YES YES!

Down 6 lbs this week! Woohoo! I've been able to walk almost every day, starting with 15 minutes up to 2.5 hours yesterday (an hour in the morning and then 30 min with my daughter then another hour. I am DETERMINED! The best part is when I started the week I had an awful backache after the 15 minute walk, and now I was able to walk the 1.5 hours in a row and NO backache! I have hope now that I can keep walking - I love it. I am listening to business CDs and getting so inspired. I was even able to enjoy a nice Italian pasta dinner with bruschetta and dessert yesterday - which is why I walked so much! :) I am so determined this time. It feels great and I'm looking forward to keeping this up! Thanks for reading!
Karen

Temptation and Vision

Just thought I'd check in since I've survived a few temptations this week! It's only been 3 days but I am down 4 lbs. I am sure a lot of it is water but it is OK it is motivating me to keep going!

I've been tempted several times due to kids after school snacks or the latest, coming home from a meeting where I don't usually eat beforehand, and I usually go to In and Out on the way home at 9pm. Bad habit! I actually talked myself out of it and then back into it because I had skipped lunch and justified it, thinking well I can't completely deprive myself or I will go nuts. But by the time I got to the place there was a HUGE line! I took that as a sign from God that I was not meant to eat there. And I went home and had a protein shake instead! LOL

This morning I had an extra kid as she didn't have to go to band today, but I had to sit around near the school for an hour till dropping her off since her sister still had to go to band. So I decided to get something for dinner tonight and then I gave in and got the kids a donut. I know I shouldn't have done THAT but what I am proud of is not getting one myself! And then while they ate them and they smelled so good I didn't even beg for a bite of my son's. LOL He didn't finish it and usually I'd finish it for him but I didn't. These are little things but that is the kind of junk I have been doing to myself for a few years now. Slowly I am going to eliminate all that stuff from my own and my kids lives, and save it for special treats, if any.

I decided yesterday that for my business goals I collect photos and evidence of them coming true, so why not for weight loss? I started going through old pictures trying to find inspiration and I found this one. It was taken on New Years Eve 2001, just before I married Greg the following June. I just loved this dress and still have it. I am going to fit into it again and maybe I can wear it THIS New Year's Eve! It's been fun going down memory lane with the pics, I cannot believe I felt fat back then, too. I'm looking forward to being cute and thin again, even if I will be nearly 10 years older!!!! LOL Thanks for reading!

Here I go again

Wow! 221. I have no excuse and no explanation but it didn't stick last month. So here I am. On we go. I'm getting back on the wagon again. This time I have a little wager with my hubby who wants to get fit and healthy too. We will weigh in every month and whoever has lost the highest % of weight gets to pick the date night we will go on. I am thinking ballet or chick flick for mine.

We are both shooting long term for 20% loss. Sad to say I had a gain from last month's weigh in, though it isn't surprising. And that was up from my initial weight when I started this thing.

I am giving up the 90 day period. At this point I just want the weight off and to stay off. Ideally I will be done by October just because I am going on a trip and it would be nice to be able to have some cute clothes. If I make my ultimate goal by then, I will give myself a new wardrobe!

Thank you for being patient with me. This sure is tough. I feel like I've had 43 years of struggles with this and I am SO DONE. I am tired of clothes not fitting. I am tired of being uncomfortable. I am tired of the backaches. I am tired of huffing and puffing.

Last weekend we stayed at my inlaws lake house for the weekend. They have a mirror on the door directly across from the clear glass shower. When we got back from boating and swimming in the lake, I took a shower and had to look in the mirror to make sure I got all the lake moss off of me. It was gross and I am not talking about the lake goo!!! I had never looked at myself ALL the way around in the mirror. The one we have in our bedroom is only from about the waist up and not too bad. LOL! This was truly shocking. I had no idea I had gotten that bad. I mean really. I am not a vain person but this reflection was not only unattractive it was offensive. All I could think of is my husband is a saint.

So there ya go. I hope to have some good news, little by little, again and again, time after time, going forward. I'm retraining my brain to get out of all-or-nothing thinking in other areas of my life, and I am applying it to this starting today as well!

Thanks for listening!
Karen

Slow and steady

Woops forgot to post last Monday but I lost 1 lb. I figure this as in all things lately will be slow and steady and that's OK. I am trying to retrain myself to take little steps consistently vs. being "all or nothing" which has been my pattern in so many things! I am walking at least every other day, even 15 minutes if I can. up to an hour. Hoping to get some more in once the weather settles in for being dry for the long haul. I am looking forward to the kids summer vacations too which means less driving around and I can replace that time spent with some more walking!
Karen

Reality Check!

Woah. This is why I called this blog a JOURNEY. It is full of hills and dales, accelerations and decelerations, forks in the roads, and road BLOCKS. Then there are the lefts when I should have gone right, and the dead ends.

Today is April 21st, 2009 and I am starting over. Again. I know you won't judge me or pity me and I hope you will appreciate me and encourage me because I have Decided Again to commit to taking care of ME.

Yesterday I weighed in at 216.5. If you look at the stats on the right you'll see I have GAINED from when I started this blog so long ago. I am not proud of that but I am being real, open, and honest today in hopes that I will stay on track.

This past weekend I spent some time at the Direct Selling Women's Alliance Celebration and someone I love and admire, Dana Phillips, said in her workshop to make yourself a priority, to be the best YOU. It wasn't a particularly remarkable comment, it was just something she added to a whole hour's worth of insights, tips and ideas for business, but it went right to my heart. I realized I have not been making ME a priority and it shows in my fitness, health, weight, and energy levels.

So here I go again, hoping this time will be different. Already since yesterday I've been making better choices and although it's only been 36 hours, I feel good, am committed and promise myself to stick with it for 90 days this time. I don't know what will happen in terms of the numbers but I do know I will feel better, have more energy, and be more confident 90 days from today.

Thank you for being there,
Karen

Wow what happened? I'm back!

Wow where did the time go? I obviously have not been keeping this up. I am pretty ashamed but didn't delete it since I knew I'd be back. I am sad to say I am up to 203 so I've gained a little, but I intend to take it off. For Christmas we got a Wii Fit and that is my latest toy! I can't say that I've used it much for exercise (so busy!) but I've been weighing in often enough to maintain and even lose a little.

Life's been so crazy here, I know it is an excuse but the weather has been so cold and days so short that I haven't been able to walk since I have my 4 (soon to be 5) year old in tow. There are pockets of time I could be walking but other things seem to take priority. I need to change this and get back on track so I can greet Spring and Summer with cute clothes and feeling good about myself!

Thanks for being there!
Karen

Weigh In Sept 15

So I know I said I'd weigh in on Tuesdays now but then last week I skipped all together and my mom's club challenge weighs in on Monday so I decided to weigh in today. I am down 2 lbs. Whew. Actually since I was taking a picture, it said 197 (I know - hard to see again) but when I did it again without the camera it said 196.5!! LOL I will go with the 197 though. Bought some size 14 jeans the other day - good-bye 16s!

I just realized I have lost a total of 25 lbs since I first started getting serious back in the end of April!

Until next time,
Karen