WSR: Weight 256.2 - Weight Left To Lose 86.2

Height: 5'7"
Age: 40

Starting Weight: 370 lbs
Goal Weight: 170 lbs

Current Weight: 256.2 lbs
Pounds Lost: 113.8 lbs
Pounds Left To Lose: 86.2 lbs

Percent Of Weight Lost: 30.76%
Percent Of Way To Goal: 56.90%

Starting BMI: 57.9
Current BMI: 40.1
BMI Lost: 17.8

I literally cannot remember the last time I was in the 250 range. It was a really, really, really long time ago.

The weight is falling off fast now because I have seriously restricted the amount of carbs that I eat. My diet isn't quite on the Atkins or South Beach level, but I am using a lot of principles that they espouse. I do have some carbs but they they tend to be on the lighter side. I also cut out night time eating of any kind. As a result my stomach has shrunk dramatically in the past 2 weeks.

Onward and downward y'all!

Picture This: Halfway To My Goal

I am a little over halfway to my goal and I thought it was time to post some progress pictures. I am still in shock that I've made it this far!

These are the BEFORE shots (taken at our annual team meeting in October 2007) when I weighed 370 pounds and had to purchase a size 32 jeans for an activity we had done earlier that day:



These are the AFTER shots (taken this past week) where I now wear a size 22/24 jeans. Can you tell which picture shows me wearing the size 32?

My arms alone are nearly half their former size!

I have had people telling me for months how great I look but I wasn't able to see it day to day. It wasn't until I saw these pictures this week that I finally saw what everyone else saw. The progress I have made is truly stunning and I am really motivated to continue on to my goal weight.

Onward and downward.

Food Log: 03.04.09

I intentionally ate very little points today because tomorrow we are having an early weigh in for the Biggest Loser contest we are doing at work.  Friday is our normal weigh in day, but our company is having its annual awards ceremony that day.  I am a nominee for an award.

There are days in which I like to feel the hunger.  I like knowing that I have complete control over it.  It is quite empowering to know that I have evolved from this bottomless gluttonous being to someone who likes to occasionally feel the hunger burn inside.  I don't do it often because I don't want to throw my metabolism out of whack.  However, I have found benefit in it because it is a wild fluctuation in my daily routine.  I think that is the reason I haven't faced any real stalls or plateaus.  I never let my body get too used to a set daily calorie amount.  I am always mixing it up.

food	ww points
b: coffee w/ skim milk (1 - 16 oz) *central market*	1
b: light yogurt (1) *h.e.b. brand*	2
b: bran buds (1/3 cup) *all bran*	1
l: angel hair marinara (1) *smart ones*	4
l: flame grilled veggie burger (1) *boca*	2
s: coffee w/ sugar free creamer (1 - 16 oz)	1
Total:	11

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

My food log @ Twitter is twim_food for anyone that wants to follow it there.

Non-Scale Victory: 1X

I've had a top hanging in the back of my closet for about a year now. My boss, after cleaning out her closet, had given it to my co-worker. But it was too big for her and not really her style at all. So she, in turn, passed it over to me for "later" after I had lost more weight. The top is a size 1X.

Since I knew I wouldn't fit into it for a long time it was resigned to the very back of the closet to make space for larger items of clothing.

Well this morning I had an itch to try it on. It fits! I was like OMG Squee! *happy dance* :twirl: all at the same time.

I wore it to work. I look good. I feel sexy in my slinky new 1X top. I haven't worn a top this small in at least 20 years.

I'm thinking I might check out other 1X (16-20) size tops on my next shopping trip.

Food Log: 03.03.09

I did not intend to have any cookies today but when I got to the cafe this evening they had my absolute favorite - dark chocolate/macadamia - just staring out at me from the display case at the coffee bar.  They are like moist, gooey brownies and are absolutely decadent.  I indulged.  I'm not sorry.  They were good.  Now I am completely satisfied and won't need anything sweet for a few days.

Still, even with my indulgence, I stuck to my points.  I am allowed 33 WW points per day but always try to keep it between 23-28 instead.  Over the past year or so I have conditioned myself to want to eat less and it is working for me.  I don't feel deprived.  If I do, I eat.  I simply have more control these days than I used to have.

food	ww points
b: coffee w/ skim milk (1 - 16 oz) *central market*	1
b: light yogurt (1) *h.e.b. brand*	2
b: apple (1 large) *central market*	2
b: bran buds (1/3 cup) *all bran*	1
l: flame grilled veggie burger (1) *boca*	2
l: spinach & feta couscous (5 oz) *central market*	3
l: snap peas & carrots (5 oz) *central market*	3
s: green bean crisps (1 oz)	2
s: coffee w/ sugar free creamer (2 - 12 oz)	2
s: dark chocolate/macadamia cookies (2) *central market*	8
s: coffee w/ skim milk (1 - 16 oz) *central market*	1
Total:	27

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

My food log @ Twitter is twim_food for anyone that wants to follow it there.

Food Log: 03.02.09

As I was leaving work and mentally tallying my points for the day I realized that I was on the really low side. So I grabbed a couple of cookies tonight with my evening cup of decaf coffee. They were really yummy and did not make me go over the points range I try to aim for each day.

Then as I was sitting in the cafe reading my book and enjoying my delicous coffee and cookies I had to fight the urge to burst out laughing when I overheard this deep philosphical conversation breaking out, among what looked like fraternity brother type guys, about the quality of Will Ferrell movies.  Will Ferrell never made a bad movie.  Step Brothers is the best.  Anchorman is my favorite.  It was hilarious!  It was as if the McLaughlin group were having this really serious discussion about something of great importance but the topic itself was how great Will Ferrell movies are.  I admit that I did snicker a bit and tried not to be too conspicuous as I glanced over to see what these great minds looked like.

food	ww points
b: coffee w/ skim milk (1 - 16 oz) *central market*	1
b: light yogurt (1) *h.e.b.*	2
b: bran buds (1/3 cup) *all bran*	1
b: apple (1 large) *central market*	2
l: spanish rice (4 oz) *taco cabana*	4
l: borracho beans (4 oz) *taco cabana*	4
s: coffee w/ sugar free creamer (1 - 20 oz)	2
s: chocolate chip cookies (2) *central market*	6
s: coffee w/ skim milk (1 - 16 oz) *central market*	1
Total:	23

Table provided by Roni's Food Tweet, Eat, Post Generator.

My food log @ Twitter is twim_food for anyone that wants to follow it there.

WSR: Weight 266.6 - Weight Left To Lose 96.6

Height: 5'7"
Age: 40

Starting Weight: 370 lbs
Goal Weight: 170 lbs

Current Weight: 266.6 lbs
Pounds Lost: 103.4 lbs
Pounds Left To Lose: 96.6 lbs

Percent Of Weight Lost: 27.94%
Percent Of Way To Goal: 51.70%

Starting BMI: 57.9
Current BMI: 41.8
BMI Lost: 16.1

I haven't done one of these in a while. My last posted WSR was on 01.19.09 and I weighed in at 278.2.

So, as you can see, I wasn't absent because I fell of the wagon. I was still very much sitting firmly in the wagon seat. I was just busy and tired and not in the mood to blog at all. I'm back now though.

I just want to take a second and be a bit braggy. I no longer have to lose 100+ pounds. I am in the double digit range. *insert I Feel Good by James Brown*

My goal for this week is to get back into a real exercise routine. February threw me completely out of whack with only sporadic bursts of exercising going on. But with Daylight Savings Time starting on Sunday I am feeling all renewy and such. I am going to kick so much exercise butt this summer. My goal is to be in a size 18 by the end of the year. I would feel incredible if I make that goal.

Foodwise I don't think I have to make any adjustments. I know what I'm doing there and I am going to keep on doing it.

Onward and downward y'all!

I Was Lost, But Now I'm Found

The prodigal blogger returns.

Seriously, February was a completely insane month in which work consumed my life and drained all of my energy.  I just couldn't focus enough at the end of each day to blog or to check out what all of my blog buddies were doing.  I'm sorry.

But that doesn't mean that I wasn't working my butt off to lose weight and stick to my plan.  If you take a gander up there on my weight loss ticker you will see that I have lost over a 100 pounds now.

I am in a really good place in this diet thing.  I feel secure in feeling that I know what the hell I am doing.  100 pounds isn't a fluke.  100 pounds is the equivalent to a teenager or a petite adult.  I'm going to pause to let that sink in.  I don't think I've realized that before.  How much weight is a 100 pounds really?  It is a big number on the scale to be sure.  But what is it in tangible terms?

I've had some really amazing things happen to me in the past month.  

I've had men hitting on me - not the right one mind you, he still resists in actually asking me out - but I'm not invisible anymore.  That is a good feeling.  It is weird to be noticed like this when I thought it wouldn't happen until I was done losing weight.  My self image was so tied up in that number on a scale that I didn't realize that life happens whether we are ready for it or not.  I am so much more confident now.

My newfound confidence is paying off with people in general.  I've had more people intentionally stopping to speak to me each day at work than I have had in the past 6.5 years that I've worked there.  I love it!

My new jeans that I bought in December now come on and off without being unbuttoned or unzipped.  They slide right on and off of me.  How freaking awesome is that?  That is one fantastic non-scale victory.  It only took 2 months to make that happen.  I'm ecstatic.  I'm still wearing them though because they are great jeans and I look so good in them.

There is not a day that goes by in which someone doesn't stop me and ask me about my weight loss - stranger, friend, et al.  Everyone is super impressed by my progress.  One co-worker in particular keeps saying how I am a brand new person.  That doesn't suck.  That doesn't suck at all.

I had to buy a brand new wardrobe.  It was expensive, but well worth it.  I bought 11 pairs of pants, 1 skirt, 9 tops and 5 pairs of shoes.  Most of my clothes were just too big for me to continue to wear.  I was walking around with tons of fabric draping off of me and it was not even remotely attractive.  I'm a girl again.  When I was just a mountainous blob of fat, I couldn't be a girl.  I was restricted in what I could fit into and none of it was pretty.  One great thing I've discovered in the past few weeks is that Talbot's, a store I could only look through the window of before, is now open to me.  I can fit into their largest sizes now.   I am so hitting their outlet in another month or so.  See?  Girlish behavior is happening here!  I am planning a shopping trip.  Who is this woman inside me?

As you can see, things are good.  I'm still working my plan and it is paying off in a lot of ways.

I've already hit so many of your blogs already to catch up with you.  I've missed you all so much!