DAY 45: Check In Friday!

I'm doing this today because I actually have 5 minutes to post, as opposed to tomorrow when I wont't have 5 seconds to breath.

Check out this progress!!! I'm 45 days in and 15.2 lbs down.... I'm pretty happy with that overall :) I feel that's a healthy amount to lose in that time frame. I haven't been able to walk much, and I'm still on my pain meds, but I'm having to go go go all day long running errands and things so I guess in a way I am being more active than normal. I'm averaging about 2.4 pounds a week in weight loss, and 1.6 inches a week. I know that incorporating some actual exercise and some strength training will help boost those inches, so this week my goal is to do that, while still focusing on my water intake (this is still a struggle for me, but I'm getting there).

WEIGHT:

Starting weight: 236.4
Starting BMI: 40.6

Current Weight: 221.2
Current BMI: 38

Total Weight Loss: 15.2 lbs

MEASUREMENTS: 

Starting Waist: 34.2
Starting Hips: 54.5
Starting Left Arm: 15.5
Starting Right Arm: 15
Starting Left Calf: 18.8
Starting Right Calf: 19
Starting Left Thigh: 32.8
Starting Right Thigh: 33
Starting Chest: 44

Current Waist: 33.2 ( -1)
Current Hips: 52.2 ( -2.3)
Current Left Arm: 15 (.5)
Current Right Arm: 15 (no loss)
Current Left Calf: 17.8 ( -1)
Current Right Calf: 18 ( -1)
Current Left Thigh: 31.5 ( -1.3)
Current Right Thigh: 31.8 ( -1.2)
Current Chest: 42 ( -2)

Total Inches Lost: 10.3 inches lost

I am starting to have some serious cravings... a cheeseburger, pasta... ice cream!! But so far, I've stayed solid unless it's a cheat meal. Hopefully I can keep that up... cross your fingers for me LOL.

DAY 37: My Why Wednesday

A few days ago I was standing in the kitchen, doing dishes I think. My husband was coming up from the basement and heading outside to work on something outside. As he walked passed me he said "Ya dear, you can definitely tell you're losing weight!" Seriously? MUSIC TO MY EARS!!! 

We all get how important it is to us that our spouses still find us beautiful. And while my husband has continued to tell me I'm beautiful to him, I haven't felt beautiful to him or anyone else for a long time. 

We have made our lives in a place that he knows, what seems like, everyone. He was born here and he was raised here. We rarely go places where he doesn't run into someone he knows, usually someone from high school or an ex-girlfriend. I hate those moments. I cringe each and every time. I'm so sure that each of those people are thinking one thing, "What was he thinking? She's fat!" And the ex-girlfriends? Well there's no need to even type it, we all know what they are thinking, because we are all ex's to someone too. 

So my big WHY this week is my husband. When he married me, he had no idea what he was in for and yet he has stood by me loyally. He could have left at any time, and he chose to stay. He chose me. So I'm going to do what I can to make sure he stay's happy with that choice and that I feel he can be proud to have me on his arm regardless of who we run into. 

DAY 25: Check-In Friday!

Ugh! I wanted more exciting things to post today, but I'm totally plateaued weight-loss wise. I'm yo-yoing between 228 and 226. And I'm in a complete Fibro & Arthritis flare which has left me unable to even stand up fully, or walk not hunched over a bit. Therefore, exercise has been non-existent. I have tried everything to get past this flare so I can keep moving and nothing has worked. More activity just makes it worse, so I've been hesitate to do more than I already have to do errand-wise. I've had to go back on all my pain meds & muscle relaxers, something I really did NOT want to do.

So here's were I stand progress-wise.

WEIGHT:

Starting weight: 236.4
Starting BMI: 40.6

Current Weight: 228
Current BMI: 39.1

Total Weight Loss: 8.4 lbs

MEASUREMENTS: 

Starting Waist: 34.2
Starting Hips: 54.5
Starting Left Arm: 15.5
Starting Right Arm: 15
Starting Left Calf: 18.8
Starting Right Calf: 19
Starting Left Thigh: 32.8
Starting Right Thigh: 33
Starting Chest: 44

Current Waist: 33.8 ( -.4)
Current Hips: 52.5 ( -2)
Current Left Arm: 15.5 (no loss)
Current Right Arm: 15 (no loss)
Current Left Calf: 18.2 ( -.6)
Current Right Calf: 18.5 ( -.5)
Current Left Thigh: 32 ( -.8)
Current Right Thigh: 32.2 ( -.8)
Current Chest: 42 ( -2)

Total Inches Lost: 7.1 inches lost

I don't know how many inches are a good amount for 25 days, but overall I'm happy with this. Also, I'm okay with it going slow... I don't want to loose all this weight overnight, and I definitely don't want the saggy, loose skin that tends to come with that. But I was hoping to be farther along weight loss wise at this point. I have a goal of being below 200 by our 6 Yr Anniversary on Nov 7, and at this rate I probably won't hit that. We're 18 weeks ago from that deadline, and I've been plateaued at this weight for over a week. If I can get over this road block, I could still do it... so here's hoping for that :)

I'm still doing my IdealShape shakes 2x a day, and small snacks in between. I'm struggling with going about my day and eating every 3 hours, and getting in all my water. And I know that water is MY key ingredient, so I have to find a way to do better with that. This upcoming week my focus is going to be my water intake... we'll see!

Thanks for all the love and support I'm getting with this... there have been a few days I thought I'd throw in the towel because I'm the type that has to see changes on the scale, but then I realized I'd have to confess that defeat to all of you and I knew I couldn't do that, so I stayed committed. Thanks for that :)

My "Why" Wednesday

Most people don't know this, but I get Energy Work done. I've started going every 6 weeks, and it's really helped in my struggle to accept my new reality of being childless. It's also really helped me see things differently regarding my own worth, and I think I have to credit part of my decision to make this commitment on the work that my energy worker has done with me during those sessions. 

So this week my Why Wednesday is me. I'm doing this for me. There's really no other way to say it. 

I'm doing this so I can feel confident again. So I can be proud when I walk into a room. I'm doing this so I can feel like ME again. So I can enjoy all the things that I enjoy... riding, hiking, traveling (the seats on planes are actually very, very snug - NOT COOL!), working out, sitting Indian style in the movie theaters. I'm doing this so I can fold my clothes and not thing "wow, that's HUGE!" and so when I look in the mirror, I can be excited about what I see. I'm doing this so when my nieces and nephews look back on pictures, they'll have some of their Aunt instead of me wanting to hide anytime someone whips out a camera. I'm doing this so I won't be the family member that stands out in family pictures because "one of these is not like the others". I'm doing this so I can shop in the normal clothes section, instead of the plus size. So that when I go into a store, and see something I love, that it will actually look halfway decent on me too. 

I've let the diseases that riddle my body to take control, and I can't anymore. I'm 30 years old, it's time to grow up and take back my life. 

*** Weekly weigh-in's and measurements will be Fridays from here on out. Stay tuned :)