It's July 6th, and the start of yet another semester

So it's time for my next goal to start.  My goal for this semester is to lose another 40 pounds, and I've already lost 3 of them, so it's 37 pounds to go in 106 days.  Today I got so many compliments from my classmates and professors, and that was so gratifying.  I want to keep working toward my goal, though, and not lose track of what I'm doing or why.  I'm losing weight so I can be healthy.  I want to be healthy again, not fat like I have been for so long.  I don't want to be the kids' fat mommy.  I don't want to show them how easy it is to be complacent with being fat simply because it's easier.  It IS easier, but that doesn't mean it should be done.  Eating right is just as easy as eating junk food, and working out isn't that hard, it's just work.  As long as I keep in mind that it's not hard, it's just work, I should be fine.

I did it!!!!!

It's been 109 days since I started doing this, and there were several times when I thought I'd never make it, but today when I stepped on the scale, I made my goal of losing 50 pounds!  I've lost 17.36% of my body weight.  I didn't do it by going on some crazy diet or working out 8 hours a day.  I ate sensible foods, in moderation, and I worked out 30-45 minutes 3-5 days a week.

I'm living proof that it can be done!

Here's my next goal:  I want to lose 40 more pounds by October 20th.  That will be a total of 90 pounds in 235 days.  That's 126 days from today to lose 40 pounds.  I'm taking the next week off of training, and then I'm right back at it.

3 pounds and 7 days to go

I have 3 pounds to go to reach my goal, and 7 days to get it done.  I'm sitting here, just hoping that my efforts will result in success and not in failing to reach my goal on time.  I know that I've done an amazing thing, and that I have every right to be proud.  And I won't be less proud if I don't quite make the deadline for losing 50 pounds.  But I really really want to.  Whenever I've set a goal for myself, I've always achieved it, with the exception of losing weight.  I've never succeeded at losing weight, and I want to so very badly.

Today my trainer asked me what my reward would be for meeting my goal, hoping it wasn't a night out a Claim Jumper's.  Well, they're totally yummy, but my reward is for something much neater.  It was so amazing at the doctor's office to step on the scale and NOT have to slide the bottom weight thing over so far.  Usually I've had to put it in the 260 slot, and then move the top slide thing almost all the way to the right.  This time, it wasn't like that.  The bottom weight was at 240, and the top weight was barely away from the left.  I'm so much looking forward to not having that bottom weight even in the 200s.

Anyway, that's my reward.  Totally silly, and totally meaningless to most people.  But to me, it's so amazing that I was almost in tears at the doctor's office.

Day 100

It's been 100 days since I decided that I wasn't going to remain fat all my life.  Since then I've lost 46 pounds!  I've done it by eating well and exercise.  I'm amazed at some of the changes and thrilled by others.  I find that I don't even like the foods that I was enjoying before I started.  Most of the junk food that I "loved" was really disgusting.  I really like salad, although I do vary it regularly so that I don't get totally bored by it.  I am surprised that I don't even like drinking sodas any more - I never thought that would happen.  I'm amazed at how much more attuned I am to my body.  I know more about myself than I ever thought possible.  I'm totally stunned at how much I'm able to do with my trainer, and how much doing crunches hurts my abs!  But despite it all, this is my new life.  I am going to graduate from OT school, not just wiser and more capable, but fit and healthy...a whole new woman.  That's my goal, and I'm determined to be successful this time.

The Worst Weight Loss Plan Ever!

Last week, I was on the worst weight loss plan ever!  Sadly, I was sick as a dog, and I wasn't able to keep anything down.  I lost 3 pounds in 1 day.  I've regained 1 1/2 pounds of that, so I'm not dehydrated any more (which is good), but I've not been able to walk since Wednesday because I've been so sick.

I finally got a picture together of me at 288 pounds in December 2009 and me at 248 pounds May 16th.  It's been a lot of hard work, and the work's not over, but it's great to actually SEE the progress.

Here's some stats:  I've lost 43 pounds since March 1st.  I've gone from a size 28 or 4X to a size 22 or 2X.  My BMI has gone from 46 to 39.  It's kind of embarrassing admitting my weight and size in such a public manner, but the reality is, I can't hide my size.  I can't hide my weight.  Hiding the actual numbers never worked for making me appear smaller, so hopefully by shining a light on the reality of the numbers, it'll be easier to make them less embarrassing.

If you're reading this and thinking that you can't manage to lose weight, get off the couch and just start.  That's what I did, and I'm on my way!

Milestone Weight!

I've been losing weight for 72 days now, and while I haven't been blogging every day, every single day I'm aware of what I eat, and what impact it will have on my body.  I try very hard to not eat things that are unhealthy, but once in a while I slip.

This morning when I got on the scale, I hit a major milestone.  Today I weigh 250 pounds.  I know...It's still a lot, but I'm on my way.  I haven't been this weight in over 6 years.  I've lost 38 pounds in 72 days.  I'm losing almost 1/2 a pound a day.

I went to Kohl's the other day because I had $40 in Kohl's cash and I wasn't going to waste it.  I decided to purchase clothes smaller than I have in years, and I'd just wait to fit into them.  My own little goal outfit.  I came home and I decided to try them on...just to see how far I had to go until them fit, and they fit then!  I don't have a picture of me in them, but I plan on taking one this weekend and I'll be sure to post it.

For everyone who is supporting me on this quest...thank you so much.  Every comment, every look, every hug...they all help keep me motivated to keep going.  For those of you who watch the Biggest Loser, I've lost 13.19% of my starting weight.

For anyone who thinks they can't do this...you can!  It's honestly so much easier than I thought it would be.  I'm so glad I finally made the change I've always wanted to do.

Week 7

Well, it's week 7 and I certainly haven't posted on here in a while.  I guess that's what happens when life gets busy.  Here's the good news.  I though I had started my weight-loss journey at 286 pounds, but I actually started at 288.  That means that since I weighed in at 259 today, I've lost 29 pounds in 7 weeks.  I went to the doctor last week for a check up and when the doctor learned how much weight I've lost, she actually came in and shook my hand.  I don't think I've ever been so proud of a handshake in my life.

She also told me that when I saw her last, my blood pressure had been at 130/90 and that day it was 106/77.  Quite a change.  She asked me what I was doing and when I told her, she was impressed.  It's not a crazy fad diet, it's not a lose-weight-quick scheme, it's just healthy sensible weight loss.

I'm going to the AOTA conference next week, and before I would have just eaten every meal in a restaurant, but I decided to use my head and I booked a hotel room with a kitchenette so that I can prepare my own meals while I'm there.  I'm sure I'll go out for a few meals, but I don't have to go out every meal.  I can purchase salad and chicken at a grocery store and eat well without breaking either my diet or my budget.

If anyone out there is reading this and thinks that this diet is something they can't do, believe me, it's so easy.  I never feel hungry, and I'm losing weight at such a healthy rate.  I'm so proud of myself for finally finally doing something about my weight.

Day 36

Having a good time with this "diet" I'm on.  It hardly feels like a diet when I'm eating yummy food all day long, I'm never hungry, and I'm actually losing weight.  Usually on a diet, I'm starving, I'm cranky, and I barely lose a pound.  Today I went to Panera bread to meet a classmate and get some work done.  I got a bagel with fat free cream cheese.  I ate 1/2 of the top 1/2 of the bagel and I was full!  Stuffed to the gills, actually.  I go back to school on Wednesday, and I'm hoping that I'll go back to class at 20 pounds weight loss, and I'm almost there...19 pounds in 36 days!  Can you believe it?  I can't.  A funny thing about losing 19 pounds...my panties keep sliding down, they're so loose on me.

So many things about this are so very cool!  I walk a mile each day now, and it's not a struggle!  We walk around the park twice each night, and I want to start walking into each culdesac in the neighborhood too!  I'm going to take my car tomorrow and drive around each one to see how far it would be to go into each one.  I'll also check that plus going around the park twice to see if we need to start with one and then add the 2nd one.

I only wish my allergies weren't so horrid this time of year and that the wind wasn't quite so brisk.  Oh well!

April Fool's Day!

No fooling, I lost 14 pounds in March!  I'm so excited about the weight loss, but I'm more excited about how good I feel.  I don't feel hungry.  I don't feel like I'm depriving myself.  I don't feel like I'm missing something.  I feel good.  I feel as if I can maintain this.  I feel ready to face April and see where I am at the end of the month!

Day 29

Well, I've not been that good about posting all of my food, but I'm still on track.  I got out the scale yesterday, and I've lost a total of 10 pounds!  I'm so excited!  It's so nice to know that my efforts are working.  Yesterday we also had a health scare for Billy.  He woke me up at 5:50 with chest pains.  Well, his mom and dad both passed away from heart issues, so we went to the hospital.  I was exhausted and worried, so I got a coke.  The first sip tasted heavenly!  But honestly, after that 1st sip it just wasn't exciting.  I kept thinking that it tasted bad and I wished I had gotten water.  Thankfully, Billy was ok, just a pulled cartilage in his ribs.  The doctor said it would hurt, but it's harmless.

We tried a new dish tonight.  I fixed spaghetti squash!  It was good, but a little bland.  Next time we've got to try it with more seasonings and added flavor.

We've also decided that we're going to walk on Saturday for the Easter Seals.  It's a 2 mile walk.  To prepare, we've been walking around the neighborhood 2 times on our evening walks.  It's so good to know that we're getting better at this.

Day 23

Well, we're back from our road trip and funeral.  The weather was beautiful, the beach amazing, the family great, and the funeral sad.  The diet I've been working with such dedication simply wasn't conducive to a 1200 mile road trip, so I took a little break from it.  And I'm SO glad I did.  We ate in 5-star restaurants, and I would have just cried if I couldn't have enjoyed the very delicious foods they made.  According to the scale, I weigh 279.6 pounds, so I didn't gain any of the weight I lost back, but tomorrow's a new day and it's back on the diet.

Oh, and if you ever get to Santa Cruz, the Dream Inn was right on the beach and very dreamy!

Day 14

I haven't blogged in a while because things kind of went sideways for a while.  My allergies kicked in...in a major way!  I couldn't breathe, I felt horrible.  Billy's best friend was hospitalized for being suicidal and we were worried about him.  Just as I was getting better, we got some bad news.  My mother-in-law, Rita, committed suicide.  It's been horrible and we're all reeling from the news. 

I've done well on the diet, with the exception of 3 days.  One day I had a tiny slice of pizza and 2 bites of apple pie.  When I was really sick, I had 2 slices of pizza, and yesterday, Billy wanted pizza again.  Since it was his mom, I agreed and forced myself to eat more pizza.

Exercise has been another issue.  The night we found out about Rita, there was no way, we were constantly on the phone with family, the next night, Billy went to the hospital to visit his friend.  I'm not comfortable taking the kids for a walk by myself when it's pitch black out.  Hopefully with daylight savings time, we'll be able to walk better in the evenings.

Today I ate:
almonds for breakfast
chicken and veggies for lunch
more chicken and veggies for dinner.

Days 8 & 9

Well, I forgot to post yesterday, so I'll just post for both days today.  Yesterday I went to the store and got a few more goodies to try.  I got feta cheese which was delish!  It tasted kind of like Parmesan cheese, but more moist.  I also got Wasa crackers.  They're low carb, but really high in fiber and they have a great crunch when I need that.

Today was also a fundraiser for school, so we went to dinner at Sammy's Wood-fired Pizza.  I just love their pizzas, and I had a tiny slice of a Hawaiian pizza, really dry chicken, grilled asparagus (totally yum), and 2 bites of an apple pie.  We had fun their with almost 1/2 the class and raised some money for student government.

So...today I ate:
4 3" celery stalks with 1 tsp cashew butter
1/2 small bell pepper with fat free cream cheese
3 oz extra lean ground beef with tons of veggies mixed in
2 cup salad with 1 tbsp vinaigrette 
1 chicken breast from Sammy's Wood-fired Pizza
4 stalks roasted asparagus
1 small slice of Hawaiian pizza
2 bites apple pie

today I exercised:
I walked with Billy and the dogs.

yesterday I ate:
1 cup bell peppers and celery stalks
1 tsp cashew butter
1 tsp fat free cream cheese
3 oz extra lean ground beef with tons of veggies mixed in
2 cups salad with 1 tbsp vinaigrette and a tbsp feta cheese
1 Wasa cracker with fat free cream cheese
2 cups salad
1 cup ground turkey with taco seasoning and onions mixed in
1 tbsp salsa

yesterday I exercised:
I walked with Billy and the dogs in the RAIN!  How's that for dedication?

Tonight's Recipe for Chicken in a Basalmic Vinegar Sauce

Ok, I'm really loving the veggies lately, so tonight I made chicken in a balsamic vinegar sauce with TONS of veggies.  It was really easy.

preheat the oven to 350
chicken breasts (enough to feed the family)
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups chicken stock
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
1 onion, chopped small, I used purple...so pretty
2 celery stalks, chopped small
1/2 zucchini, chopped small
8 cloves garlic, chopped small
handful of frozen sliced shitaki mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil

I put the olive oil in a pan and heated it up; add chicken breasts, and brown on each side, set aside in a baking dish; add all of the veggies into the pan and saute them until they're mostly cooked; pour veggies over chicken in baking dish; in the pan, add the balsamic vinegar and chicken stock, simmer until it reduces; pour reduced sauce over chicken and veggies, cover with foil and bake until a meat thermometer reads 160

It was so very yummy!  Billy poured some of the veggies and sauce over his mashed potatoes and just LOVED IT.  Even the 4 year old was asking for 3rds!

Day 7

Home from my weekend away, and I really enjoyed myself and was able to stick to the diet!!!  It's been a week today and I find that I'm feeling pretty good.  I haven't had bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes in 7 days, and I survived!  I just have no interest right now in candy.  Billy just called and asked me if I wanted any Girl Scout cookies.  I told him to get some for the family, but I won't have any.  I don't feel deprived, I feel motivated!  It's such a good feeling to know that I'm able to say no.

Today I ate:
1/2 veggie omelet from IHOP (no cheese or tomatoes)
1/4 cup red bell pepper
3/4 cup spicy ground turkey
1/2 chicken breast in basalmic vinegar sauce with TONS of veggies...totally YUM!
1/2 cup green beans
lots of water

Today I exercised:
went for a walk with the dogs and my husband in the rain

Day 6

I was out of town this weekend, and despite it, I was able to maintain my diet.  It was a little harder, and I didn't get enough veggies eaten today, but that was the only hiccup in my diet this weekend.

Today I ate:
Chicken fajita omelet with onions
chicken marinated in white wine and lemon juice
a big salad with 2 tsp italian dressing
lots and lots of water

Today I exercised:
Billy and I walked 20 minutes to the restaurant and then 20 minutes back from the restaurant

Day 5

Yesterday was a good day, except for my allergies.  Spring has sprung in Las Vegas and it's killing my eyes.  The diet seems to be going good.  At school yesterday, the 2nd year students had a guest speaker and danishes provided.  The person who ordered was kind enough to order enough trays for our class too, and for the 3 hours of class, I was never tempted to get up and get one.  I just sat at my desk, drinking my water and enjoying my bell pepper strips with fat free cream cheese.  My classmates were so proud of me, and I am too!

Yesterday I ate:
8 almonds
8 cashews
3/4 cup spicy ground trukey
1 cup bell peppers and celery with fat free cream cheese
8 oz chicken breast with mushroom, onion, and basalmic vinegar sauce
1 cup broccoli
48 oz water
32 oz ice tea

Yesterday I exercised:
30 minutes of fast walking with Billy

Day 4

Today I had more blood work done.  Hopefully it'll show nothing abnormal and I can simply move forward with getting healthy.  I decided not to keep buying bottles of water, so I just bought a reusable water bottle.  It holds 16 ounces and it has a wide lid so I can put ice cubes in it.  That works good for me because I really dislike drinking warm water.  This afternoon I had to work with the scale for the research project I'm working, and according to it...I've lost another pound!!!  So part of me is wondering if its because of the new diet, if I've only lost water weight, or if its a fluke some how...I guess time will tell.

Today I've eaten:
8 almonds
3 cups Spicy Ground Turkey (1/2 for lunch, 1/2 for dinner)
     has ground turkey, onions, red peppers, zucchini, and garlic....Yum!
1 cup sliced bell peppers and celery with 1 tbsp fat free cream cheese


Today I exercised:
walked for 30 minutes with the kids and the dogs

Day 3

Today I went to the cardiologist to have the testing done to see if I have any heart issues.  Had a treadmill stress test and an echo cardiogram and the results were good.  I have NO health issues, but I do need to get into better shape and lose weight.  Apparently the abnormal EKG was just a scare, and the wake-up call I needed to finally get off the couch.

Today I ate:
15 almonds
4-egg egg salad
1 cup green bell peppers with 1 tbsp fat free cream cheese
8 oz chicken breast with mushroom, onion, and basalmic vinegar sauce
1 cup broccoli
48 oz water
32 oz ice tea

Today I exercised:
walked 30 minutes with kids, mom, Billy, and dogs

Day 2

It's day 2 and so far so good.  It was hard last night at dinner when everyone was having mac-n-cheese with their chicken and I was just having veggies with mine.  And after dinner, it was really hard not to get up and eat.  I wasn't hungry, but I'm so used to eating all evening.  Going for a walk last night was good.  After 20 minutes, though, of pulling the kids and keeping the dog from pulling me, I was ready to be done.  We're going to make it a nightly thing...eat dinner, clear the table, go for a walk.  Tonight we have cheerleading with the girls, so we may need to go walk around the community center. 

Today I ate:

15 almonds
1 cup red and green bell peppers sliced with 1 tbsp fat free cream cheese
2 cup iceberg lettuce with 1/4 cup diced bell pepper and 1 tbsp vinegrette
1/2 cup chicken salad
1 cup chicken
1 cup iceberg lettuce with 1/4 cup diced bell peppers and 1 tbsp homemade mayo
64 ounces water

Today's the day!

Today's the day it all starts.  Again.  I've started so many diets, only to crash and burn within a few weeks.  I've never lost more than 30 pounds at a time, and I've never been able to keep it off.  That has to change.

Last week at the doctor's I got a wake up call...an abnormal EKG.  It's time to make a change while I still can.  So I'm going to post everything here.  I'll post my food diary.  I'll post my exercise.  Most of all, I'll post my thoughts.  So when my journey is at an end, I'll have a record of what happened, and when, and how.

Today's the day it all starts, and this time it's going to work.

Today's diet included:

15 almonds
1/2 cup chicken salad
1 cup sliced red and green bell peppers with 1 tbsp fat free cream cheese
2 cups salad with 1 tbsp vinegrette
4 oz skinless chicken breast
1 cup cauliflower, roasted with seasoning and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup green beans
2 cups water
8 cups ice tea, unsweetened

Today's exercise included:

walking for 30 minutes with kids and dogs