Got back to my "roots" and did great this week!!

Thank God!!  I needed a 2.6 pound weight loss this week...I was feeling slightly weak and defeated.  I really made sure I followed my "good health" guidelines, which basically consist of having a carb, a protein and a fruit or veggie with every meal.  I literally drink 2 tsps of olive oil with my vitamins everyday and drink a ton of water.  This was my ritual for a year then I lost a few of those habits and hit a wall.  So that's what I started back up and it's been great!  It gives me more energy and it makes me know beyond a shadow of a doubt I'm continuing to be healthy and I will meet my goals and this will be a life long habit.

Not always a walk in the park

I had a gain this week and it's certainly not my first.  I was warned that it was only going to get harder the less weight I needed to take off but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. This week was especially upsetting because I really thought I did well.  I tracked every thing I ate.  I worked out.  I didn't make poor choices.  So when I walked in to weigh in, I was almost giddy thinking I lost.  But when I found out I gained, I was thoroughly pissed.  I usually know when I've gained and why.  Arrrrrrg.

Anyway, I took extra time after my meeting to speak to my leader and we went over my tracker and a few of my habits and routines.  She is always so supportive and helpful and really gave me the perspective I need to get through this week.  She says "it's not about the scale"  blah, blah, blah.  Deep down I know it's about where I've come from and how amazing I feel, but I'm not finished.  I still have goals and I desperately want to reach them.  I will say, these past few months have really made me humble.  I now know how much people struggle with their weight loss and how irritating the darn roller coaster is.

I am changing a few things and we'll see how it goes...hopefully my next blog will be filled with exclamation points and smiley faces.  For now I'll just take it week by week, day by day and try to get back to basics and be the hard core weight watcher I know I can be!  (There's an exclamation point)

Getting back on track....

I haven't blogged since September and lately I've been sort of in a weight loss slump, a crappy "plateau".  I was always so careful about this happening within my first year at Weight Watchers and only gained 2x in 1 year!  But now I lose, gain, lose, gain.  It's been a yoyo and it's driving me CRAZY!!  I've only lost 35 pounds in 8 months so I decided I needed to get back to basics...back to the beginning of all of this to find what made me so successful.  It's starting with my blog's...it was another way to keep me motivated and that's what I need!!  My next goal is to get to 200 pounds lost.  I'm in this again and keeping my focus on getting it done before my 2 year mark!!  I know I can do this!!

Breaking Goals and making new ones...

I can not believe how much I've changed and grown since I first started going to the gym in January.  I remember when I first started, I was absolutely terrified!  I was embarrassed about my size and sweating and looking like an idiot on the treadmill cause I was walking so slow.  I was also afraid of trying new work outs and I would only do the treadmill for a good 3 months before I even looked at anything else.  As I got stronger, I got braver.  I started setting goals for myself.  My initial goal when I first got on that treadmill was to just get to a mile on a steady basis.  I could barely do .8 miles in 45 minutes.  So as my strength increased my new goal became 30 min miles, then 20, then 15.  I finally got to 15 yesterday!!!!  But tonight was more than I ever dreamed...I did 2 miles in less than 30 minutes!!!!!  I was also at a pretty steep incline the entire time.  I'm so proud of myself!  I never stopped once.  I didn't even want to.  Each step made me feel so empowered!  I actually enjoy the sweat now because I know it's working and I am certainly not embarrassed anymore at all!!  I walk in that gym like I'm meant to be there and I absolutely love this new me!!  My new goal is set to jog/run for half a mile without walking.  This is going to be tough but I know I can do anything I set out to do...I will not let myself down!

Happy Anniversary to my new Life!!!!

I can not believe how fast a year goes by.  Over the past, short year my life has changed dramatically!  Exactly 1 year ago today, I walked into Weight Watchers scared to death, reluctant and hopeless.  I was in extremely poor health.  High blood pressure, borderline high cholesterol and probably one donut away from diabetes.  I couldn't even walk up the stairs in my house without becoming winded and needing a break before I carried on with whatever I needed to get done.  I was very lazy.  A regular couch potato.  I never, ever exercised.  I had horrific eating habits and could easily eat fast food for every meal.  I was also afraid of everything.  I would make up an excuse to skip school functions for my kids because I just couldn't stand having people stare at me.  I would get to a destination early just so I could circle around looking for the closest spot to park in.  I had become accustomed to my limited movement and maximum appetite.  I would watch weight loss t.v. shows (while sitting on my butt with a junk food) wishing that could be me, but never dreaming it could be.  I had even contimplated surgery.  That was before I walked through those doors of my first meeting at Weight Watchers.       

What a difference a year makes.  12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days.  That's all it took for me to completely change my life and become a new person.  I never thought in a million years that I would be blogging 1 year later with a 156 pounds lost and a near perfect bill of health.  No more blood pressure and labs are great!  I have gained so much more during these past few months than I ever thought possible.  I have gained confidence, power, strength but most importantly I am more healthy today than I have been in 20 years.  The outlook I have on life is so bright.  This life is better than the woman I was could have imagined or dreamed, watching other people living their lives and wishing it could be me.  It is me.  I am still amazed at how I can easily walk anywhere without pain and shortness of breath.  I have so much energy, I can hardly sit still.  I am always up and moving.  My body craves it.  My willpower is so strong.  I can easily pass on junk food and I use food for fuel rather than pleasure and never over eat.  I no longer get stares or whispers.  People treat me like everyone else, no longer feeling sorry for me. 

I have so many people to thank for helping me get through this past year.  My friends and family have been a catalyst to my success.  All of their encouragement and love pushed me through the more difficult days and gave me the boost I needed every week to continue success.  I will continue to take you all with me as I keep this journey going and look forward to my new, long life with you in my corner.  I am blessed and lucky and I love you all from the bottom of my heart.    

Cheers to life! 

It's been an interesting month...

I just realized I haven't blogged in a month!  I'm still losing weight and working out, but it's been a busy month...vacations and work...work and vacations.  I guess that's what I work for.  In the last month I have only lost about 6 pounds, which is nothing really special to report.  I am however, extremely happy about the progress I've been making on my work outs!  My trainer (I love saying that) has increased my workouts from a 10% to a 100%!  He has me running sprints on the treadmill, then I go to 4 ab exercises, the 4 core balance sets and then to the weight room for 8 different sets of weights with 2 sets each.  This is extreme sports to me.  I can't even believe my body is allowing me to do this.  When I started this weight loss journey in September of last year, I couldn't even go around my block without gasping for air and stopping at least twice and it still amazes me when I finish my hour and a half work out consisting of all those strenuous activities.  So I've been told I'm gaining muscle, but I just don't know.  I think it has to do with the fact that lately I have been saying oh one bite won't hurt and it's really not like me to do that.  So I will get back to basics and start over with my strict regimen and hopefully I can get over the plateau slump I'm in.  One thing is for sure, I could not do any of it without going to my meetings every week and definitely not do it without the support of my friends and family...love you all!     

Goal is set...now it's crunch time!

OK, I came out of the gate pretty strong with my weight loss...but now I feel like I am at a strange plateau.  I'm not gaining weight at all, but I am not losing a lot either.  I make really good choices with the food I eat, I'm at the gym a minimum of 3 days per week and I have never missed a meeting at Weight Watchers and yet, I'm still only losing a small amount each week.  I still have not gained any weight, but I'm always so fearful of that especially when I go to my meeting and only lose .4 pounds.  This could have easily swung the other way.  I'm in a phase right now where I am experimenting with different ways to boost my work-outs, metabolism, etc.  Anyway, I fully expect to continue on this journey with these ups and downs.  My next goal is 150 pounds lost by September 13th.  That's exactly 1 year from the day I started Weight Watchers.  I figured it out and I need to lose a minimum of 1.8 per week in order to meet this goal.  I think I can obtain this and in the past when I've had a very specific goal in mind, I have made it work!  Once again, I am so lucky to have the supportive family and friends to help me along and support these highs and lows.  Lots of love to you all!!