So very close!

I am almost there. I can see it! My 20lb mark is only 1.6lbs away! There were a few days this past week that I ate things I probably shouldn't have but I still managed to lose a pound. It is exciting that I didn't gain any! After work one day I came home and ate 3 Reece's cups, 3 small kit kats and who knows what else! That binge had me feeling so terrible. I was truly ashamed. But, I picked myself up that same day and didn't let it bring me down. Once you make a mistake you have to realize that it is OK. Don't let it get the best of you. Pick yourself up and move on. You can't change what has happened earlier in the day or last week. Tell yourself that it's OK, you recognize the mistake and move on. Vow to continue the day the way you should. Don't just assume that since you messed up you can now blow the entire day! Let's look at this:

Say for instance you had a healthy breakfast, good snacks and a healthy lunch. You have racked up 650 calories out of you day of 1300 allowance. You are now left with 650 for the rest of the day. you pig out on an ice cream cone that has 650 calories. Wowwee! All your calories are gone. There are 2 ways you can finish the day out.

Option 1: Sulk about and feel terrible that you have just blown away your entire day. Decide, to heck with it and eat 2 slices of pizza for dinner (700 calories). Now you feel awful for REALLY over doing it. So, you eat 2 brownies for dessert (300 calories). When you sit down to watch TV you grab a bag of popcorn (200 calories) and a soda (225 calories). Now, not only have you used up all of your daily calories, you have exceeded it by 1,425 calories! 

Option 2: You realize that the ice cream cone was a bad choice. You really could have and should have opted for a kid size frozen yogurt or skipped it all together. But, what is done is done. When you get home you fix a healthy dinner for your family of whole wheat pasta, spaghetti sauce (no meat) and some frozen green beans. You prepare yourself a salad with no cheese and low fat dressing (100 calories) and eat some green beans with the family (35 calories). For dessert you have some sugar free jello (10 calories) and whipped topping (50 calories). You know you are still going over your calories but you have probably only done so by about 195 calories! That is a difference of 1,230 calories! That is nearly an entire day's worth of food!! And guess what? You wake up ready to tackle another day. You feel positive and refreshed knowing that you came from behind your decision and you still won!

I can't always say that I choose option 2. We are all human and there is only 1 perfect person (and that ain't me!).

So for my weekly weigh in I was down to 238.6 (1.6 lbs to hit that 20 mark!!!) That will be gone this week!! I haven't spoken to the nutritionist in 2 weeks now due to our conflicting schedules, but I have a list of things I am ready to ask her. The readouts are a little confusing to me still and I would like to know how to determine my muscle mass versus water/fat mass so that I can tell if I am gaining muscle and losing fat. This is a tricky part of weight loss. It is discouraging to only lose 1 lb BUT if I am actually losing 3lbs of fat and gaining 2 lbs of lean mass then that is awesome! I keep telling myself that's what it is. : D I am ready to post some measurements. Here goes!

These are from 8/13 shortly after I started and yesterday 10/11
             Start       Now      Difference
Waist:   46.5        44.5       2 inches
Hips:     54.5        52          2.5 inches
Thighs:   25.5       24.75     0.75 inches
Arms:    15           14          1 inch
Chest:    50.5       47.5       2.5 inches

That makes a total of.....drum roll.....8.75 inches!!!

I have lost my readout for this week but I know that my BMI has gone from 40.4 to 38.6!! Woo hoo!!

My mom treated me with a new market tote for my 20 lb goal so I am really excited to get that (yea, I know, I hadn't QUITE made it but I am sooo close!) I treated myself to a new hair style today!

As far as exercise goes, I have been doing a 3.5 mile walk at least twice a week. Today I had my first Zumba experience. That was a LOT of fun! I love to dance (not that I am any good) but it is fun to listen to music, move and have a good time! I can't wait to go back on Friday!!

Thanks for keeping up with me and following me thus far!! Have a great week everyone!! God is GREAT!

Update from Monday's Weigh In

Great news! As of Monday I have lost a total of 18 pounds!! Also, I have begun exercising. Thankfully, I have found a friend to walk with. This makes it so much easier to get motivated. I enjoy having someone who I can talk her ear off while we are exercising. The trail we walk is approximately 3.5 miles. The first day we did it was Saturday. It took us a little over 1 hour. It was probably about 1 hr and 10 minutes or so. Today we did the same trail in exactly 1 hour! Hoorah! While I was waiting on her to get there I warmed up with a 1/2 mile lap. It felt great to be out in the beautiful weather.

I promised that at 15 pounds I would post pictures....well here they are. This is really hard for me to do. But, this is one small step in my long journey.

These pictures are from 8/11, 254.6 lbs

       Here I am, as of yesterday, at 239 lbs.