Lose Weight and Get Healthy

Weighed in at the gym tonight. Down 5 pounds this week – for a grand total of 47 pounds. I sure hope I can lose 3 this week so I can hit the 5-0 mark!! OK OK, I’m ahead of myself. Let me first enjoy the 5 I lost this week. YAY!!! I’m back in the game!! I know I’ve got a ton left to go – but wow – I am proud of myself for losing 47 SO FAR. Guess it hasn’t hurt that I’ve had a man on my mind…...there’s my diet drug right there! But I can only handle one thing at a time – and right now it’s me and my pursuit of health. (my pursuit of happiness will definitely come next…..oh yeh…...)!

Down 2 pounds this week. Total of 42 pounds. Signed up for a Fitness Challenge at the gym. 10 weeks/20 pounds – lots of smaller goals, too. I went clothes shopping yesterday!! Didn’t want to crumple in a heap and just cry! I actually had SELECTION!!! :)

Well I went for a fitness assessment last night at the gym. Wow – I’ve improved!!!!!!!!!!!! First of all…...the weight. OK. I’m officially down 40 pounds total. So I lost about a pound this past week. Not great, but I’m at least going in the right direction. I’m back at it. So, best of all was my strength test. I nearly doubled the highest fitness level!! (what???) YES! My arms are feeling it right now, but that’s okay. Abdominal crunches – highest range. Flexibility – highest range. Bad news is still endurance. On the step thing from hell, I could only go a minute. Well, I could have gone a little longer, but I didn’t want to be huffing and puffing like a lunatic, so I opted to stop. The trainer was like, “WHY DID YOU STOP? YOU WERE DOING GOOD!” uh….yeh, but I didn’t want to look like a lunatic, so…..... Good news there is, I nearly doubled what I could do 4 months ago on that exercise. Body fat is down 4%. Right on target. Trainer says I should lose about 1% a month. I’m at four months. Yeh – I’m so taken with myself right now! :) I needed this boost – and this incentive to continue. I love being stronger. I think that’s my favorite part. I equate physical strength with mental strength for me. So I’m feeling stronger in lots of parts of my life. YAY!! Now…..if the carbs would just quit calling my name….

So into self loathing this week that I was going to refuse to get on a scale and report. But I made this commitment – and….well…..it’s a commitment – so here goes. Monday was weigh-in day – and I didn’t go to the gym. Yep – I skipped it. But I weighed in at home. Of the 3.4 pounds I “lost” last week, I gained 3 back. Yep. So I’m back at about a minus 39 pounds. I feel disgusting. I’m getting back on the horse and hitting it. Spring clothes are starting to rear their ugly heads, and by body is cringing in fear. There’s just no “easy way” to lose weight! Hitting the gym is tried and true. Good news is, a friend made 3 awesome workout CD’s for me. YAY! New music gets me pumped and ready. Here we go…..(wish me luck!)

OK – finally weighed in at the gym last night. Looks like I gained back 3 of the 42 pounds I had lost. Christmas really did a number on me!!! (I love blaming something outside myself!) Good news is – I really hit it yesterday and behaved myself and worked out. According to my home scale, I lost 3.4 pounds between yesterday morning and this morning. (all water, I know – but hey I’ll take it!).
I think I’m withdrawing from chocolate now…....

Unofficially, I think I’m UP a pound or two. Gym was closed Christmas Day – and Monday’s are my official weigh-in day. I’ll say I’m up two pounds this week. I know it’s no more than that. (Gosh I hope not). My scale at home is pretty accurate and in synch with the one at the gym. Well anyway – Christmas is done and now the chocolate MUST leave my house. Someone gave me chocolate for Christmas! I’ve been sharing it like crazy. OK – I’ve eaten a bunch, too. (Obviously – since I’ve GAINED weight this week). I’m ready for the sweet potatoes, stuffing, cheesy spinach, mixed nuts, and CHOCOLATE to just go away now. (and how much butter can one eat?) I did get a great new CD for Christmas, stuck it in my walkman and walked the neighborhood like crazy last night (since the gym was closed). It felt good walking in the cool night air. The music really pumped me up. OK so now my body has to go through food withdrawels (again). aghh. It’ll be okay – I’m feeling really psyched up about getting back with it. (besides, I’ve tossed all my fattererer clothes, so I have no choice but to keep at it now). I’ll be begging that treadmill for mercy later today. Here we go!

Maintained. And with Christmas cookies, Chex mix, Hershey’s bite size chocolate bars (in those adorable Christmas colored foil wrappers), stress at work, stress at home (how will I get it all done?) and no time for working out ….....(whew!).... it’s a miracle I maintained. Nothing short of a miracle. This holiday thing is doing a number on my routine for sure. One more week of it – then I’m back at the routine. No excuses.

Down 2 pounds for a total of 41 pounds. Actually can’t believe I lost 2 pounds. I went out of town and ate like crazy. I did manage to get my walking in, though. That probably saved me. Holiday time is nuts with all the food and no time to work out. Thank God I registered for the Holiday Fitness Challenge at my gym and vowed to exercise at least 3 days per week. It helps me to be accountable.

Down another 6 pounds – for a total of 39 pounds!!!! YAY!!! Everyone is starting to notice now – which is good – because the compliments are coming – which keeps me motivated!!! I cleaned out my closet on Sunday and got rid of 3 bags of “really fat” clothes. The closet is sparse – but that’s okay. I can deal with that. I’ve still got a long way to go – but I feel like I’m on track. I even went and got a sassy new haircut – thought it was too short at first – but now am loving it. The new me!

Down 3 more pounds for a grand total of 33 pounds!!!! Even with Thanksgiving!!!!!!!! I’m incredibly impressed with myself!! (Can’t ya tell?!?) And folks are beginning to notice. Especially since last week. 4 or 5 people have come up to me (who don’t know I’m working my a*s off to lose this weight) and have commented that I’m losing weight and I’m looking good. (Me?) Some days in the gym are easier than others. Tonight I struggled with every step. Don’t know why. My body is just screaming, “I want to be on a couch somewhere!!” It’s days like these that I need to beat my body into submission. Yeh – my body is ready for submission – but this isn’t what it had in mind!!! :)