Oh Baby!

I know it's been a while since I have updated, and I am sorry.  Weight loss is going good.. Haven't been riding bike much, but I think I'm making up for it by chasing our brand new puppy around the house!!  :)

Five months ago I had to put my 16-year-old very best friend, Abbie, to sleep and my heart has been breaking ever since.  This past Saturday my boyfriend surprised me with a 5-1/2 week old Sheltie.  We named her Lunna, and she is a sweetheart! 

So, needless to say, things have been busy around here....

Not a very active week...

Unfortunately... I wasn't able to ride my bike as much as I would have liked to last week.  You see.. Sunday was such a beautiful day and I had no place in particular to be.  It's not often that I get that much time to do whatever I wish, so I decided to wash and wax my car (red 2002 Toyota Celica, which I LOVE!).  It took a little over five hours and a whole lot of elbow grease, not to mention the bending, stooping, and squatting.  "She" turned out beautiful, as always, and it took me about four days before the muscles in my legs stopped feeling like jello.  Think I'm going to count some activity points for that.  :)

I did manage to ride 14 miles, although a little slowly.  At least I got out there and did it.  No pain, no gain, right?

Today I was looking forward to getting a little riding in after I ran out of work from my online transcription job, but agreed to mow the lawn first.  That is a job I love doing, and was looking forward to getting a little sun in.  Changed into shorts and a tank top, walked out onto the deck to get my working-in-the-yard shoes on, and stepped on a wasp.. which needless to say was not too happy with that.  I have spent the last 4 hours out on the deck reading a really good book with an ice pack on my foot to stop the swelling.  (At least I got some sun in).  I can't even walk on it.  So much for mowing the lawn.  So much for the bike ride later.  Sigh.  Ever feel like you just can't win??

I am afraid that this inactivity is going to show on the scale this week.  I have been eating out with friends more this week, also.  I don't want to think that I am starting to not care about this weight loss journey.  It feels so good to be 10 pounds lighter, I can only imagine what it feels like to lose even half of what my goal is!  I will find out this time.  I'm not going to let this little set-back get me down. 

Hope you're all having a better week than I seem to be...

Finally hit 10!

What a nice surprise at WI yesterday.  I didn't think that I had lost.... Actually had no idea because I hadn't been journaling so didn't know how many points I had been eating.  That loss, and finally making it to 10 down, was enough to get me going again.  I have been writing everything down today and my attitude is good! 

I added up all the miles I have ridden on my bike since starting this weight loss journey (again) in July... 109 miles!  For some, that may be nothing, but to me that is a lot.  I have also found that I enjoy it.  We live in a rural area and it's awesome to see how beautiful the world is when we stop and pay attention.  I can have the worst day, but as soon as I get on and moving my feet the stress dissipates. 

I hope things are going well for all of you and you are having a successful, healthy week.

This week

In some ways, this has been a really good week, and in some ways it hasn't been the best.  I only lost 0.4 at the scale, which brings my total to 7.2.  I know I will not reach my mini goal of losing 10 by August 12--yikes, that's today!--but all my visits to the scale have been losses, so I will not complain.  My new mini goal is to lose a total of 15 pounds by September 12.  This is 7.8 pounds in one month, and I feel that is attainable.

On a positive note, I have been riding my bike like crazy.  I recall only a couple of weeks ago that my goal was to ride 5 miles at least one day.  This week, a 5 mile ride was the shortest I did!  I rode 9 miles on Sunday, 9 on Monday, 5 on Wednesday, 8 on Thursday, and 9 yesterday.  That is 40 miles total, and I haven't been out yet today!!  I am so proud of myself.

I think the reason it has been so hard for me to exercise is that I am working all the time.  Well.. not really.. but it seems like it.  I am a medical transcriptionist.  I work at a clinic during the day and then most nights during the week and on weekends I work for a company online at home.  That's a lot of sitting-on-my-butt time, and after putting in 12-14 hour days sometimes, the last thing I wanted to do was exercise!  Something changed when I started back at WW, though, and I'm not sure what it is.  I think it is simply resolve.  I am just resolved to the fact that I am going to succeed this time.. no excuses.. no question.  It also feels good after going that extra mile or two, getting to the top of that hill, feeling the muscles in my legs and butt working, and then being able to slip into those jeans that I haven't been able to wear for two summers. 

I hope you all are doing well and succeeding in getting healthier.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal:  it is the courage to continue that counts."  ~Winston Churchill

One of my favorite songs....

BOATS TO BUILD

It's time for a change
I'm tired of that same ol same
The same ol words the same ol lines
The same ol tricks and the same ol rhymes

Days precious days
Roll in and out like waves
I got boards to bend I got planks to nail
I got charts to make I got seas to sail

I'm gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It'll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
Cause I've got boats to build

Sails are just like wings
The wind can make em sing
Songs of life songs of hope
Songs to keep your dreams afloat
I'm gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It'll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
Cause I've got boats to build

Shores distant shores
There's where I'm headed for
Got the stars to guide my way
Sail into the light of day

I'm gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It'll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
Cause I've got boats to build

By Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson

One down, a whole lot more to go...

One thing about this losing weight stuff, it sure teaches you patience.  I've been carrying around these extra pounds for a long time, I certainly can't expect them to just disappear.  I should be happy with even a 1 pound loss, at least the numbers are going in the right direction.

How do you get past the point when you are sick of measuring and counting?  I haven't gotten there yet, but I know that in the year ahead I will get there at some point.  I am hoping that by learning some strategies to get through those times and having the support of people who have been there before will make it a little easier.

Mini goal is in progress:  Lose 10 pounds by August 12, 2006, one month into the program.  I have lost 6.8 so far, so 3.2 more to go!

Weekly challenge:  Exercise more than I did last week and journal, journal, journal.  My WW leader told us a few years ago that we don't have to journal, our bodies will do the journaling for us.  So true.  Those points that I eat and don't write down DO still count. 

There is a Buffett show in Chicago this weekend and a bunch of my friends are going to be there.  I am unable to go due to family committments, and am so upset about that.  Have a Corona or two for me, guys!!  <:)  FINS UP~ 

Survived!

This past week was rough.  On top of the problems I have had with my boyfriend, it was "that time."  Even though he was a complete jerk and I wanted to eat everything in the house, I didn't turn to food for comfort like I have done in the past. 

I was still dreading getting on the scale at Weigh In on Wednesday.  You know the feeling...  bloated and uncomfortable... I knew for sure I had went up at least 2 pounds.  WRONG!  Down 0.8!  Yay me!  I can't wait for next week when all the water weight is gone. 

I am so focused, and don't understand why it seems so easy this time.  Not just easy to follow the program, but easy to say no to foods I don't want to use my points on.  I am also more motivated to exercise than I have been in the past.  In fact.. I am even starting to enjoy it!

I am making progress!

I have been on program for four days and in those four days I have exercised three days and have lost  - unofficially - five pounds!  More importantly, I am making the right food decisions and staying within my points each day, I am writing down everything that goes into my mouth, and I can't wait for weigh-in day!

It's not hard to be motivated in the beginning.  It's in the weeks ahead that I tend to lose focus.  I want it to be different this time.  I am working hard so that doesn't happen.

Change of Plans

I was so looking forward to starting WW again on Monday, but didn't know until that morning that during the summer the meetings are held on Wednesday instead.  I was a little disappointed, but not enough to "blow it."  

On Wednesday, my friend (Sandy) and I both joined and neither of us were happy with the number on the scale.  My official weight was 271.4, up a little from what I weighed on the home scale Sunday.  It's okay.. I am motivated, and I am never going to see this number again!

I have set a mini goal to lose 10 pounds before August 12th and have challenged myself to exercise at least five days out of seven this week.  Yesterday I rode my bike for 4 miles, and the night before 3 miles.  I am off to a great start! 

I am so motivated, and so proud of myself for taking this step.  I am feeling hungry, and that in itself is a good feeling because I can't remember the last time my body told me it needed food.. I never gave it the chance.

A New Start... Again!

I am starting Weight Watchers tomorrow.  Again.  For the 8th time.  Each time I told myself that THIS was the time, I wouldn't quit, I wouldn't get frustrated.. and I failed again and again.  I don't want to fail this time.. I don't want to give up because I don't see results immediately.  Hoping the support of online friends who are in the same situation that I am in can help...

I AM worth it.  I CAN do this.  I WILL do this.