My Journey to Weight Loss and Healthy Living

Weigh-in went as expected . . . HORRIBLE!!!  I knew I had gained a LOT of weight because I cant fit anything.  I weighed in at 270.0 pounds even.  No excuses, no crying.  It is what it is.

 

I have FINALLY relocated back to Atlanta.  YAY!!!  Packing and moving was a pain, but very worth it.  I haven't foind a job yet, but I love my new apartment (minus the neighbor below that likes to watch movies with surround sound at 4 in the morning).  Other than that, I feel very settled and at home.  I finally feel like I can relax and like I belong.  And that's a wonferful feeling!

 

I took new pictures and already posted them along with pics from my 10 year high school reunion.  I haven't taken my measurements, but I will do so tomorrow and post it them as well.

 

Okay, gotta go!  Have a fabulous afternoon.

 

270.0/270.0/130.0

Looks-a like-a I'll be starting over yet again, unfortunately.  I haven't actually been home since July 10th and have ZERO control on the road, so you know what that means.  Prior to July 10th, I spent a week or so in Daytona Beach, and prior to that was my 10 year high school reunion here in Atlanta.  I've been going going going.  I have NOT been counting points or working out.  No one to blame but myself.  I am so ready to be moved here (in Atlanta) and settled down so that I can get back on track.  I find it so difficult to stay on plan when I feel like everything else is out of control. 

 

I am in the process of trying to mentaly prepare myself for starting over.  I know I can do it, that's not the issue.  The issue is actually doing it.   I haven't stood on a scale in quite a while, but I know it's terrible by th way my clothes fit.  Again, I'm not going to get depressed because I know how to remedy it . . . just do what I am suppose to do, LOL!

 

I'm still working on finding a teaching job.  There are several openings that I have applied for and I haven't been called for any.  I don't know what these schools are thinking.  School starts back in a few weeks, and they don't have the teachers they need.  And here I am begging for a job, LOL.  Wherever God wants me is where I'll be, I guess.  I have faith.

 

Oh yeah, I have pics from the reunion that I will load up when I get back home.  I hope everyone else is doing well on your weight loss journies, and I'll be right back there with you as soon as I get it back together. 

 

Have a FABULOUS afternoon!

 

And Moe, thank you so much hun!

. . . of being a slacking lurker!  I come on here all the time and read over past blogs.  I look at a lot of your blogs as well.  I do this in hopes of getting myself back on track.  It's tough this time.  Yesterday, all in all, was a good day.  I even worked out!  I've been having these horrible cravings, and sometimes I feel that my mind isn't stronger than these cravings.  I KNOW I am stronger, but I have to stop submitting to them.  I'm getting better and better each day.  This weight loss thing is a journey, and sometimes we get lost.  Now, I'm working to find my way back to the main road.  I've gained about 15 pounds, which is not good, but it isn't horrible considering I gained ALL of my weight back the time before.  I thank God for the small things.  I'm looking forward to today being an even better day than yesterday.  I didn't take progress pictures, nor did I take my measurements for the month.  I haven't even been back to WW (though they still get my money, LOL).  I'm so sorry about that, but I just wasn't ready to face the numbers.  I am going to have good news to report in July, though.  I'm looking forward to that. 

 

My goal right now is to get back to 225 by my high school reunion.  I wanted to be 215 pounds, but that probably won't happen.  And that's okay.  I'll be there soon enough!  One day at a time right now.  I'm focusing on each meal, each snack, each workout, each day.  The last day of school is tomorrow (for the kids) so I'm very pleased about that.  I haven't decided if I am going to work over the summer.  I might do some tutoring, but I want to focus mainly on working out hard.  I want to start working out twice a day. . . doing a regular workout and some walking or the elliptical.  I want to kick butt this summer.  I really want to be below 200 pounds when I move back to Atlanta at the end of July.  I don't know if that is possible, but we shall see.

 

Alrighty, have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/?240?/130

Hey everyone!  I'm so sorry I haven't been blogging regularly, but I have been so over-worked lately.  It's the end of the school year, and I have had so much to do lately.  I'm trying to get everything done, and it doesn't seem like there are enough hours in the day!  I'm sure you know how that is!  No, ,I am not back on track like I should have been.  I didn't do bad during the daytime, because I packed my lunch and everything . . . but the problems mainly start by the time I got home.  My first mistake was not going to the grocery store.  By not going to the store, there was really not a complete meal.  Then, I was too tired and lazy to go during the week.  It was just much easier to just pick up something.  Going to Atlanta didn't help either.  I had done really well on Mother's Day, but I don't know what happened after that.

 

Well, today is a new day!  I made a protein shake for breakfast this morning, and I have a nice salad for lunch.  I need to go by the store to pick up a few things along with water, but I AM GOING TODAY!  I also am going to workout today.  It's been a week since I've done that.  Also, I have not been to WW for two weeks.  Yes, I suck, LOL.  I goofed off for two weeks, now it's time to get back on track.  That's exactly what I am going to do.

 

Gotta go, have a FABULOUS afternoon!

 

267.2/225.6/130

Hello everyone, and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!  Todaqy was a very good day for me.  This is the first day that I actually ate well and worked out . . . YAY!!!  I am currently in Atlanta, and was able to spend Mother's Day with my mom, due to coming up here for this interview tomorrow.  My mom even worked out with me today!  She didn't do the whole workout, but something is surely better than nothing.  My eating was on point, and for dinner tonight, we went to Johnny Carinos.  I've never been there (it was the only place that didn't have a 3 hour wait), but the foosd was reaslly good.  I ordered the Rosemary Chicken.  It had the little "low fat" symbol beside it.  I figured that it was one of the better choices.  I did eat a little too much bread and had two bites of the turtle cheesecake (ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS).  That wasn't too bad considering I didn't eat much throughout the day.  Tomorrow, I won't eat out at all.  This is a "business" trip, and I will not go out to eat for pleasure.  Today was my first day back on track, so I am totally not going to screw it up.  I am going to my interview tomorrow at 10, then I am going to the grocery store to get some lunch and dinner.  After that, I am coming back home (to my mom's house) to workout.

 

I am going to probably make the trip back home to Jacksonville either tomorrow evening or Tuesday morning.  I am too ready to be back in Atlanta for good.  I miss the family time with my mother, graqndmother, siblings, aunts, and cousins.  Coming back home and spending that time together really makes me want to be back here for good.  I truly miss it.  In due time, I'll be back! 

 

Alrighty, pray for me on my interview, and have a fabulous evening!

 

267.2/225.6/130

 

Oh, and, as you can tell . . . I didn't weigh in.  I KNOW I don't weigh 225.6 pounds right now, but hopefully, I'll be back there by next week's weigh in.  We shall see . . .

Boy, have I sucked this week!  I have not been working out, nor have I been eating well.  I don't know what is wrong with me this week!  You know what, yes I do.  Last time when I got to this weight (in 2006) I started to self-sabotage.  I didn't do it consciously, but, nevertheless, I did it.  It seems like I am doing the same exact thing now.  Well, it is coming to an end TODAY.  I brought my normal healthy lunch, and am going to the grocery store to get something healthy for dinner tonight.  I'm also going to work out tonight, for the first time all week.  No more slacking for me!

 

Okay, so I got an interview at a school in Atlanta, and it is scheduled for Monday, May 12th.  So, I have no choice but to miss a couple days of work next week.  That also means that I will be out of town for the weekend.  I have to make sure that I stay on track during that time.  I can't afford to be eating like crap just because I'm in Atlanta.  Hopefully, I will get the job.  That will be a total load off my mind.  One less thing to worry about when I move. 

 

My main focus for this week is getting back on track.  So I am setting goals for myself.  I am doing my soy and whey protein, along with a healthy dinner and two snacks.  Tonight, I am also going to do a sculpting tape and, hopefully, the elliptical for 30 minutes.  I probably won't weigh in this week.  It depends on what time I leave for Atlanta.  Truthfully, I don't want to see what I weigh. 

 

Okay, I'll have better news for you all tomorrow!  Have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/225.6/130

Hey everyone!  This weekend was a very busy one.  More specifically, Saturday was a LONG day.  I got up fairly early to go to my WW meeting to weigh in.  After that, I went to the Shrimp Festival in Fernandina Beach.  I had a wonderful time there, but it was mighty hot, LOL.  We really didn't stay there that long due to the extreme heat!  After that, we went to one of those pottery painting places.  I never knew how long it takes to paint pottery!  Well, I'm kind of a perfectionist, so it took me about 3 hours.  It was very fun, though.  After that, I came back home to get dressed for dinner.  We went to this wonderful seafood place, then off to the club.  After the club, we went to breakfast.  When it was all said and done, I didn't get home till after 5 am.  Like I said, a very LONG day!  It was long, but one of the best times I have had in a long time.  Needless to say, eating was less than admirable.  That's okay, though . . . I'll lose anything I gained this week.

 

Alrighty ladies and gents, that was a little recap of my busy weekend.  Have a fabulous Monday!

 

267.2/225.6/130

Hey everyone!  I had a wonderful weigh in today!  I loss 2.8 pounds!  I was very pleased with that.  I have a very tight schedule for the rest of the evening, so I gotta go!  I'll blog tomorrow!

 

Have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/225.6/130

Okay, so yesterday I was scheduled to do HDS, which is a 45 minute intense sculpting video.  I completed that, THEN I went to the gym to do 35 minutes on the elliptical!!!  I felt like I needed to get some cardio in because I am upping my calories from the detox, and I don't want to gain too much weight.  I'm hoping to have a fantastic weigh in this week.  I probably won't be at 224, but 225 would be fantabulous, LOL!  We shall see!

 

Today, I have CO scheduled to do.  I get my hair done this afternoon, so I have to workout afterwards.  I'm getting my sew-in back, so hopefully my hair doesn't look a mess after the workout.  I'm hoping.  I think I'll take a picture for you all to see me in all my glory, LOL.

 

Alrighty, have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/228.4/130

Here are the side by side pictures from December 2007 to now.  Do you see a difference?  I sure do, LOL.

 

         

Dec 07 (267.2)             May 08 (228.4)

 

 

 

             

Dec 07                        May 08

 

 

267.2/228.4/130

April / May 2008

weight:  228.4      -38.8         

size: 20 (regular)

 

neck:  14 ”  1 ¼            

 

arm:

     left:  16"  ¾                                         

     right:  15 ¾"  ¾                                         

 

forearm:

     left:  10 5/8"  3/8                                         

     right:  11"  ½    

 

wrist:

     left:  6 3/8"  3/8

     right:  6 3/8"  3/8                                    

 

chest:  42"   3        

 

over breasts:  48 ½"  4 ½                                                                                       

 

under breasts:  41 ¾"  3 ¼                                   

 

upper stomach:  46 ¼"  5 ¼                                

 

waist:  52 ½"  5                                        

 

hips:  45 ½"  3

 

upper thigh:

     left:  27 ¼"  2 ¾   

     right:  28"  2 ¾  

  

calf:

     left:  15 ¾"  1 3/8

     right:  16"  1 ¼     

 

ankle:

     left:  8 ¾"  3/8

     right:  8 ¾"  3/8

 

Total inches lost:  37 ¼”

Hi everyone!  Today is my first day officially off the Lemonade Detox.  I'm not quite able to eat regularly, so today, I'm doing veggie juice, and tonight, I get to have an actual meal.  YEAH!!!  Okay, so to the results:

 

*  My mental state:  I believe that the detox has sharpened my senses and perspective on a lot of my day to day issues.  My mind seems much clearer, and I am able to focus better.

*  How I feel:  My energy level during the detox seems to have gone up, and I feel like I am strong.  On the downside, I get really tired around 8 or 9 pm.

*  My weight loss:  The weigh-in before I began the detox, I weighed 238.8 pounds.  Then I went to dinner that Saturday night and had this hugely insane 7 layer carrot cake.  I couldn't even eat it all . . . Lord knows I tried, LOL.  When I say it was fabulous, it was FABULOUS!  Anyway, back on topic, LOL.  So, the morning of the detox, I stood on the scale and it read 242 pounds.  This morning I stood on the scale and it read 224 pounds.  This means I loss 18 pounds!!!  Now, if it will just stick, hummmmm.  We'll know over the next few weeks.  I don't know if these weights are correct because my scale isn't really accurate, but I know the difference is correct because I weighed in on the same scale.

*  How I look:  This morning, my girlfriend said to me, as I was getting dressed for work, "You look anorexic." (Disclaimer:  This comment was not meant to offend anyone.  We both realize that anorexia is an severe and debilitating disease, so nothing negative was meant by these comments against anyone with an eating disorder.  If anyone was offended, I appologize.)  I said, "There's no way I look anorexic and I weigh over 200 pounds," LOL.  Then she explained that I look so different from a couple of months ago.  She said I look skinny.  This may not only be attributed to the detox, but there was some contribution.

 

Not too shabby.  Besides, I know that I am strong enough to endure not eating for that long period of time.

 

Have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/228.4/130

When I wake up tomorrow morning, my 10 day detox will be officially over!  Yeah!  I'm very excited about that.  I think I might run to the store to get some orange juice so that I can get my digestive system reved up again.  I'll drink that and veggie juice during the day and have a sensible dinner.  I'm so glad that I will actually be able to chew something, LOL.  Like I said, I'll be having grilled chicken and veggies.

 

Also, tomorrow marks the end of the Biggest Loser competition at my school.  I have no chance of winning, but I'm still pround of what I and my coworkers have done.  There's this guy who has lost about 60 or so pounds.  He works out three times a day . . . I just can't do that.  He'll probably win anyway. 

 

Okay everyone, have a fabulous evening!

 

267.2/228.4/130

It's hard to believe that I have done this for nine whole days.  Granted, I experienced each and every one of those days, but now that I'm looking back on them . . . it doesn't seem to have been that long.  ONE MORE DAY!!!  Oh yeah!  I am so hoping that tomorrow doesn't drag on and on.  You know how when you are looking forward to something to come up it seems to take forever to come?  Yeah, I'm hoping that doesn't happen tomorrow.  Regardless, I just have to get through that and it's all downhill from there. 

 

My coworker who is doing this with me is going to do the maintenance plan for 30 days.  The only difference between this and that is that you can eat one small meal a day (like chicken or fish and veggies).  I don't think so, LOL.  I did the detox to cleanse my body.  Granted I enjoy the weight loss part of it, but my body is cleansed.  I want to lose weight without being deprived of food.  I want to be able to eat whatever I want (as long as I count points) and enjoy it.  I'm NOT going to drink lemonade to lose weight.  I just won't do it.  The maintenance plan seems too much like a diet, and I don't like dieting.  I like living a healthy lifestyle with the occasional treat.  So, my coworker is on her own with that one. 

 

I am going to have to update my workout schedule because I have decided to do a rotation that some of the other Firm Believers are doing for the next 90 days.  Today was the first day.  I just completed my workout.  Lord knows I didn't feel like doing it.  I walked around the house in my workout clothes for at least two hours, LOL.  BUT, I finally got it done.  The hardest part to working out is pressing the "play" button.  Once I get started, stopping isn't even an option.

 

In other news, there is suppose to be a Shrimp Festival in a little city right above Jacksonville named Fernandina Beach.  I've never been, but my girlfriend has several times and says that the food is absolutely wonderful.  I definitely want to go.  I know there is only going to be so much that I can eat, and I'm not going to stuff myself.  I plan on going to dinner later on that evening.  Then, we're going out to the beaches to do this pottery thing.  You know those places where you go and make pottery?  Well, we're going there right after the festival.  Then following dinner we're going to the club!  I wasn't able to do anything last weekend, so this weekend I am cramming everything in, LOL.

 

Also, I took my measurements Sunday morning.  I usually take them on the first of the month, but since it falls on a Thursday, and I am not going to take the measurements first thing in the morning before work, I went ahead and did it then.  I am going to post them on May 1st.  I also took my pictures this morning.  I've already cropped them on my computer, so they are ready to go.  I think that I look awesome on those pics!  I can really see the difference.  I'll also post them side by side with my start pictures.

 

Okay, I've got to shower and get ready for bed!  Have a fabulous evening!

 

267.2/228.4/130

Two more days, two more days!  I think the weekend has been difficult.  Difficult not because I am hungry, but because I felt like I couldn't go out if I couldn't eat.  The reality is that I could have gone out, but who wants to go to the movies and not have anything to snack on?  Who wants to go out to the club and not be able to have an alcoholic beverage?  And going out to dinner is simply out of the question, LOL.  So, for those reasons, I just stayed at home.  Yesterday, after my weigh in, I did my workout, and a little later on I went swimming.  Today, I just lounged around the house.  I didn't do much of anything.  It was a rest day, so I didn't have to workout.  I never thought I'd be so happy to see a Monday come, LOL.  After tomorrow, I'll only have Tuesday left.  Oh yeah!

 

On Wednesday, I can't just go right back to eating as usual.  I have to gradually start back.  I'll probably do veggie juice and orange juice throughout the day, and have a lean meat and veggie for dinner.  Then I will build on that for the next few days.  On Saturday, I'm going out to dinner, LOL.  I'm definitely ready.  That following Sunday, I will start back counting my WW points and stepping up my workouts.

 

Alrighty, have a fabulous Sunday afternoon.

 

267.2/228.4/130

Hi everyone!  I weighed in today and loss 10.4 pounds!!!  YEAH!!!  Well this is good considering I gained 7 pounds last week.  I didn't quite reach my goal of being down 40 pounds by this weigh in, but I'm pretty close so I'm pleased about it.  Now, I just have to stay focused this week and keep my eye on the prize, and hopefully I will have another significant weight loss.

 

Today I have HCF scheduled to complete today, so I'm about to go ahead and do it.  Have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/228.4/130

Thank God I'm over halfway there, LOL.  No, it hasn't been a bad day.  I haven't really been hungry, but the thought of actually chewing something is enticing (did I spell that right? LOL).  It's really great to have someone doing this with me.  I don't feel so alone.  I think the hardest part will be for me to last through this weekend.  After that, it's all downhill from there!  I'll only have Monday and Tuesday left.  YAY!

 

I did today's workout yesterday, therefore I didn't have to workout today.  I thought about going to the gym, but decided not to.  I feel like I need to rest my body.  I have another workout scheduled for tomorrow after weigh in.  DId I say weigh in?  Ah yes . . . the infamous weigh in.  I'm actually looking forward to it.  I have some idea of what the WW scales will read, but my scale isn't very accurate, so I won't speculate as of now . 

 

So it seems that this school year is ticking down and coming to a close.  I'm excited that it is almost over, but a little nervous about my job situation.  I don't currently have a job when I get there.  I'm really praying that something will open up for me.  I have faith that it will.  Meanwhile, this summer I plan on trying to do some summer school and/or tutoring.  I need to make money just in case I don't have a job when I get there.

 

Alrighty, I'm off . . . have a fabulous night!

 

267.2/238.8/130

I'm half way there!  This is going to be short and sweet.  I'm still following through as I should, and I worked out as well.

 

Short and sweet, like I said, LOL.

 

Have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/238.8/130

Today has been my hardest day yet.  I wasn't starving, but there was this lingering feeling of wanting something, ANYTHING, to eat, LOL.  The funny thing is that I'm not craving junk food . . . I just want a piece of grilled chicken, LOL.  That's sad that of all things that I want, it would be something healthy.  Maybe it's not sad, but rather it's progress!  I must say that this detox has given me an opportunity to think about so many things, OTHER THAN FOOD, with food being taken out of the equation.  I am actually more productive and focused on life in general.  Weird, huh?

 

Today, I also worked out.  I know that it is a scheduled rest day, but I went ahead and did tomorrow's workout today, and I will probably do Friday's workout tomorrow so I won't have to workout on Friday.  I like to have my Fridays off . . . unless I choose to do an extra workout.  We shall see.  Oh, I did the laxative last night and it was pretty gentle on my system this time.  I only let the tea bag stay in there for three minutes, versus the recommended 15.  TOM is tapering down, so that water weight should be coming off fairly soon (keeping fingers crossed for Saturday's weigh in).

 

Okay ladies and gents . . . tune in for tomorrow's episode of "Lemonade Detox."

 

Have a fabulous day!

 

267.2/238.8/130

Two days down, eight to go!  Okay, so last night I took the herbal laxative tea before bedtime . . . BIG mistake.  The laxative must have been EXTRA strong because around 2 am my stomach was churning.  When I got up I took the "salt water flush."  When they call it a flush, they mean a flush, LOL.  It was okay because I didn't go to work today, but tomorrow, I can't be running back and forth to the bathroom, LOL.  So, I am going to be discontinuing the laxative and salt water flush unless I feel I need a little help "eliminating."

 

Today went pretty well.  I'm almost afraid to say that I was not hungry at all today (for fear that I'll be starving tomorrow).  I had a slight headache, but it wasn't strong enough for me to need to take anything.  Also, I worked out today, as scheduled.  I went back to the health food store and bought some more syrup and also some cayenne pepper pills.  Drinking the cayenne was too much for me.  It burned my throat as it went down.  The pills will have the same effect as the actual pepper.  So why not?

 

Okay, I'm off to other things!  Have a fabulous evening!

 

267.2/238.8/130