My 25th Birthday!

203lbs

I will admit I wanted to weigh in an 185 today when I started back in July.

I kinda forgot how hard it is to lose weight during the holidays.

Probably because I NEVER have!

Two years ago, this is the point where I had basically put weight loss on the back burner.

I was mad at my body for "failing" me even though I had lost weight.

But for today, I'm happy.

And getting fit-er.

We had a fun day of thrift shopping & movie going.
Then our annual dinner at the local italian place.

And just for fun:

My birthday 2009 (195lbs)

Week 22

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 202

Total loss: 45

If I can make through the next few weeks without gaining I will ecstatic.

Maintain the loss!

Work on balanced meals and not snack while cooking for others.

Merry Christmas!

This time of year...

This month is killing me.

After 3 back-to-back Thanksgivings, I have my nephews birthday party (cake), Christmas parties (all kinds of yummy things I have to make and be around), 3 Christmas dinners, my birthday (cake), New Years party, and my sister shower that I am throwing. Food overload.

I cannot escape. I know I need to participate less.

People would understand...now I just have to keep telling myself that.

Oreo truffles, overnight french toast and Skinnytaste's Banana Cream Pie

Week 21

Start Weight: 247

Current weight: 202

Total loss: 45

The scale is not moving because I am not getting to the gym enough to justify what I am eating.
I just have to keep at it. I know what to do.

Family Pictures

These family pictures were taken for Mother's Day 2011.
It was my idea, as a present for my Mother-In-Law, because they don't have any current family pictures and she is always asking for pictures of us.

The pictures didn't bother me when I first saw them.
But now I see them everyday when I leave the house.
My legs are the first thing I notice, they are bigger than everyone else's.
This disgusts me.

Then there is, of course, the double chin...

I'm pretty sure I'll be glad to pay for new pictures to be taken next year-GLAD.

Here is a picture from Thanksgiving this year.

203lbs

Week 20

Start Weight: 247

Current weight: 202

Total loss: 45

It's going in the right direction...

The holidays are freakin' tough.



My 2K!

This morning was our 2K! It was 30 degrees and windy. I did the best I could and I'm happy to report that I finished in 15:00 even. Which is a 12:15 mile! That is so awesome!

My hubby did amazing! He was the first male to finish so he got a medal!

We went out for a sinfully delicious breakfast at Cracker Barrel aka southern/fried/comfort food heaven.

I had cinnamon pancakes, turkey sausage & egg beaters with plenty leftover for lunch.

It was only a 2K, but it still made me feel pretty accomplished!

The 10 or more challenge

My gym has a bulletin board where, every month, they post all the people who have come to the gym 10 or more times. They also have a highlighted story of someone who has lost a lot of weight at our gym.

It is inspiring and encouraging!

I try to never fall below 10 times per month so I can keep my name on the board :)

I also really want to be the story on the board eventually.

Not now, cause I am not done yet, but when I am I would love to be an inspiration to others.

Week 19

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 202.5

Total loss: 44.5

Working out and making food/cleaning for Thanksgiving at my house was crazy!

At least I lost a half a pound and did not gain!

Nature's Table Cafe

One of my favorite local places to eat is Nature's Table Cafe.

They pride themselves on fresh, healthy food.

I don't have any pictures of the food because I am always too excited to eat it!

I have eaten the greek salad, the bbq chicken wrap, the strawberry salad and the mushroom brie bisque.

All their combo meals come with a small frozen yogurt as well, I get a swirl of the berry & tart.

It is the ending to a fresh, healthy meal :)

Can you tell how much I like it?

Week 18

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 203

Total loss: 44

Hmm. Evidently making and eating Thanksgiving food 2 weeks in a row is no bueno.

No gain is good though?

Thanksgiving

Seeing family I haven't seen since summer was fun because I have lost weight and I love the compliments!

They had also all heard about our last 5k and were very proud :)

It was a good day, filled with good food- not too much though.

I got a small spoonful of everything so I didn't feel like I was missing out.

And I didn't miss the overstuffed feeling most everyone else complained about well into the afternoon.

The only thing I didn't like was people not seeming to understand that I am not on a diet, I am eating healthier overall, forever. 

So, yes I can have pie. No, I am not on a diet, I am eating healthier.

Prepared & achieved!

This week I went to a friends birthday dinner at Olive Garden.

I ate a small salad at home before and decided to order the stuffed mushroom appetizer at the restaurant later.

After dinner we took pictures:

This year

vs last year

I love the difference!

Week 17

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 203

Total loss: 44

Ok.Well that's never happened before.

No excuses.

But....see previous post?

That was only one our 3 Thanksgivings....

Oh dear.

My First 5K

Tonight was my first 5K. I can't even put into words how amazing it felt. 

To run, to finish, to beat my goal time! This being my first one, and with my lack of training, I really didn't know what time I'd be able to finish it in. So I decided an hour would be my limit, with under 45 minutes making me very happy. I made it in 44:50!

As soon as I heard my friends cheering I started to tear up. I couldn't believe I had done it.

We went out for chicken burgers after to celebrate. Wearing my race shirt, I couldn't believe I was one of them now. I run!

There was one negative about running at night though, I missed all of the mile markers because it was so dark!

Nervous!

As I sit here listening to my 5k playlist the night before I am running my first 5k, I can't help but think I am a different person. I started the Couch to 5k program two years ago.I abandoned it shortly thereafter. Two years ago my husband had no interest in running. And now he's completed 3 5k's, the last in under 30 minutes. I was so proud at the last one that I cried when he finished.

I signed up for my first one at the persistence of my boss who is 56 and also runs 5k's. He runs at the same pace as my husband and they usually finish together.Well, today is my turn :)

I am scared and nervous. I have my playlist, my outfit....now I just need some courage. I can do this, right? I won't run the whole way, I just want to finish. And in less than an hour.

Week 16

Start weigh: 247

Current weight: 203

Total loss: 44

1 more pound and I will have lost as much as I lost last time.

This is a big freakin' deal.

45 pounds was the most I'd ever lost as one time.

I'm ready to break that record!

Fogo De Chao

Tonight was Michael's company holiday party.

(Early, I know, but if they wait til December everyone is busy.)

We got to go to Fogo De Chao for dinner on them!

I was nervous, but they did have a salad bar with all kinds of veggies.

I did try a small bite of all the meats they brought by.

The filet mignon was our favorite of course.

It was a fun night, and I felt pretty :)



Week 15

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 205

Total loss: 42

I hit the 40lbs down mark this week!

Getting closer to 200lbs and my 50lb reward!

Halloween

Last Friday I went to a costume party, I was nervous because I haven't worn my costume since I was 186lbs. 

October 2009 186lbs

207lbs

I was pretty happy about how the costume fit.

Today I wore kitty ears to work:

Tonight we handed out candy around a fire in our firepit.

And Mario & Luigi kept us company!

Week 14

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 208

Total loss: 39

Sooooo close to 40lbs down!



We're happy (healthy) campers...

This weekend we had our first annual meetup with some people in the southeast who have the same kind of vintage camper we do. We planned ahead for healthy meals all weekend, including what we were bringing to the potluck Saturday night: turkey chili.We brought egg beaters & turkey bacon for breakfast, chicken, wheat bread and 2% cheese for lunch & skinnytaste's banana cream pie for dessert! 

To our surprise & delight, several others were also watching their weight/healthy eaters who brought health-minded meals as well!

Saturday we went for a hike around the park with some of the other campers.

We had a long, refreshing weekend with new friends.

Sadly my camera batteries died on me after this picture.

Cute husband & weenies Kramer & George.

Week 13

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 210

Total loss: 37

Trucking along...slow and steady wins the race, right?

Getting our ride on...

We rode our bikes 3 mornings this week before work :)

We went to 2 local parks and tried different trails & routes.

We also rode them after work in our neighborhood.

I can't wait til next spring!

Week 12

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 211

Total loss: 36

Getting close to that 40lbs down mark!

This makes it even more real to me.

I am getting closer to losing more weight than last time as well.

I bought a bike!

When we were on vacation we rode our rental bikes every day! and it was so much fun I googled bikes to buy before we even got home.

Today we went to pick them up & mine is so cute!

Super excited to use it next week!

Week 11

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 214

Total loss: 33

An amazingly hard workout week! I stepped up my game, getting ready for that halloween costume party!

30lbs down!

My reward for losing 30lbs was to be able to wear these shoes out on the town.

I bought these shoes in the fall of 2010 and I promised that I would lose 20lbs before I would wear them. Well I gained weight since then, so i decided I needed to lose 30lbs to wear them. And that I did!

We went out to hibachi and I wore those shoes proudly!

Week 10

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 218

Total loss: 29

Sooooo close to the 30lbs down mark!

& my reward of wearing some sexy shoes out!

Hopefully you will see a post later this week about that!

Our (Healthy) Camping Vacation- Part 2

The food!

We decided to save money that we would eat breakfast at the camper, lunch out and dinner mostly at the camper as well.

We had egg beaters, turkey bacon and bagel thins for breakfast, as well as an occasional piece of toast or grilled cheese. 

Lunches we went out, twice for barbecue- sandwiches, then nachos that we split. A ribeye sandwich one day. And the rest of the days we went to Pizza By The Sea that offers a soup/salad or pizza slice/salad combo. It was the best place ever, I got a spinach salad with feta, cranberries, pecans & balsamic vinaigrette with mushroom brie soup every time. Michael got a slice of pizza & the same salad. We even biked there for lunch twice.

Dinners were mostly sandwiches. We brought cheez-its popcorn and fruit to snack on between meals. We drank a 36 pack of waters during the week. And only 2 beers.

We also made skinnytaste's Pina Colada Sorbet. It was freakin' delicious. One day we added rum to it in the blender. I die. It was great!

One night we picked up fresh seafood chowder and ate it with our sandwiches on the beach.

Another night we went to the Restaurant where his uncle works. We had beef and blue cheese tortellini (delicious), I got the grouper and he got crab stuffed shrimp (both amazing) while I had a cosmo and he had a special oops drink and then we shared the chocolate mousse cake.

And of course we walked to the beach afterwards.

Our (Healthy) Camping Vacation- Part 1

We had a blast! One week at the beach in our camper :)

The first thing we did was rent bikes for the week.

Then we set up and relaxed until it was time to make dinner. 

The next morning Michael's aunt drove over and brought her stand-up paddle board.

I tried to stand-up paddle for the first time- I'd had several chances to try before but I'd always been afraid to fall or look stupid. I got on and I didn't fall! It was really hard to stay steady- working my core!

Michael and his Aunt went over a mile away, under a bridge and into different water!

He's basically a pro now, this being his 3rd time.

We almost definitely want our own board now.

We biked a mile away to a nearby beach town every morning. Rode around the neighborhoods looking at houses, doing a little shopping, even grocery shopping. We rode to eat lunch, to get to the beach and just for fun. The most we rode one day was 10 miles!

It felt like being a kid again, wind in my hair, smile on my face- and it helped me get a good tan!

We also did a lot of walking as most of the shopping was spread out and the distance from the parking to the water was pretty far. We also swam every day in the ocean and fresh water lake.

Part 2 coming soon!

Week 9

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 219

Total loss: 28

I LOST a pound on vacation.

I'm freakin ecstatic about that.

I don't believe I've gone on a vacation and LOST weight!

I will update about my activity and eating soon!

Dijon Lime Chicken

I tried a new yummy recipe from skinnytaste:

Baked Dijon Lime Chicken

It was delicious!

I served it with sauteed asparagus with sweet chili sauce.

Later I had apples & peanut butter for a snack.

Week 8

Start Weight: 247

Current Weight: 220

Total loss: 27

Here we go, in the swing of things again.

Another happy, healthy week at this household!

And now we're on vacation!

I will check in later this week to let you know how much fun I'm having!

Recipes

I found a new website with a million healthy recipes!

Skinnytaste

I've made two things so far that are so good!

Banana Cream Pie & Pina Colada Sorbet

Both are keepers!

All of her recipes sound good, I'll let you know if I try anything else!

Week 7

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 224

Total loss: 23

Suwanee Day 5K

Today was Michael's 3rd 5K.

It was in the same place as the last one.

My boss also did this one with him.

Michael came in 4th place in his age group!

I was kinda sad I missed Zumba to go watch him, but as soon as he crossed the finish line in 27:34- I started to cry! I was so proud of him for meeting and exceeding his goal of finishing in under 30 minutes.

Week 6

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 225

Total loss: 22

I hit the 20lb mark this week. That makes it feel real. Like I've lost some real weight. I want people to know I am serious (again) and I don't intend to stop or put this on hold. This is the real deal.

I am even more determined than last time, because I know what 45lbs gone feels like.

I know what seeing a 1 in front of my weight for the first time in years feels like.

I am trucking along...

Joining the gym!

I have a new gym!

I joined Gold's Gym that is about 6 miles from my house.

I went Tuesday, Wednesday and today to Zumba. So fun!

My friends alternate days coming with me too.

The classes are full of people with good attitudes. This gym is so different than my last gym, I actually talk to people here! The instructors are very approachable and willing to help.

It seems like a really good fit for me.

Week 5

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 229

Total loss: 18

I'm joining the gym tomorrow, after exhausting all of my guest passes. I feel like it's the right step for me. I'm looking forward to going on my own as well as with my friends.

My husband will most likely be joining a different gym because of his work hours.

We didn't work out a lot together at our old gym before anyways.

It is only $5 for him to come with me sometime to my gym.

We can always workout at the same time, just at our own gyms too.

Sklyar's Run 5K

Today was Michael's 2nd 5k and it was for an awesome cause!

This 5K benefitted our county's special olympics & the special needs school.

Even more special, Skylar is a boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy who was pushed in his wheelchair by his father in this race (and every race he does!). Our friends son was just diagnosed with this disease, so as a group we rallied to make this event a sign that we are gonna fight for him & support their family!

To read more about their journey go here.

Week 4

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 231

Total loss: 16

Seeing the scale moving is very motivating. I added in a weight class with my guest passes at the gym. It was fun, a lot different than my last gym's classes.

I can see myself joining this gym and going to classes with my friends a lot more often.

A milestone this week was fitting into my shorts from last summer.

They were too tight at the beginning of this summer, so I had to buy a new ugly pair seen here:

But now, I can rock these size 16's again.



My favorite breakfast!

One of the only things that motivates me to get up early enough to cook is my favorite healthier breakfast!

Usually a combo of egg beaters (sometimes I add cheese, hot sauce and/or salsa), turkey sausage w/ mustard & whole grain waffles with sugar free syrup & I can't believe it's not butter.

I'm also a big fan of chai tea lattes with soy milk & splenda!

Not All Salads Are Created Equal...

I have memories of making hamburger helper, meatloaf, spaghetti & pepperoni alfredo pasta growing up.

Some recipes were box mixes, some were homemade.

As I got older and both of my parents worked 9-5 Monday-Friday, the menu changed.

We ate more and more processed, pre-cooked, frozen meals. 

In high school I feel like all we ever ate for dinner was frozen pizza with ranch.

Or chicken tenders & fries, fried or baked.

When we wanted to be "healthy" we had fried chicken with salad and full fat ranch instead of fries.

I know that I made the decision to eat those things, but I basically grew up with the idea that eating a salad of any kind was healthy.

When I started doing research on my own I realized that not all salads are created equal.

Restaurant salads especially.

Caesar salad is not very good for you at all. 

And once you add fried anything to a salad I don't think you should call it a salad anymore.

Adding bacon, eggs and full fat cheese makes it almost as many calories as everything else on the menu.

This was eye opening to me.

It feels silly to think that I just believed what my parents believed, but I was a kid. 

Now I know better. And I'm so glad that I do.

Week 3

Week 3 was even better for me!

I got invited to the gym by several friends to try Zumba!

Zumba was SO fun, I can't believe it's a workout! The music, the instructors and being there with my friends was awesome.

Starting weight: 247

Current Weight: 233

Total loss: 14

MOTIVATION: Healthy Blogs

One of the things that got me into weightloss before was healthy blogs & weightloss blogs.

Seeing other people achieve their goals, with amazing before and after photos is indeed motivation.

It helped me see there are real people, just like me, losing weight and keeping it off the healthy way.

Even when I wasn't particularly in a "losing mode" I still kept these blogs on my blogroll and read most updates. They pushed me further into the realization that I need to get back on my feet and get this weight off. AGAIN.

These are just a few of the blogs I subscribe to:

Bitch Cakes

Jack Shit Gettin' Fit

Prior Fat Girls Jen & Elle

Roni's Weigh

Mama Laughlin

The Fitnessista

Losing Weight Every Day

Seeing an update from any of them helps me refocus on my goals and my journey.

Healthy habits that STUCK

Because I have lost weight before. I do know mostly what I should be/shouldn't be doing.

Today I thought about all the things that stuck with me since losing weight, even when I wasn't in "losing mode".

I try to only buy brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

I opt for lean ground beef or ground turkey. I haven't bought regular ground beef since 2009.

I've kept seafood in our weekly menus.

I still buy Soy Milk, especially when it's on sale.

I also buy 2% cheese, light sour cream & mayo.

I've kept a lot of light recipes in our rotation too.

I know I learned a lot last time. And maybe it needed to happen that way so I could see that if I don't pay attention and put in the effort the weight comes back, way too easily & fast!
I try to drink only water, but sometimes you need a little flavor, then we opt for Crystal Light (or a cheaper off brand)

Week 2!

Week 2 was not as difficult!

I am down another 6lbs!

We upped our activity this week as we were less sore. We took the dogs for extra longs walks :)

Good for us and for them.

Start weight: 247

Current weight: 236

Total lost: 11

How my work lunch works...

As I mentioned in my last post, I drive a small pickup truck for work.

I usually eat while driving to save time.

I have been known to stop and eat a salad because that is one thing that is super tricky to eat while driving.

I normally try to pickup or bring things that are easier to eat while driving.

Like sandwiches. Homemade turkey/chicken/ham or peanut butter & jelly.

Or chargrilled chicken from Chick-fil-a.

Or QT food that has calories on it! So nice for a convenience store!

Snacks are usually fruit, yogurt or nuts.

I feel like my job does present a challenge to eating healthy, but I accept that challenge!

I have done this before and I am doing it again!

My unhealthy obsession...

So, I drive a small pickup truck for work. I deliver transmissions to shops around Atlanta and I eat my lunch in the truck.

The easiest, fastest place to go to for lunch was McDonald's. They are located everywhere. I can always find one when I get hungry. I know what I like there.

But I know that it's disgustingly unhealthy. And I used to eat there before I lost weight the first time...

And I wish i would've stayed away but I didn't.

So I can basically say I've eaten lunch there almost everyday for the past six months.

No wonder I gained 30lbs.

It wasn't just the McDonald's, but I think to myself, if I already had bad food for lunch, dinner can be whatever because I already ruined a healthy day anyways.

The thing is, I knew that was the wrong way to think, I was just in a state of denial.

I'm here to say though, NO MORE MCDONALDS.

I can do so much better. 

I am so much better than that!

Week 1

Here we are. Week 1 is done!

We are both down 5 lbs!

I remember this feeling of accomplishment. It makes the cutting back totally worth it!

Vacation is coming up, so we are working really hard to try and lose 20lbs by then.

Bathing suits, beach & 85 degree weather are a killer when you are overweight so I am looking forward to having a better time this year.

Here's to week 1!
Start weight: 247
Current weight: 242
Total lost: 5

The first week is always the hardest...

Re-establishing a healthy routine is hard.

Getting back into the swing of things...

Not going to McDonald's for lunch everyday.

Cooking dinner way more often. Not buying things on sale just because they are on sale or I have a coupon.

Not succumbing to temptation in many, many scenarios.

Introducing veggies back into our fridge in a BIG way.

Hello fruit for snacks!

For me, I have to get the eating right down pat before I can start working out.

So I will update when I start working out again.

One step at a time.

Restarting my journey....

In the spring of 2009 my husband and I went on a cruise.

The pictures that were taken on the cruise horrified me.

Who was this couple? I didn't think I looked like that.
I got on the scale...230lbs. Unacceptable.

A week later, my husband and I decided to get healthy.

I googled for hours about losing weight and getting fit. We started eating at home more and I ordered the 30 Day Shred Dvd. A month later we were both down 20lbs and we joined a gym.

Life was amazing! I never knew I could be so happy eating healthy & working out.

5 months later we went on another cruise. I was down 45 pounds and my husband 60 pounds.

April 2009 230lbs

October 2009 185lbs

Then I started getting pains. I went to the ER and they couldn't figure it out. I went to my doctor and they sent me for an ultrasound. The results came back: I had gallstones. My body had forgotten how to digest fat, they said it was a side effect of losing weight.

I had gallbladder removal surgery in December 2009. I gained 20lbs that month. I was uncomfortable after surgery, so I ate comfort foods. When I went back to work, I ate McDonald's or fried food everyday for lunch. Over the next 6 months I gained back all the weight I had lost. Plus 17 more pounds.

247lbs

This week I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Netflix. I decided to give healthy meals and exercise a go. Again.
I'm over feeling ashamed and sorry for myself, I did this once before- I will do this again.

So here we are. This girl is getting fit. Again!