22.2 lbs gone... and yes I am still alive

I don't even know if anyone is out there anymore ;) Life gets so busy and I always have the best of intentions to update but the days just disappear and I never seem to get here!

So whats changed....

I ended up being off work for 6 WEEKS! the longest I have ever been without a jib. the bonus was lots of exercise though the wieght just didn't come off. I got stuck on a plateau and let me tell ya it was frustrating but better than a gain right!

I got back to work at the end of October... I went back to working with children with disabilities in an early education setting. Totally my dream job and the hours are amazing and the holidays even better... especially since the are all PAID! Paid summers off!!!! The kids are awesome... I am with the 2.5-4 year olds and its pretty incredible. they also keep us very active during the day and of course that's a terrific bonus!

My activity level had been less that desirable with the winter months... I always struggle to keep moving! I have been adventurous though and have tried belly dancing and for the first time since I was a teenager went tobogganing and ice skating!!! My eating has been on track so I think that was a big part of the plateau.

Christmas came and went and I gained 2 lbs which i was actually not too upset about. I am a Christmas candy junkie and my favorite parts of the dinner are the stuffing and the buns... of course none of the good stuff lol. I worked hard at trying ti limit the snacking food so I could limit the damage. So I added 2 lbs to the plateau number and sat there again for a few weeks!

today I finally saw a 4 lb drop! I was soooo happy! I think getting back to work after 2 weeks holidays was the key factor... I need that movement and the structured eating! Its definitely given me a boost to want to keep going down and move into that next lower size ( or two) by the time I need to buy spring close... those 22's I bought in September are getting a bit baggy in the bum so I think as long as I keep my new found focus a 20 or 18 will very soon be in my future!!!!

A couple pictures from my winter adventures...

Skating for the first time in 24 years... my hubby's first time on skates EVER lol



Tobogganing for the first time in 25 years

Then and Now

Not a ton to report on.. weight has been maintained over the last couple weeks and that's good news lol. My last day of work was last Friday( lay off due to the company restructuring) it sucks and yet I think it will give me the opportunity to spend a little time refocusing on what I really want to do with life. It will also give me time to throw in some extra exercise and hopefully get that scale moving in the right direction! maybe I will take a look around and see if I can find a challenge going on that I can partake in... anyone have one going or know one??

I had to buy pants this past week now that cooler weather is coming and I am officially in a 22... never thought I would see that day. I think that a big part of the last size change is strictly from toning during exercise because my weight hasn't changed. For all you other girls out there... have you found a difference in the opposite sex paying attention to you??? I am getting a bit of it and its a whole new game to me. It actually makes me feel uncomfortable lol.


On a final note... I was hunting through pictures the other day and Shocked myself. I found on of early October 2007 and when I look at one taken of me on Saturday night I am utterly amazed! Just thought I would share the pics with all of you ....

October 2007 with my great nephew.


Me and my hubby last Saturday night


Me and my new size 22 jeans

Hello out there....

Sorry that I dropped off the face of the earth... it was far from intentional just more life getting in the way.

So I am here I am fighting with the same few pounds since JUNE. I have been on one hell of a roller coaster of up and down all summer long. Over all I am finally down again and hopefully the trend continues! and I can break that elusive 20lb mark adn better yet my 10% goal.

The roller coaster has been part in parcel to many things. I no sooner got the damn boot off my foot and I caught my foot and whipped out hitting my head on the side walk and severely sprained my wrist. Thankfully I was still able to walk during that time... but boy was it frustrating.

From there I was put on Synthroid due to an underactive thyroid. Things are finally settling down but initially I could not get full. I was constantly hungry and man did I get tired of veggies and trying to eat healthy... so bring on the crap and a gain :P

Of course there is was also vacation at the lake with my family and our city is full of festivals! My birthday, family birthdays, picnics, nights around the fire... basically summer time fun!Food, food, food!!! Not good! I tried to up the exercise and saw a week up and week down a week up... and on and on.

Then we move to life. The company I work has outsourced many jobs to overseas and lucky me I am one who gets a layoff. I am still employed until the 18th of this month but in preparation we have adjusted expenses and that means no extra money for going to aquasize or attending he WW meetings :( That has been a hard adjustment. And it has lead to lots of emotional eating.. bad for me yes but at least I can recognize it for what it is!

The positive stuff... I am feeling really good about getting back to the program on my own. My sister and brother-in-law bought me the most amazing scale so I can maintain my weekly weigh ins.... actually just got that last night and was happy to see that I have bascially maintained these last few weeks. It also did my heart good to know that they support me so much! I have fantastic friends who are still on this journey and we are finding ways to get out exercise in for free. My hubby scavenged bike parts and built me a bike. What a feeling that was... up until two weeks ago its been over 25 years since I had ridden a bike. Now that I am back to it I LOVE it! We have gone many times and its so fun to being doing something with Jay (the hubby). I had to go shopping and discovered that I am now in a size 24 pants... haven't seen that since sometime before 1995! It was such a feeling! I am in major need of more clothes lol... I see pictures and think OY time to shop! I can't wait to see that number continue to go down as well

All in all life is good. Summer is over and I am refocused and more determined than ever to get the last 100lbs or so GONE. Thanks for those of you that checked in... I appreciate it :)

Now to leave you with a smile... me and my bike




And me with 17.6 lbs gone

A little loss is still a loss

Weigh in today... down .6lbs. Not to great but its still a loss so I am going to take it as a success. I am hoping to get moving more this week. I am manageing my walking boot much better so I can get out and get back to walking on my breaks.at work. I am also using my new to me exercise bike and I am sure that will help get me back on track to bigger losses in the upcoming weeks.

I have finally started reading Dr.Phils weightloss solutions. I see many blogs in my future lol

5%

Well it was weigh in today... I had prepared myself for a gain or a smalll/no loss situation since my activity all but ceased this week lol. I was pleasently surprised at the 3.6lbs that have melted away. Brings my total in 7 weeks to 15.6 lbs and I have hit my official 5% loss. That was a shock... it seemed soooo far away!

I guess this week proved to me that working he plan really does work. I worked extra hard a tracking and measuring and avoided my flex points. I also dropped down a point level since I should have done that a couple weigh ins ago... like week two lol. It makes me feel better about the lack of movement for sure. I worked out some strategies with one of my partners in crime so that I can still at least get some toning in as I sit on the couch so that should help keep the momentum going as well. And sighhhh I will be dropping another point from my day :P lol the price we pay for success!

I am starting to read Dr.Phil's weight loss solution and will be postinng about that as I go. I don't plan on following his eating plan but I am really interested to read about the life stratagies that he has to offer up

My Captor

So I had thought that I would be able to at least get some good walks in while I was banned from the pool and running. Not so much... this sucker is a major pain in the ass... however just simple walking is building up a sweat so maybe I'll get a few activity points anyways lol. I have been tracking as per normal and staying on target but I am so scared its not enough. I just hope that if I don't loose over the next 4 weeks that I can maintain

Grounded

I hurt my foot on Wednesday... foot caught on a pothole and down I went. I went for x-rays and I have torn ligaments on my right foot... bad enough that they pulled bone chips off as well. OH GOODY. I will hear today of I am going to require a cast or if I walking boot will be enough to support it while the healing happens. I am soooo frustrated. I know that the exercise is HUGE key to loosing. I will have to really work the points to stay on track. Hopefully it will jsut be aboot and then I can still at least walk about even it it means the couch to 5k nad aquasize is on hold!