Week 1 = Success

I officially started Weight Watchers Sunday.  In that time, I have had some delicious peaches, a really good breakfast pizza,  and a yummy fruit and cheese "danish".  I also had some great shrimp stir-fry, some great smoothies, and some pasta that was good, but needs more flavor!  I have not once felt hungry or tempted to eat something I shouldn't.  And it has paid off.  I lost 7.4 pounds this week!  BAM!

Huge thanks to Amy for introducing me to Moe's tonight - that's a first for me.  I had the "earmuff"  (who came up with that name?) rice bowl.  Very yummy!  Will be having that again soon!!  

Also, let me just say - I have some amazing friends in my corner, and if it weren't for them or you, (because let's be honest, who else is reading this?!) I would have given up before I started.  So thank you for being kind and supportive.  You have no idea how much it means to me!

WW Recipes that were a hit this week:

Breakfast pizza - Light English muffin, scrambled egg, tomato slice, shredded cheese under the broiler until the cheese melts

Fruit and Cheese Danish - Light English muffin (or other light bread), spread low fat ricotta cheese and add blueberries.  Place under the broiler until the blueberries start to pop.  Add a sugar substitute and cinnamon if you wish!

  

Here we go again...

So, going to the gym and following the biggest loser plan worked for a few months.  Training for a half marathon worked for a few weeks (which by the way, my friends did not succeed in killing me, although it was touch and go for awhile).  And like all good things, they came to an end.  For the last 13 months I have dealt with my wonky eye and spent most of the summer of 2013 in bed attempting to keep my retina attached (I know - you're jealous!).  I have succeeded in gaining a few pounds, but also mysteriously shifting weight to different areas of my body.  Then I saw a picture from my friend's baby shower.  I thought I looked pretty great that day - until I saw the picture.  HOLY HEIFER!!  Really, someone should have told me how huge I was.  So that was March, here it is July and I have since seen several pictures of myself with the same reaction - as the joke was in high school when I was the field commander "Where's the field?"  At the end of the school year, a co-worker walked into a faculty gathering and said "Every time I come in here you're eating!"  Granted, so was everyone else in the room - we were having a staff breakfast, but still, it stung!  So... here we are again!

My friend mentioned that she was going to start Weight Watchers and I was apparently drunk and told her I wanted to do it too!  So here I am... Heifer Healers (no, really, that's pretty catchy) Weight Watchers.  If you want to take bets on how long this lasts, feel free - I wouldn't blame you.  I think this time I am going to focus more on the changing of habits instead of the changing of numbers.  I have to do something - I look like a busted can of biscuits regardless of what I am wearing... not cool.  So, I shall try this.  Like I said, focus on truly changing my habits and letting the reward of that be changing my pants size.  

Only time will tell.  I officially started on July 20 and I will have my meeting on the 24th for a one week weigh in.  

Current status - ugh, even I am repulsed by me!

My friends...

So I have these friends... I have lots of friends.  I have friends who make me think, I have friends who make me laugh, I have friends who will be there in the middle of the night, I have friends that I love to eat and chat with, and I have friends that want to kill me.  Yes, you read that right, they want to kill me.  Their original attempt to kill me was suggesting that I run a 5k.  The plan was complete with statements like "You can do this!"  "Its only 3 miles!!" "You will do great!" and my favorite "There are no hills!!"  They were right, I could do it, I did do it.  I have done 2 5k's - improving my time on the second one.  But they were also wrong - there was a hill - and when I encountered it - I cursed them!!  But I digress - their plan failed - they didn't kill me. 

So now they have this new plan - a half marathon.  Pregnant friend started it - saying that she will probably walk most of it, due to the fact that she is growing a fetus!  Skinny/young friend supported Pregnant friend, and far-away friend said "If I can do it with no training, you can get ready in 3 months".  Smiley friend of course thinks this a great idea.  So... the first weekend in February - if all goes according to plan, I will once again foil my friends plans to kill me.  I will successfully cross the finish line of the half marathon at New Orleans Rock n Roll. 

Let this be said now - If I finish (without riding on the sag wagon and within the 4 hour timeline) I will wear my medal for a week straight and I will probably change my voicemail greeting to "Hi, you've reached Torey - the half marathoner." And I will also become one of those obnoxious people who bring it up all the time. 

So friends, this is my new challenge.  Obviously, I am hoping with daily cardio mixed with some strength training, I will also lose weight in the process - which will be an added bonus to my new bling!  Feel free to harass me via text, email or Facebook (some support would be helpful too!)  

My Haters are my Motivators

A little Ellen DeGeneres to get this started.  I love Ellen.  She is so wise.  Excpet, sometimes my haters really get me down.  Over-hearing someone say "Man, has she put on weight." or hearing a friend refer to me as a "big girl" really set me back.  I am a big girl.  I have a big butt, big hoo-has, big "hoppy and bobs" (thats the arm fat that waves when you wave), but I also have a big personality, big spirit and a big determination!  I let them get my down for a minute - but I am coming back! 

I am a bit of a perfectionist, and feel that if I cant get to the gym everyday, I just shouldnt go at all.  I also am the type of person who gives 100% to everything I do.  Grad school and work have been kicking my tail - lots of work happening here, even if it isnt at the gym.  100% to work, 100% to school, 100% to my friends and family, 100% to my house... man, its a good thing I am a "big girl" thats 500%!!!  Its also exhausting!  I can recently be quoted as saying "If being fat is the worst thing about me, so be it!"  But really, I dont want to be fat - I want to be healthy and I want my outside to match my inside!

With the return of my dear friend Sarah to Beaufort, I have returned to sweating my keester off!!  On Saturday, Sarah and I walked the McTeer Bridge, included some lunges and squats and then did an ab workout!  I really did not think that bridge would be that bad - holy cow!  Sunday - I could barely move.  (But I did manage to put on a pair of heels for a wonderful, sorta healthy dinner at the new Dockside.)  This morning I got up and walked on the beach and did some school work.  And this evening, Sarah and I walked the bridge again tonight.  Adding more lunges and squats as well as some push-ups!  (Those hater/motivators who feel the need to honk and yell - thanks for admitting that you are jealous of our drive to be healthier people!)  Tomorrow, 3 circuits at the gym and then a walk while babysitting. 

Why in the world would I let people who dont know me and have negative things to say about me outweigh (pun intended) my awesome friends who really know me?  My friends who remind me of whats important to me, who emotionally support and encourage me to keep going, who remind me of my original goals and dreams and my friends who literally get me out and moving - they are all awesome!  I am truly so blessed to have amazing people in my life and I owe it to them to live up to their expectations and I owe it to myself to trust them and to allow them to motivate me instead of strangers bring me down! 

Eventually, I will wear smaller pants and be a thinner version of me - to the point where when people say "big girl" they are referring to my personality, not my body!!

Screeeeech, Slam, ZZZZZ

Did you hear that? 
Yeah, that was my progress coming to a screeching halt! 
My motivation slamming into a brick wall!
My lazy butt being a bum.

These last 2 weeks have not been pretty.  I lost all of my motivation to go to the gym, didnt really feel all that well, had myself a week long pity party and was crazy busy with work and school.  I have eaten things that remind me of old fat me (lots of bread, cheese and excessive amounts of everything else). 

Things that I have learned from this -  its never going to be easy (I will probably fight this all of my life) and I enjoy being healthier and working out.  So this week I reclaim my motivation and drive.  I have my next 30 day weigh in and measure on February 1st - EEEEK!!  Less than 2 weeks to get busy! 

I need to learn to prioritize.  Sleep has always been really important to me, but I may have to give up an hour of sleep in order to get to the gym and get everything else done.  So be it.  I found a little bit of motivation when I was able to fit into a size smaller pants.  I also am finding motivation in being miserable without going to the gym. 

So, the next time you see me tell me to get my butt in gear, or text me, or put it on my facebook page, whatever.  If you hold me accountable, perhaps eventually I will learn to hold myself accountable!

Stats

So I had my 3rd session with my trainer and boy was it a joy!  No, really!  Other than the pain, the inability to breath and the constant fear of falling off of one apparatus or the other it really is a good time! 

But also today was my 30 day weigh in and measure...eek!  Well folks... judge for yourself!
lost:
21 lbs
2.1% body fat
1.5 inches off my chest
3 inches off of my waist
6 inches off of my thighs (which is why my pants keep falling down)
.5+ off of my thighs
2inches off of each arm

Current status - 21 lbs and 15.5 inches less rolly poly!!!  

Yikes!

I made an appointment with my trainer for tomorrow...and even worse than that is that I have to be weighed and measured tomorrow.  I am very nervous and anxious and scared and nervous and apprehensive.  I will update tomorrow (as long as it isnt horrible). 

That is all.  (Oh, send me some fat shedding vibes if you can! - that is all!)