Work in progress

Well, this is certainly harder than I ever thought it would be. I suck. I lost a few of the pounds in 2010, then gained more, lost a few, then gained again. Good Lord, will it ever end? Exercise had become the last thing on my mind and it showed. I got lazy, ate too much, snacked too often, or ate too little.....didn't drink enough water on any given day.
I, at the end of 2011, started back to the gym. Started a food diary, limited portions and lost 6 pounds. My goal for 2012 is to exercise more, eat less and I hope the side effect will be to lose the 30 pounds I put on. We are doing a 60 mile bike ride in June that I hope to be fitter for. I rode 40 miles in June 2011 and I know the extra 20 miles will be easier, being lighter. Wish me luck.

A year already??

Good grief. Almost a year gone by and what changes with it. I made some mistakes this past year and now I wish I had kept reading my own blogs for the moral support. But, I just have to fix what I broke and realize that I'm a mere human mortal; not bullet proof like I thought.

1. I stopped weighing myself. Wrong!
2. I didn't eat; would go all day without eating anything because work was so busy and then have dinner at night. Wrong!
3. I exercised, but not nearly as much as I had been during the previous year. Wrong!
4. I went to Hawaii for 10 days...we ate very healthy and shared meals, but drank a lot of alcoholic sweet beverages.....well, maybe not so wrong because we walked everywhere. Only partially wrong!
5. Did I say that I didn't weigh myself? Wrong!!

Before I knew it, I had gained back about 20 pounds. I was sick, angry, depressed. I knew better. So, now I am back to keeping a food journal, exercising regularly, weighing once a week, limiting carbs, and cutting way back on portions. I take lunch to work and even if I have only 4 minutes to eat, I make sure I do. I have lost 10 of the pounds since June, and am working on the remainder. I hope to be back where I was by November 1. I'm taking it slow and am not as hard on myself as I was this winter for having a relapse; things happen. But I certainly am more mindful about what I eat for regular food; the bars and shakes sure made it easy to lose the weight....maybe too easy. I will forever be grateful to Timeless; they change people's lives and give them hope. I had it and lost it being careless. But I remembered the tools and with dedication and perseverence, I can do this.

I hope there are still some folks that will come back and check this blog...I was ashamed that I had failed; and then most recently realized that I am not the only person to have failed at something; it's not a failure unless you didn't learn from the mistakes, right??

So far so good

2 weeks have passed since I ended the official program at Timeless medical spa; I am still eating the bars, having some of the shakes...I've maintained the last 2 weeks, may have lost about 0.5 pounds. We went to north Las Vegas last weekend to see family and of course they were great cooks! But I made good choices, drank plenty of water and came home without gaining anything! Wooohooo! I really feel I have a handle on this and in no way, no how, do I ever want to gain any of that horrific weight back. I looked at some pictures of me taken last Memorial day 2008.....omg......I was huge. And I didnt seem to even notice...or rather, just didnt care. My husband Robert can't believe the change....and the change in himself as well. We were both terribly overweight; it's amazing what a year can do.
I am feeling terrific, keeping up the exercise nearly every day; I really do want to try to lose another 10 pounds, so I'd better buckle down and decrease the calories to start losing again rather than maintain. Altho, I have to admit I kinda like the weight I'm at now....size 4/6 jeans, "small" scrubs.....but still have some curves that my hubby likes....so we'll see what happens.

THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (or not................)

Whew!! I did it!! I faithfully completed the Lose to win contest, and altho I am a few pounds short of that goal, I did manage to lose 58 pounds. OMG....58 pounds....from a size 16 to size 4/6. The official end was Friday, September 25th. And I lost 2 pounds this week. I'd hoped to end on a positive weigh in or should I say negative since I did lose?? :o} I am so happy, excited......proud of myself for sticking with it.
For the record, I want to keep using the products and checking in til I get to that goal....I am currently at 138 pounds....would really love to get to 120-125. I love those folks up there.....they made this possible for me.....all I did was change some bad habits, made some new ones and look what happens.
So, the work continues......I renewed my gym membership after the free year was over; I plan on keeping exercise a daily part of my life, keeping up with the protein products 4 times a day and will keep losing til I get to where I want to be.
I was also rewarded with a $500 check....my committment fee.....YAY! That went promptly back in the bank until I can hit some sales and buy some new clothes....I gave ALL of my clothes away, and won't have a thing to wear this winter...I have some things I got over the summer, but I'll need winter clothes...I sure seem to be a lot colder since I've lost my insulation! But boy oh boy, I'll trade being cold any day rather than being fat! I love how this feels.......Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!

Homestretch

Here we are....I have one week left....I had some intestinal distress 2 weeks ago, became very dehydrated and lost almost 3 pounds....the next week since I was feeling better and was re-hydrated and I gained back what I'd lost in fluid.....so, hopefully today when I go in, I'll have shown a loss. I'm going to keep doing the protein bars and shakes until I get to that goal....I'm going to be a few pounds short. But, I'm very proud of my success to date....I look and feel like a new woman. A year ago, I was obese, unmotivated to exercise and felt utterly hopeless. I said once before that if a fat person says they are happy with how they look.....they are either farsighted, dellusional or I don't even know. I thought I was happy before....all I did was lose out on some living and precious time that I won't be able to get back. So, my promise to myself and my family is to get out there and be active, keep exercising and watch what I eat....I don't ever want to get fat again. My husband and I have worked so hard this year, we want to go forward now and not look back at how we were; although I am going to keep some old pictures of us on the fridge to ensure that we keep on the right path!

Closer!!

I am amazed that this year of life-changing decisions and results is almost over. I'm 10 pounds from my goal. I think I might be a couple pounds short of the goal, but I can achieve that after the official end of the "contest". My life has changed so much......on many fronts......in how I view myself, my confidence, self esteem, my outlook......exercise is so vital now...not only in losing this weight, but also in keeping to maintain my new look; I have more energy to get thru the days....I watch a lot less tv.....I've gotten off my now almost-skinny butt and get to the gym or out for a walk.....not only for the physical fitness, but for my mental health! What a good way to let off some steam or take out some frustration, or think through a problem.....I've made more lists and followed thru on lists more now than ever before. I have more clarity, feel less cluttered in my life. And I owe it all to the former Fountain of Youth, (now Timeless Med spa), Dr. and Mrs. Williams, Kim, Dana, Debbie. If not for filling out that entry form last year and these wonderful, supportive folks, plus the support of my friends and family, I'd still be sitting at nearly 200 pounds.
By the way, I lost 2.6 pounds this week.....yay! I've renewed my gym membership after the free year from the FOY, so I intend on making this a permanent part of my life.
I was sad to hear that Cindee, Sharisse and Jeremy have dropped out. This by any means hasn't been easy, but if you want something bad enough, you just have to work to make it happen. You gotta sweat and resist temptations and keep focusing on that elusive carrot and let go of bad habits and make new ones. Maybe their time is yet to come.
I will try to post weekly until the end and then get new pictures....I said that a few weeks ago, but crap happens and well, I look even better now, so I guess there was a reason! Take care, all!

Making changes

Ok, here's the scoop; last week I lost a whopping 0.2 pounds. I was devastated. Today was weigh-in day again and this was much better at another 2 pound weight loss. I worked out more, did more weights at the gym and I don't know what did it, but more fat came off and muscle went up a little bit and weight came down 2 pounds. Kim and Debbie W said I have only 12 more pounds to my goal..........I hope I am able to do it before the end of September. I did decrease calories a bit more to around 700-800 during this weight loss phase; doesn't sound like much does it? I'm just sticking to the low carb foods, keeping protein intake up, drinking plenty of water and keeping up the exercise. To maintain my current weight, I should consume about 1200 calories, so by keeping the count under that now, I should still lose and during maintenance, should be able to keep it off, even by increasing calories (the right kind of calories). That's the plan......so I hope to have another good week and hopefully lose another pound or two.