatch set to 13 o'clock. It was her explanation of the meaning of this tatoo that struck me. She stated that so many times in her life she thought, "Oh, I'll do that when..." or "Someday/one day I will.." but those some days and one days never came. Kinda like 13 o'clock . . . it was the time that would never come. She felt it was time for her to start living her life, doing the things she has always wanted to do and stop waiting for 13 o'clock.

Maybe you had to see the episode to truly get it like I did ...but maybe not. Why do we wait for tomorrow to start stuff? To do things? I mean isn't there a country song that says "If tomorrow never comes?" Not only will we never lose the weight we will miss out on so many other things.

One flip side to my tomorrows is that today is always my LAST day of eating poorly so I seem to be in a perpetual binge of things I won't be able to have again for a long time when I start . . . you guessed it, Tomorrow!

Well, today is my tomorrow to find the strength and determination to get out of neutral and start driving (haha- that pun was not intentional) ... start driving that number on the scale down again.

Over the Summer I saw 212.6 on that all too truthful scale and sadly, today just 7 short weeks later, this is what I looked down at:

*feel free to tilt your head to the left to view my weight as I have tried a dozen times to get the picture to load correctly and it just won't . . . no, my pic isnt saved with this orientation. It views correctly on my drive and turning it then loading it only had it load w/ my turn...very bizzare.

I had truly hoped to be nearing ONEderland by the end of the Summer and instead I'm going to have to re-lose 13lbs before I start seeing new low numbers on that darned scale. But that's ok, because I have maintained a 30lbs loss. I have stopped putting off until tomorrow and I'm back on track! (I will post profile pics when I get home and take them in my workout clothes . . . sans the oversized shirt they typically hide under)

Thank you Shiela for starting the Give yourself A Gift challenge. I look forward to making new friendships and seeing just how hefty a gift we each can give ourselves in the next 16wks!

What have you been putting off until tomorrow that you will do today!?

Week 28 Weigh In

Short post, having friends over for dinner and doubt I'll get on the computer at all tonight so before I leave work I thought I'd let the blog world know, because I know you are anxious to know, that this week I lost another 1.6lbs this week!! Yea. I've been really, really good with food and had one good long walk.

That brings me to a total of 43lbs gone....forever this time!

Now I'm off to slice red potatoes and grill a bunch of chicken. I even made a WW dip and bought one bag of baked scoops. The guys will eat the regular chips as they drink beer. I will enjoy in much moderation as I have been saving up for a splurge this coming Friday. Girlfriends + birthday = time to let loose - - at least a little! :)

Week 27 ~ Successful Switch

I was very nervous about the shock my body might experience making the switch from low carb back to Weight Watchers. I do know it had an effect on the scale and, well, I guess that's more what I was nervous about. I started back on WW immediately after WI last Wed morning and tried to not just go carb crazy. I have been concentrating on eating more healthfully and trying not just to get in my "healthy 8" but also make certain things even more healthy. I've taken some tips from various bloggers and have added fresh spinach to a few of my smoothies this week. You really can't taste it and it gives you an extra boost of vitamins etc - first thing in the morning that must be a good thing right?


Today I did my first smoothie with kefir rather than yogurt and even opted to try light vanilla soymilk in place of my 1% milk. I may have, for today, done too many changes at once. I didn't care as much for my smoothie this morning as any other but I'm willing to keep trying.


I only walked the two times at the inviation of my friend but ....

....mid post I had an employee call in sick for work and so I had to drop everything and go in and cover. Now, about 12hrs later, I don't know where I was going with that. I do intend to get to working out again I just haven't applied myself to making it happen rather than just think about making it happen.

This week I actually did register a loss despite the shock and am happy to say I'm down another 0.2lbs! I'm glad the switch back to WW was successful.

This next week will be dedicated to getting back into the routine of exercising and trying a few new recipes or changes.

Week 26 Weigh In

I just can't believe that half the year is gone! Where ever did it go? I am proud to say that I have spent the past 6months losing weight rather than gaining or even maintaining. I have exercised more than I typically would have despite the fact that it is less than I could have or should have. That would be the thing I will work on the most over the last half of the year. Dedicate myself to eating healthier and moving more. I would LOVE to lose as much the second half of the year as I did Jan - Jun!

Speaking of weight loss...I managed to make both of the challenges I have been a part of. Ang at Get fit After 40 challenged us to lose a healthy 5lb/mo over the Summer and Jack Sh*T did his first ever challenge for those who may lose a little more slowly, Lord knows I've had my low loss, no loss weeks. Despite gaining 5lbs over the first part of June (vacation) I was able to get rid of that wt and an additional 5.4lbs this month! This week the scale was down 2.8lbs. Wow. That is truly wonderful.

I also am back on Weight Watchers as of this morning. I really missed certain carbs and just don't think I could have continued on that for much longer. It may be a good switch once in a great while to get the scale moving again. I have always said you need to mix it up and keep your body guessing! ;)

I also will be slowly introducing the carbs back into my diet as opposed to going full stop today. You see, I normally have oatmeal or cereal for breakfast and snacks such as 100cal popcorn, Fiber One bar etc. The lunches and dinners were not really that diffferent. Lean protein and veggies (I'll just stick to the lower carb veggies for awhile) and the low fat/fat free versions of things like cheese and sourcream.

I'm afraid that switching back to WW and re-introducing myself to My Fitness Coach will put enough of a shock on my system that I probably won't see much/if any loss this week. Remind me of that when I'm bummed next Wed ok?

I appreciate all of your kind words on my last post. I still am not sure where I will go with that. Isn't the first step recognizing/admitting you have a problem?

I am still here. I am feeling thinner, feeling better and hope to start feeling stronger. I find motivation in many places these days: in the way I feel, that I am not alone in this journey, that I am setting an example for my kids and that I am making the kind of changes that will benefit me healthwise and my family for many many years to come.

Of course, its easier to be motivated when the scale is moving down like you want so where do you find motivation both in success' and more importantly when you are not seeing the scale move as you would like?

Week 25 Weigh In

Wow, a whole week at home went by and I never made it back to post. I really have not even made it to read many other blogs. Things are crazy at work right now, have had three people resign in last month and fortunately we have three new people in various stages of training but we already were short so we're still treading water. I am working weekend nights which is vastly different than my normal M-F gig and I've tried hard not to let it effect my diet.

I've stuck to low carb induction despite the baby showere with WONDERFUL cake, cookies etc. Father's Day and my daughters bday. On her birthday she wanted to go to the movies - mmmm movie theater popcorn with lots of what they call "buter" and jalepenos. Let's just say I was VERY tempted to eat it with them and only allowed myself a single handful! After the movie she chose to invite grandparents and Aunt & Uncle over for a brownie sundae bar. Now THAT was tempting. Brownies with little peanut butter cups, various ice cream flavors, chocolate & caramel sauces, whipped cream and sprinkles. I did have some whip cream, but that's it! I guess my resolve has stood firm mainly because I know its the only thing I'm doing. I have not been able to get back on track with exercise and so any slip could be a fatal tumble.

This past weekend I also went back to look at figure out how I've done for the Fitago challenge and was a little upset that from the time I entered the challenge in mid April to last weeks WI I'd only lost 4.8lbs! This didn't stay with me long as I shortly there after entered my recent WI into my weightwatchers.com profile and it showed me that for the 24wks I've been on program I'd lost an average of 1.4lbs/wk WOW! Really? Even with a month off (combined business trips and vacation) with the vacation gain etc? Now how can someone be upset with an average like that?! I mean, if I maintained an average loss like that I just might be 38lbs lighter by New Years! :)

I think I'm going to continue low carb, just not as drastic as low as induction for a few more days and perhaps a week. I still had some low carb items that would be WW no-nos in my fridge and pantry that I just can't let go to waste and think I can stick it out a bit longer without my oatmeal, cereal or fresh fruit til then.

This week was a good one. The scale was down another 2.8lbs, 2.2lbs of which is NEW Loss! That means I've lost a total of 38.4lbs thus far and am really, really hoping to make the 40lb mark next week.

I intend to start moving - but don't we all know about good intensions. :) I'm afraid the My Fitness Coach will ask me who I am when I start her up again. lol

Overall I'm feeling thinner. I'm pleasantly surprised when things slip on without effort or I'm just not disgusted with what is facing me in the mirror. Its that inner self that for me right now is happy. She hasn't registered a "fat day" in awhile and that is good. I think it is this feeling that has been my biggest motivator in recent weeks.

What keeps you motivated?

*this post will be edited this evening to include most recent scale pic - forgot the camera on the bathroom counter after taking the pic this morning.

Week 24 Weigh In

If I was being truly honest I would say that I was a bit bummed when I got on the scale this morning. Not because I didn't lose but because after a full week on low carb induction I had "only" lost 4.4lbs. Now, before you take offense to me saying only to such a great number, I was bummed because I weigh almost daily on had lost 4.4 as of Saturday....so that means from Sat to Wed no more loss! :( I am happy with 4.4 that means I have gotten rid of almost all the vacation gain I just don't know what has caused the stall. Perhaps my body is in rebellion for not being given oatmeal, cereal, fresh fruit or fiber ones bars it has become so accustom to. Perhaps the lack of fiber is catching up with me. (sorry if TMI) Either way I will stick out one more week doing low carb induction before going back to my Weight Watchers plan.

I think the next couple weeks may prove challenging as I am going to have to work mostly weekend nights for a bit. Pretty drastic change from my normal 9-5 Mon-Fri but with the kids out for summer it means more time with them and maybe, just maybe, more chance for moving. Walking, swimming etc.

I am looking forward to the change. It may finally afford me the chance to get caught up on all the blog reading I missed while on vacation too.

Here's to kicking butt - or rather, getting RID of butt the rest of June. I have 5.6lbs to lose to meet my June goal and I don't intend to fail.

Wk 23 Weigh In ~ Facing the scale after Vacation

My entire family and I had an absolutely incredible two week vacation!! I was a little nervous about getting on the scale this morning but knew it was the first step to getting back on track to losing the remainder of the weight I feel I need to lose. As I stepped on the scale this is what I saw:

I must say, I expected it to be more. Overall a 5lb gain is not very much for two weeks of vacation. I have gained that easily over any given weekend and actually joke about that all the time. Some people go nuts over a 5lb gain and I have always said I could do that in a weekend. I only hope that I can get rid of it as easily.

I am not quite done with all the laundry that follows such a long vacation and the kids are saying they are hungry - darn it no more sending them to the "Towncenter" with a Disney key/pass and letting them pick up their own dinner. I'm guessing I'm going to have to cook! *gasp* So for now only the weigh in update.

Oh, ooooK. I can't resist a couple pics. I got to meet "Kitty!" (I just love the movie Monsters Inc) and the second picture is of my family on the beach in St. Augustine just after my niece's wedding ceremony.

Week 21 Weigh In ~ Final WI SH4SC

Excuse me....((clears throat))

EXCUSE ME!!??

Please clear a path and make room for my HaPpY dAnCe!!!! ( (dances and spins around the room like a complete idiot) ) Here is what the scale showed me this morning....a new decade!



Ok, so overall the past couple months haven't proven to be very significant in the way of pounds lost in comparison with the previous months but this morning not only did I see that the weight I had gained was gone but I managed to lose an additional 2.8lbs!! Can I get a Wooo Hooo!!?? This loss brings me to a grand total of 36.2lbs gone. Not to shabby for just 21wks. If I continued to average that 1.7lbs/wk I'd be to my goal by the end of the year or at least within my goal range. You see, I'm not entirely sure that I want to weigh something specific so much as I know how I want to feel and in recent years I've been 40lbs lighter than I am now felt like I still had some work to do which is how I set my current goal.

Anyhow enough of that! Today was my final weigh in before I leave on vacation for two weeks. That's right, TWO WEEKS!! Family wedding in Florida followed by 7days on a Walt Disney resort visiting the various parks. I can't wait! Today is also the final weigh in for the Sizzling Hot for Summer Challenge and I managed to lose 8lbs during the course of the 8wk challenge. I'd hoped for more like 18 but I'll take the 8!

I did take some comparision pictures for the challenge but don't see a significant change. Will get those posted later. I really should get back to work. :)

May each of you reading this have a great next couple of weeks. I think that I just might pack my scale when I pack tonight. It sure kept me on track when I took it with me out of town a few weeks ago compared to the trip I didn't pack it.

Wk 18 Weigh In – SHFSC Wk 5

Allow me to concentrate on NSVs for this week – what does that tell you about how I’m feeling scale wise? :)

All in all I am proud to say that over the last two weeks, of which I was gone from home for 10days, I was able to lose 1.2lbs. That’s a victory in and of itself despite the fact that I had hoped desperately to be able to hit the 35lbs lost mark. Alas, I gained 0.2lbs from last Wednesday and will leave again on Monday to go to Denver for the week. The conference I attended wasn’t the culprit of the gain since I was working out more than ever and managed to eek out a loss that first Wednesday but instead it was my grandmothers homemade bread I am certain. I had toast every day and one day indulged in two pieces of that wonderful bread made into French toast! YUM!! Might I add, totally worth it!! My exercise from the conference came to grinding halt the morning I left and instead I did something else more than I have in a long time – I went to church! Now mind you I had planned on going to church on Sunday morning but didn’t realize their church would be in the midst of what I refer to as a rival when I arrived and so not only did I go on Sunday morning but on Friday and Saturday nights as well. It was good to get to hear my cousin sing her solo piece with the choir and be singled out as the 10th visitor from a different state during their week long “camp meeting” by the preacher (who also happens to be a cousin).

This morning, when the scale didn’t miraculously show a loss I decided it was time to go shopping in my closet and I was very happy to find two pairs of jeans that I was able to get into for the first time in quite awhile! Sadly, the pair that fit better have a hole beginning to form in the hind end so I won't be able to wear them but I think they would have looked pretty darn good. (the other pair won’t be seeing the outside of my house for a few more pounds). If it wasn’t getting so dang hot around here I’d probably go buy another pair just like these:

*pls excuse the dirty mirror & slightly blurry pic - have you ever tried to take a pic of your own tushy? :) oh, and see the snag/hole?...darn it.

Lastly, I had recently ordered a couple of new work shirts in size Large instead of XLs and when I opened the box yesterday was disheartened to see a shirt that I figured was also several wks (months) out from being able to be worn. Surprise, surprise, I tried it on and it fit – no stretching required (you ladies know what I’m talking about). What do you think? I'm pretty psyched.

So, no loss showing on the scale this week, thankfully not a large gain either but a couple of NSVs and a positive outlook on the current week!

Oh, and here’s a pic of the French toast…. Just because it really was yummy! (pay no attention to the pork fat that found its way to the plate)

Week 17 Weigh In ~ SH4SC Wk 4

Woo Hoo! I am so happy that I made the commitment before this trip to make the best of it. Had I not planned (I'm not a planner) to ensure I could make this a successful week I am certain I would have made much different choices along the way while convincing myself that I was "doing ok" and then probably been shocked to see a gain come Wk 5 WI...

Well, I'm happy to say that my 2/day workouts and very conscientious decisions of just what I allowed myself to eat paid off!! I didn't gain on this trip, I didn't even maintain, which would have been a victory in and of itself. This week, and thus far on my trip, I have lost 1.4lbs! For that, I am ecstatic!!

This brings me to a total of 33.4lbs lost tso far this year and 5.2lbs this month in the Sizzling Hot for Summer Challenge.

I wanna thank Shiela for challenging us to our Last Chance workouts. I have enjoyed the programmability of the stair stepper and treadmills in the gym here where I am staying and yesterday really stepped it up to meet the challenge and got myself up to 4.5mph on the "fast" intervals. This is big people! At that speed I can't just power walk I actually have to start the trot and that isn't a pretty sight so this is big! Especially for someone who detests running. So much so that I have been quoted as saying, "I will run...when I'm being chased...and my life depends on it!" (of course 33lbs ago, heck, even now that might not get me very far before I'm captured! ;)

I hope the rest of you are having a wonderful week as well.

Let's really make this next week count my Sizzlin' Sistas!! My goal is to lose enough to change my "I lost 30" to an "I lost 35lbs" banner. What are your goals for this next week?

Week 16 Weigh In ~ SH4SC Wk 3

Chalk this week up to a success! I worked out (once) and kept an eye on my food despite basically being up for 36hrs in a row from Fri a.m. til Sat night - thank you night shift. I was really afraid I had slipped up pretty bad over that time period but when I went back and logged everyting and hadn't actually been "bad". Guess the lack of sleep had me dizzy.

Oh, and since the one time I did workout was on Tuesday I'm counting that as my lastchance workout that Shiela challenged us to - cuz, well, it was more intense than any other workouts that week! :)

I know, I know, I gotta get back in gear.

I lost 1.2lbs this week which for me makes a total of 32lbs even in 16weeks. Ok, so that makes for easy math right? Anyone else become a math genius when it comes to weight loss calculations? I find myself constantly figuring out my average weekly loss, if I loss "x" amount every wk from now til ___ I will be to goal by ____. I'm not normally an obsessive person but I am an impatient one. The most impressive calculation I have this week is that as of today I've lost 1/3 of the weight that I want to lose! That seems impressive...until I realize that means I have 2/3 of the way yet to go....

Ahh, who ever said losing weight was easy? Gaining..now that's easy . . . but not something I wanna allow myself to do anymore.

Oh, and I've finally gotten back to smoothies! I loved these last year. This morning I had one made with frozen peaches, banana (that I froze), orange juice, & fat free vanilla yogurt. It was delicious!! (oh yea, had to add 1/4c 1%milk to thin it some)

Wk 15 - SHFSC Wk 2 WI - TAKE 2

Ok, I doubt I could re-create my original post exactly but I did try to include all the elements - here is my 2nd attempt:

This week, I sucked. I had a 2 week plan and did well with it the first week. This week, not so much. I didn’t track, I didn’t post other than my WI last week, I even had a hard time supporting my fellow bloggers. I am reading, I promise, I’m trying to keep up but with some of you posting everyday I have a hard time. My apologies. The worst of it is that I did not exercise. Did you hear that? I did not exercise…at all! I intended to post about how I think I finally figured out just why it is I don’t always get my workouts in but I will save that for later in the week.

Now, just because there are so many things I didn’t do lose weight was not one of the didn’t dos. Yesterday I hit an annual low. I got lower on the scale than I had managed to get to last year before I allowed it to creep back up. I was so excited yet scared that today somehow I would have a gain and not be able to do the "official" happy dance. As a side note, who would have guessed that Lucrecia and I would both hit annual lows on the very same day?! It’s almost scary how in synch we have been lately and so long as we’re in synch with weight loss I’m more than fine with that!

So, I am officially down 2.2lbs this week which puts me at a total loss of 30.8lbs so far! Last year I only got to 29.2lbs lost so my main focus for the next couple weeks will be to keep the numbers getting smaller.

Look, I have a new badge on the right of my blog thanks to Fitago – I’ve lost 30lbs!!
As for Shiela’s challenge for this week, I don’t really track measurements when modifying recipes but I will tell you that one of my favorites so far this year has been my version of a Turkey Meatloaf. I have substituted turkey for the ground beef in a lot of things this year but when it comes to meatloaf I just can’t bring myself to do solely turkey so the one I loved the most went something like this: 1 pkg Jennie-O extra lean turkey, ¾ lb extra lean ground beef (I used a 96/4), egg whites in stead of whole eggs, Panko bread crumbs rather than traditional, various seasonings and a bit of ketchup. I shaped it in a loaf and topped it with a little more ketchup. About an hour later I had one of the tastiests meatloafs I’ve had in a very long time. My daughter and mother even commented on how good it was. Maybe I should have tracked the specifics so that I could recreate it. Hmmm

I had challenged myself to try at least one new recipe each month this year and so since I failed at giving a specific recipe this time I will share with you all now what I plan on trying next: Slow Cooker Lasagna. I will try to give a review when I finally get it made.

Here’s to a great week for all of my Sizzling Sistas!

Wk 15 Weigh In ~ SHFSC Wk 2

I'm mad.

I had started a post earlier today, painstakingly added my links, sat here in the Drs office finishing it when I went to highlight the entire post to change my font (you know, one of those incredibly important things...)

MY ENTIRE POST DISAPPEARED!!! What did I do!? Before I could exit out so it wouldnt auto save...guess what?! It auto saved!!! GONE!

I'm too mad at this point to start all over.

I lost 2.2lbs this week. That brings me to an annual low...lower than I got to last year. I was happy about that but now I'm just annoyed.

Wk 14 Weigh In ~ Sizzle Challenge Wk1

Wow, looky there, I couldn't seem to find the strength to post my number before last Wednesday and now despite the fact that I showed only a 0.4lb loss this week I am posting my number. It's still more scary than liberating but it's there. I must admit I hope that the fact that I had a business dinner that caused me to eat much later than usually and only moderately more heavy than normally is what caused only a slight loss to show up this morning. (I had a fabulous ribeye dinner - a salad w/ minimal dressing, asparagus hold the lemon butter sauce and one half of a FANTASTIC yeast roll)

Now for accountability for how I held to my two week plan this first week:

Food:
1. Track every bite I eat - good or bad. - DID IT! :)

2. Limit the high point or "bad" days to one per week. - I did have two high point days but also oddly had two days where I didn't meet my full points. Once by 7 - very strange. I am normally very good about hitting my daily points and despite the two "over" days I stayed well within my weekly points.

3. Try a new recipe within the next 2 weeks. - guess I'm gonna have to do that this next week.


Activity:
1. Get a minimum of 45min of exercise 4-5 days each week. - DID IT! Did 4 days of 45min on My Fitness Coach as well as a re-evaluation (which is a workout of its own) that proved I am making progress!

2. Get a pedometer so I can gauge my day to day activity level and ultimately join a distance challenge. - I have been told one was ordered for me I just haven't seen the friend who has it. Hoping to have a pedometer come Saturday when we have our girls get together.

Blog:
1. Take the time to read blogs of other challenge participants and lift them up both in success and struggles. - I feel like I've done a pretty good job. I hope others agree.

2. Find/make the time to blog at least once a week outside of the weekly weigh in. - does my two week plan count? :) I had intended on posting something else but honestly I can't even remember the subject I had had in mind at this moment.

NSVs for the week - I was able to wear two "new" pairs of pants this week. One is the the smaller of the two that showed they were the same size from awhile back. The other I had purchased in late January along with another identical style but they were two sizes different. I wore the smaller ones just yesterday - maybe they had something to do with my willpower at dinner.

Overall stats:

This week: Lost 0.4lbs

14 wk total: 28.6lbs or 11.2%

Wk 1 Sizzle: 0.4lbs or 0.18%

Sizzlin' Sistas here is to a great Week 2!

I spent the day (over 12hrs) at our company's 18th Annual Golf tournament and so I am so incredibly tired. I will catch up on everyone else's progress tomorrow.

Lucky Week 13 ~ Weigh In

Well today's weigh in is monumental. Not because of the amount of weight lost this week or the total pounds lost to date but because as of today I am beginning the Sizzlin' Hot by Summer Challenge and a couple of the requirements of the challenge are pictures. If you've been to my blog at all before now you know I am not opposed to pictures of my(fat)self but this challenge requires a picture be posted of the scale! YIKES...

I have told people that I am trying to lose weight and get healthier. I have even told quite a few people just how much I've lost but neither in real life nor here in cyberland I have been able to be completely open about exactly what I weighed or how much I weigh now. My number turned out to be much more sacred to me than I thought. I had hoped that this blog and this final journey would allow me to finally open up and share those scary/embarrassing numbers. I have actually taken a picture of the scale every week including Day 1 ~ I have just been too chicken to post them on the blog like I had intended. Thanks to Shiela, and this challenge, I've had to muster the courage to not just say how much I lost this week (which was a solid 2.6lbs) but actually post a picture of the numbers that stared up at me this morning:


There, it's done. It's out there. *giant sigh*


I also had to take recent pics of my self for this challenge and so here are pictures I had my daughter take of me last night. I decided to take different pictures in different clothes from my regular progress photos just to change things up a bit. Wore some things that were a wee bit tighter (although the pants are a size larger than most I wear, but that's another post)


Putting my number out there was a big hurdle. What have been you're most difficult hurdles to overcome on your journey? Is it easy for you to admit your number?

Week 12 ~ Weigh In

I find myself at a loss for words this evening. I have had a very long day that started abruptly at 06:55 - the exact time I woke up and the exact time my sons bus passes. Ugh. This wouldn't have been so bad had I not simultaneously realized that my keys were on the passenger seat of my husbands vehicle which, as he was to begin his Fire Dept shift, was now in a neighboring town an hour away! I don't even have the energy to tell the long tale but let's just say I've felt like I've been in high gear all day trying to get everything done and everyone everywhere. I am finally home, kids fed, showered, most of the dishes done and as I finally sat down to post my Wednesday results I lost my wireless here at home - just after updating the pics thankfully. So now here I sit at our desktop computer. (gasp! lol)

All in all it was a good week. I'm down 1.6lbs which makes for a total of 3.8lb this past 4wks. I have to admit I was a little frustrated by that since I was down a full 2lbs yesterday and that would have put me into a lower decade weight wise but alas today's number is what it is and next week I just hope its somewhere around 2lbs less than today. So long as the trend is downward I am happy. I also don't see a big difference between the week 8 pics and the ones I took this morning (as I waited for my mother to come and get me so I could use her car). I really didn't expect a visual difference for less than 4lbs but I exchanged the backside pics for the side view. Something new for you to look at for the next 4 weeks. :)

I realize now that the little revert to my old ways a couple of weeks ago was SOOO not worth the effect it had of slowing my overall progress this month. I hope I can keep that in mind the next time Ben & Jerry's is calling my name from the freezer section.

I have begun posting pics in various places as daily reminders of how far I have come as well as a couple from the Summer of 2006 when I came within 20lbs of my goal weight only to allow myself to gain it all back. I do not wish to to have this be one of the times I lost weight but the time I lost the weight...and kept it off!

What types of things do the rest of you do to keep yourselves motivated?

*ok, so maybe I wasn't really at a loss for words but just plain tired...

Week 11 ~ Weigh In

I truly intend to post more often but I just find myself with so many thoughts in my head that I fear I won't be able to make any sense of them or I will simply ramble on...and so days pass and they turn into an entire week with no postings other than my weekly weigh in.... at least this week that is good news! I am down 2.4lbs this week which makes up the .2 I was still up from 2wks ago and brings me to a total of 24lbs lost! I couldn't be happier. (well, of course I would be happier if I'd lost 4 or 5lbs but that's just not realistic - but I can dream)

I am totally 100% back on track with my eating and attitude now if I could just kick my own butt into gear and start exercising again! I was doing so well for a few weeks. I know they say it takes 3wks to make something a habit so here I go starting over with the building of the good habit of weekly exercise.

I have had someone else at work mention that they can see a difference in my appearance but unless I look at the before and progress photos side by side I don't yet just outright see it myself. This is why I have printed those pictures in a side by side comparison to put in my bathroom as a daily reminder.

As for the goals I set last week, well, I did two out of three and I'm sure you can already tell which I didn't quite conquer.

This will be my week to get back on the step and move my butt!

Week 10 ~ Weigh In

I have only myself to blame for the fact that I have basically stayed at the exact same place for two weeks! Hmmm, what would be a good word for not moving?...Stagnant maybe!? No, that's not good because I actually have been lower than 2 wks ago and HIGHER than 2wks ago. As of today I am down 0.2lbs from last wk which means I'm UP 0.2lbs from 2wks ago and sitting at 21.6lbs lost in 10wks. Yea, Yea, yea I know that 2.16lb/wk is a good average but I will still beat myself up a little that my total disregard for good decision making during the middle of last wk has cost me this week. It could have been worse, so much worse considering what I ate...and that I realized as I passed a pizza place on the way to the grocery store a few days ago that I left out one thing in my confession.....a trip to that pizza place for dinner one night were I didnt eat that much pizza but I did eat three pieces of Chocolate Chip pizza! oh my..that is evil-bad sinfully delicous stuff. I dont know how they make the pizza taste like cookie dough but if you've read my blog you'll know that cookie dough is a MAJOR weakness for me.

I now stop to count the blessing that is only a 0.2lb overall gain as of today.

I am still tracking my food al beit I have not gotten off my big tushy and done any exercise since entering the confessional on Monday but maybe tonight. Did I say maybe? Allow me to rephrase: I will workout tonight. For an hour. How's that?

Goals for this week:

1 - Track Everything!
2 - Get in all my water every day.
3 - Workout at least 4x!

Next week my goal will be to begin my the habit making process. I really want to start working out in the mornings and have done it enough times successfully to know that it is possible. I just have to do a wee bit of planning the night before!