Countdown to the Wedding - Day 82

I haven't lost any more weight since early June.  I'm not discouraged by that.  I intended to lose the weight slowly, doing so by changing my eating habits and by figuring out what fits into that new plan and what doesn't.  I'm at the point now where I can tell just how much I need to be eating, what I need to be eating and what to change in order to lose any more pounds.  I can easily manage my new weight.  That is important to me because once I've reached my goal, I don't want to gain weight again.  It's also important because in a week, Tom and I will be on a 7-day cruise in Alaska.  I need to be able to maintain this through that vacation.  I am planning on getting back on track for the remaining ten pounds that I want to lose once we return home.  But I didn't want to have to be dieting on the cruise.  So the past three weeks have been instructional for me.  I CAN go on a cruise and not be afraid of gaining weight.  I'm very excited about that.  The temptations have gotten easier and easier to deal with.  One day I did have a little bit of birthday cake at a birthday party.  Afterward, my stomach was queasy and I decided that eating the cake was just not satisfying.  I feel confident that my "sweet tooth" has been tamed.  This is a good thing.    

Countdown to the Wedding - Day 62

One day a couple of weeks ago I was working at the library and a former employee came in with her son. She hadn't seen me in about a year. She said that I looked different. Was it my hair? No. She said I looked better, like I was wearing my clothes better. I told her I had lost weight and she said "It looks good on you."  I'll take that as a compliment.
I am enjoying my new way of eating.  Food tastes really good.  I have more energy and can go without eating between meals, except for that 3 pm slump.  But I did hit that plateau of 12 pounds lost.  It was frustrating and unexplainable.  I couldn't figure out what I had changed.  But I was determined to just keep doing what I was doing.  Keep eating protein and vegetables, with fruit just a couple times a week.  Keep saying no to bread and sweets, with a treat only rarely.  Keep drinking 2+ liters of water every day.  Keep walking Willie.  And this morning I got on the scale.  My total weight lost is now 15 pounds.

Countdown to the Wedding - Day 53

I haven't lost any weight since May 17.  No weight loss in ten days.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe I've hit a plateau.  Maybe I need to add something to my exercise routine.  I admit that I am getting discouraged.  Every day when I step on the bathroom scale, I see that my weight is the same.  And I groan a little inside.  Now, I am halfway to my goal of losing twenty-five pounds.  I still have just over five months to go, so I have lots of time.  Now is NOT the time to give up.  But there is also no WAY I'm going to back off on my goal.  I'll figure out how to lose the rest of the weight. 

Countdown to the Wedding - Day 43

I admit that I did not take Willie on a walk this morning.  I know, I did promise him an hour a day, every day.  But it was cold and windy and rainy.  I don't mind walking in the rain; I've already talked about that.  But it was COLD and WINDY and rainy.  I do love that kind of weather, but not for walking.  It is quite unusual for Northern California to have cold, windy, rainy weather in the middle of May.  I enjoy it.  But not for walking.  So Willie and I stayed in today.  I started out the morning with a cozy blanket on my lap and he was content to lay there and be petted.  But as the day wore on, it became apparent that Willie did need an outlet for his energy.  So we played Hall Ball for two hours.  Hall Ball is a game invented by my husband Tom and Willie.  Tom will stand in the entrance to our dining room and kick a ball down the hall.  Willie will run after the ball and bring it back.  He will plop it at Tom's feet and Tom will kick it again.  Sometimes Willie blocks the ball and sometimes he doesn't.  No matter what, he picks up the ball and plops it at Tom's feet.  This is a game that is mostly played by Tom and Willie.  I've played this game with Willie a couple of times but I can always tell that I'm not playing it quite like Tom does.  Today I started playing Hall Ball just to keep Willie from barking at the tree blowing in the wind.  He thinks the tree is moving because squirrels are leaping from branch to branch.  Willie doesn't understand wind.  We played for two hours.  Willie kept bringing the ball back and I kept kicking it.  I know that I didn't get the benefit of a long walk.  But Willie enjoyed the two hours of play.  We'll get our walk in tomorrow.  Today we had to make due.  My  total weight lost today is 12 pounds.

Countdown to the Wedding - Day 41

I was doing a little shopping with a friend today.  Her daughter is graduating from college in  two weeks and she was looking for something to wear to the event.  I went along for moral support.  But I did take some things into the dressing room.  I have been feeling pretty good about the weight loss so far and thought I might find a cute sundress for summer.  It must not have been my day because nothing that I chose looked good on me.  In fact a couple of dresses made me look like I'd GAINED weight.  In the past I would have left the store discouraged.  But today I left feeling more resolved to keep up with my new diet.  It was a good thing. 

Countdown to the Wedding - Day 39

I'm seeing some super results because of my diet.  My energy level is high, which is good.  But I can now fit into some clothes that I couldn't just a couple months ago and that is great!!  I had put some things up in the top of my closet that I couldn't fit into.  You know, those "I hope I can get back into these some day" clothes.  Well, I pulled down a pair of pants today and I could fit into them!!!!  My diet isn't at all boring but I'll admit that sometimes I really want some ice cream or chocolate.  I just don't want to start down that road.  I'm afraid once I do, I won't be able to stop.  And I am hungry a lot, especially in the late afternoon.  Finding satisfying snacks that don't pack too much of a calorie punch has been a challenge.  Getting that boost today in being able to wear something again though helps me to keep it going.  I feel successful.  My total weight loss so far is 10 pounds.

Countdown to the Wedding - Day 33

I just got back from a week in Washington DC.  It wasn't a pleasure trip; I was there because my brother-in-law is in the hospital and I needed to be with my sister-in-law.  Needless to say, the stress level was high and the routine was different.  But the point of the trip is a subject for another day.  Because everything was different, I was a little anxious when I got on the scale this morning.  I was trying to watch what I ate and make wise choices.  I wasn't able to go on my hour-long walks every morning, but we did have to walk five very long blocks to the Metro station every day.  But I didn't gain anything and I didn't lose anything.  Whew!  My weight loss is still 8 pounds.