It’s been weeks since I’ve had a major ramble session…

DARN...my points target went down to 26! Well...that's a good thing, I suppose, since it means that I lost enough weight to lower my target, huh? 5.2 pounds!!! (week 34) Yeah! (3 week loss) That is ALMOST 45 lbs gone FOREVER!!!

I am .7 lbs away from being out of the 220s...can't believe it! Guess Flexing is working okay for me, huh? :o) I wasn't quite sure what to expect…I've been good...always am, for the most part...but I've had 3 week periods where I've gone in for WI & only had a pound or two loss. It's never a big bummer...just always surprises me...especially if I've been REALLY good...getting in extra APs, etc. So...it was a nice surprise to have a nice WI this weekend!

How about an NSV?
I decided to clean out my closet on Friday because, basically, it was jam-packed full of clothes I really won’t ever wear…time to purge. So…two 30 gallon trash bags later…I have “just” the clothes I KNOW I will wear and some in smaller sizes that I’ve either purchased for the future or have hung on to since I was that size. Now…I have this beautiful tailored dress jacket I purchased just after my now 5 year old son was born, it didn’t fit when I purchased it, but it would have BEFORE I was pregnant, so I KNEW it was going to fit soon! Well…5 years later IT FITS! I couldn’t believe it! I didn’t expect it to…I just thought I would try it on & it fit! It’s so nice & I have my nephew’s wedding coming up in January that I can wear it to now! (might have to be taken in @ that point!) Many other items in my closet fit as well…I was blown away! That’s such an awesome feeling!

At my meeting, when my leader was doing awards, she got to me (cuz I passed up 40#...the next 5# increment) & asked me to share how much I’ve lost & I told the group 44 lbs & then she asked me what changes I have made since being OP & I said “everything, but mainly my head” & she said “I know what you mean, but why don’t you explain it to the group, I don’t know if they’ve heard your story” (I just moved to a new meeting day...Saturday...so a new group) …so I said “I’ve done this many times before, but it was always a temporary process…just a diet…something that I could finish & then get back to being “normal” again… but we all know that diets don’t work & before I began this process again, I realized that I had to make this something I could do for the rest of my life. I needed to decide that this was a great way to live my life & it is! I’ve been doing this since January & it’s been a breeze! Well…not really a breeze, but it’s not a struggle…it’s not anything to dread, to be depressed about…it feels good to be taking care of myself. I’m really proud of myself & I know I have what it takes to do this for the rest of my life!” & of course, being the emotional girly girl that I am, I have to stop cuz I’m going to get choked up…and a lady behind me pats me on the back & says “Congratulations, that’s really awesome!”.

After my meeting, I wrote out a note to my leader, who is just awesome, and told her I would love it if she checked out my personal weight-loss website. AND that I was so grateful for her enthusiasm…for what she is doing to change peoples’ lives. And, that I KNEW I was going to make it to goal & I was going to become a leader, too, so I could impact the lives of other as well! I hope she checks it out…

I was talking to my DH several nights ago about how I can’t believe I’ve been OP for so long (since January)…I’ve NEVER been able to hang on this long…I would’ve quit by March, if I kept up my usual MO…but this is definitely DIFFERENT…this is now a LIFESTYLE, OUR LIFESTYLE (as he pointed out to me!). Isn’t that awesome? :o)

Hope you guys have your heads in the same place…I know that being part of GoaD is a huge part of the equation! I’ve said it before (but that’s never stopped me!)… I know that I would’ve been okay if I had never come across this great board, but I know that I am THRIVING because of it! I come away from my computer just about every day learning something new about myself because of you guys.

Thank you!!!

Julie

I feel pretty great about how things are going...

I have managed to lose an average of about 1.5 pounds per week this summer...really good when you figure in 2 long vacations & a good 5 week plateau, too! :o)

WW FlexPoints started this past week...I'm a little hung up about it because it's playing w/ my head a bit..don't know why, but it's obviously not hurting me too much, since I lost 4.2 lbs. this past WI...AFTER a 2 week vacation even! It'll just take some getting used to!

How about some NSVs? (non-scale-victory)
I took my measurements last last week...26" gone!! Yikes!! (I need to add a measurement chart to the site, don't I?) Also...I tried on a pair of size 20 jeans today that I bought early this summer (on clearance, couldn't pass them up...even though they didn't fit!) & THEY FIT!! (I was in size 26/28 in January) AND 1X shirts are fitting as well! (3-4X in January) AND I found a slinky nighty under my bed last night that clung to me (slinky or not) at the beginning of the year...now it just looks pitiful! LOL!