It's Easier Said Than Done!

Why is it when I write these blogs I am bursting with eagerness to start the next week and so full of ideas; but when reality hits, it's a whole different ball game.... For instance: I had received a walking work-out video from a friend and was going to get up every morning and do it before work. Well, Monday mornings I am always an exhausted write off so that was a wash, and Monday evening is the same. Tuesday morning I decided it wasn't just Monday morning; apparently, it's an every morning thing... So of course that leaves evenings. Well, by the time we get home and have supper it's seriously almost bed time, or at least so close to it the last thing I want to do is exercise. This is tougher than I thought! I did get to finally exercise with the video this week, at 11:00pm last night (Saturday night). On a positive note, Hubby watched me do it and he was very impressed I kept up and got through it. I myself, was equally impressed... :D

Although I had trouble getting in the walking video, we did make it out to aqua fit class this week. Turns out it was actually aqua zumba class. This was lots of fun but I learned something about myself I didn't like... Despite always considering myself a smoooooth dancer, I don't think I can follow choreographed dancing...at all! I couldn't keep up to save my soul. I seemed to be either behind in movements, using the wrong foot/arm, or going in the wrong direction! I did get some enjoyment from watching my better half have the same struggles... mean of me I know! Actually, he was worse than I was, thank God! ;) 

Did any of you take on the 4 litre a day water challenge I mentioned in my last post? I started with this on Monday morning and it didn't take me long to feel as though one more drink of water would make me burst! I actually was feeling ill because I was SO full.... I didn't want to quit though so the second day I gave it another go and had a totally different reaction to it; I didn't mind it a bit! It was only the first day I found rough and every day after was better. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. If you were thinking about trying it but it seemed like too much, work up to that amount by starting with two litres. That is a totally respectable and reasonable amount of water to drink in a day. 

So thanks to the water intake, bit of exercise, and I think the lemon in my water I have for breakfast, I lost 2.4 lbs this week. I'm pretty sure I have those things to thank for it because I was a brat most of the week! I had a burger one night for supper, and chinese food two nights (counting leftovers). Plus, I've been nibbling a bit on candy because a bag has been sitting next to me all week. I really have to kill the nibbling habit after supper! 

So this week I REALLY want to do my best in every way and see how well I do on Sunday! If I can lose 2.4 lbs being bad, what can I do being extra good??? There will be no nibbling this week, I will have healthier meals, and I will try to exercise more! I am only 2.2 lbs away from losing 30 lbs!  WOOHOOO! 

Stay tuned to see if I can make that 30 lb mark! xo

He's Starting To Tick Me Off!

Okay, Hubby needs to back off! I love that he's losing weight too, because I actually want him to outlive me. However, if you have been following my blog you know that $40 cash is on the line. Therefore I want him to lose weight, but at a slightly slower pace than I do! I don't see that as being an unreasonable request, right? For example, I lost exactly two lbs this week, and he goes and loses 2.6. Now I just see my money flying right out the window! Could he not have lost 1.5 lbs... ;)

It's ok though, I've got this... I have a plan! Starting tomorrow a friend and I are doing a water challenge. Apparently on a 4 litre jug of water you mark off sections by time of day, and these sections are to be drank (drunk?)... Anyway, these sections are to be consumed by the time marked on the jug. Any of you want to join me in this challenge? It looks like a lot of water to drink, but it is throughout the whole day... :)

Also, I am very blessed to have a wonderful friend who sent me a walking fitness video. It's a 20 minute video which should be perfect for me in the morning while I'm waiting for my turn in the shower. I'm a little nervous about being awake enough for this, we shall see how it goes! Speaking of going, Hubby and I were supposed to go to the pool this past week for aquatics fitness but unfortunately we had to cancel due to an appointment. We should make it this week with no problem. 

So you see, all of this should add up to extra weight loss for me. I must say, I was shocked this week when I got weighed and lost 2 lbs. I had a couple of evenings out and I did not behave myself so I thought for sure I would pay for it dearly. I believe giving up the OJ in the morning and having lemon water instead helped me out. 

One more thing before I sign off for this week. I had another "YAY ME!" moment I'd like to share. I was out to an event last night so I had on a little extra make-up. When I got home, after I had washed my face, I looked in the mirror and could actually see some prettiness in my face. Maybe it was a trick of the light but for the first time in many many years, I actually saw my face as having potential. Now when I looked in the mirror this morning; well, let's just say that moment had passed! ;) 

Well, that's it for this week. A big thanks to each and everyone of you who have been such kind and supportive cheerleaders throughout my journey! Also a big thanks to everyone who reads my blog. I see the number of readers and it also gives me a nice feeling of support. :) 

I must say, I can't WAIT until next week's weigh in.... 

Stay tuned! 

Have A Seat...

Many of you, or I hope many of you, will never know the trials and tortures of being obese. So you may not know that something as simple as sitting in a chair, can be really difficult when you are overweight. The first thing to take into consideration is whether the chair will hold your weight. Plastic chairs at weddings, lawn furniture, plastic chairs at some eating establishments, etc... can be risky business! Now if the chair seems stable the next question is always, "Will my butt fit?". I have gone to events in stadiums where I did not fit in the seats. On our first cruise I came home with severe bruising on both of my outer thighs from the dining chairs. I was so embarrassed I would not mention it to anyone. However, on the second cruise I could not stand the pain and so I quietly and discreetly asked the waiters to get me a seat with no arms. I was extremely embarrassed! Thankfully, the waiters on cruise ships are pros and did not blink an eye. And then there is movie theatre seating, which thankfully for those of us on the larger side of life, has been improved by allowing us to lift the arms up between the seats. Now you might be wondering why I am rattling on about seating.... well, let me tell you... Last night we went to the movies, same location but different movies, and so I was on my own. I got to my seat, set down my popcorn and drink, lifted the arm of the seat next to me and sat down. After I sat there a minute I started to wonder how it would feel if I put that arm down on the seat next to me, and so I did... and I FIT!!!! Nothing was being squished, pinched, or choked off... I really fit comfortably! It was such a sweet moment! I was very likely still the largest person in that theatre, but I could sit there with both armrests down just like everyone else! It was definitely a victory and I bet my grin could have lit up the big screen, YAY ME!!! 

After the movies last night, Hubby and I went to a house party. I had an outfit planned out but had forgotten the button had come off the jeans I wanted to wear. Now they are the only jeans I have right now that don't look sloppy on me, so I really wanted to wear them. However, the top I wanted to wear was not tight but not loose either and I figured for sure the lack of button would show. So imagine my surprise when my weight loss had made the shirt loose enough to wear without a button on my jeans. Apparently losing weight doesn't make me any classier folks... ;)

Speaking of losing weight... I did! I lost 1.6 lbs this week and am happy to say I am now 295.8. I love watching the gap increase from the beginning weight of 319.2... :D

So starting this week, once a week, hubby and I will be attending an aqua fitness class. We both love the water so this should be lots of fun to do together. We'll see how it goes... stay tuned! 

Cheaters Never Win...

SO not impressed!!!! Even though it's my own damn fault... I'm mad about our end of the month weigh in. On the last Sunday of every month my Hubby and I calculate the percentage of body weight lost for the month. The person with the highest percentage wins $40.00. If I win I get to spend it on frivolous stuff like bingo, pedi's, etc and he can't say a word about it. If Hubby wins he gets to stop me... :) So far I was doing very well, I won for January and February; however, (sniff, sniff) I lost in March... are you ready for this, by .10 %!!! I could cry... actually, I should have cried and then re-weighed myself, it might have got me the win! ;) I lost 1.65% of my body weight and Hubby lost 1.75%. He must have cheated... LOL 

Like I said earlier though, it's my own damn fault! I've been going crazy on cheat days. I'm talking marathon eating of crap! I'm putting an end to that now. It probably takes me two or three days to lose what I gained on Sundays, that's crazy! From now on I will have one or two snacks but not a whole day of eating whatever I want. See, it wouldn't be so bad, but Hubby doesn't cheat at all, or very very little. He sits in his chair and watches me snack, and I just bet he's hearing maniacal laughter in his head! LOL 

I guess even though I am out $40.00 (and this will be the last time THAT happens), I still should be happy I lost 1.65% of my body weight for the month and 1.4 lbs for the week. 

Another thing that has yet to happen, is exercise. I know I've mentioned it the past two weeks, but I still haven't done it. I'm just not getting enough sleep and I'm exhausted every friggin' day! What I really want, is a pool pass for both of us for a year. We both love to swim and neither of us considers it exercise because it's fun. I just wish it didn't cost an arm and a leg for pool memberships! YIKES! 

Well, that's about all of the news I have for you this time around. You'll have to stay tuned to read all about how I blow Hubby out of the water on Sunday when we get weighed again. :D

Oh, and a tip.... Hubby wasn't losing any big amount of weight but he was taking saltines and cereal to work everyday. He switched those up for veggies and decreased his bread intake and now he's losing weight at a pretty good clip... Which is the reason I'm now struggling to keep ahead of him. Sometimes even little things can make a big difference! :)

Our Scales Are Crazy!

It's official, our scales really are crazy! We first really realized it when we became concerned with our cat's weight loss. Our kitty is the only tiny member of this household and unfortunately weight is not something she can afford to lose so we had been monitoring her weight. According to our scales she had lost .2 of a lb in a week, and then another .2 of a lb the next week too. Being concerned we took her to the vet to find out what was going on. Well, what a surprise we got when she actually weighed heavier than she did two weeks prior at the vet. Then this morning I weighed myself, walked out to the kitchen and had to use the washroom. Afterwards I went back in to weigh myself again (don't bother to judge me, you'd do the same thing... ;) ) and I was actually .2 of a lb MORE than before! I ask you, how could that even be possible? 

So this raises the question... am I really losing the weight it appears I am losing? The answer is.. YES! I know this because on Friday, for the first time, someone told me they could really see the weight I am losing. This wasn't someone who blows smoke up your butt either; this is someone who tells it like it is. I was SO pleased with the comment, and at the same time was thinking, "Damn, I wish I had done better this week!". 

Yeah, so remember me saying in my last blog I was going to walk for an hour a day? Well, that didn't happen... I did move furniture around one day and let me tell you, that was a workout (the kind you pray your deodorant holds up and you check your pit when no one is looking)! Another day I put a chair together and that was a bit of a trial too. Friday night at a party I danced several dances, including a jig... but I also had two drinks and, welllll... chicken wings and mozza sticks for supper. To be honest, this week we also had a frozen pizza and a burger. Oh, and at about 2:00am this morning we went to Mc. D's and I had McNuggets. Not our best week by far; however, I somehow managed to lose .4 of a lb (now 298.8). Unless of course the scales are BS'ing me again... 

So being concerned with our lack of willpower this week my Hubby came up with a modification to our "rules". Our treat day is Sunday and we can break the diet on this day if we wish; or at least that was the previous plan. Now it is a little different... If we don't have a weight loss on Sunday morning's weigh in, we don't get to have a Sunday snack day that day. I think it's great motivation, I reallllly look forward to my Sunday snack day! :)

So soon it'll be the start of a new week, with a new rule, and our eyes on the prize (this next weigh in is the end of the month one to determine who gets the $40). So far this month Hubby is ahead on the weight loss... If I don't smarten up, I'm going to be crying into my empty wallet! :( 

Stay tuned to see who gets the big bucks this month... ;) 

Well Now, Who Said That's OK???

Well, huh! Seems I got a little cocky with my bad ole self... I reached my mark last week, was feeling good and figuring I had this. I don't know, maybe I figured it was easier than I thought it was going to be, and perhaps I didn't need to try quite so hard this week... Yeah, so I was wrong! 

On the other hand my Hubby, who has been losing weight at a snails pace (7.4 lbs in 2 months), lost 4.2 lbs this week. The only thing he did differently was switch out crackers for veggies at work and cut back on bread on the weekend. Don't get me wrong, I think it's fantastic he lost the weight and finally feels like he's in the game (and I want him to live a long LONG time with me), but we have a bet going, and I don't want to lose! I guess it puts the pressure on me, which isn't a bad thing... :)

So now it's time to make some changes of my own. I know from past experience the only time I will truly refrain from snacking even a little bit, is when I move my butt. So, I guess I'll have to do just that. I will try to get an hour in a day. This is going to be tough! I'm usually exhausted during the day because I don't do the smart thing and go to bed at a half decent time at night. To be truthful, I find it much easier to give up eating certain foods, than exercising. I have done a bit of exercise so far, but it was a very scarce amount. This is going to take a whole new level of commitment on my part...

I wish I could explain how it feels being as heavy as I am and trying to get motivated to exercise. You know, they say big people are lazy, and that's just not true (well, not most of the time), it's a stereotype. We're friggin' weighed down is what we are! If someone called me lazy to my face, I'd hand them 150 lbs and tell them to go take a friggin' walk with it! I work on a university campus and I see these young perky women, as big around as my thigh, bouncing on by me when I'm trying to get a little exercise. They make me feel like a fat turtle, and I just want to trip em'... I'm being honest; the thought does cross my mind! I know, I know, it'll get easier, but until then; can't I trip just one? C'monnn, just one... ;)  

So I guess we'll see what next week brings after I add some serious exercise to my new lifestyle. This week was a bust. I didn't lose any weight, but on the plus side, I didn't gain any either. Now I feel like I let myself down a bit because I want to reach my next goal of 15 more lbs before the end of April. I can & will still do this, but now it will be a little harder than it was before. 

To be honest I can't wait to see what results I get from adding exercise every day. Will it make a huge difference I wonder? Stay tuned and we'll see...

A Girl's Gotta Do What A Girl's Gotta Do...

I am SO happy right now, and pretty damn proud of myself!!! As you can probably guess, I reached my goal... by the skin of my teeth, but I did it! Actually, I'm not even sure I didn't cheat a little... 

So, my first goal was to get down below 300 lbs (for the first time in at least 7 yrs) and to have lost at least 20 lbs. However, when I stepped on the scale this morning I was .2 of a lb from losing 20 lbs (I might have cursed a little). Of course there was NO way I was going to let this happen, so I came up with a plan... Back to the washroom I went (after having just been there) to see if my bladder had any more to give, and bless it's little heart, it did. So then back to the scales I go, praying all the way, and there it is, the magic number 299.2. :D  On January 3, 2016 I weighed in at 319.2 so I have lost exactly 20 lbs and I can now officially say I no longer weigh over 300 lbs. Bye bye 300 lbs, I pray to God I never see you again! Ohhhh, this feels sooooo good!!!! 

In trying so hard to get to my first goal I have learned a couple lessons along the way. This week I learned food has to be "calorie worthy" before I'll eat it. I discovered this when I was confronted by a mini chocolate doughnut. At first, I was weak and reached for the doughnut, I even put it in my mouth and chewed... but it wasn't a great doughnut, so I quickly grabbed a napkin and spit it out. I wasn't swallowing that! It just wasn't worth the calories... I'm kind of shocked I did it; it seemed to be almost a reflex action. Thankfully I was alone in the room, because it really was a disgusting, not so "lady like" thing to do. Maybe next time I'll either leave the doughnut alone, or take a teeny tiny sample nibble first. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks! ;)

So now that I am down to my goal, I feel I should have another. We have been invited to a wedding, and as I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I want a new dress to wear. So on my April 24th weigh in, I want to be down another 15 lbs to 284.2. I know you lose more at the start of a diet, and then things even out and weight comes off a bit slower, but if I try really hard I can do this. Stay tuned...