Food

I though today I would share what I have been eating. I know, I know, it is soooo exciting isn't it?? I just don't have anything else to report except that I did 5 laps last night and did running in 3 of them, about a 1/4 mile.

OK so yesterday I ate:

1/2 Cantalope
1 cup Special K cereal with 3/4 c 1% milk
Grapes
Chicken Leg
BLT
1 cup of pinto beans
3/4 cup pineapple chunks
Popcorn (evening snack)

I have been averaging around 1600 calories a day so far. I am feeling really good and energized. My feet and ankles feel stiff in the mornings and a little sore for a couple of hours, but I think as I take the weight off they won't hurt as much. I am praying for no pain.

Weight and Weigh In Clarification

I need to clear something up! The last time I weighed myself at home was early June and I weighed 254. I kept that number in my head. However, when I went to my doctor on June 17th their scale said I weighed 260. I shrugged it off because it was late in the afternoon and I was fully clothed- you know how it is- we like to weigh naked after we have peed right? LOL Anyway, I weighed this morning back at my house and my scale says 252. YEAH!!!! So, if we go with the starting weight of the Dr. visit I have lost 8 pounds since the 17th! Or if we go with my home scale, I have lost 2 pounds, which is still good, but I like 8 better!

My next weigh in will be next Monday July 6, 2009.

Last night I excerised with the girlfriends again and it was great. We did 5 laps around the high school track. 3 of the laps we alternated jogging and walking and boy did my heart rate increase. I was sweating like mad too. Then I did a few abdominal exercises before going home. I felt so good when I left. I feel great today and can't wait to get out there tonight.

On the food front.....after my doctor appointment on the 17th I started being more conscious of what I was eating, but I finally started writing things down and counting calories on the 26th. I am staying under the 1800 calorie range and I think I am getting past the white knuckle withdrawl stage. Praise the Lord!

100 Pounds $1000 Challenge

I have created this blog to record my thoughts, feelings, struggles, victories and challenges on my journey to lose 100 pounds. Part of me sits here wondering, "How did I get to this place where I even need to lose 100 pounds?" I look back at pictures of myself 10-13 years ago and I looked good!!! Somehow though, back then I thought I was fat and needed to lose weight. I probably dieted my way to this size!

In actuality, I know exactly what got me to where I am. I am an emotional eater. The weight gain started after the birth of my second son. I actually went to my pre-pregnancy weight after I had him, but emotional stress brought on a gradual weight gain. When my second son was 18 months old my Daddy passed away and my way of coping was eating and shopping. Since 1997 I have gained an average of 10 pounds a year. Along the way I have lost 30 here and 30 there only to gain them back and another 10. To the point where now I am 254 pounds! YIKES! That makes my goal weight 154, which may sound like too much to some, but I have about 8 pairs of jeans that would fit me at that weight!! Ideally, I would like to get down to 145 because that is what I weighed when in this picture here:

On the right is my current weight. Ugh. It is so hard to look at. I know I am now 37 and things may not go back exactly as they were. I have more than a weight loss goal though. I want to feel good and healthy again. I am tired of being tired. I want to ride bikes with my boys, go on hikes without getting winded. Chase the ball around the back yard with the boys and not quit 5 minutes later because I can't breathe. I also have a "size" goal. I want to be a size 12 again. 10 would be excellet, but 12 would be great and I would be satisfied. I could also more easily maintain being a size 12 I think. In the picture above I was wearing a size 11 Levi. When I wore those jeans I also fit into a size 9 tight Bongo jeans. LOL Remember those? Yeah, and I still have both those pairs in my closet. Wearing the 11 Levi's would be the ultimate size victory for me!

So, where does the $1000 come in? My Grampy issued me a challenge - via email. At first I felt slightly insulted and mad. After thinking about it briefly I realized that he is not a person who expresses himself easily and I took his email in the spirit I believe he meant it. He is concerned about me and my mother (who he also issued the challenge to) and he doesn't like seeing us so overweight and unhealthy. I believe it worries him. So, he said if I lost 100 pounds by June 1, 2010 and no less than 100 that he would give me $1000. I plan on going to the outlet mall in San Marcos and buying a whole new wardrobe!! I am going to Dress Barn to the REGULAR SIZE side, Levi Strauss, Charlotte Russe, Old Navy and Nieman Marcus (for some biz attire). I will probably get new shoes too since I will be able to wear heels again!

Even though this blog is dated June 28, 2009 I started this new lifestyle on Thursday June 18, 2009. My current weight is 254. I will be reporting in when I weigh in and when I need to vent or brag! Until next time.......

Mary