Happy Holidays

I am loving this Christmas. I have lost another 3 pounds (so much for my goal to maintain through the holidays) hahaha. I made the decision to go through my closet. I am getting rid of everything that is too big. I do not want to have any reason to backslide! There is no going back. I am excited that there is a lot less junk and can't wait to lose enough to buy more. I did go out and get a few skirts and shirts to wear to church but starting January 1 I am hitting it hard! 34 more pounds to get to 199! I will make it this new year! Have a great new year and remember to make goals to be a better you!

Vacation is over

Sorry for the break in posting, vacation has putting me far behind. However I am proud to report that I lost 2 pounds while I was out and I am excited to be back at the gym. This means that I will end the year with 50 pounds lost and I am looking forward to keeping it and more off this year coming. I am working for that goal. Merry Christmas and lets all work to be healthy this year coming up!

Wii Results

Ok, this is totally cheating but I can not resist! I got on the Wii this morning and it says I am 237! It is usually less than the YMCA but not by much so I am thrilled. It is great to see the 30's even if the Y doesn't have the same number! I really feel good about myself. Another thing about the Wii, it gives you a fit age based on weight, balance and actual age. It has shown my much older than I am but today it says I am my real age of 44! That means I am getting stronger and my balance is better (possibly because I can see my feet- hahaha) Anyway, I will take any victory I can get! Have a great day!

Look at Me Now!

Ok, things were looking pretty bleak, then out of nowhere a week ago I went to 246! I thought it was a fluke but then this week I dropped to 243! I am now within 7 pounds of hitting 50 pounds lost and I am feeling great! I thought it was time to include a picture so you can see me and I can record where I am at.

Off Like a Herd Of Turtles

1 pound. That is it. I am bummed out and even when I stepped up my workout it didn't seem to help. I am officially tired. Don't worry I am not giving up but it is hard. I set an original goal of 100 pounds in 6 months. Ok, I know that is not happening but I don't even see half that in 6 months. Everybody says to have manageable goals and that makes sense but I don't see an end in sight. At this rate it could literally be another year before I get to a place where I am just fat. I am getting close to drastic measures.

No Pain No Gain (or In This Case Loss)

Ok, this was great! I have been working at a 3 on the treadmill and last Friday I started ramping it up (no pun intended)by working at an incline of 3. Well today I got wondering what more to do and I found it! I noticed a button on the treadmill that said weight loss. I have been afraid to push in the past but today I through caution to the wind and PUSHED THE BUTTON! There were several options so of course I chose the one that looked the most difficult. You walked at 0 incline for 1 minute then 2 minutes at a 4 then 3 at a six and then 2 at a Nine, then back down in the reverse order. Then one minute at 0 and then 2 at 4 and 2 at 9 and back down then you repeat the whole thing till you are done your workout. I did 30 minutes. Boy was I sweating and at a nine I had to hold on to keep going. It was fun but definately a lot harder than what I have been doing. I can't wait to do it again and see how long it takes to get used to. I really love my time in the gym. My trainer was not available today so I can't wait to see her on Tuesday.

Counting Every Ounce!

Ok, I have been really slow now. I am not giving up and have a plan to get past it. I weighed in on Saturday and I was exactly 251. Last week I was 252.8. That means that I have lost 1.8 pds this last week and I am glad. I think that my workout (the cardio part - training is great) has hit a slump. I worked up to a 3 and have been doing 20-30 minutes but it is not challenging. So on Friday I worked at a 3.2 and did an incline of 3 for about half the time. I really felt like I was working harder and I think that will make a difference. Also today I could not get to the gym so when Gordon got home we put the girls to bed and Josh and Ted played the WII while Gordon and I went out and biked the neighborhood. Without the kids I could really push it with Gordon (keeping up with that guy was hard) and we biked a mile and a quarter together. So I managed a good workout today and tomorrow I hit the gym. Even if it is 1.8 pounds a week I will keep going. I really want to lose 15 pds more before Thanksgiving so I am praying this slump passes and I can get back to 3 to 4 pds. (Not that I am greedy)

Off The Edge Of The Earth

I have not died! I just looked at how long it has been since my last post and felt bad and thought I had better update. Ok, so I hit a roller coaster spot. I lost 5 pounds and the next week nothing. Then I went up 2 pounds and then I dropped it back again. So after 2 weeks I was still at 255. Last week I got sick and the kids got sick and then I was just plain tired so I did not work out at all. I finally felt better and got back to the gym and I have lost another 3 pounds! I am excited to be at 252 and hoping to see the 40s this week or next. I really missed working out last week and was feeling great to be back to the gym. The fall schedule is now in place and I feel like I am done being sick so there is no excuses and I really want to lose another 15 to 20 pounds before November 15. It would be great to be at 235 or less for our trip to Maryland at Thanksgiving. That is not the 100 pounds I had thought but I will take it. I guess this really is a long term project and is going to take dedication. Maybe watching biggest loser this fall will give me a push to lose more! hahaha I am just proud of my self for sticking to it and not giving up. I will get there!!!!

Bicycling To The Edge of The Universe

Ok, I am so proud of today. Gordon's car broke down and he took mine to work. I decided that I wasn't going to miss my work out, I wouldn't be able to do another one with my trainer till next week. So I decided to bike to the YMCA. I map quested it and it was 3.75 miles but I had to take the long way to stay off the main road so I figured it was about 4 miles one way. Then when I went to leave I found a flat tire! I have never changed one but decided to try. Then I found out the tube could not be fixed and I searched through boxes till I found a new one and put it in the tire. I was so proud. Then I started out. About a mile in I realized that I had not put the tire on right so I stopped at someones house and deflated the tire and fixed it and then pumped it up again with a hand pump. (Thanks Sister Johnston for the tools) Then I went on to the Y. I got my work out in and then biked about 2 miles back to the car place and Gordon's car was fixed so I brought it home. I was excited to get it all done. I don't know how my weight loss is going but I feel great!

255!!!!

This is my best week to date. I lost 5 pounds! Wow, I was not expecting it. I thought maybe 2 or 3. You could have blown me away with 5. I am excited and feel great. I am not just in the 50s by a bit, I am in the middle. I can see the 40s around the corner! I was so pumped up I got on the treadmill and actually walked at 3.2. Then I ran 2 times for a minute just to get the feel of it. I went up to 3.7 to do that. I shaved about 1 minute off my mile and had fun doing it.

Great News

I am so excited! When I started this diet I was wearing a size 28 and last night I had to buy jeans cause mine were falling off. I GOT SIZE 22! I didn't even weigh in today. I was so happy I didn't even care! I am working hard and it was great to feel so good. I will weigh in next week, but I will keep working. The work with a trainer is so great. It is not just weigh loss but also toning. I love the way I feel.

Boy Am I Confused!

Ok, try to follow this. 2 weeks ago I worked out 3 times with my trainer and was very good on my diet. I lost a crappy 2 pounds (don't tell me that is good the effort was worth more!) The next week I stuck to my diet but only did cardio 1 time for 30 minutes. I gained the 2 pounds back. Ok, so I should not have lost maybe but to gain? So, I decided to take the weekend off and eat what I wanted. I did not pig out but did have ranch on my salad and bacon, and for Sunday dinner I had potatoes with a little butter. (ok, I had seconds on the pork with gravy too) Well I figured with that bad behavior I would have gained more - can you believe it - I lost a pound between Friday and today! So today I started fresh and worked out and stuck to my diet and everything. I will just keep going and my goal this week is to get to the 50s! The 60s have been hard and can not wait to see them go!!!

Worries and Weight

Well, I am not sure if this post belongs here or on one of my other blogs. I have not been to the gym since last Thursday to work out. I have been eating too much but not enough to cause a gain. If I lose one pound this week it will be a miracle. The reason that I am struggling (besides being wickedly over scheduled) is that I am stressed out. Joshua has been slurring his speech. I thought it was a hearing problem but we took him to the speech pathologist at MD Anderson and she thinks it is a brain problem. Radiation damage (we are 2 years out from radiation so I do not get that) or new tumor. We are not worried but of course I am. I did some more research and found out it could also very likely be a stroke. I can't believe I am hoping to hear stroke. People do not understand that we are never going to be free of this horrible monster. I guess I can't change what is. We have an MRI tomorrow and Friday and then we will hear those results. We may also have an MRA to see the status of the blood vessels in his brain if we do not see anything on the MRI. I really want to get to the gym, I enjoy it so much but don't know when I will. I am just hoping that tomorrow goes well and then I will regroup and try again. I also need to get more sleep but that is the first thing to go when I am upset like this. I will keep trying, I refuse to give up. I keep thinking that it will make a difference to the kids if they see that I do not give up. Tomorrow is another day.

A Long Week

I am so bummed. I worked out with my trainer 3 times this week and ate very carefully. I weighed in today and I am at 261. That is just 2 pounds! I know that everybody says that 2 pounds a week is good but I put in a lot more effort than that. If I had 30 pounds to lose maybe but I need to lose 75 more pounds to just be over weight. It is hard to be moving so slow. I have so many things going on I just need to get going faster. I guess I will start again on Monday and hope that next week is better.

The Short Week

I know I weighed in on Monday but I want to get back to Friday weigh ins. So I did it Friday and I lost 2 more pounds! Can you believe it, 2 pounds in 4 days. I am excited about this and can't believe that I am still losing. I keep thinking that I will hit a plateau but not yet! I am 263 and 4 pounds from 59! That will be great. Well it was a short week so this is a short post.

265!

I did not get to the gym on Friday or Saturday (life is really crazy now) but I tried to eat well and keep moving. Today, I had a refrigerator man, 3 extra children, 1 lost child (yes it was Rachel) in a Lowes. I couldn't take it anymore and went to the YMCA just to weigh in. Was I shocked to see that number! I am 6 pounds from 259! Also, when I was at 18 pounds of loss I was telling people 20 so now I am 21 and feel great about it! Also that means I lost 4 pounds this week! Sorry, I just keep adding exclamation points cause every sentence in this post deserves one! I have so much going on that I am really proud that I am able to keep going. I keep thinking that I can't keep everything up but so far I am. I really like working out at the gym and - dare I say it- walking on the treadmill. Ok, I can't take it- I have to end this on a high note ---!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I peeked!

I did not get to weigh in last Friday so I peeked today. I ate horribly last night. I made funeral potatoes but tried to make them more healthy. I used 98% fat free cream of chicken soup and light sour cream and 1/2 the butter the recipe calls for. Well they tasted great! Too great, I kept eating them. I need to remember that I just have to stay away from some things. It is like people telling me dessert is ok if I just eat one bite -- I can't stop once I start and so I just can't start! My weight was not good but I am not upset, I still lost but only one pound. I figure with traveling and not working out but one time last week, that is ok. I really was worried that I had gained! I plan to hit the gym every day this week so that on Friday I can have some more loss, 2 or 3 pounds would be great. Wish me luck.

Happy Birthday To Me

I did it! On my birthday I get to say that I am back to the 60s. I weighed in at 269, I am glad to see it. I am getting the hang of this. I am no longer thinking in terms of 100 pds, that is too big, I am now looking at 10 pds at a time, my new goal is 259. Also today I walked on the treadmill for 25 minutes and I did it at a 3 speed the whole time. I spent the last 5 minutes at a 3 incline too. It is the first time I have done any incline and that was fun. It kind of hurt my ankles but I made it and it was worth it for that number.

Vacation

I did great! I not only stuck to my diet pretty good but I was very active and got lots of exercise. We went shopping and they had jeans on sale. My jeans are all 26 or 28 and I was proud to say that I fit a size 24! I of course bought a pair because they were only 9.99. I know that still seems big but it felt good. Also, now I can start working towards a 20. I will be thrilled if I can get into an 18 sometime. I decided not to weigh in till this Friday, but I am looking forward to it and staying on track. I am going to be very busy this week and that should help, there is no time for cheating!

Cupcakes - No I did not eat them!

I just thought I would post. I am still working hard. I wasn't very excited this weekend but I still kept my eating down. Today I went to the gym and upped my excercise by 5 minutes so I am still going good. I started on the treadmill at 2 and now I am up to 3 and 20 minutes. Then I stayed on the bike 'cause there was a good show on. Can you believe that I worked out while watching a showdown to bake cupcakes?! That is too weird. I will not be weighing in this week, I am going out of town and will not be here on Friday. But I am working out tomorrow before we go and I am going to be as active as I can. I could weigh in on Saturday but I thought it would be best to wait till next week. I am too worried about the weight loss and do not want to get discouraged. If you think I should weigh in on Saturday let me know with a comment. Anyway I keep working, I will be in the gym on Saturday and I am packing the lunches for this trip and it will be healthy!

It's Friday Again

Well, I am bummed out! I went to the gym today and weighed in. I am at 274, that is 3 pounds down from last week. I know that everybody thinks that is great but I am working like a dog and 3 pounds in just not enough. If I had 30 pounds to lose maybe those numbers would be great but I have 125 and I should be losing twice that much each week. I do not think I should be losing double digits like the biggest loser contestants but 3 pounds? That does not match the effort I am giving this. Before I get comments let me just say that I am not giving up, I can't. I do not want my kids to think that when you don't get what you want you just stop trying. I just don't feel like I am succeeding either.

Mid - Week Ramblings

It is only Tuesday but I thought I would just post today. I have been working with my trainer. We met on Monday and today and I love it. I work with her for 30 minutes and then I do cardio for 30 minutes. I really feel good about it and feel like it will make a difference. We will know for sure on Friday.

The Weigh In

Today I went to the gym and worked out. (For those of you who don't think I have time to do that) Before I worked I did my weekly weigh in and I am at 277. I am excited to be out of the eighties but that only brings my total loss at 9 pounds in 2 and 1/2 weeks. This weeks official weight loss is 4 pounds! I am just excited to be losing and now really want to see the sixties. That is probably greedy but I am just 8 pounds from 269! It had better not take 3 weeks to get there.

Puppies, Freezers, and Rain

The exercise gods are mocking me. On Monday I found the door to my deep freezer open and spent 12 hours cooking meat. On Tuesday I worked with my trainer for the first time and it was good but I only got about half the time in the pool and the heavens opened and the rain came down and the thunder struck and we ran inside. I had to run home with the kids cause we have puppies and they are not always smart enough to go inside. Today people kept calling and then a neighbor had an emergency and I took her kids. I stayed active and ate carefully and tomorrow I will be at the gym for sure, I am meeting my trainer again. I really like doing that, I feel like I am stretching myself. I am thinking that instead of water aerobics I will do cardo, I really like that too. Well, the pups survived and so will I. I really think this is a journey, one day at a time. I will make it.

Weighing In and Coming Down (to reality)

I went to the gym today. I am very discouraged. I weighed in for the week. I am at 281. That is only 5 pounds in almost 2 weeks. I have to be honest and say that I did not exercise enough. I have been going to water aerobics but not consistantly. I like it but do not feel like it pushes me enough. I do feel the burn in some muscles but not enough cardio. I like being in the gym better. I spend about 15 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes at a quick pace that I am comfortable with then the last 5 minutes I push a couple of levels up. Then when I am jello legged I move to the bike and just try to keep going for another 15 minutes. I know it is not much but I am trying. I know I can't give up but it is tough not to get the start I wanted. I wanted to go in and hit this hard and get a big bang on the first weigh in but it just didn't happen. I know I need to be in the gym more and find some way to work out at home too. 30 minutes just isn't enough. Maybe I can go the gym in the morning and work out at home in the evening. It is hard. We went to the zoo tonight for an event and they had dinner. It was depressing because I couldn't eat anything! I finally put some lettuce (put out for the burgers) and 2 slices of tomato on a plate and ate it dry. Everybody else was enjoying burgers and hotdogs and chips and lots of desserts. This kind of sacrifice deserved more than 5 pounds. I need to see results but I guess that I just need to suck it up and get in the gym more if that is what I want. Anyway, I will not give up, I will not give up, I WILL NOT GIVE UP!

Holidays and Temptations

I did ok! I had more than I should have but not enough to hurt. I had salmon and salad and 1 piece of corn for dinner. The bad things were that I buttered the corn (only a little) and I snuck a bite of brautwurst. I do not think I am going to diet hell for that. Also, I made it to water aerobics this morning so that helps. For breakfast I had 1 hard boiled egg and an orange and then for lunch a 100 calorie granola bar and some wheat chips. When I write all that down I am worried that it was alot of carbs but I still feel ok about it. I can't wait for the time when I will be used to this eating and it will be second nature and not so much work. I enjoyed the day and that is important. I want this to be a life style change and not a diet that I fail. Tomorrow is another day and I am looking forward to it.

4 Days - Ups, Downs- and a Bike

Well I am off to a weird start. I have been doing good on my eating but I have not had as good luck with the work out. I wasn't able to work out on Monday and then on Tuesday I did water aerobics and my trainer showed me how to do the cardo equipment in the gym. Wednesday, they came early to install the door and then Gordon's car died on Hwy 8. Well today I got a ride to the Y from a dear friend (Gordon took the van) and did water aerobics again. I am a little burned but it was worth it. Well they finished Gordon's car and I told him I would bike over to get it. (about 2 miles) He didn't think I could do it and nothing gets me fired up more than that so even though it was the hottest part of the day and in the 90s I went. I did ok, it took me about 20 minutes to do it and that was with waiting for a train! I hope I am doing enough, I really want to weigh myself now. I know that would not be good, I need to stick to the schedule but it is hard to do. I will keep working at it!!!!

Day One

I am proud! I was not able to work out today cause Joshua had a big test a MD Anderson. But it was a good start anyway. I went to the gym and met my trainer and worked out a plan. Then I followed my diet. I had a chicken breast sandwich but didn't eat the top bun for lunch. I had healthy snacks and a salad with lean ham for dinner. I am having a little popcorn for a snack before bed. I also listened to my trainer and "walked with purpose" as I was going here and there. Tomorrow is my first work out and I am nervous. I am also excited and think it will be fun. One of the things I am doing is weighing in every Friday except this one. I think it is too soon so I will do it next week. BUT, I do have my starting weight. I weighed in this morning so I could get the number. 286 Sad but the way I look at it, I have no were to go but down! I am looking forward and planning to keep moving.

Count Down

I am getting nervous. I have actually been feeling sick and I think it is just nerves. I have been heavy for so long that part of me can't see myself any other way and I don't want to fail. What if it doesn't work? I keep thinking that something is going to happen to stop this. I found out yesterday that Joshua now has a big test at MD Anderson on Monday. (that is my son with cancer, he is 10) I called my husband, Gordon, and he is taking him and then I will come and finish it so Gordon can get to work. It means that I can't do a full work out on Monday but at least I can meet with my new trainer and do something. I really want this to work out (no pun intended) I want to be different. Then I worry, you know how they say that even after people lose weight they do not see themselves differently? What if I lose it and it doesn't make a difference? Can you see why I am nervous? I guess I just have to try, that is why I told everyone what I am doing - now I can't back out, there is no where to go but forward! 2 days till D-day --- Wish me luck!!!!!!

Getting Started

I decided that this journey needed to be started right so I enrolled in a healthy eating class at our YMCA. My usual antics happened right away. After the first class I was excited to tell my friends all I had learned the next day when I was back at the Y for my kid's class. After we talked about healthy eating someone brought up what you fix at a funeral. (they said that calories don't count there) and I told them about a recipe that I have for funeral potatoes. I can't make them anymore but the ladies asked what was in them. Of course right as I am explaining how to make these gooey, high calorie, high fat potatoes the wonderful lady teaching my class walks by. I am sure she thinks I have not learned a thing! Anyway I did learn a lot and I am looking forward to the changes I am going to make starting next Monday!