Week 52 - A Year Gone By

Last January I began this blog with my resolution to eat more healthy and try to lose some weight. I invited any readers to share the journey with me as I had successes and failures along the way.  I haven't written much on here since fall because my work has been very busy and I have also been taking a class.  I have still been trying to eat better and lost weight.   I have new goals to be making for the new year,but will address those another day.    For the year 2010, I am pleased to say that I have lost approximately 120 pounds.    It has been difficult, but the hardest was the first few months while getting my cravings under control.  Most of my eating is emotional too.  I haven't documented this journey in pictures the way I wish I had, but here is some pictures taken a year apart..... 



November 2009



November 2010



My Summer Update

My Summer Challenge was a 10 week challenge beginning June 11 and ending August 13.  My goal is the lofty goal of losing 30 pounds.  

As of July 16, I have lost about 18 pounds leaving about a month left to go on the challenge and 12 pounds to reach the 30 pound mark.  I may or may not make it.  It will be close.

This summer I got a little stuck and have been wavering within a 7 pound range for awhile.  These are my thoughts on this.

1. During the summer months, my schedule is much more relaxed and food including snacking, is much more accesible to me. It is much easier to grab something to eat.  Or should I say it is much harder to resist the temptations. 
2. I took a couple of trips and when my routine is upset I tend to eat differently.  I either get vey hungry and eat poor choices or I eat too much.  I find when I am with groups of people ( friends, family) I will eat because it is time to eat not because I am hungry.  I will also eat emotionally, not for fuel.    
3. It is time that I step/ramp it up and get a regular exercise program in place. I have been exercising but it has not been regular.   This is a place where I need more discipline and self control. 

Even so, I have been losing, just at a little slower rate than before.  My hopes for losing greater amounts and becoming fit and tone over the summer didn't manifest this summer because you need to do the work to see the results!   :)  But that is okay because I am a work in progress and I am still working on myself. 

One thing I have to be very careful of is becoming too proud.  Pride goeth before a fall as the Bible says and I also found that people, especially if they havent seen in awhile, are noticing and complimenting my weightloss.  I have to be careful not to let it go to my head.  Yes, I am proud of my accomplishments but I also have more to go.   And pride is one of my weaknesses, as God knows.  So I ask His help to keep me humble and keep me focussed on the prize-- a healthy body. 

It's Been a Long time

I haven't been posting here much.  Right now I am in the middle of my Summer Challenge.  and I am about halfway there both in time and in pounds.  I will be more specific later-- I dont have it handy at the moment and I wanted to update the blog.  I have continued to be aware of what I am eating and trying to make better choices.  I really do not deny myself, but find that my tastes are changing.  I try to average losing about 2 - 3  pounds a week which translates to about 10 pounds a month. 

The more difficult part is the exercise piece.  Frankly I just dont like to sweat!  I have been doing some exercise but it is not consistent and it is not a habit.  I am quick to make excuses.  It is too hot.  It is too humid. 
I have been averaging about 2 - 4 times a week.   These are the things that I have been  doing.  Not each one every day, but if I dont do the one I will try to do the other.  

1. Walking outside -  A friend and I walk a mile , usually in the evenings 
2. Wii Fit Plus 
3. Leslie Sansone DVD Walking 

I need to get more consistent and I need to stop making the excuses.  But really---it is so hot & humid out!  Who really wants to get all hot and sweaty ?    I also need to figure out how I am going to fit in the exercise when my schedule becomes more busy in a few weeks and I do not have the flexibility that I have right now.    Those are the things that I need to be thinking about right now.  

   

Week 9 of the Challenge

I met my goal!   Although I haven't listed my weekly weigh in the last couple weeks, I have met my goal of losing 20 pounds in these 9 weeks by 10 pounds.  I have lost 30 pounds.   While I am glad to have lost the 30 pounds, I realize that I do not want to lose weight too fast and need to be sure to lose slowly. 

I went back for my doctor visit and my blood pressure and blood sugar checked out well.  He would like me to continue to eat healthy and try to lose 4 - 5 pounds a month.  I would like to try for a little more than that, but maybe not more than that.  

I havent set a goal yet for myself , but I am thinking I need to work on an a physical goal-- exercise --ugh.    I need a few days to think about it.  Any ideas?

Week 6 - 7 Weigh In

weight loss this 2 weeks  - 4
total weight loss this challenge week 7 / 9  - 19

Last Friday I actually had gained a pound.  But by Saturday the pound and another had dropped off.  That just goes to show that weight fluctuates by the day.  It is better to weight by the week or better yet go by the way you feel or the way your clothes fit than by what the scale says. 

The two week weigh in was actually closer to 4 and a half pounds, but whose counting....me!   ;) 
More people have said things to me about losing weight.  Nothing dramatic--just a subtle noticing.  That is nice.  I still really don't feel any different, but I have noticed a little difference in the car with the seatbelt.

The challenge is over in another two weeks.  I am nearly at the goal I set.  I hope to keep it up!

Week 5 Weigh- In

Weight loss this week  - 5
Total wt loss this challenge   - 15

Feeling pretty good about this week.  I hit a couple of personal goals.   I'm still working on the exercise goal though!   It has been pretty warm and muggy and I hate this type of weather. 

I have been drinking more water.  The thermos is helping. I still need to up the ounces though.
I've also got this cold or something that has been hanging on for about 2 -3 weeks now. I have a feeling it might be allergies, but I have never had allergies before. I've been using tons of kleenex. 

Hey!  You don't think that is where I have been losing weight, do you?   Snotting it out?   :)

Week 4 Weigh In

weight loss this week   - 3 lbs
total weight loss for the challenge   - 10 lbs

 I am at about the midway point of my challenge and my goal was to try and lose 20 pounds-- so I am right on track!   The weather has gotten warmer and I have been drinking more water.   
I really do need to get myself more motivated to do more moving and exercising.  I think that is where I need to start thinking towards.  Maybe my next challenge will be more movement oriented....    I'd like to maybe just get out and do some walking every day so that by the time June comes around I can really get serious about exercise.  I know I cannot just jump into something. 

This week someone made a comment about me losing weight.  It felt good.  This person does not know that I have been working on it--she ust noticed.  How nice to get some validation.

Week 3 Weigh In

Drum roll please......

Weight loss this week  - 3 lbs
total weight loss for the challenge   - 7 lbs.

Total weight loss this year   - 30 lbs

I purchased a water bottle this week made by Thermos. It was recommended for staying cold all day on a blog that I read.  We're going to give it a shot to help me get the water goal accomplished.

Weigh In Week 2 ( 9 Week Challenge)

Total weight loss this week:  - 4 
Total weight loss for the challenge:  -4 

Yeah for Me!  

I ate better this week-- like barely at all.  No pizza, no junk.   Had a nce bg salad that actually tasted really good.  Must have been  just what I needed.
 Stomach issues were better.   Now for my other goals :
Ugh.
24 Oz water daily:  Not met --might as well give up.  Or try for maybe 4 oz.   
Exercise 2 times a week: not met - sigh.  But I still have hope for this one.
Sleep at least 7 hours a night.  YES!   I got at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night this week.

This week I have a different schedule for work, so I am wondering what that will do for my routine.  Because I am a person of routine.  I might be able to get the exercise in.  But what will happen to the food?   I hope I can persevere.   I want to get myself a special water bottle to carry for my water consumption and I also want to pick up some kind of step counter this week.
New goals for next week:

Drink 8 oz of water
Exercise 2 times a week
Sleep 8 hours a night

Keeping fingers crossed.

Weigh In Week 1 of 9 WeekChallenge

Didn't do real well at keeping the food from the mouth this week.  After the Doctors appointment, I splurged and binged ate.  All those foods that I had stayed away from lately like pizza and girl scout cookies called my name and I decided to listen.  Felt good eating them, they tasted good but afterwards my stomach hurt and my energy was off.  That should be a lesson.  Take a mental note! 

Then I went out of town for work.  My schedule was messed up and I ate even when I wasn't hungry just because I was with a group of people and we were out eating or because it was time to eat and it was put in front of me and I didn't know the next time I would have the chance to eat.  How dumb is that? 
I continue to get some stomach distress after eating - can't really put my finger on it-- gas or something.  It is not pleasant. Maybe it is gall bladder?   Makes me feel like I never want to eat again.

Another two things I am noticing is that I have a very dry mouth.  I am not necessarily thirsty, but I always need to keep some water around or some coffee to keep my mouth moist.  I have also been extrememly tired this week, but today it occured to me that maybe it is not actually tiredness but perhaps it is my eyes being dry.  So today I have  been using eye drops to see if that is helping with the tiredness that I have been feeling. 

Of course, the tiredness could be from working too much and not getting enough sleep combined with not eating enough or not eating the right kind of foods.  So, I am going to try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night this week. 

Goals for last week:
24 oz of water a day : not met
exercise 2-3 days: not met ( but I did walk a lot at the conference I went to)

weight loss this week   - 0
total for challenge  - 0

total weight loss in 2010   - 23

I'll try again this next week ---  and add the sleeping more to the goals

My New 9 Week Challenge

March 10th I went back to the Doctor for my check up.  My goal had been to lose 25 pounds.  According to my scale that morning, I had lost 25 pounds exactly.   By evening time  and on a different scale--a doctor scale  ( aren't those notoriously set higher? ) -- it showed I had lost 23 pounds since the last time I was there.    Either way, I consider that a goal met.   Yeah!  

Even the doctor gave me a pat on the back.  Better than a lecture anyday.  He also added that since the weather was warming up I should start getting outside and exercising, walking more.  Okay, okay.  I get the message. 

My blood pressure was uncharacteristically low for me this time.  I wonder if losing the 25 pounds had a part in that.  I really expected the blood pressure reading to up a little since I feel a lot of stress and pressure at work. 

I return to the doctor in 2 months and I would like to lose an additional 20 pounds in that time.  I haven't been keeping the food diary as I had wanted, but I am tracking my weight on a weekly basis.  I also need to add more vegetables to my diet and also up my water.  I seem to feel very dry most of the time. 

My new 9 week challenge :   

• lose 20 pounds 
• drink at least 24 oz water daily 
• do some kind of exercise at least 2 times a week 

I know we are to exercise more--but I figure if I start with baby steps-- I'll be more likely to make the goal.   I can always do more!   Same with the water.

Keeping the long term goal in mind, but focusing on a short term goal. 

What is something that you have done to help you stay motivated or helped you in your weight loss journey?   

Almost to goal!

I haven't written for a long time-- time seems to be going so fast.  I got stuck for a little while with not eating well and just staying stick at the same week.  But I think I am back on track!   Just in time too.  I go to the doctor for a checkup next week. 

Going to the doctor last November is what got me started about doing something more for my health.  I skipped the month of December, since I knew I could never give up all the Christmas goodies.  In fact, I didn't want to watch what I ate.  But I started religiously in January with my goal of losing 25 pounds.

I will set a new goal next week after checking in with the doctor.

Week 4-9 weight loss   - 11
Total weight loss         - 24

yeah me! 

Weigh In Week 3

Better week this week.  Weighed in on Jan 22. 

Week 3 weight loss   - 5
Total weight loss     - 13

Woo Hoo!

Half way to my short term goal of losing 25 pounds!

Weigh In

I did my weekly weigh-in Friday.  Not good.  I haven't done well about choosing good foods.  The week was busy with meetings every night and I got home late.  Being tired and hungry led me to pick up food on the way home.  Little to no exercizing this week too. 

Change this week:  + 1
Total Change:        - 9

I'm still down from the start of my journey, but up from last week.  My plan this week is to be proactive and have a meal plan already in mind.  I am also going to keep track of foods in a journal.  I'm told that is very helpful. 

To Ponder

My good intentions of writing something daily here flew out the window as soon as I went back to work.  I still can't believe how fast the evening hours fly!  Well, even though my plan to write daily failed, my journey of losing weight has not.  In fact, I think it is much easier to stay true when I am back in a routine and cannot focus on if I am hungry or bored.

These are my questions at this point. 

1. How important is it to have support?  (The human, emotional kind of support--not the lycra, spandex type --LOL)   
2. How often should one weigh--daily? weekly? 
3. Should a food journal be kept and calories counted?

The Journey begins

I went to the doctor in mid-November and that is the weight that starts this journey. Of course, doctor scales seem to always be too high and this scale was no different.  I'd like to say 100 pounds too high, but that would be exxagerating a little much. :)  I set a short-term goal of losing 25 pounds.

 Anyway, the problem with starting a diet in mid-November is the holidays are just around the corner!  No fair ! I watched what I ate carefully until right after Thanksgiving---and that meant no stuffing --let me say it again--NO STUFFING!  Ack!  I LOVE stuffing!  But I was good and had not even a taste. 

Before you pat me on the back, let me confess that I then decided in December to not be so careful with my food choices  through Christmas.  I didn't want to give up Christmas goodies that always seem to brought to work and call to me at the grocery store.   I vowed to not touch egg nog, anything with nuts, or cranberries.  It wasn't so much of a sacrifice because I don't consume those things anyway.   Now that the holidays are over, I can get back to being serious about eating better.  That being said, I still have lost a total of six pounds (on my scale) since that doctor visit.  Woo Hoo!

Take My Poll!

Are you also looking to shed a few pounds this year?   Take my poll!   It will end in a few weeks and I will post the results in a blog entry.  ( I think you can see the results now too if you want)

New Year Resolution - no really, I'm for real this time

     I decided to start this blog chronicling my successes and failures in my journey to live a healthier lifestyle.  I've dabbled at losing weight and eating better the last few years, but I get too hungry busy and don't stay with it. 

Carrying around extra weight has led to high blood pressure and pre-type 2 diabetes and I have been on medication for the last couple years.  Losing weight can erase or reduce that need. 

     So I won't be overwhelemed, I am setting short term goals.  My first goal is to lose 25 pounds. This week I plan to be very aware of what I eat and to drink more water. I want to be careful not to sabotage myself or do something so drastic that I feel denied. 

     I'd love to have you on this journey with me.  Encourage me, motivate me, inspire me.