Weighty Matters

This past week has been rather interesting. Last Friday, I headed out for a long weekend in West Virginia (I'm still putting my travelogue out on my main blog!), and as soon as I got back, it's been non-stop meetings and demands at work (and elsewhere). Considering that I seemed to exceed my target points EVERY day this week, and partook very willingly in the Fondue Fest on Sunday, and dipped probably pretty deeply into the weekly allowance....... nor did I get to exercise Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday ........ well, imagine how thrilled I was to lose 1.0 pounds this week!!!!! That's a total of 222.6, and I have 5.4 to go! So this coming week, I really need to step up my exercise, and keep on better track. See, sometimes, even us "oldsters" have our moments of slackness. :-) As my former leader Debbie is fond of saying, "Sometimes you fall off the wagon, just don't let it roll over you!"

WAHOO! I lost another 1.6 pounds this week for a total of 221.6 down (6.4 to go!). But I surely do not recommend the Upper Respiratory Infection & Antibiotics method of losing weight. OOOH Boy. At least it wasn't the flu; I was pretty well convinced it was. Thanks to the good docs and nurses at Clemson Urgent Care, and their wonderful testing, they found it wasn't. While usually antibiotics don't give me problems, this one has one rather nasty side effect of .... er, um, how do I say this delicately? .... lower digestive distress. Yeah, that's it. And this weekend, off to a long-awaited getaway to the wilds of West Virginia!!! I plan to eat sensibly and enjoy things while sticking to plan as well as possible. That's all I can do, and the best I can ask for!!

Part of the thrill of being a bargain clothes hound is that it's extended into other areas of my life. And one of those was part of my plan to shop for a gently used treadmill. I do admit to being a little on the cheap side -- I didn't want to pay more than $250 tops. And I figured that by March, both the local fishwrapper and Craigslist would be overflowing with people who tired all too quickly of their Christmas/New Year's resolutions. I got home from work tonight and THERE IT WAS! Right in my living room! Seems that my mother said to my daddy, "I think we ought to get a treadmill...." (I hope to God she uses it, but that's another story). Daddy, being a man of action, got out today's newspaper and found 3. The first number didn't pick up and had no answering machine. The 2nd one was only $75; like me, Daddy loves a good bargain but even he knew that low price probably spelled trouble. He called the 3rd one, which was for $250, and the guy said, ...

I was pretty happy to lose my 0.4 pounds this week -- twice this week, when I'd planned to exercise at lunch, I had to run errands. I spilled coffee on myself Tuesday (don't ask), and had to run get new clothes on lunch hour. Wednesday, it was go run errands...... but the rest of the week, I did my exercise. I had also lost another point, and did what I call "transition" ..... meaning, I used a few of my flex points for nights I just felt I needed a small snack .... never more than 2 points per night. And hey, that's why they're available anyway! I have just 8 more to go to reach my goal, and I am just shaking my head at how close I am, and amazed at the journey. 33 months ago, this was just a fuzzy idea..... I might get to where I am someday but couldn't really picture it. Kind of like being in a fog .... I can't see exactly where the destination leads but I can see a few inches or few feet in front of me, so I have to just go there, and keep going. ...

It was almost in the single digits here this morning. If I remember correctly, it was 12 degrees overnight. BRRRRR! This girl was not made for that kind of weather. But tonight, I didn't mind getting into the single digits ...... I lost 1.6 pounds last week, for a total of 219.6 gone. That leaves 8.4 to go to get to goal. I told some of my meeting mates that I feel a little like Wile E. Coyote in the one episode where he actually caught the Road Runner. He held up a sign that said, "Now that I have him, what do I do with him?" I'm this close, and even as I've looked forward to it, I'm kind of like, "Oh wow. Uh, what's next?" Well, what's next is............. leadership training. Yep. I am working on this step, having had my interview last week. I now will start the process of training for eventually becoming a Leader. The first step will be to learn how to be a receptionist. Gotta know the basics before you do the rest. I am really excited ...

I lost 0.2 tonight -- bringing my total back to 218 gone. Oh my...... 10 to go (again)!!!!! I'm still in awe at the thought. I'm excited and nervous and psyched and scared, all jumbled together. I will write more about it later, but I wanted to post just a short update. ALMOST THERE!!!!

Just a quick note to say that I'm down another 1.2 --- 217.8 total! Almost back down to the Christmas Eve weigh-in (when I was down 218 even). That means just 10.2 to go!!!! I'm so very excited and can't wait for the week to come. I didn't get as much exercise in as I would have liked -- but I did the stationary bike the other evening for 30 minutes. BOY did my glutes hurt the next day, but I felt good about that. I also bought The Biggest Loser: Yoga and Dancing with the Stars: Latin Cardio Dance to try for the rest of the winter. Why the yoga video? Well, I need to be more flexible; that's the part of the exercise equation I don't do so well on. I'm doing better than even months ago and I'm certain way better than 3 years ago, but I can always improve! I have a Kathy Smith Latin cardio VHS tape from a few years back, but my VCR has long been broken, and why spend the money to get that fixed when VHS is pretty much phased out now.... I'll let you...

I maintained this week, and honestly, I'm pretty happy with that. This was a weird week. I was actually hungry at times. That almost never happens. Like my friend Rose said, it was just ravenous this week with her. A couple of nights this week, it was that I just couldn't seem to get enough. And I don't get it. I ate filling foods. I ate good portions -- not too little, not too much. But it just didn't seem to be enough. So I dipped into the flex points for the week, and it wasn't a total disaster. I also discovered that 40 minutes of "Sweatin' to the Oldies" gets me the same activity points as my usual walk of Maddox. And yet it just didn't seem like enough. I know, weird. I hadn't actually used that video in a few years, but the moves came back fairly quickly. Amazing. It was fun to do. The only thing I didn't like were the pauses in between songs. So I kept marching in place. I wanted to keep going. Matter of fact, he could have tacked ...

While pride goeth before a fall, allow me to wallow in it for just a brief span. Earlier this week, we had a visit from someone whom we are planning to hire. He came by my office to get some benefits information, and saw my triptych on the wall. When I hit my one-year anniversary (and 100 pounds gone), my coworkers gave me a wonderful 3-panel picture frame. In the first opening, they put my "before" picture. In the middle is space for my current picture, and in the last frame, is a printout of a beach volleyball player, with my head superimposed on it. It's a great visual aid, and keeps me in check. Anyway, the almost-employee asked me as he was leaving, "So what's the significance of the three pictures?" I replied, "Oh, that's my before, current, and to-be pictures." His jaw dropped. "That's not you. They've taken your ... wait, is that just Photoshopped?" No, I assured him, it really was me. 216 pounds ago, but it was really...

on downhill toward GOAL!!! I lost one more pound for a total of 216.6 ..... only 11.4 to go and I am still stoked about that. No, it's not the ten from a couple of weeks ago, but so what? Tonight at our meeting, we talked about the 7 steps to success. And you'd think after all this time, I'd be sitting there going, "Oh, I don't need this...." WRONG! I still need the lessons, even after all this time. I still need to listen to my body's signals. I still need to track everything. I still need to pay attention to the good health guidelines. I still need to do all these things or that train will derail! Continuing the train analogy, it takes a lot of cars and engines working together ...... the program itself, the support of so many others on the same journey, and my own determination. And all these parts need to be in proper balance. Sometimes when my own determination isn't enough, I need that extra support from others. And then I can turn around and giv...

I went for weigh-in early again this week, and it was FULL of people either coming back after a few weeks layoff, or signing up to join (or in some cases, join again!). I was up by 2.4 pounds -- so it's now back to 12.4 to go for goal. It's okay, though. I'm not upset or discouraged in the least. First of all, losing 4 pounds was great but I knew it seemed a little high. So I expected a "bounceback" -- and I still averaged just under a pound a week. I stepped on the scale at home this morning, just to gauge things, and it is down (as it should be -- I've done some exercise every day this week; GOOD FOR ME!). So I'm working it hard this week to stay on track, and this ten (oops, now 12.4) pounds will come off very soon!

Not Christmas. Okay, yes, it is almost here, but that's not exactly what this is about. I went to weigh in today at the noon meeting, since our center will be closed after that meeting until Friday. I stepped on the scale, and I am four pounds down from last week. FOUR. Okay, big whoop, right? Well, yeah. I haven't had a four-pound loss in forever, so YES, it is a big deal. But this means I have ten pounds to go to hit goal. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. I have to let it sink in. I never in my wildest imagination pictured myself at this point when I started out. Seriously, when I started out, I had no idea where it would all lead, or if I would have the courage and determination to continue. The earliest successes led me to believe that yes, I could do this. But I had so much weight to lose that I really couldn't picture the final "Winning Outcome" (wink!). It was only by looking piece by piece, five pounds by five pounds (or ten by ten), that I could do it. Knowing that...

My loss this week was relatively small -- 0.8 pounds -- but that brings my total to 214 even. This means I have just 14 pounds to go. Under 15 to go. It almost doesn't seem real. I'm serious.... it almost doesn't seem real. Nearly 3 years ago, I could not imagine reaching this point -- at least not seeing it real and in the mirror. It seemed more like a dream, one of those "wow, that sounds nice and I'm gonna try... really. I am....." My big gain this week was a huge boost to my self-confidence -- from several sources. On Sunday, I met my best friend and her family for lunch after Mass. Now, she and I have known each other for 21 years now, and her husband's known me for 19 years. Once they were seated, he looked at me and said, "You know, I didn't recognize you when we walked in...." (my back was to the door). Holy cow -- can you believe it??? Just the week before at choir practice, one of my fellow altos remarked that none of them could bel...

Tonight was weigh-in -- up 0.2 ..... oh woe is me. Break out the whips and chains. BAH! I am glad that the gain was not worse -- the weather was horrific and I didn't get much walking in at all. I even spent time yesterday walking around a smaller warehouse area at work; talk about monotonous! It makes walking the outside loop look great by comparison! And last Saturday was the company party with all that delicious food (and I was good and didn't overindulge but I did dip into the flex points). So, with that in mind, this week we got our materials for the new Momentum program, Weight Watchers' first major update in 4 years (there was a minor one about 2 years ago, but this is a bigger change). I definitely say "Me Likey!!!" Without spoiling it (wanna know more? hit a meeting!), the changes that have been made are pretty much what I've been doing already -- but with some new ways of looking at things, new recipes to try, and new incentive to keep going. Yes, I ...

One of the things that truly was horrid about obesity was the lack of options. The option to lose weight was one that would cross my mind on occasion, and even go so far as to do something temporarily about it. But most of the time, I just ignored the obvious. After all, they still made clothes in my size -- and larger! That worked until I reached the point where I was in the largest commercial size for stores. The only remaining options were buying clothes from a few specialty catalogs, or making my own clothes. Let me rephrase that: to pattern my own clothes. McCall's and Simplicity carry larger sizes but even they stop where the stores do. At one point I really did look into buying a very expensive pattern-making software (think well over $500) -- as if I even had time to buy enough cloth, cut out a pattern, sew clothes, etc. I made one dress once upon a time, and it took me weeks (since I was working that summer as well). To ask a seamstress to do it for me would be more conven...

Well, color me tickled pink and happy!!! I lost 3.0 this week for a total of 213.4 ..... that's only 14.6 to go to get to goal! WHOOPEE!!!!!! I am pretty psyched about that, and kind of scared too. I almost feel a little like Wile E. Coyote: "Now that I have him, what do I do with him?" There was a really neat moment this past week. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were not conducive at all for walking -- it rained most of the weekend, and Monday evening, I had a hair appointment. So Tuesday, I was ready. I came home, and I didn't care how cold it was, or how long it would take or any of that -- I. Had. To. Walk. And Soon. I layered up, hit the trail and walked around town. I did my two-plus miles in just under 40 minutes. I never imagined just a few short years ago that I would ever enjoy walking and be dying to do it.... ME? I hated exercise. There's still some types of exercise that I don't like. Aerobic classes? No. I enjoy solitude when exercising way too muc...

YAHOO! A loss!!! One pound even for a total of 210.4 -- leaving 17.6 to go! This marks three Thanksgiving weeks in a row with a loss. Rare? Probably, but I work hard to make sure that I stay on program as much as possible so that I can enjoy the one day and not think too deeply about it. I find that even on the one day, I don't gorge myself but I enjoy the foods in moderation. I also noticed that this year, I ate more veggies than anything else -- broccoli, green beans, and corn, with turkey and only a little bit of dressing. And I am a dressing junkie! Because my usual WW center was closed this morning, I went to the one nearest home. Oddly enough, I had forgotten all about weigh-in. I woke at 7:45, fixed my cereal and banana, got ready to go to the table and said, "CRAP!!!! WEIGH-IN!!!!!!" So I very hurriedly freshened up, changed into weigh-in clothes, and off I went. Normally, I would have driven to hit the 8:30 over at my usual center (nearest work), but I figured, h...

Last week, I needed to lose 1.2 pounds to get below a certain threshold. And I am there at last -- I lost 2.4 this week! I said that I needed to lose 20 oz -- and I lost 40 oz. Two Diet Cokes out of the vending machine GONE!!!! But I am not resting on my laurels at all. It's just additional incentive to keep it up and to keep going! I cannot stop now, nor can I rest easy!

AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!!!! I gained 0.8 so I'm back at 207 gone. The hovering continues, and I am almost at my wits' end. Except for one thing........ I am stubborn as hell and am determined that this is NOT going to get the best of me. I have only 1.2 pounds to go -- a measly 20 oz!! -- to get below a certain threshold. I am NOT, NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT, letting this get me down or get the better of me. By God, I am stronger and tougher than 20 stupid little ounces. So I spoke to Tisha (my leader) and we have come up with a game plan: in addition to walking Maddox for my exercise, I'm going to get on the stationary bike 3 times this week at 10 minutes a pop, AND use some hand weights for my arms while I'm working the legs. Plus, I'm going to do one points-free meal a week -- one where I don't worry and just enjoy. Hey, it worked two weeks ago with the barbecue!!! I am stronger than those twenty ounces. Bring it on.

WHEW!!!! I lost 2.0 this week, for a total of 207.8...... and I'm only 0.4 from going under a milestone number. MAN! I can't wait. The splurge meal must have worked: I had some barbeque (STILL had to put some back because it was just way too much), some sweet potato casserole (omg, SO divine) and definitely dipped into the flex points this week. My experiment for this week: use 10 FP's at one meal. I can do that! Oh, and here's an appetite suppressant I hope you don't have to use: sugar-free cough drops. Yeah, my scratchy throat turned into laryngitis, and now into a nice cold. I have my voice back but I sound like a cross between Johnny Cash and Barry White. Until next time.............