177 pounds this morning:)

177 pounds this morning:)...not too shabby for being on vacation at the Wisconsin Dells (I snuck my scale in the suitcase! Do not tell Logan.)! I have been totally on target for points and exercising a good amount. I ran before we left for the Dells and walked five miles last night here at the Dells. My friend Michelle walks very fast and I had my hand weights. The path behind the Wilderness has a ton of hills! I am sore today!

This morning I ran the hilly course 4 miles and tonight we walked it again. All the "crazies" were out walking and running at 6:30 am. You can now count me and Logan among them! I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be out running on a vacation! But if I don't run or do some other exercise, than I am not happy. It's that plain and simple. Logan went running at 6 am and then I went. Life is so different this trip to the Dells (we go every summer). Last summer I made my slushy recipe and we were drinking it most of the vacation. Last year I slept in and spent the majority of the time in the lazy river. I am not embarrassed in my swimsuit this year. First time ever at the Dells. I still have work to do, but I am comfortable where I am.

Tonight I am extremely sore. Those darn hills. Tomorrow I will probably use the elliptical in the exercise room. OWWY! My melatonin is kicking in...I need to hit the hay!

Eating on Target

I have eaten right on my WW points five days in a row. I haven't dug into my weeklies or my activity points. I get a little bummed when I am eating well and the scale doesn't budge. Logan says, "most people call this a plateau"! The first few days of my WW week seem to stay the same and then I drop a pound or two right before my WW weigh in. Every Saturday I start my week over. I go to the Saturday morning meeting and my points start over for the week. I LIVE for Friday nights because I get out my weekly food journal and write down the things I accomplished that week and my goals for the following week. I NEVER write down anything negative. It doesn't matter if I didn't accomplish every single goal from the week before. I will only write what I accomplished. And I always find something, even if I am having a tough week.

I really need a hard run on the treadmill. I will probably get one later this morning. It's a gloomy, cold, summer day. Right now Hayden is begging me to work on a puzzle with her. Colin is on my computer and I am trying to write in my journal.

Last night a cutomer at work asked me if I lost weight on my own. She went on to ask me if I had a medical procedure. This is the third comment of this type. A few regular customers have taken a second look and are shocked I am the same person. I am proud of what I have done. I am doing it and will continue to do it. It has taken a lot of hard work, BUT it is easier to do than to live the way I was living. Seriously, the first few months were hard, but it got easier and easier as soon as I realized I could do it. Something just clicked this time. I will not gain the weight back. Even my mother has told me she will let me know if she sees that I have gained weight! I think I will know. I have no clothes bigger than my current size to grow into. I have gotten rid of EVERYTHING along the way! No safety guard here. I have to go. hayden lee and a puzzle are waiting for me:)

I am off the meds!

I am off the meds! I did it through diet and exercise. I still take my readings at home and they are good. My reading last night was 115/75.

Did I mention that Dr. Johnson said I have done what most people need surgery to do? I hardly think that's true. It does make me feel good though and several other people have asked me if I went the surgery route. I feel great, but I do not think it is impossible to lose this weight with diet and exercise.

I am starting to get compliments everywhere...at the pool, church, work, the neighbors...ect. It feels really good and I need to remember this for when they stop coming in. People often ask me what I have done to lose the weight and I tell them there is no magic pill. I had to change everything. I really have changed everything.

I feel ten years younger. Two people have told me I look ten years younger. I wish I had done this a long time ago, but better late than never.

We belong to the local pool and we love it. It's the first time we have been members and it's awesome. I feel comfortable in my swimming suit although I still have a ways to go. I am not being negative. I still have some work to do. I am happy I am not scared to be seen in my swimming suit.

I am so stinking happy right now. It is absolutely crazy what a little(okay a LOT!) of exercise can do. Speaking of exercise, I ran ten miles yesterday! ten miles! That was my first ten mile run ever! I pushed the kids in the double jogger too! It was about 90 pounds with the kids and stroller.

Me and Logan ran a 10k on the 4th of july. See the photo above:) Not many people were signed up for it. I was nervous. I ran it in 1:03 which was 8.5 minutes off my first 10k. I feel pretty good about that. It is crazy to think that I couldn't run a mile back in November.

This was Logan's first 10k and he ran it FAST! Nice work buddy!

Good so far

So far so good with the blood pressure readings! Hoping they stay low:)

Woot woot! Good news!

189 pounds! Down 61 pounds! Woot Woot! And...drumroll please...I am cutting back on my blood pressure meds! I am cutting back to 5 mg for 6 or 7 days and Dr. Johnson is confident I will be off of them in a week! I sure hope she's right. I have been working towards this goal for almost eight months! I feel fantastic. I also spoke to her about my goal and she agrees 150 pounds would be a good goal to strive for:) So tired...more another time.

Down 58 pounds and still going strong!

192 pounds...down 58 and still going strong! I can't believe I am 16 pounds less than when I ran my first 10k! I feel stronger when I run and just today I noticed how much smaller my shadow looks when I am running.

7 more pounds and I will no longer be obese. At 250 pounds my bmi was 40.1 and at 192 pounds my bmi today is 30.99! That is amazing:)

Weight Watchers has helped a lot with portion control and positive self talk. You can eat a lot of food when it is the right food!

Here I am at 201 pounds!

I forgot to journal the day I turned 199 pounds! it was Mother's Day of this year. That was awesome, to say the least! I am finally under 200 pounds! My hard work has paid off! A few years ago I told myself I'd buy a robe for myself when I got under 200 pounds. I never made it to 200 pounds, so no new robe for me:( The day after Mother's day this year I ordered one from Lands End! I did it:)

Today I am 196 pounds. Down 54! I am doing it. I am trying not to use negative talk when I talk about my journey. I used to reply to compliments about my weight loss with, "I am down 50, 50 to go!" I learned in Weight Watchers that I was turning something positive into a negative. I have worked hard on this and now I just respond with a simple "thank you".

I am so happy. Hayden (3.5 years) made my father look at my butt! she told him, "it's smaller!" when I was walking away from her to my car. We try not to talk about size with the kids, but it's hard not to notice.

I have lost five inches off my waist in five weeks of hula hooping with my weighted hula hoop! This I find both exciting and crazy!

I feel like a totally different person. One who grasps life by the hand and is loving it! In 11 pounds I will be "overweight" and no longer "obese" on the BMI charts. I can't weight! Pun intended!

202 pounds! Down 48:)

I got pretty sick after the race with a bad case of bronchitis. I was starting to get sick before the race and wouldn't have been running had it not been for the race, but no one was going to stop me! I don't think I have ever had bronchitis so bad. I got a nebulizer treatment and two additional meds prescribed to me.

I was finally able to run again a week after the race. I did continue to hula hoop during the illness. When I started running Saturday I ran a 1/2 an hour on the treadmill. I ran pushing both kids in the stroller on Sunday and ran while Logan biked with the kids today. While he ran, I biked with the kids.

Logan has started to become serious about running himself. He was running a bit before the race I just ran, but has really steeped it up since we signed up for the race in July. He has lost about twenty pounds through our new healthy lifestyle. he had a cholesterol scare which was corrected through getting rid of butter, eating lowfat and whole grains and getting the right supplements in addition to exercising

I cannot believe I am 3 pounds from 199! I am doing this! One pound at a time!

I officially started Weight Watchers last week. I know all the healthy things to do and do them all, but I need some major help with portion control:) There is a booklet at WW outlining the healthy guidelines. Guess what? I do them all! Working out, drinking water, little or no wine or pop, flax oil and fishoil, ect. The leader suggested we add one of these healthy habits each week. I do them all, by accident, but I do them:) I joined WW with a good friend from work. We go to the early Saturday meetings because we both are available at that time. It is awesome to have the support of my friend at WW.

Race day! First 10k EVER!

First 10K ever! The Get Into Gear 10K. Originally we were going to sign up for the 5K, but I thought why, we could run farther than that! Mind you I was still 230 pounds when we signed up for the race! I asked my sister if she thought I could run a 10K and she said yes without hesitation. She believed in me! When I told my mom we were signed up for a 10K she too thought I could do it! What? Others thought I could run a race? The moral support of my sister was amazing...I can't explain what it did for me, but it definitely put wind beneath my wings!

I had per ma grin on my face the entire race. It was easier to run the distance with the big group of runners. I was savoring the moment. I ran it with my sister Jenn, Ashley and Robin from work. Somewhere along the way we got separated from Robin. I am sure Ashley and Jenn could have run faster, but they stayed with me. They crossed the finish line a few steps before me. I seriously was out of energy by the finish line. I had given it my all! This was obvious by the trowing up at the finish line! GROSS! I hope this doesn't happen at ever finish line!

Once the race was over, I felt let down. I didn't have anything to look forward to and Logan was jealous that he hadn't run the race with us. Logan suggested we sign up for another 10k, so we went home and found one online and signed up for one July, 25, 2009. I can't wait!

So damn proud of myself

209 pounds!! Down 41!! So damn proud of myself. I just read my last entry. WOW! Not proud of my body, but not embarrassed anymore. How awesome. My work is paying off. Not only do I look better than I have in years, my health is improving so much too! My blood pressure has been so much lower. I really hope I can get off the pills or lower my dosage at my appointment in June. Fingers crossed!

I started counting points through Weight Watchers. I tried WW last year, but it didn't work because I was wasting too many of my points on beverages.

It is crazy how much different I feel and cannot fathom how much better it will feel to be 170, 160 and 150 pounds.

Time to get serious again!

Okay. Time to get serious again! I am 212 pounds. Down 38. The last ten days I have been under the weather. I have a cold coming on. I have been very good eating wise and got back to running again a few days ago. My body has changed so much. I still have a far way to go, but feel much better than the last time I wrote in my journal.Yes, I feel good, not terrific, but I am no longer embarrassed about my body anymore. Not quite proud of it either, but no longer hiding it. I feel fortunate to have found the willpower to have made these life changes. I need some sleep now.

212.5 pounds:)

212.5:) No wine and lots of running! So glad to be down 37.5 pounds, but shocked at how much farther I have to go. I know I can do it and I am doing it slow and steady, but it's just hard to think I have to lose the weight of Hayden Lee two more times!

On a more positive note, I ran the race course for the get Into Gear 10K today. 6.2 miles. It was slow, but I did it. My legs were like jello at the end of the course, but I never stopped. I am proud of myself.

Oh Happy Day!

Oh happy day! It's almost 60 degrees outside. I am sitting on the back patio surrounded by little patches of ice left over from winter. Almost all the snow has melted. We just got back from a fast walk around the lake with the kids. Daddy is cooking out on the grill. The kids are playing in the sand table. I am enjoying a piping hot cup of blueberry herbal tea. Life is fantastic!

Somewhere along this journey I stopped drinking pop. It wasn't a decision I made, it just happened. I was drinking so much water that there wasn't really room for the pop. I switched to tea because the water was too cold to drink in the winter. Tea is soothing and calms me when I am stressed.

I am feeling great. I went to my annual exam today and Dr. Johnson was very pleased with my results. She couldn't stop saying that I looked good. She said it five or six times, but who's counting?! At first she noticed my haircut. I think my face is thinner looking, but people tend to notice the haircut. Maybe they don't realize my face is thinner. That is okay. Dr. Johnson me how I feel and I told her I felt "great"! I also told her it's been easier to stay healthy with all my lifestyle changes. I told her when people are getting sick around me I have been okay. In the past if I looked at someone with a cold I would get bronchitis! I think it's the working out, the eating right and the supplements. So everything I am doing!

I am still on the 10mg of Lisinopril for my blood pressure. My numbers aren't good enough to get off of it at this point. She was going to put me on a higher dose, but didn't when she realized I really wanted to get off the meds and work towards that. So I will check back in with her in three months. I sure hope to be under 200 pounds by the next appointment!

I am Happier than I have been in a long time

My new lifestyle becomes more normal to me everyday. I feel fantastic and I think I look a lot better and happier!

I am still working out. I ran a lot over the weekend. I ran almost six miles two times. My knees hurt alittle, so I went on the elliptical today. Now I am a bit sore from that!

I am down 32.5 pounds! I am 217.5:) This is IT baby! I am doing it and I am doing it for life! Did I mention that I feel great?

Beach run today

I ran four miles today on the beach. I was sore before I even got back to the condo, but not as sore as the first time I ran on the sand!

Ran at a park in Cocoa Beach

I ran in the parking lot near the park in Cocoa Beach as the family played at the park. 3 miles with walking to and from the park and I ran a 1/2 hour once we got there.

In Cocoa Beach, Florida

We are in Cocoa Beach finally! We left the house at 4 am and got to the condo at 11:40 am:)

My New Year's resolution includes vacation time. I ran 3.4 miles today on the sand today. I took the six flights of stairs to our condo three or four times today. I am SORE! I am proud I worked out our first day of vacation.

Down 29 Pounds

I was 221 pounds today. Down 29 pounds. My resolution is going well and I am eating right:)

Regaining energy!

I was 224.0 on my birthday yesterday! I am down 26 pounds since November. I have 75 to go and I will do this. Ran/walked 4.65 miles today. I feel strong and happy. I am regaining energy. I am enjoying playing "hide and seek", "tag", and "airplane rides" with the kids. Did I mention my energy is back? I am so stoked about that!

Down 25 pounds!

225 pounds! Down 25 from 11/03/2008:) Woo freaking woo! 75 pounds to reach my 150 pound goal weight. Off to bed to read a health magazine. I have subscribed to every magazine about healthy lifestyles that I can get my hands on!

Day 17...I am proud of myself:)

Day 17...I am so proud of this New Year's resolution. I am doing it and I feel great. The high I get from working out far outways any feeling I ever got from a glass or two of wine. Why did it take me so long to realize this? I guess it was hard to ignore when my weight and choices began to affect my blood pressure. yesterday it was amazing. 111/55:) so something is definitely working. It is probably a combo of everything I am doing...the running, not drinking, not adding salt, ect...

Addicted to exercise?

Day fifteen of my New Year's resolution:) I think I am addicted to exercise! I love to exercise. It gives me a HUGE natural high that I never got from wine. I feel fantastic! I am down 24 pounds since November 3rd:) Now if my belly fat would disapear overnight I'd be extremely happy! it took years of unhealthy habits to put it on, so what do I expect? Goodnight. off to read a health magazine before going to sleep.

Woo Freaking Woo!

Woo freaking woo! I am down 23.5 pounds! I am doing this and (so far) it's easier than I thought it would be. I ran 4.23 miles yesterday and 4.39 miles today. I hope the weight just melts off for awhile. Day ten without wine. I am down seven pounds this week:) My blood pressure was 111/70 after running this morning, of course with meds. Not too shabby though! I am on my way to better health!

OOPS...gone for awhile, but I am back!

Oops. eight days back on course! Things went astray the last few weeks of December:( Too much eating, drinking and NOT working out. What was I thinking? I quit drinking as my New Year's resolution this year. I quit smoking New Years 2001 and stuck with it. I will keep this resolution as well!

I weigh 230.5 pounds. I have started back on the running and feel pretty good. I signed up for a 10K with my sister Jenn and a few friends from work. It's at the end of April. Now if that doesn't motivate me, I don't know what will! I have to do this. I am down 20 pounds from 11/03/2008, so not too shabby, BUT I am sick of seeing myself after I get out of the shower. Yuck. I am embarrassed. I do not want to be the fat mom anymore:( We do not even let our kids say that word (fat). I wish I could fast forward and be thin, but then how could I be proud of that? I am working towards this goal, one day at a time.