DAY 8- END OF WEEK ONE - HOORAY!

168.0

ROCK!

I can't see a difference yet, but I feel a little tighter.

I DO appreciate that this means my "water weight" theory holds up. Still, it was SO energizing to see the needle move down a real distance for a change! I feel like the switch to water is really helping things along. Also, I've been really punching it at the gym. I'm adding more inclines to my running.

Starting back to Tae Kwon Do class tomorrow night.

Day 6 and 7

All the boxes were checked: stayed within calories, stayed off of the devil caffine (well, okay. TODAY I had half of a large soda (diet) from McD's, but I realized what I was doing halfway through and tossed the rest out.
I did my crunches and I've added back in taking a multi-vitamin.
Today was actually a /perfect/ nutrition day per Sparkpeople. I was within the recommended range for everything (even fiber and sodium, which are my nemises).
Tommorrow we see if it has paid off... and you are subjected to new pictures.

Day 5

Yesterday wasn't bad. I was actually under in calories, managed to eat actual meals (I COOKED!), and hit the gym pretty hard.

I went to the tanning bed after the gym. Yes, I know that tanning beds are evil. Right now my vanity is outweighing my common sense...this way, my bikini can look like one of those weight-loss-pill ads *g*- where the "Before" picture has the frown and bad posture and pasty skin, and the after is straight and smiley and tan.

Day 4

I should quit sneaking onto the scale mid-week. 170.5, which I know is a water fluctuation, but is still disheartening.

Yesterday went okay. I was within my calorie range, did my sit ups, and only had one soda (cold-turkey is just a pipe-dream, I've decided). I did somewhat better on the snacking. I actually had a much more balanced breakfast and lunch- although dinner was fast food, and I was absolutely STARVED by the time I got it! Jess didn't get home from Tae Kwon Do (with dinner!) until nine PM!

All in all, things are moving apace. I'm satisfied.

Day 3

So far, so good.
I peeked on the scale this morning, and it was 169.5...sure it's water weight, and not an official weigh-in, but definitely moving in a positive direction.

Yesterday was good and bad.

On the plus side, I stayed within my range and went for my workout. I also did my crunches. On the negative side, I squandered most of my calories on JUNK, and I caved and had a diet rootbeer last night...Ugh! Giving up soda is SO HARD!

A lot of my problems thus far have been my tendency for "grazing", and it is hard to bring in line! Compounding the problem is that most of the things I "graze" (like nuts and chips) are high-calorie to begin with- which is why I don't sit down and eat a whole serving to begin with.

At least I have some extra motivation. My sister-in-law (who just had TWINS last week) is starting with a trainer as soon as she is cleared to excercise. I've really enjoyed being smaller than she is. I don't want to give up my edge!

In sum, to this point, the good is outweighing the bad. I have to keep my eyes on the Prize...Florida in less than three months!

Day 2

Yesterday was mostly good.
On the positive side, I stayed in my calorie range (I think) and I remembered my crunches. I also managed to go completely soda free.
On the negative side, since someone had to stay home with Susan, I didn't make it to Tae Kwon Do, and I did more of that "snacking" thing that I do- stealing ONE frito or 2 nuts or 1 spoon of ice cream every time I'm in the kitchen- and then not writing them down. I KNOW that they add up! I'm paying extra close attention to those today.
Tonight is gym night :D I'll be glad to get out of the house!

Day 1...

So far, so good...

I stayed within my ranges- an extra achievement considering that Susie (my daughter) had surgery yesterday, and so I was a nervous wreck. She came through with flying colors, however, and I didn't blow my budget calorie-wise.

Today, the bikini of yore arrived, and so here is our "before" shot...

Bikini Boot Camp

Okay team, I'm reupping.

I'm SO PROUD of my committment to working out. With very few interruptions, I've been 3x per week since I joined the gym, and my cardio is AWESOME. I'm RUNNING 2 miles, then biking 5, then spending 10 mins on the eliptical.

My eating, on the other hand, has gotten sloppy.

I'm at 173 (as of this morning- I have to use the first reading on Monday as the "official" for the week). 171 as of this afternoon).

I don't think that all of the "gain" is fat....for the first thing, 167 is my true "all time best", as the 163 was pretty much a temporary fluctuation that never held...and surely I've gained SOME muscle in 2.5 months of HARD workouts (although, I keep reading that you don't gain THAT MUCH muscle)...so I'm going to charge myself with regaining 5 pounds...but 5 pounds in 2.5 months isn't a disaster...it just means that I need to hit it hard again.

Yesterday, I ordered a BIKINI from JCrew....A BIKINI - for those of you reading from home (if, in fact, such people exist), this is my first bikini since the 10th grade. This is HUGE.

I don't really feel confident enough to wear it yet, but I feel CLOSE to confident enough. I'd like to lose 20 more pounds before I have to wear it (going to Miami in July)...15 is close enough for me...If I can get in the 150's I'll risk it...

To that end, I'm going to 1) straight water , 2) Stricter eating (although I'm still sparking everything, I'm still "fudging" a handfull of nuts or chips, etc. here and there), and 3) adding back in some weight training and crunches (even though I HATE them).

Anyhow, starting as soon as it comes (hopefully tomorrow), I'm going to subject y'all to it and to my progress..

Bikini Boot Camp has begun.

I'm BACK

Well...that was a depressing two months.

As you can probably guess, I've gained a little weight- 6 pounds, to be exact. I really haven't been off the wagon that badly!

At the end of January, I joined a new gym- which I love! With few exceptions, I've been going three times a week and hitting it HARD! I'm hoping that a little of the weight gain is muscle! I also joined Tae Kwon Do class, which I attend twice a week (some nights it is very easy, some nights it is a workout of I-want-to-throw-up proportions).

I think that I have been a little sloppy with my eating. I had a TOTAL BINGE last week with Easter. I hadn't lost control like that in ages. I basically sat down and ate a whole bag of Reese Cup Miniatures...so, the tendency to binge hasn't been COMPLETELY conquered. However, I am really proud of how well I've been able to get back in the saddle again. Being in control is normal now, instead of spiralling out of control.

I'm also learning how to handle compliments. I know that this has to sound ridiculous but, in all my past weight-loss experiences, the comments that I "Looked great" and "Was so thin" tended to push me off the wagon. It is like, I can't relate to myself as a normal weight person...but I am getting better. Sparkpeople has really helped me with that. I can present it as a "team" effort and deflect some of the attention- and also shift the conversation away from how I LOOK, to how I feel.

I think the other positive thing is how long this has taken. That's actually a positive in my case. I'm not expecting instantaneous success, so I don't have to claim instantaneous failure either.


In any event :D I still have 30 pounds to lose...I need to re-lose the first six (moan) and then see if I can be at my bikini-weight in time for St. Thomas. I think/hope that I can do it. Summer is always a great time for me to lose weight. The warm weather makes me not as hungry, I think- and there are less food-centric holidays to build a binge around.

Anyhow, my revised goals are to be in the 150's for England, and the 140's for Halloween (if I succeed, I'm going to buy a completely trampy costume ;)). Then, I want to be 130-135 for Christmas, because that is when we are going to St. Thomas and I have vowed to wear a bikini for once in my life!

The positive change that I have made this week is that I have drawn up menus. I think that having a menu will help me stop some poor, spur-of-the-moment choices that I have been making recently.