Sorry this is late!

So, I have been really busy and my computer wasn't working etc.... This week hasn't been as great as last week. I thought that I just breezed through the 240's and I should be breezing throught the 230's. Not so much. I only lost 3 lbs this week to put me at 239.2. That still isn't bad, but it is so frustrating when you bounce between 239 and 240 for 4 days!! I still haven't figured out the problem, but I will. Sometimes there is just a clich in the system and it will work itself out. I also have done some damage to my feet and that is not making workouts very easy; so being motivated to go to the gym is turning out to be a problem. I just need to stay focused on the goal. I will probably not meet my 230 goal for Hawaii, but if I can get close then it is good enough. I am not going to kill myself trying to reach it in a week and a half. (But I will not give up either) Anyway, that is all from my neck of the woods. I will see you next week! Keep your chin up.

Scales can be friendly. :)

Ok, I know that we have all done it. We get on the scale expecting a certain number to pop up and, low and behold, the wrong numbers show up. "How is that possible we think to ourselves?" I have been so good and worked so hard? Then, what do we do, we get mad at the scale! I have done this countless times. I think that number can't possibly be right and then immediatly get depressed. Well, I had a different experience this week; and I am curious to see if anyone else has had this happen to them. I had been having a pretty good week. The diet and exercise were right on track, I was a little sick toward the end of the week and I ate out with my parents three times. (I know.....scary!) The weight was up a little but went back down after some good effort at the gym. I didn't think my weigh in this week would be anything to shout from the rooftops, but I knew I would still be down. Well, I get on the scale this morning and I am shocked by what I see.......242.6!! I almost fell off the scale. I wasn't wearing my glasses at the time, so I ran to put them on and got back on the scale....it was the same. I thought, "no way, this scale is lying; except now it's lying on the down side. Is my scale teasing me?" So, I went to the gym and weighed there.....same result. I guess the scale can be our friend. :) That is a seven pound loss this week!! 2.80%. Amazing. I really hope for the same thing next week, but I am not going to count my chickens before they hatch. My dad was worried that I was starving myself, but trust me....I ate. It is all about preperation. When I ate out with my family I looked up the menu and nutritional information before we went. I knew what I was going to order and how I wanted it cooked before we even got to the restaurant. You can still have a life when you are on a diet; or rather when you are trying to make better lifestyle choices. So many places have their nutrtional information posted on their websites or even in the restaurant itself; you just have to ask for it. Some places even have a "light" menu or can make a meal "light style" for you. I plan my grocery shopping ahead of time. I custom meals for myself by reading the labels of foods and then putting them together in the right portions. It takes work and dedication, but the results are so worth it. Listen to me, I sound like a nutritional expert and I still am over 240 pounds. :) Actually, one thing that has helped me a lot (besides being involved in the healthcare field), is that I took a nutritional class a few semesters ago. It really brought some things into perspective for me and helped me understand my own body and how it reacts to food. I would highly recommend doing this just to gain more knowledge about what is good for your body and what will damage it. Well, here is to a great week. Hopefully there will only be good things to report next Wednesday. Until then......good night campers!!

Seriously?

Ok, so water retention is lame!! Every female out there knows what I am talking about. :( I was having such a great week and then one day I wake up and the scale says I am up 5 pounds. Yikes! Freaked me out. I don't think I have ever been so depressed. I didn't want to go to the gym, go to class, work, or anything that I normally do. I was just so frustrated. I did go though; I worked so hard and I was still up. I couldn't believe it. I had been so close to breaking into the 240's and now I had to make up a lot of ground. Then, miracle of miracles, two days ago I suddenly dropped back down. My body finally decided that I wasn't given up and it better give me what I deserve. :) So, I am very happy to report this morning that I am officially 249.2! It's is not the kind of loss I wanted this week; but all things considered I find it pretty darn good. I am in the 240's and I will never go back. 19 pounds to go before hawaii; I am a little behind, but I think I will get very close. I found something out about myself this week. I had a surprise yesterday waiting in my email. My ex-husband and sent me an "update" about his life. He told me that he and his wife are getting sealed in the temple soon. (Those of you who are not LDS will not understand the signification of this, but just know that it is very important to my religion) He said he wanted to let me know before I heard it from other sources, because he wanted to be "honorable". I really didn't know how to feel about it. I sat there reading his email and just thought of all the things he did and said to me. At first, I was angry and wanted to reach through the computer and just strangle him. Then I thought, why should I be mad, it won't change what is past. He is happy and that is good. Not only that, but I am happy; which is better. Had we said together I would be miserable. He helped me get to this point by what he did and I am better for it. Look at what I have done just in the past few weeks? Had I received this email earlier it would have sent me into a deep depression. Now? It has just motivated me to great goals and heights. I am not angry; maybe a little shocked, but not angry. I will take that motivation and put it toward something great. After all, being everything that he said I would never be is going to be the best revenge. :)

TA-DA!!!!

Ok, so this week I didn't think was going to be as great. I fell off the wagon, not horribly, but I was up a pound the next day! AAAARRRGGHHHH. I was so frustrated. I didn't want to get on the scale this morning and disappoint myself and those who are cheering for me. What is interesting about it, is that a month ago I would have just given up and said, "see, I am a failure, I can't do it". By stark contrast I got up the next morning and the next and the next and put in such intense workouts. I was willing to do whatever it took to get that pound back. I knew that I would still not lose as much as I had planned, but as long as I redeemed myself of my mistake it didn't really matter. A lot of diets out there tell you that you should take a "day-off" and maybe that works for some people, but not for me. One day off will ruin me. It's so hard for me to get back on "the plan", the next day. Besides, what I am doing is not a diet, it is a lifestyle change. When I reach my goal, I won't just go back to how I lived before; that's what got me here in the first place. Anyway, I got up the morning and whith my heart in my throat I stepped on the scale. (I had a general idea of where I was going to be since I weigh everyday, but I was still nervous; since weight does shift from time to time). Well, I am now at 252.0 lbs!!! Can you believe it? That's a 1.94% loss! I am amazed. Oh, it feels so good. I could be in the 240's by the end of the week, if I keep this up. That would be amazing. Things are going well. I haven't noticed a huge change in the way my clothes fit, except that I am more comfortable in clothes that use to make every bluge show. But, I will be doing measurements this weekend and then we will see how many inches I have lost along with the pounds. I haven't watched this weeks Biggest Loser yet, so I am not sure how I measured up, but I bet I am competitive. Oh, what a great week. Now, I ned to not screw it up!! Thank you for all of your support that you are offering to me during this journey. I love reading your comments. You have no idea how much it means to me to know how supported I am. Love your guts!! :) Have a great week.

Weigh In

Well, what a week! It has been a hard one. The workouts are harder, the stress is more and life just has a way of trying to knock you down when you want to do something good. I didn't post last night because it was late, I still had homework to do and my mind and body were exhausted. However, I am happy to report that the hard work is paying off..........257.6 lbs!! That's a loss of around 1.90%, not to shabby. I am actually holding my own against the biggest loser contestants. (I can't believe it actually.) I have broken into the 250's. I haven't been there in at least a year. What a wonderful feeling. I think that my mother is right; that as I lose more weight I will lose the desire to ever go back. I have more energy, more desire, and am just happier. I find myself being more of myself, if that makes any sense. I can't wait to break into the 240's. I actually have set some intermidate goals on my way to the ultimate goal. One of them is to be at 230 lbs by the middle of March. That is only six weeks away, but I only have 27 more lbs to lose; totally possible!! It is so worth it. I love my life; even with all the hard work it is.

First Biggest Loser Weigh In

Well, here we are at my first official weigh in against the Biggest Loser contestants. (Even though we didn't get to see them weigh-in because of the state of the union address) Could I get a drum roll?????? Starting weight 266 lbs, current weight is.....262! Ok, I know it is only a 1.50% loss; but that is pretty good considering I don't have Bob and Jillian, or people preparing my foods, I have school, work, clinicals and everyday stress to work against. I am pretty proud of that number; mostly because it means that I will be in the 250's next week. That is going to feel sweet! Today was a big temptation day as well. When I took my first break during clinicals there were doughnuts, homemade fudge, crackers, soda; you couldn't imagine the spread they had in the break room. I quickly downed my water and ran back to the dressing room to relax away from all the food. Then when I went in for lunch they had homemade cream of chicken soup, homemade bread and jam, cookies, fudge, and the doughnuts from the morning. I still ate my little meal and ran back to the dressing room. I am sure they all thought I was crazy; but I couldn't stay there with all that temptation. Expecially since I am just starting on this journey and I didn't want to blow it after my "official" first week. Still I made it through, and even endulged in a healthy, 60 calorie, snack to celebrate! So worth it. Keep on keeping on! Thanks so much for all your comments. I know we can do this together.

P.S. If you comment, could you sign your comments? It doesn't even have to be your real name if you don't want; I would love to reply to you, but I like to know who I am talking to. Thanks so much!

Day Two!!

Well, I didn't think I would have so many comments that quickly! Thanks for all your support and great advice. You are right, the key to weight loss is what they say every week on the Biggest Loser; calories in vs. calories out! So, I do just that. Nothing goes in my mouth unless I know exactly how many calories is in it and then I make sure that I am active enough through the day to give me at least a 1,000 calorie deficit. (I do have a bodybugg and I would highly recommend if you can afford it....get one!) However, if you can't you can still count your calories in and there are all kinds of resources online that will tell you, on average, how many calories a specific activity will burn. Another thing I like to do is weigh everyday. I know they tell you not to do this; but if you are using a digital scale that gives you weight like 250.8, you should see that tenth going down each day. If it starts to creep up then you can examine your day and see what you are doing to cause the rise. This is just me, if it works for you then great! Definatly weigh every week so that you may see the fruits of your success. Also, I like to take my measurements every 2-3 weeks. I like to know that eventually my "fat" clothes will be falling off me!!! Anyway, things have been pretty good this week. Thursday's are always hard for me cause I am in class and lab all day; so just sitting there. The other students go out for lunch and bring back all kinds of greasy, wonderfully smelling food and it makes my mouth water. :( There is also all kinds of snacks set out by the teachers since we are in lecture for 8 hours and they figure we need nourishment. (since when do doughnuts and cookies count as nourishment?) But, I resisted the urge to endulge and went for the apple instead and I took a quick trip home for lunch that was already prepared. That's another key. If you know that a particular place, day, or whatever is going to be your weak point; prepare ahead of time so you can conquer! Well, that's all for today. Next post wil be on 1/25 for my first weigh in against the biggest loser contestants; I hope I pull a good number!!