The future's so bright...

It's been 3 weeks since I weighed in last...I've been GOOD, walking regularly…just about every night this past week (2-3 miles)...so I was expecting a nice loss...you know, 4 - 6 lbs!? Well...the scaled showed me down 1.4 lbs! I was just shocked...not necessarily disappointed, just SURPRISED because I have been consistently losing 1.5 - 2 lbs each week the last few months. Oh well. I sat down & thought about it as I was waiting for the meeting to start, realized that it really wasn't a big deal to me...that I wasn't traumatized (as I might have been a few years ago!!)...that it didn't really disappoint me because I KNOW how you can't count on the scale to always tell you what is going on, right??

So...I'm still moving in the right direction & I'm still 100% here...happy, ready to tackle anything that comes my way...knowing that I'm going be living this healthy life forever, loving it...proud of myself!! This is over 36 pounds that are GONE FOREVER!! My new pants are getting lose…everyone I come across that hasn’t seen me in the last few months says I’m just melting away! :o) What a kick!!

It's kind of funny...tonight's meeting topic was about getting through a plateau & Michelle described it as losing less than a half pound a week for at least 3 weeks in a row. Well, hello...that's me this week....but I don't know. I won't consider it a plateau until the next time I weigh-in & that will be a few more weeks...so who knows? It doesn't matter...I might be a bit more determined to walk more each day...start doing more aerobic activity, etc... but I know for the most part that it just takes time. Bodies do this...I am expecting to deal w/ at least one plateau on this journey...why not now? :o) The idea is to deal w/ it & getting through it w/ as much of this attitude as I had going in, right??

Michelle asked what we needed to do to get through a plateau & I said "just deal w/ it...knowing that you don't have a whole lot to say about when it's going to happen & sometimes no idea how long it's going to last" & a guy (yes, we have 2-3 men in our group!) who has lost 70-some lbs said that he didn't quite believe that...that we really do have a say in how long it's going to last...that it's all about motivation & determination, because he just dealt w/ a 2 month plateau & he was struggling a bit, realizing that he was slacking a bit & decided that enough was enough & that he started tightening up his journaling & measuring & all that...and it passed. I said "yeah, but can you really consider that a true plateau?" & Michelle went on to say that yes, you can. I felt a little bad that I kind of discounted what he went through....but I truly don't consider slacking off, so you're not losing, a true plateau, do you? There truly will be a time when you're giving it your all, doing everything exactly how you should, & your body is just refusing to budge. Sometimes this will last several weeks...sometimes MONTHS. But throughout this whole plateau period, you're still giving it your all...100% OP......THAT's what I consider a plateau.

Anyways...who knows? I'm not worried that this is where I am now...I know that I'm going to be fine...that this is my lifestyle now...forever & it feels great that this is my reality!

Hope you all are as enthused about your futures as I am...it's sooooooo bright!

Thanks to all...your encouragement & inspiration keep me going...always!

xxox.....Julie

Reality check...

You guys know that I normally WI bi-weekly...my weight loss seems to go in cycles, good loss, not so good loss...every other week...w/ this week being my "up" week, I normally wouldn't WI tonight (the scale is much friendlier this way! LOL!!). Well...I decided to do it anyways...I figured "what the heck"...I had a hard time keeping under my points this week (although I was only -2 in the bank @ the end of the week) & wasn't as active as I should've been & wanted a little "reality check".

Well...reality was good to me because I lost another 1.8lbs!! That dropped me into the 220s!!! Yeah! I haven't seen 220 in years!! 35lbs off so far! Two-teens are right around the corner...I can't believe it!! Yikes!!

AND...I earned 11 APs today....some walking & then mowing the lawn (90min)

AND :o) we have a wild raspberry bush that planted itself in our yard last year...just picked 12 ounces of beautifully ripe berries...yum!! I'm DEFINITELY going to do a veggie garden next summer!! It's cool to be able to go outside & pick your own healthy food!! Yeah!

Thanks, guys...you know that you are what keeps me going!!

RAMBLING...REWARDS & GOALS

My buddies on GoaD were discussing Rewards...how you reward yourself for your successes as you travel down the path of this journey & I have to say that I never really understood why this time around I haven't been into "rewards" or even finding it necessary to set specific goals till these guys got me thinking about it yesterday.

In the past, when I celebrated how well I was doing, I would blow it...each & every time... never could figure it out...kinda like the complacency issue. I NEVER continued w/ WW (or any other diet) after that 20lb celebration…don’t ask me why, I really don’t have a clue. (this is why getting my 10% keychain was HUGE for me!!)

But this time, early on, I realized that continuing to take care of myself & being proud of my progress was my reward...I DIDN’T decide that THAT was going to be my reward, I just really FELT it, deep inside.

In the past I would "reward" my great WI w/ something I loved & felt deprived of... usually something deep fried... it wasn't really a reward, it was more of a "whew, I made it to WI & now have a whole week to get over what I'm about to put in my body" type of thing. It didn't take me long, this time around, to realize that I didn't want to do that anymore... how was THAT a reward? Was that really a celebration?? NOT! I realized that I DESERVED THE VERY BEST...I wanted to continue the feeling of pride & accomplishment & there was no way that I was going to keep that feeling going by doing something that was completely unnecessary.

For me, feeling like I have to give myself a reward for doing the right thing seems unnecessary…I’m not saying that it should be that way for you…it’s just this way for me. Don’t ask why…I have no clue. :o) I don’t need a doggy treat to do the trick, you know?? When I get to goal, I’m going to be proud of myself & confident & that’s huge for me.

Goals…I only have one…to get healthy, get strong & be happy (well…I guess that’s more than one…but it’s all-in-one) …I’m going to enjoy the changes along the way… the clothing NSVs & other such things & I’m certainly going to celebrate my progress w/ my friends & family (blood & GoaD) but my eye (& heart) is on the big prize…the rest is just going to happen anyways.

The further I get into this journey, the easier it’s becoming…it’s going to take me at least another year to get this weight off…but it doesn’t matter. I’ve begun to get excited about the future I am creeping up on & I’m ready to do what I can to make it the best future. I’m FINALLY getting excited about getting some sort of APs daily…I got a short bike ride in w/ the boys yesterday & then when everyone else went to bed, I took a quick 2 mile walk in my neighborhood (yes, in the dark) carrying my 2# WATP balls w/ me (need to get some wrist weights instead), enjoying it like I have never enjoyed it before…excited that I am getting stronger each day & knowing that this is something I’m going to enjoy for the rest of my life. Brad & I are going to start walking or biking each morning before he goes to work (early…ugh!). I haven’t gone overboard w/ working out…I know that THAT is unrealistic for me to be able to keep up an over the top routine for the rest of my life…knowing that the minute I pull back even a fraction I’ll start gaining again (just like starting to eat “normal” again…doesn’t work)

I’m fortunate to have a hubby that is super happy w/ healthy food & is all for sharing a full portion w/ me when we go out…has no problem w/ me buying a lean (& pricy) cut of meat & didn’t chide me when I came home w/ a new (expensive) digital food scale, but instead took out some strawberries & weighed them…saying “cool, it weighs in grams, too!!” (LOL!!) We’re going to grow healthy together…he’s even dropped 2” from his waist w/out even trying. (& not really needing to)

Okay…you know me, I can go on all day…I’m just reflecting…excited about my future …knowing that this is becoming more natural each day… 2nd nature is what I’ve been shooting for…hope you are too!

You guys are the best…hope you don’t mind my ramblings & even come away w/ a little something for yourself.

4.2 more pounds bites the dust! Yeah!!

This is my bi-weekly WI (& blab session)...I was a little nervous because I was kinda thinking that the 8lb loss I had two weeks ago (after 3 wks on vacation) was a fluke...that maybe they recalibrated their scales back to what they SHOULD really read, etc... LOL!! Also...I had a tough time staying w/in my points this week...I started out in the hole after going out for my Anniversary mid week & just couldn't keep it out of the hole, till Sunday. I finished my week w/ 1 point in the bank. Needless to say, I was quite excited w/ the loss!!

So...hopefully next WI I will be in the 220s!! WOW!

It was kinda funny tonight because Michelle, my "lively" leader, brings a new lady over to me & says "Julie, this is Diane...she's never done WW before! Why don't you tell her how much you've lost!" & so I sat down w/ Diane & chit-chatted w/ her, told her all about WW website, eTools, Dotties, Skinny Cows, Laughing Cow cheese & all sorts of other stuff! LOL!! She's really nervous about the small amount of points she gets & so I was telling her about water & veggies & low point fruits, etc... just told her you've gotta get creative, you know??

Anyways...there was another newish girl sitting in front of us & she turned around when I mentioned Skinny Cows & got in on the conversation. She's a youngish girl...probably in her 20s & she's at least 300lbs... I told myself "I'm gonna befriend her next week & see if I can help her stay motivated"


MOTIVATION
Our meeting tonight was about MOTIVATION. She asked us to write down what brought us to WW & then what was motivating us now…so I wrote my LIST (just a few words…yeah, right!! LOL!!) & then she went straight into awards. Well…I got another 5 lb star today & so she asked me what changes I have made since being on WW & of course I went back to how it took me a long time to get to the point that I was ready to get healthy & that my attitude was completely different this time… that I was eating like a healthy person now, that there was no question to me that I would be that healthy person eventually. And that I’m really proud of myself. Then she asked me what I had written down as my motivation for coming to WW & I said “do you want me to read the WHOLE list?” & she laughed & said “sure…it’s been a quiet meeting tonight” So I said…

What brought me in to WW was…
Ready to change what obviously wasn’t working for me
That I was getting WAY too close to 300lbs & could actually see no end to the amount of weight I had the potential to gain
And that I had way too many aches & pains for my age…including a broken bone in my foot that hasn’t healed well because of my weight.
What’s motivating me now…
Knowing that I have control of myself.
Being proud of my progress & attitude.
Knowing that I’m doing this for the right reasons (ME!), the right way & for the last time.
And a great support system from a fabulous group of people on an online WW board.

She went on to other awards…one of which was a girl that was getting her 50 lb magnet & was only 7 lbs away from goal & Michelle asked her what motivated her & she said… “everything that Julie just said!” (LOL!) That’s a kick.

Anyways…after the meeting, a nice lady that I had talked to a few weeks ago (on her first night) came up to me & said that I inspired her. WOW! That’s awesome!

It’s kinda neat to me…to take the inspiration & motivation & enthusiasm that I get from GoaD & spread it on to others outside of the board. It’s cool, too, that I feel like I’m becoming more of a part of that meeting group…I haven’t been a regular to this meeting time & even then, I usually only go every 2 weeks…but I guess I’ve made some sort of an impression on my leader! :o) That’s good…I really want to make a solid connection w/ her at some point because the more I think about it, the more I want to be a leader!

So…that’s it! :o) Life is good, isn’t it?

Thanks you guys...can't do this w/out all of you!