Breaking the 210 Barrier

It has been a while since I last posted. With the minor surgery on my foot (to remove a mole - not cancerous, so no worries) I missed a week, then I got hit with gastro which took me out of commission for another week...yadda, yadda...I finally got back into the swing of things 2 weeks ago. I am happy to report that my weight this morning was at 208.6lbs. I have gotten past 210 which makes me really happy! Yes, I still struggle with food choices now and then, but I continue to focus on the positives. Just like anyone else, I'll have a night where the salsa and chips call out to me (and I admit I will answer the call). However, on the whole I am trying to get better with my food choices (the last few days I have gone for nuts rather than something "junky"). I should up my daily water intake (I noticed that I have gotten bad with that the past week). The positives: I continue to see my weight go in the right direction, I am noticing that my clothes are getting looser and looser (I now need a belt for a few pairs of my jeans) and I am starting to wear things in my wardrobe that were too tight to wear. It's like a whole new wardrobe in some cases (some things haven't been worn in a few years because I was also pregnant not all that long ago). I have even been getting comments from several people at work saying they are noticing that I am slimming down (and I've been working there nearly 3 months now). My brother's wedding is in less than a month. I am not sure if I will have hit the 200 mark (or gone below it) by then, but I already feel better about the way I will look in that killer dress I got!

I will have to take some measurements soon to see where the inches are coming off and how many! I am due to update those. Plus, I should probably post a new pic of me because even I can see that I do not look as round as the initial pic I posted when I started this blog :)

Take it one day at a time and celebrate all the little accomplishments ~ they will get you to the bigger ones!

Less and Less

A quick "check-in": I am now at an even 210.0lbs. The number continues to go down, so I am happy. Slowly, but surely I will break that 200 barrier! I will have to take my measurements and see how they compare to the ones I did in the beginning. It would be nice to see if the inches are going down too (I suspect that they are, but by how much I have no clue). I am a very happy camper! I still give in to cravings every once in a while, but am better about not snacking a ton. I don't beat myself up about it. I am still working on a consistent sleep schedule because not going to bed at a decent hour can cause overeating and not getting enough rest means not enough energy to really push myself in the cardio classes. I am still a work in progress, but I am getting better each day and have a positive outloook :)

Feeling the Results

I have been keeping up with the classes at work and am starting to see that I can do more and more each time (gotta build that stamina!). My weight has not changed since that last weigh in, but today I put on pants that I haven't worn since before the summer because it's cooling off. They used to be quite tight and by the end of the workday were really uncomfortable. I am happy to say that when I first put them on today there was more room AND even at the end of my day, there is still room. I am not driven by the numbers on the scale because I know that muscle weighs more than fat, so as long as I feel the difference in the fit of my clothes, I know I am still making great improvements. As I start to tone the muscles that were not being used in forever, I will feel (and see) the difference in my shape (something that is often overlooked by people who are fixated on their weight). I am happy to say this journey is going well.

As for eating, I am trying to make as many of my meals for work as I can (I have bought very few meals since starting this job). It's really helping too. I will not sit here and say that I have it all under control because every once in a while I cave to chips or fries, but I am eating better overall and enjoying eating well. I plan out all my snacks for the day and make sure I drink plenty of water. I will get to a healthier size and weight and doing it slowly and sensibly will keep me from that awful yo-yo effect. It's not like I have lost 50lbs or anything like that, but I am making better choices and my body is thanking me for it (even while I sit here feeling sore from my circuit training class today).

On Track...

I am happy to say that since the first Boot Camp class I have taken a class on each of Monday (Cardio Martial Arts - basically a Tae-box kind of class), Wednesday (Body Sculpt - a class with weights) and Friday (Boot Camp). After walking around like a grandma last weekend, it was MUCH easier this week. Now, I was starting to feel like I was already noticing a change in my body (some things actually felt a little less snug around the waist). I was wondering if it was just wishful thinking, so I decided I should weigh myself today. I am really happy to say that the number that showed up was 211.6! That's 3.6lbs in 10 days! Woo hoo! I am so excited about that. I am enjoying the classes (even though my stamina leaves a LOT to be desired right now and my muscles crap out pretty quickly during some sets) and find that because they are at lunch I am nowhere near the point of saying, "Oh, I'm too tired to go". I spend the mornings watching the clock and feeling quite excited about my workout time. Plus, I am preparing good meals and snacks to fuel myself properly. I have gone from having a Tim Horton's ice cap once a day to once a week (a major change in sugar and calories!). I plan to eventually phase that out to even less (baby steps). My journey is starting off well...I am pushing myself, but also listening to my body (not the voice that says give up) to ensure that I do not injure myself by trying to be Superwoman on Day 1. I am feeling the burn and the soreness, but not the pain...gotta keep going!

Ooooohhhhhh, the Burn!

I survived Boot Camp, but my shoulders are no longer speaking to me. I am glad I went and look forward to next week, but my body quivers when I do some movements. I can't wait to be at a point where it starts to get easier (the push-ups were killing me!!!). I loved the punches, but the push-ups...OUCH! ;)

The Beginning is Near...

I am now at my new job and really happy with the switch I made. This is my third week there and I am proud to say that only once did I buy my lunch (and even avoided the more junky stuff by having a turkey sandwich). They have cardio classes at lunch and I had planned to start yesterday, but it was cancelled. So, tomorrow has become Day 1. And what class will I be taking? Boot Camp! I am ready to feel the burn...and to walk around like an old woman all weekend long ~ lol. 

I weighed myself quite some time ago and the heaviest I was ended up being 218.1lbs. Yikes! So I decided that if I am going to start exercising, I want to know what my starting weight is. I weighed myself last night and came in at 215.2lbs. I think that paying more attention to my food the past 3 weeks has helped. There is also a water cooler at my disposal at work and I make sure I drink plenty of water during the day. This keeps me from consuming more calories than I really need. I am pleased with the fact that I am heading in the right direction despite a hiccup of gaining. This kind of journey is not always perfect and I know that. I would be more worried if I continued to go up, but I am now heading back down, so will continue to do things that will help that trend to be the rule (rather than the exception).

Here's to FINALLY starting the journey I was hoping to engage in this year!

Wake Up Call

I have just gone through a drug screen and physical for a new job. Why am I telling you this? They found glucose in my urine...so it seems I have diabetes! Considering that I never had it before my pregnancies and there is no history in my family, I am thinking that if I can get my s$&% together, I can eradicate it. A few years ago I was refused life insurance because my glucose levels were in the pre-diabetic range and my doctor told me that losing about 15lbs would fix that. I am hoping that this will be the same case. I still have to have an official follow-up with my family doctor, but I am gonna have to start making changes immediately. Time to really make good eating choices and get the exercise routine started. Now it's a bit more serious as I really don't want any complications from having diabetes. Can you say "Wake Up Call"?! It starts this week...I'm going to take advantage of the fact that I have some time off between jobs and start getting a routine going. One change at a time...