Even if you can't physically see the results in front of you, every single effort is changing your body from the inside... Never Get Discouraged...

This is something I honestly struggle with in my daily life. I have dropped from 379 (at my heaviest in 2014 while pregnant with my son) to 301. My clothes fit better and i have more energy and am more active and eating better, but I don't see the results when I look at myself. I still have that flap of skin that flops over the side of my pants. I still have the wavy bat arms. I don't SEE the changes... but I know they are there. I know that I no longer need to have blood work every 6 months anymore. I know that all my health levels are where they should be and are exemplary. I just don't SEE the loss. But it's there and I must remember that.

So... this past week I lost 5.6lbs which puts me at 301. I was shocked. I've been trying to keep track (up until the weekends) and doing the 3 mile burn body fat and something... or all of it... is working. Tomorrow is our Thanksgiving at my brothers and then we're doing another one friday for just us. My plan is to enjoy the food that we have but not treat it like it's my last meal. There will be other turkey dinners and pies and the likes.

Strength....

You are only as strong as you allow yourself to be; never get discouraged, never give up because consistency & dedication is the key to success.

I have been religiously (I guess...) following Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds 3 mile HIIT DVD. It kind of kicks my butt but in a good way. It's about 15 miles (if I do 5 days a week... which is about my average. I like to give myself a break here and there) a week if I keep on it. That's not including raking leaves and walking with my little Man. Although, this morning, it was great. Usually I walk during his nap time but I wanted to get it out of the way early today... and he was doing some of it with me. There are a couple parts where you walk forward and backwards and side to side and he was right there with me. Although, his workout usually ended up in spinning until he got dizzy and fell down giggling... it was heart warming. Plus... during the middle of mile 2, he brought my water bottle out for me. What a little sweetheart!

So... For my TOPS rally I got a couple charms. I wanted to do something with them so I could see them and use them... So I bought a really long chain from Wal-Mart for like $3 and put them on there. I should jazz it up a little bit, but I kind of like where it is... It's nice to have a visual reminder of how far I've already come and there's plenty of room for more charms... Which I hope to add to it as my journey continues. 

Current Weight: 305.2

Goal Weight (For now...): 250

These are the charms. The Tiger was from attending the Rally Days. The Giraffe was from being Division I Winner and the Sun was for 2nd place Summers Best. The halfway to goal is from when I reached halfway to my first goal.

This is what it looks like. Although, I did lengthen the chain cause I like that it's long.

Walk It Off

So after my ego boost at the Dr's office yesterday... I decided to treat myself to a new workout video. I feel kind of guilty because I could have gotten a TON online... but at the same time my internet doesn't always work (I live in NY and if a squirrel farts in Miami Beach... My internet goes out!) so it'll be a nice thing to fall back on. The only problem with getting videos on Youtube is that a lot aren't long enough. Maybe I just haven't looked enough...

I like to sweat. It makes me feel accomplished. It makes me feel like I'm getting a worthy workout and I think that's why I want videos that are longer than 20 minutes or 10 minutes. The shorter ones will be good for days I don't have a ton of time... or maybe as a mood booster. But we'll see.

I can't wait to start!

ps. I feel like most of my entries are bs entries. lol...

Six-Month Checkup

According to the doctor's scale... I lost 25 lbs in 6 months.

The doctor couldn't believe it. She asked what I had been doing and didn't believe me when I told her mostly walking and eating salads. She was super impressed. All my important numbers have actually normalized and are exceptional. She took me off of Fish Oil (for my Hypertension) but doesn't want to take me off the meds just yet. I am two numbers away from dropping to the next level of BMI.

I asked, just out of curiosity, what the ultimate weight would be for me. She didn't really give me an answer... which is okay but kind of frustrating at the same time. She just wants me to keep going the pace I'm going. She also suggested that I keep a journal and just write something positive. Like... my jeans were loose... so that when I hit rough patches I can look back and remember. She also suggested getting some workout videos for the winter months when it's nasty out. I have a couple but maybe I'll look around and see what else is out there.

I can't believe how floored she was by my progress. This was kind of the kick I needed to get back on track.

I am now 306.4 lbs.

OooHHHH!!! My TOPS rally was last month and I found out why my leader wanted me there so badly.

I was division winner for overall loss this year. (18.8)
I was 2nd place for Summer's Best. (16.2) (I actually got a charm for this!)
Then I got an award for even losing weight this year and for attending my first Rally.

Next year I kind of want to do the Baggy Clothes parade and wear my wedding dress. Not sure if it would be from my first wedding (Which would be HUGE on me) or the one from when I was 8 months pregnant. We'll see. :)

Accountability...

... Is the glue that ties commitment to... Results.

In my previous post I mentioned that I wasn't hoping for much in the way of a loss last night at weigh-in. I was right... but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. I only gained 2.8 to bump me back up to 306.4 lbs. Chump... Change. I can lose that this week and MAYBE a little more.

I've been slacking on the walking for some time now. With the weather being cool and rainy, it's been hard to find motivation. Yesterday, Little Man and I walked 1.5 miles. He got to be pulled in the wagon, so i wonder if it was more of a work-out than before with the stroller. But he enjoyed it and I felt better.

I got $50 in spending money to get whatever I wanted. I chose to get a new pair of jammies and a new shirt. Both in 22/24. I tried the shirt on this morning and it's really tight. I hate how sizes are so off. The jammies fit comfy. Not too big but not tight either. It's so frustrating. Now I have to decide if I am going to keep the shirt until it fits or take it back and get another one or just take it back and be done. I have a lot of guilt when I buy myself something. I got half way home with my new purchase and I almost turned around to take them back. I started thinking about how my husband's birthday is coming up. How Christmas is coming. My dad's birthday. Little Man needs clothes.... We need money for groceries. On and On and On.

But anyway... On to a new week. :-) Hoping to do better this week and get back in control. I already know that Sunday we are having junk food... So I will be good up until and after so that I can have a "cheat" day... But I have already declared it a soda-free week. We'll see how long that lasts. :)

I admit that I have been struggling these past two weeks. I hate having to miss a meeting each month but I have committed to taking my Little Guy to Family Fun Night at the end of the month... Which happens to fall on Tuesdays at 6 p. 

His birthday party was last weekend and we had quite a bit of junk. I barely ate that day (mostly cause I was so busy setting up and mingling...) but I made up for it. The two bags of Chex Mix... Yeah I ate it. I tried to pawn off what I could on guests but they were unwilling. Some things we just tossed cause we knew we wouldn't eat them. I sent snacks to work with the Husband and made him take about 20 cupcakes to work... but then I ate the rest of them. 

I did walk this week past week with Munchkin while we could. Nothing too crazy but we got some good walks in. Yesterday, I put on a pair of jeans that I haven't worn in a LONG time and they were huge! I had to rig the zipper up with a key ring cause it tends to fall down, but I constantly pulling them up. Pretty soon I am going to be putting away the summer clothes and I think I am going to purge. I will be getting rid of a good part of my wardrobe... which makes me sad but excited. I asked my husband if I could get some new stuff next year. Definitely a new bathing suit.

Heading to the Apple Shed today with my family. Can't wait to get apples and make applesauce in the crock-pot. One of my faves! Not looking forward to weigh-in... but I can accept whatever the numbers and have no one to blame but myself!

Nothing to report lately. 

 One word of advice... Don't count on your shadow to give you an accurate representation of how big or how little you are. It often lies and plays games.

Lost 0.4 this week. Not a huge loss but better than a gain!