Weight Loss Update

So, after the difficult last 3 months of 2013, (read here and here if you missed those posts), I have been ready to drop the weight I gained and get back to happier times.

For Christmas, I got The Firm Express.  I've always been a HUGE fan of The Firm, and have used their programs each time I loose weight.  Last March when I began loosing weight again, I used this program:

I lost 38 pounds and fit into a size of clothing that I hadn't worn in YEARS!  In November I saw a commercial for their new program, The Firm Express.  I watched the 10 minute video and was SO EXCITED.  20 minute workouts that would do the same amount of work as the 40-50 minute workouts I was used to doing.  They cycle through, 3 workouts a week for 4 weeks.  They get progressively harder, and then you can restart it all over again.

So I began this process on January 6th.  The first 3 workouts were difficult, but I made it through them. I definitely felt muscles in my body that I'd not felt in quite a while, which was fabulous.  First week:  3 pounds down.

The second week of workouts almost killed me.  After the first one, my lower ab muscles (those horrible "pooch" muscles) felt like they were going to die.  I LOVED it!  I don't mind being in pain when I know that I am benefitting from it.  The second day, my thighs were done!  The rest of the week I had to stop progressing because I had parent conferences and didn't get home until late on those two days.

I stepped on the scale this morning, expecting the scale to have gone up.  I had eaten fast food twice during the week, and had some candy over the weekend.  I was STUNNED to see that it went down 2.6 more pounds!  Excited, I decided to rethink how I'm going to do this program.

Instead of going through a cycle each week, I'm going to master the workouts of the cycle I'm in before moving onto the next cycle, which gets harder.  I want to put all my energy and effort into doing it correctly, and not have to modify the movements to make them easier.  So I restarted today, and was able to put my all into it.

I'm so excited about this program, that I've attached the link for it.  The Firm Express is awesome, and where it tells you that you can loose up to 15 pounds in 30 days, I'm not stupid.  I always give myself a 5 pound a month goal.  That way I don't overdo it, and it's a tangible goal.  So far I've already reached that goal.  I'm excited to see what results I get from it next Monday.

Weight Loss Challenge 2; Week 3, 4, 5

The first two weeks of my "new" challenge were wonderful.  I was motivated, excited, eating healthy.  I came home from work the second Friday, and after I exercised I instantly became very sick.  High fever, throat swollen, I couldn't talk, chills that lasted for hours;  yep, I caught Strep Throat.  For five days I was MISERABLE.  I couldn't talk, swallow, sleep, or eat unless it was something that was soft or made of ice.  To try and keep myself from putting weight on, I looked for healthier food.  Instead of buying ice cream bars, I found some really good Dreyer's fruit bars that had no sugar, were low on calories, and are simply divine!

Surprisingly, I lost almost three pounds during that 5 day stretch.  Week three was a bust in regards to exercising.  I simply wasn't healthy enough and I knew if I pushed it I would later regret it.

Well, that week off from exercising DID NOT HELP MY CAUSE.  Week four was a COMPLETE AND TOTAL BUST!  My motivation was gone, I wasn't eating healthy, I was worried.  I gained the three pounds back very quickly and decided to simply act like I'd never lost that weight to begin with!

At the end of week four I had still met my goal for the month of January.  I'm shooting for 5 pounds a month, and I'd lost six.  I was still bummed though because after being sick the idea of exercising wasn't appealing AT ALL.

Going into week 5 I knew I needed to do something drastic.  I was trying to find a way to get my motivation back.  I remembered a DVD I used all summer long, The Firm.  Before week 5 I'd been doing a 20 minute aerobics routine to work my way into using The Firm again.  I decided it was time to jump in with both feet.  I'm using the "express" 35 minute workout during the week, which combines circuit training with aerobics and burns A LOT more calories.

I started the DVD on Tuesday, and have lost 3.6 pounds this week!!!  My motivation has returned, and I am so excited about this.  I'm almost back at the weight I was when my first challenge ended.  I have 1.6 pounds until I'm back at that weight and then the skies the limit!!  I have about 30 pounds that I still really want to loose.  I'm finding that exercising right after I get home from work each night is best for me.  I get dinner ready, put it in the oven and exercise while it's cooking.

After I run all my Saturday errands, and clean the house, I'm going to do the entire "Firm" DVD, which is 55 minutes long.  Saturday is the only day I truly have time for it, and I'm actually excited to do it again.  My body doesn't feel like it's going to fall apart like it did earlier in the week when I first started 'The Firm", and it's to the point where my muscles are remembering again that I used to do this all the time!

Here's to week six;  I think it's going to be great!

Weight Loss Challenge 2....Week 1 & 2

Well, in week one I started off needing to loose 11 pounds to get me back down to where I was when my first challenge ended.  Yikes!

I began doing the same things I did last time.  I figure they worked before, why not use the same tools again?

Week one was great.  Getting back into exercising wasn't easy, but I found that I still loved it.  I decided that instead of exercising after dinner, I tried exercising right when I got home from work; 5pm...20 minutes later I was done and my evening was over.

I was only shooting for about 1.5 pounds down.  I ended up loosing 3.6lbs!  I was excited and ready to move onto week two.

I weigh myself daily, but the day that "counts" for me is Friday morning.  Last Monday when I stepped on the scale, I about died....I had PUT ON A POUND!  What the heck?!  So I spent this week trying to loose that pound.  A little came off here, a little there, and then on Wednesday I had a great loss:  1.2lbs!  Finally.  Thursday a little came off and then this morning I almost fell off the scale:  2.2lbs down for a total of 6.8lbs in only two weeks!!

After exercising today, I now have a fever, sore throat, and a horrible case of the chills.  Fun, fun.  Oh, and I'm a little nauseous when I stand up!

Since I've set my weekly goal for between 1- 1.5lbs down, I'm way ahead.  I could very well hit the 10lb mark this month.  That would be awesome....but I'm not going to get all excited about it.

Have a great week everyone!

Weight Loss Challenge....Take 2

Well, project "maintain weight" went well....until Thanksgiving.  Then everything fell apart.  In the past month, I've gained (I'm gulping VERY HARD RIGHT NOW) 10 pounds!

Realizing that I won't be able to to fit into my work clothes come Tuesday when vacation is over, I became motivated by anger, and frustration.  The time has come to once again seriously get back on track, or I will quickly find myself at the weight I started at last June!

I've spent the last few days rereading my blog entries, and remembering all that I did to be successful when I lost weight over the summer.  The biggest problem I've had is finding the time to exercise since school started.  I've been swamped, and exhausted.  Well, I can't use those as excuses anymore.  Even if it's just for 20 minutes every other night, I WILL exercise.  If I can do that, and get back on the healthier eating track, I should be able to loose these 10 pounds in the next two months or so.

I'm thinking slowly again; over the summer I lost almost 10 pounds each month.  I know that won't happen now because I won't be exercising as much.  Shooting for 5 pounds a month is a reasonable goal, and what I'm going to start with.

I went grocery shopping today and I've stocked my fridge and cabinets with all the foods I ate over the summer that were so wonderful.  I ate a red bell pepper the other day and couldn't believe how much I'd missed it!!!

So here's to the next chapter in the weight loss challenge.  Every one is allowed to "fall off the wagon".  I've not only fallen off, but I can't even see the wagon in the distance anymore....it left me behind!  I'm now running to catch up to it, and I will try this again.

Here's to 2012, loosing 40 pounds, AND DOING BETTER AT KEEPING IT OFF!!

What Week Are We In???

Well friends, until life slows down.....(like next summer), my weight loss challenge is over, and maintaining my current weight continues.  Call it an excuse, call it whatever you want, but there is simply no time to exercise. 

I miss not being able to exercise, I really want to loose that last 20-30 pounds, it's just not going to happen for a while.  So I will take with me the tools I've learned and keep using them until I can really get back on the bandwagon and do this right again.

I came across an article a few days ago, and I still can't decide how I feel about it.  A man named Drew Manning, who is a personal trainer, has decided to go from being extremely fit, to fat, and then fit again to help show people how it's done.  Read his story here.

Someone please explain this to me.  I can't figure out if I'm offended by this, or if I should be applauding him for wanting to help so many people.

Pros to what I think he's doing:
- learning how hard it is for people who struggle with their weight; that it's like an addiction to many
- his transformation has been disgusting to watch; something that might help people realize how quickly they can become obese

Cons:
- he's a personal trainer....do you really think it will be that difficult for him to shed this weight?  He's got access to all the right equipment, he's got all the knowledge, and HE'S A MAN....we all know they loose weight easier than women!!  If I could afford a personal trainer, and someone who could cook for me, I'd be down the last 20-30 pounds too! 

Yeah, I don't think I like this.  It feels like a slap in my face.

His challenge is almost over and then loosing his weight begins.  It will be interesting to see just how quickly, and easily he does it; because I have NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that he will look just like his before picture, in no time at all.

Be sure to check out the link at the bottom of the article; he has a blog, and many videos on YouTube where people have told him what he had to eat each week.

Week Eighteen

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.  That's about all I have to say for this ridiculous week!

Work was a NIGHTMARE all week long, and I ate SO MUCH fast food that I was stunned to see I'd only gained one pound!  I was certain I was at least five pounds heavier.

I'm TRULY, TRULY hoping that this is the week that life will slow down, if only just a bit.  One thing is for sure:  NO MORE FAST FOOD.  Believe it or not, I'm actually getting tired of it!

I'm going to find a way to exercise this week.  I'm hoping after dinner, and after Brandon is ready for bed....around 6:30/7pmish I will be able to put in 35 minutes of exercise, at least three times this week.  Then I will be pushing myself to also exercise the full hour on Saturday.  This is simply getting ridiculous.  I'm maintaining well, but I don't want to simply maintain, I want to keep DROPPING POUNDS!

Wish me luck, and free time!

Week Seventeen

This sums up week seventeen, and how I'm feeling perfectly.  This week, no, the entire month of September, has been HORRIBLE!  And I'm trying to not get upset and throw in the towel.

From my weight today, I've only lost one pound the entire month.  Yes, that means I've put weight back on:  about 3.5lbs.

I'm frustrated because since work started, I can't find any time in the day to exercise.  That's what is killing me and making it so I can't continue to loose weight.  I'm not eating as healthy, even though this week I stuck to the Smart Ones breakfasts and lunches, measured out my dinners, and drank as much water as I possibly could.  Unfortunately, stress and being overwhelmed is getting to me, making it easier to make poor choices on days when the last thing I want to do is come home from work to a dirty kitchen and cook something. 

This is a pretty good description of me right now

And this is what I wanted to do this morning!

I continue to hope, although that hope is dwindling away quickly, that work will slow down, I can breathe, and figure out a way to get back on top of this before I find myself right back where I started.  And that, my friends, scares me TO DEATH!

Week Sixteen

 

Where has the summer gone?  I miss having time to exercise, drink tons of water, cook healthier meals!  Week sixteen found me not loosing any weight, but not gaining any either.

Saturday I decided it was time to get back on the bandwagon.  I finished all the Dove I'd bought (yes, I fell!!), and had my last "fast food" meal for the next few weeks.  I may not be able to exercise right now because, let's face it.....THERE IS NO TIME LEFT IN MY DAY......but that doesn't mean I can't eat correctly.  That's the one thing I can do in my attempt to continue loosing weight.

So, we'll see what happens.  Hopefully my body will continue to loose weight, even if it's slowly.  I'll take any weight loss.  But hey, at least I'm not gaining!!!

 

Week Fifteen

Not much to report this week.  At one point I'd gained almost three pounds, but when I stepped on the scale today, I had lost it all, plus about 0.2lbs.  So my current loss is 30.4lbs, down 0.2 from last week.

With school finally getting into the swing of things, I'm hoping that I can get back to work on this challenge.  Exercise will simply have to come naturally through the week, with an actual exercise "session" on Saturdays.  Continuing to eat properly is what I'm hoping to get back to.  I've been eating like a pig!  Luckily I haven't been paying for it too much.

Week Fourteen

Week Fourteen has started out fantastically!  It's only Monday, but because of my weight loss on Saturday and Sunday I am ready to get back on this train.

Stepped on the scale Saturday:  1.2lbs down!  Sunday:  1.8lbs down!  3 POUNDS IN TWO DAYS!  That's more like what I'm used to!  I am now at a total loss of 29lbs; the most I've lost yet!

Today my sister and I are going clothes shopping.  I can't even remember when the last time was that I was excited to do that.  Maybe because this time I'll actually be able to fit into the clothes!

It's now Saturday, so here's a recap of the rest of the week:

Clothes shopping was SO MUCH FUN!  I found a few outfits that simply look wonderful, and I'm very happy to finally really see my hard work paying off.

I ended week fourteen at 30lbs lost.  20lbs to go.  I'm in no rush...life is WAY too busy right now!

Week Twelve

(This has been a CRAZY week since I've been getting my classroom ready for school.  My week twelve update isn't great, sorry!)

My week has started off fantastic!  Today is Tuesday and since Friday I've lost four pounds!  I don't know what it is that is happening, but I'M LOVING IT!  I haven't exercised since last Tuesday morning and my body is still helping me out!  My mom can't believe it, and asks how I'm doing this....the only thing I can think of is the fact that I'm eating healthy, despite my INCREDIBLE desire for the Dove chocolate I have in the kitchen!  Yes, I was bad and bought some, so shoot me!

Now on to Wednesday.  This is a joyous day; for today, I passed my half way mark!  I've lost 28.2 pounds!!!  Since Friday, 5.6lbs!  And for the first time since I began the challenge, I've lost 10 pounds in a month.  As of today, 10.2 for the month, and there's still a week to go! 

I ended the week maintaining the 28.2lb loss.  I will take it and be happy.  Let's see what happens next week when school starts.  I'm hoping that since I'll be on my feet all day, the scale will continue to show smaller numbers.  We shall see!

Week Eleven

My body continues to go full speed ahead.  Saturday I lost another 0.6lbs, taking me to 24.4lbs lost.  Due to having WAY TOO MANY things to do, I was unable to exercise; which means I hadn't exercised since Wednesday morning.

Later that day, I went into my closet and started boxing clothes; not because they were too small, because THEY WERE TOO BIG!!!!  Oh man, that felt SO GOOD!  I needed to make room for the clothes that do fit, and the clothes that I will be buying in the future.

Sunday I figured I was a goner.  Having not exercised in three days, the scale HAD to go up.  I closed my eyes and prayed that it wouldn't be too harsh on me.  Another 1.4lbs down, surpassing the 25lb mark, 25.8lbs lost!

Sunday night I set my alarm for 4am Monday morning.  I was going to try exercising before work.  I got up, prayed that Brandon wouldn't wake up, and began exercising.  Things were going great until about 1/2 way through when I started to feel sick to my stomach.  I had to cut the exercising short, and 30 minutes later I "lost" the water I had drank and the Pepto Bismal I took to ease my stomach pain.

I don't know if my stomach did that because I hadn't eaten yet, or if maybe I had a stomach bug (I felt horrible the rest of the day, but had work; fun, fun).  Either way, I was EXHAUSTED by 8am, and I've decided that I'd rather exercise at night when I can just fall into bed when I'm done, instead of trying to wake up before the rest of the world and be ready for a nap by 8am!

Tuesday I attempted exercising at night.  I finished the hour, but once again I felt like I was going to be sick.  And if that wasn't enough, an old injury decided to rear it's ugly head. 

A few years ago I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis in the heel of my right foot.  It sidelined me the last time I attempted to loose weight.  I ended up purchasing implants from The Good Feet Store (which WERE NOT cheap), and the pain went away...like it was supposed to.  When my heel began hurting again Tuesday night, I got nervous.  So I decided to take the rest of the week off from exercising.  I didn't want this to become a problem, and I was tired of feeling sick to my stomach!

Needless to say, since I haven't exercised, I've gained weight this week.  Oh well, there's always next week.  Life is getting CRAZY with work starting.  It will probably take a few weeks for life to calm down again.  For now, I've lost 23lbs and I'm thrilled.

I've mentioned in the past that if I passed the 25lb mark I would include pictures.  I might not be there today, but since I was there last week, here you go.  Remember:  this is a BIG DEAL for me because I HATE GETTING MY PICTURE TAKEN!

This is me in October, 2010.  Observe the fat face, chunky arms, thick, "love handle" waist, and thunder thighs!

AND NOW, THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR...............

(I can tell you're all on the edge of your seats!!)

This is me, last Sunday. 

I see the weight loss the most in my face, and arms.  You can't tell since I'm wearing a skirt, but my legs are also taking shape.  The "love handles" are also disappearing.  My sweet mom said to me, "Wendy, you're developing a figure!"  I laughed.  I couldn't really see the weight loss until I saw these two pictures.  I knew I was loosing weight because my clothes were too big, but when you see yourself everyday, it's different.  I am down two pant sizes, and three shirt sizes.

So, once again:

BEFORE:

CURRENTLY:

Week Ten & Measurement Update

After a HORRIBLE week nine, I was really worried about week ten.  Remember that last Saturday I had put on a pound and was very upset.

I stepped on the scale Sunday, expecting to see it go up again, since I didn't exercise on Saturday; I was too depressed.  Instead of going up, I lost 1.2lbs!  Okay, I'll take that.

Monday I once again was hesitant when I stepped on the scale.  But it said I'd lost another 1.6lbs!  That's 2.8lbs in two days!  Was my body just holding onto the weight and playing a sick joke with me; waiting to loose it when I was scared and ready to give up?  I was excited, and exercised my heart out Monday MORNING!  It's official:  I exercise much better in the morning than I do at night.  I am going to have to do something about this once my work schedule starts back up again next week.

Tuesday I was once again apprehensive when I stepped on the scale.  I'm down another 1.8lbs for a total of 4.6lbs lost since Sunday!  I can't believe this, but it's definitely given me back the motivation I was loosing.  Talk about holding onto the weight:  my body has already lost last week, this week, and next week's total, and it's only Tuesday morning!

Wednesday, another 0.8lbs gone....I am on a roll!  5.4lbs for the week.

Thursday, yet another 0.2lbs gone....5.6lbs, 23.6 lost!  AND according to the Body Mass Index (BMI) chart, I'm no longer obese! (just barely, but who cares!) Now I'm just considered "overweight".  (Duh!) Yippie skippie, celebrate, shake your hands in the air, life is swell.

Friday, 0.2lbs lost, making the total for the week 5.8lbs, and a total of 23.8 lost!

I have a theory about the first week of each month.  For some unknown reason my body doesn't loose weight that week.  I call it, THE FIRST WEEK OF THE MONTH CURSE.  It happened in July, and then again during week nine, which was the first week of August.  My body then compensates the rest of the month for the weight it didn't loose during TFWOTMC!  (stupid acronym, but it's easier than typing it again!) I've lost FOUR weeks worth of weight in this week alone! 

Friday I went and bought a pair of capri shorts since my clothes are too big and make me look fatter than I am.  Ooo, I haven't said that in years!  I almost can't say that without laughing!!  I am now two sizes smaller, and counting.

Here's to making it to 25 pounds by Friday!  If I make it there, I will finally include a picture.  At the rate I'm loosing weight, I should be there soon.  I realize that this was probably just a funky week and I won't continue loosing THIS fast, but man, it's been too fun!

I go back for another week of training starting Monday, so let's pray week nine's weight loss was because of TFWOTMC and not because of work!


MEASUREMENT UPDATE

Chest:
0.5 lost, for a total of 3.5 inches

Waist:
1.0 lost, for a total of 3.5 inches

Hips:
1.0 lost, for a total of 4.5 inches

Wordless Wednesday

Week Nine

This is the first time in nine weeks that I've wanted to roll over and give up.  There have been a lot of adjustments to my life this week with work starting up again, and I am NOT HAPPY about what has happened.

Earlier this week I posted on Facebook that exercising at night sucks.  I was later informed by a friend that simply exercising sucks!

This has been a rough week.  Who would think that sitting in a chair for seven hours a day during training week would be so mentally and physically draining?  My brain has been on information overload all week.  It has been awful.  My body is trying to adjust to exercising at night, but it's NOT happy about it.  My mind is willing, but oh boy, my body just doesn't want to come along for the ride.

Eating hasn't been hard.  I bought Smart Ones breakfasts and lunches, took healthy snacks, and drank lots of water while I was at work.  So I've been able to keep that part of life normal.

Monday I was able to exercise, no problem.  Wednesday after exercising, I felt like I was going to throw up.  Thursday night I struggled the entire hour; my body didn't want to move.  I haven't been as sore as I was Friday since my first week of the challenge.

It was bad enough that I've struggled exercising all week, but to make matters worse my weight has fluctuated all week.  I started by gaining 0.4lbs, then loosing 0.6lbs.  I then lost another 0.4lbs, and when I stepped on the scale Friday morning I had gained 0.6lbs, putting me back to a total of 19lbs lost.  I was beyond pissed off when I stepped on the scale!  So, as of Friday, I'd lost 0.8lbs after all the ups and downs.  I stepped on this scale this morning (Saturday), and simply wanted to die.....I gained another pound putting me back to 18 pounds lost.  I gained 1.6 pounds this week.  I'm ready to scream, but I'll wake up the apartment complex if I do!

Looking back at my weight loss chart, I noticed that I struggle the most the first week of every month.  I wanted to die the first week of July because I only lost 0.4lbs.  So, I don't know if my crazy weight this week has been because of my work schedule and exercising at night, or because it's the first week of the month.  I guess only time will tell.  I know I should be patient, but this is freaking me out.  I want the scale to go DOWN, not UP!

The only other thing I can think to do is try and exercise in the morning.  I don't like exercising at night.  However, I already have to get up at 5:30am to get ready for work.  If I'm not on the road by 7am, I hit MASSIVE traffic and would be late to work.  This means I would have to get up around 4:20am, spend an hour exercising and then get ready for work.  I'm an early riser, but I don't know if I can do this.  Plus, I don't know if Brandon would sleep through my exercising.  Our apartment isn't exactly huge.

I'M SO FRUSTRATED! 

So it's on to week ten.  I will be able to exercise during the day this next week because we have a week off after the mind draining training week.  If my weight starts declining the way it normally does, I'll know that exercising at night is just not going to happen for me and I will attempt the 4am routine.

I am very upset, a little scared, and extremely nervous.  However, I have lost 18 pounds, and will continue to loose weight.  I just have to figure out how to do it now that work has started again.  Trial and error I suppose.

I WILL NOT GIVE UP! 

Week Eight

Hello, once again.  I can't believe I'm already at the end of week eight.  Wow.

This week felt like a very slow weight loss week, but it actually wasn't.  Nothing really fancy happened, as I have no other clothes to try and fit into!

I ended week eight loosing 2.2 pounds, for a total loss of 18.2 pounds!  Not bad for two months of work...and oh yeah, it was work!  9.6 lost the first month, 8.6 lost the second month.

Monday I start going back to "real" work again.  This means I'll be eating breakfast about two hours earlier than I usually do, which means I'll be hungry earlier.  I won't have much time for lunch, so I'll be stocking up on Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones meals. 

I've been exercising later in the day this past week to prepare myself for my new work schedule.  Exercise will now be done much later in the day than it has been in the past seven weeks.  I'm hoping that I can keep up my momentum.  Being more active at work, walking around and what not, should help with that.  Let's just say I'm nervous....I'm very nervous!  Week nine will be a week of adjustments.

Here's to another great week!

Week Seven

As some of you know, Blogger has been a pain in the butt this week.  For some reason I an unable to get back into the saved drafts I've written to finish and post them.  Instead, they magically disappear, or I'm not even let back into the post.  I've written week seven twice now; this will be my third attempt.  Since I know I'll be posting this IMMEDIATELY, I shouldn't loose it, however now I have to try and REMEMBER the whole week...fun, fun.  Here we go again:

It looks like my body has finally caught on to this weight loss thing.  I've had an INCREDIBLE week, and I still can't believe it.

Here are the highlights from the week, (since I can't access my earlier post):

Wednesday I tried on the pair of khaki capri shorts that two weeks ago finally fit perfectly to discover that THEY ARE NOW TOO BIG!  I have one pair left that have always been a little too tight around my very gluteous maximus.  I decided to try them on, and they fit!  Could not believe it.

Since I was in an ambitious mood that morning, I also decided to pull out a shirt from the "Can't Fit It But Kept It" drawer and give it a try.  To my astonishment, the shirt fit too!  I am one, almost two shirt sizes smaller, and almost a pant size smaller.  I started pretty much busting out of the pants I have now, meaning I should've been wearing a size bigger, but refused to.  So, this is awesome. 

I am now on my last pair of capri's that fit, and then I'm stuck until I get my first paycheck.  Oh well, guess my clothes will just have to hang on me for a while!  But oh, to get to ENJOY shopping again!  I can't wait!

I've decided to try exercising in the evening hours this week, to see how my body reacts to it.  I'm very nervous about starting work again, how it will affect my weight loss.  Luckily, I've been able to do it.

The scale has been beyond amazing this week.  Last Friday I had lost 12.2 pounds.  I usually see the scale move slower in the beginning of the week, but week seven has been a steady weight loss.  By Sunday, another pound down.  Tuesday, another pound lost, and Wednesday another 0.4 lost.  I was at 14.6 just praying to make it to 15 pounds lost.  And then Thursday something VERY unexpected happened.  I stepped on the scale and thought it was lying to me....1.6 pounds lost, for a total of 16.2!!  I completely skipped my 15 pound mark and just kept on going!  After a very slow start in July, I've lost 6.2 pounds in the past TWO WEEKS!  At this rate I'm on track to loosing 20 pounds by the end of July!  And if I'm able to continue this speed once school starts, I'll be at my goal weight by the middle of November!

I'm loving this.  Whenever I think I'm too tired, or too sore to exercise, I do it anyway because I want the scale to keep moving.  It's great motivation. 

20 pounds down by the end of week eight?  We will see.

Wordless Wednesday

Don't I wish this were true!!

Ten On Tuesday

Ten...well 15 Things I've Learned Since I Began My Weight Loss Challenge

Since beginning my weight loss challenge seven weeks ago, my mind has been opened to many new things.  Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Vegetables are my friend, not my enemy!

Growing up, I didn't eat vegetables at all.  My grandmother forced my mother to eat them, making her hate them; so we weren't forced to eat them.  Unfortunately that meant we didn't eat ANY.  I've discovered the best side dishes in the world involve asparagus, red and green bell peppers, and red potatos.  I also LOVE tomatos, but aren't they considered a fruit?  Hardly any calories, but full of taste, they help fill your stomach up and provide you with the nutrition you need.

2.  You have to splurge occasionally or you will go insane..and there is such a thing as "healthy" junk food!

We all know how much I love Dove chocolate.  I still eat it, but only occasionally.  Instead of buying bags of it like I used to, I now buy the candy bar, break it into two or three helpings, and put them into individual bags.  Then I can have two or three days worth of glorious chocolate without eating 1,000s of calories in one sitting. 

100 calorie bags of Pop Secret popcorn are FANTASTIC.  I've been eating them for years now.  They are light and don't have all the garbage on them that other bagged popcorn has.  One time I couldn't find Pop Secret in the store, so I bought the "normal" Orville Redenbacher kind.  I wanted to throw up!  It was so full of grease and butter, it was disgusting.

I've also found healthier ways to eat ice cream.  Weight Watchers sells 100 calorie English Toffee Crunch bars and they are SO GOOD!  Healthy Choice also offers a delicious, low calorie chocolate bar.

3.  While eating out, it is possible to eat healthy and not leave the restaurant starving

On our anniversary we decided to go out to eat.  I did a lot of research before we decided to go to Applebees.  They have a Weight Watchers menu that offers dishes that are a total of only 550 calories...that is amazing.  I was able to eat steak, covered in a fantastic sauce, and steamed vegetables.  This is when I was introduced to red potatoes and became hooked on them.

Before I go out to eat, I always check the nutrition content on websites.  I love that feature and I'm thrilled to see so many restaurants have it.  I went to McDonalds the other day, and my dinner was about 800 calories.  That's a bit much, but I hadn't eaten a lot that day, so I had the calories to spare.

Another way to cut calories when you're in a restaurant....DON'T DRINK SODA!  Just keep drinking water.  Not only will it help fill up your stomach, but it can help you not order an appetizer, which is always difficult for me.

4.  It's amazing all the foods you discover you love when healthy eating is your goal

I've never been a real fan of fish....unless it was a fish stick!  My mom eats salmon all the time, but I always thought it smelled horrible; and I do mean horrible.  Then I began loosing weight.  Salmon is very healthy, and doesn't have many calories in it at all.  I found a seasoning that tastes great, and now salmon has become a staple to my new eating habits.

5.  Exercise seems like a horrible chore at first, but once you make it a routine, you feel empty if you haven't done it

When I started out, I wanted to DIE.  My body ached, I couldn't breathe, I felt like a moron!  But over the past seven weeks something interesting has happened.  Not only has it become easier to exercise (which is expected), but if I don't exercise, I'm finding that I WANT to!  I mentioned in another post that last week after spending the day at my sister's house I came home and found myself bored.  I hadn't exercised that day, so at 7pm I laced up my shoes and put my hour in.  Not only did I feel great, but I felt like I accomplished something good.  And the next day the scale went down.

6.  Water is the greatest gift in the world...and your bladder will adjust!

Water is a great way to be refreshed, and fill up your stomach.  I have two liter bottles that I fill up throughout the day.  When I wake up in the morning, I begin drinking water.  Instead of milk with breakfast, it's water.  I'm usually able to drink a liter of water before I exercise around 9 or 10am.  I drink another liter during and after my exercise so that by the time I'm done, I've already fufilled my water intake for the day.  I'm sure that will change once school starts, but for now, it's great.  I also keep a water bottle with me after dinner.  Instead of munching on junk food, I continue filling up on water. 

It was difficult at first, and my bladder wanted to explode, but my body has adjusted.  I've always enjoyed water, so I've never felt like I was drowning myself.

(Oh, I wish this was my weight!)

7.  Once the scale starts to move down, eating junk food just doesn't seem worth it anymore

I've found that as I started loosing weight, when I would go to eat REAL junk food, I'd suddenly remember how hard I worked to loose that weight.  The junk food didn't look as tempting anymore.  Again, this doesn't happen all the time.  But when I do splurge on "real" junk food, I get smaller portions instead.  A mini blizzard from Dairy Queen, the smallest cup of ice cream from Cold Stone.  Let's face it:  a girl has to have to good stuff once in a while!

8.  Exercising with weights (aka Circuit Training) is the greatest discovery since sliced bread!

I began using The Firm during week six of my challenge.  From 7/11/2011 until today (7/18/2011), I've lost 3 pounds.  That's 3 pounds in one week...it's also the most weight I've lost in one week since my very first week.  You burn more calories when you use weights, and you begin to sculpt your body.  Needless to say, I'll never use another program again!

9.  Fat free/Low Calorie doesn't mean it has no taste

I was afraid to try fat free sour cream, fat free cream cheese, and skim milk.  I always joked that skim milk was just water.  But when I tried them, I discovered that they didn't taste any different than the regular versions that are packed with calories and fat!  And since I wasn't eating big portions of these products like I did before my challenge, my taste buds easily accepted the new version.

10. Calorie counting is extremely important

Not everyone may feel this way, and that's fine.  I've found that if I don't keep track of my calorie/fat intake for each day, it's too easy to go over the alotted amount, halting my weight loss.  I've also discovered that by paying attention to the calories and serving size of the foods I eat, I make better decisions about what goes into my mouth.

11. Chew your food until it's almost mush in your mouth

Believe it or not, but doing this will help you eat slower, which in turn makes you feel full faster.  As a whole, people inhale their food and eat too much of it.  We're advised not to eat while watching TV because we'll keep eating; sit at the table as a family when you eat because it encourages conversation that will help you eat slower.  Your stomach and brain need about 20 minutes to talk with each other before you finally start to feel full.  Help the process by really chewing up your food.  You'll find that you aren't eating as much.

12. Whether you weigh yourself daily or weekly, do it at the same time

This will differ for every person.  I weigh myself first thing in the morning, before I've had anything to eat or drink.  Out of curiousity I've tried weighing myself in the afternoon...it wasn't pretty.  From first thing in the morning til the afternoon I'd put on about two, maybe three pounds!  I decided, for the sake of my sanity, that it was best to stick with the early morning weigh in!

13. When you step on the scale, assume that you've probably gained weight. 

I weight myself each and every day.  Some people might think this isn't healthy.  I've found that it helps motivate me.  If I've gained weight, I look back at what I ate the day before.  Doing this helps keep me honest and away from junk food.  The LAST thing I want is the scale to creep up.  But if it does, I'm the one to blame.  And by keeping the mentality that the scale will probably go up, I'm not as disappointed if it does, and I feel even better if I've lost weight!

14. Loosing weight is the "easy" part, maintaining is the struggle

How many times have we all been here; we loose a significant amount of weight, only to find that we can't fit into our clothing anymore?  (I've been there PLENTY of times!)  What we forget is that this isn't just a diet, it's a lifestyle change.  Once we hit our goal weight, if we stop exercising and eating correctly, the weight will all come back! 

15. There's no rush to weight loss. 

Set realistic goals and be prepared to revisit them throughout the journey.  The hardest part of all this is the fact that I want to be 60 pounds lighter RIGHT NOW!  All that mentality does is frustrate me because that simply isn't going to happen.  Taking it slow is better, and will help me maintain in the future.







I'm officially done preaching, but I hope this was helpful in some way!