3 years....

It's been almost 3 years since I wrote in this blog about my weight.  I'm still on the right track.  I don't think I'm ever going to be 100% satisfied with my body, but I have come such a long way!  I got down to my lowest weight of 171 not so long ago, but I'm hovering around 173-174 lately.  Honestly, I think it's because I'm focused more on building muscles and less on the cardio aspect of weight loss.  I'm more in it for strength and fitness than the whole weight loss part.  I'm still weighing in monthly and I also take measurements.  I've seen so much change in my body, despite not seeing a tremendous amount on the scale.  However, I know that at 5ft11, I'm nearing where my body says I should be as far as weight goes, so I shouldn't expect to lose too much more and I shouldn't expect it to come off easily.  I just need to remember to be proud of how far I've come.  When I started my actual journey, I weighed in at 214 lbs.  I had already lost several pounds before that time.  I also was on blood pressure medication.  I'm happy to say that with a proper diet and exercise, I've been off blood pressure meds for over a year now!  I honestly have never felt better and I find that I'm able to sleep without sleep meds, too!  When I look at this before/during photo, I can't help but be so proud of myself.  The girl on the left wore a size 20.  The girl on the right is a size 8/10!  Even my feet shrunk!  I used to wear a 10.  Now I'm a 9 or 9.5.  So weird!

As for my routine, I'm in the gym about 5 days a week.  I run or do some other form of cardio for 20-25 minutes.  Lately, I've been running and I'm up to about 2 miles before I just call it quits because I'm so terribly bored.  Then I alternate arms and legs every other day and abs every day.  I still have a belly and probably always will.  2 C-sections do some damage to your abs and I also have loose skin that will most likely never go away without surgery.  But you know what...I'm happy.  No, I don't look like a fitness model and no, I won't ever be in a magazine, but I'm happy with my body and what it can do.  I am 36 years old and I've never felt better in my life!  Unfortunately, I still have to take my thyroid medication.  Having a sluggish thyroid has made this process quite difficult also, but I am not going to let it stop me!  I'm in this for life.  I always heard people in the past say that this is a "lifestyle change" and not a diet.  Well, I am here to tell you that those people were RIGHT!!  And to think I used to roll my eyes.  Now I am one of "them"!! 

If anyone is out there reading this blog (I mainly do this so I can keep records for myself) and you are struggling, I just want to say to you....DON'T GIVE UP!!!  For every bad day you have, make sure you have 2 successful ones!  Don't beat yourself up over a cheat meal or a day without a good workout.  Just don't make it a habit.  YOU'VE GOT THIS!!

Damn 180

I have been at 180 lbs for the past 2 months!!  I cannot break free from the 180's.  It's driving me insane.  I don't know what to do differently.  I would LOVE to see 179 on that scale.  It's so frustrating to me that I cannot get past 180.  That's why I haven't been updating here as often as I had planned to and as often as I did when I was dropping weight. 

In positive news, I ran my very first mile straight yesterday.  This was after THREE weeks off due to a foot injury.  I ran a mile straight in 10:08.  So, today I went back to the gym and I ran a mile straight in 9:49!  Not only did I still run a mile straight, but I took off 19 seconds.  Pretty darn proud of myself!!

I am running in the Color Me Rad race on Sunday.  I am nervous to see what my foot does.  I know I won't be able to run the entire race, but I want to be able to run at least a mile and I want to be running when I cross the finish line.  That's all I want.  When I started this journey of training for a 5k, I was hoping to be running 3 miles by now, but with my foot injury and a terrible stomach bug that wiped me out for 2 weeks, I will take being able to run a mile straight!!  Very proud of that achievement. 

This morning I weighed in at exactly 182 lbs.  That puts my BMI at 25.4.  I am almost in the "healthy weight" range.  To get into that, I will need to weigh 178 lbs.  That is within reach!!  This is such an amazing accomplishment for someone who once had a BMI of 30.5!  My goal weight is still 170 lbs.  I have 12 lbs to go!  Once I reach that goal, my BMI will be 23.7!!  That is so exciting to me!  I have been really sticking to my healthy eating and not going over my calories at all this week.  Last Friday, my weigh in day, I was disappointed to find I'd lost less than 1 lb in 2 weeks.  However, I tried not to let it bother me and I am just going to keep on keeping on.  Praying I lose at least 1 lb this week.

 

I started the Couch to 5K program back in November and I still not what I would consider a "runner".  The most I have run in a single stretch has been .53 miles, which is one lap around Hardin Field track.  I wish I was a runner.  I wish I could set out and run 3-4 miles straight, but I just can't.  My body won't allow me.  Some days it's my mind that holds me back.  I have signed up for the Color Me Rad run in April and it's a 5k.  That's over 3 miles.  I am not too worried about it because my goal is to just finish it and to cross that finish line running!!  If that means I have to walk half of it, I don't even care.  I just want to do it!!  I do have to say that I feel healthier and if anyone had asked me at the beginning of August if I'd ever be able to run one lap around the track, I would've asked if they were out of their minds?!?!  So, today, I have to say that I am proud of me.  I am proud of myself for sticking to it and not giving up, even when I feel like I want to.  And I'm proud of the fact that I am taking time for myself, which is so hard to do.  Now...let's see how I do in April. ;o)





No holiday gain!

I did it...I survived the holidays without gaining any weight at all!  It helped that I had the stomach flu and didn't feel like eating much.  I weighed in this morning at 183.2.  That is down from the 185 that I have been stuck at for a very long time, but not quite down to the 181 I got down to over the summer.  That seems so long ago!  Oh how I am bummed that I let the scale go back up instead of continue to go down.  Oh well, live and learn, right?  I am happy that I finally got that scale to budge off of 185.  That is an accomplishment and I have really been sticking to my diet and exercise this last week.  It's amazing how sticking to it can help you accomplish your goals!  My long term goal is to get to 170 lbs.  Only 13 lbs to go!  Once I get to 170, I would like to see if I am happy there or if I will need to tone more/lose more.  We will see.  For now, I am happy to see the scale move and know that I am feeding my body the right way and working out to make myself healthy for a longer and happier life.

I was running...

Normally, I walk/run about 4 times a week with my friend, Mikki.  Today, she couldn't come to work out with me because her son was sick.  We talked earlier in the day and decided we would rest today and then work out tomorrow.  Well, I got antsy and all the negative thoughts I have about myself started eating at me.  So I laced up my shoes and hit the track solo!  Something I don't do very often and something I don't enjoy doing.  I walked the first lap around and then decided to run the long portions of the track.  Wow, was that tough.  Normally I jog with Mikki and it's a really slow pace.  Today, I was booking it!  Woohoo!  I hated every second of it and my lungs felt like they were on fire, but I pushed through and did it.  I didn't want the others walking at the track to look at me as a failure.  Now...if I could just get this darn weight to start coming off again.  It's so darn discouraging.

Ready to Q.U.I.T!!!

I am stuck at my current weight and it is really getting to me.  I have always wanted to be in the 170s.  I think that is a great weight for me.  And yet, here I am, I can't get out of the 180s!  When I eat right and exercise like this and don't lose anything, I get really upset.  I'm not sure what else I can try, short of starving myself, to get to the 170s.  It's like my body wants to hang on to every ounce.  I have been walking 2 miles and doing strength training at the corners of the track all this week and I haven't lost anything.  I am bummed.  It makes me want to give up and stuff my face with Reese's Cups.  Ugh.  Why does this have to be so hard???  Overall, I do feel better about my appearance when I am working out and eating right and I know it's what's best for my body.  I just wish my body would repay me with lower numbers on the scale.  Doesn't help any that my husband tells me he's finally at his lowest weight he's been...166.  Seriously??  166???  He weighs 20 lbs less than I do.  This sucks.  Badly.

What a whirlwind!

The past few months have flown by!  My last blog post was in May.  Yikes!!  Since then, we have up and moved to Albuquerque, NM.  All the while, I have maintained my weight loss.  Still haven't lost these last 15 pounds, but I am working on it.  As it stands this morning, I am 183.2 lbs.  Yes, that's 2 lbs up from my lowest weight, but I am just fine with that, considering that for an entire month I was living with a limited way of cooking meals.  Since moving here, I have been walking over 3 miles about 4 days per week.  Now, I am starting to add weights in again and I am feeling it!  Yesterday, I also played soccer for 30 minutes with my kids.  Wow am I feeling it today!!  I am trying my hardest to get these last 15 lbs off.  I think if I can get down to 170, I will be thrilled!!  We are enjoying our new surroundings and having a great time exploring and making new friends.  It's been easier to move than I thought it would be.  Now if only losing weight would be so easy...

SIZE 12!!!!!

I went shopping with my mom today and I bought a size 12! OMG...a SIZE 12!!!!!! So excited to have some new clothes that fit, but even more excited that I can fit into a 12. This girl who was an 18 is now in a 12. Can't even fathom that, but I am so excited! Bought a really cute white skirt and a bunch of shirts to go with it. Very excited right now!!

The big 3-0!!

I have kind of been hovering between 185-187 the past few weeks or so.  It's been aggravating.  So, this week I cracked down on what I have been putting in my mouth since I haven't had a whole lot of time to work out.  We're preparing for our move to New Mexico and I am preparing to home school my kids for the first time ever, so I have been using my work out time for research.  Anyway, I stepped on the scale yesterday and I have lost 0.8 lbs!!  So, I officially hit 184.0.  This is the lowest weight I've been in my entire adult life.  I am still aiming for 170, which means I need to lose 14 more lbs.  I can totally do this!!!  Since starting this blog, I have lost 30 lbs.  My very first entry, I weighed 214 lbs.  I am super proud of myself, even though it has taken me a very long time.  There have been set backs and times where I have slacked off, but I have lost 30 lbs and am so much healthier for it.  I have lost 14% of myself!  WOOHOO!!  So, now I just have to work on these last 14 lbs and toning myself up.  I think I will be happy at 170 lbs, but we will see.  I feel so much better about my body already.

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