Personal Victory - Down 25 Lbs!

I technically "hit" this number last week but then it went away while I struggled for a few days. But today it was back, and my (recently purchased) size 14 pants were noticeably bigger, making me giddy with excitement. Losing weight makes me feel so good. I am more confident, more sociable, more stylish and I feel like I am more in control of my life.

And speaking of pants, my mom (who has also gone through a big weight loss) handed down a few pairs of pants that she thought I might be able to use. There were a few size 14s and a size 12. I had to give her the 14s back because they just looked too baggy all over and I was able to keep the slightly snug but very wearable size 12s which actually fit my legs and butt (my waist is my worst area). And a couple weeks ago I bought a pair of size 12 jeans (which I think run big) and they are now almost too baggy to wear! It's crazy.

I am praying for restraint when it comes to Turkey Day this week. Heaven knows I have not eaten like that for a long time and it's a calorie nightmare for anyone watching their waistline. Wish me luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

~C

Chomping at the Next Benchmark

I have become so accustomed to watching the number on the scale get smaller and smaller that I get more and more anxious to hit the next benchmark as the weight comes off. This whole week I can't stop thinking about hitting the "25 lbs down" mark. This afternoon I weighed in at 172 - 24 lbs down and I am thinking tomorrow may be the day. Honestly, I cannot believe that I have been able to get this far all from simply being conscientious about my food intake.

With this in mind, I am also very cognizant of doing this in a healthy way. I spent several years as a teenager binging and purging several times a day in an effort to control my weight. I never ever want to find myself in a warped mindset like that. I want this to be a life change, not a diet, without telling myself I "can't" eat something or I'm not "allowed" to indulge on occasion.

I read about homeostasis in my Human Growth and Development class where the body naturally tries to maintain an individual's "ideal" body weight. I don't think I have ever given my body a chance to do this. I have always been in conflict with food and I am thoroughly enjoying not feeling as if I am a slave to food. The more I do this, the easier it becomes and the less time I spend thinking about food.

I'll be sure to post when I actually hit the 25 lb mark. And the one last comment for the night is how irritating it is to see my hubby dropping weight like crazy without even thinking about it. It's good for him too, but it doesn't seem fair! :)

~C

Up and Down Again

I hit the 20 lb mark and then Halloween happened. Too many treats for me and I went up a little, but after getting back on track I am down another 2 lbs so 22 total now. It may be difficult to continue to lose over the holidays but I'm sure as hell gonna try! In theory, if I lost 2 lbs per week until my birthday on Feb 13th, I could be down to 148 lbs. That would be insane. And even if I only lost one lb per week, I could be down to 160 which would put me into the "normal" weight category according to the BMI tables for the first time since college. I would be on the cusp between normal and overweight, but "normal" nonetheless.

Cheers to lofty goals and pants that are getting bigger and bigger on me everyday. Not to mention another body part that I never thought would have been affected: my feet. I had gotten up to a size 10 in most shoes and now a lot of those shoes are not fitting very well - this is a development I'm not as thrilled about - I just recently bought several pairs of darling shoes ;o).

One last thing I can't wait for: to see my friend Jen who has no idea I have secretly been shedding the extra weight. She's going to be shocked!

~C