95.6 Pounds Lost! Week 96

Number of Weeks in “Losing” phase: 96
Starting Weight: 316.4
Height: 5’11’’
Current Weight as of last weigh-in on 09/09/2011: 220.4
Total Pounds Lost: 95.6
Total Pounds Lost as of last weigh-in on 09/09/2011: Gain of 2.2
Pounds Until Goal Weight of 175: 45.4

Week In Review

Music: Won't Back Down by Tom Petty

SO SORRY! I’m still here! Thanks for the comments! I just wanted to wait to blog until I knew that I was on track and focused. I’ve managed to lose 10 pounds since I REALLY fell off track during vacation and am still 2 up since the last time I blogged, but I’m ok with that. I know I’m going to get the pounds off. So as of right now, I’m done with vacations, the summer is winding down, the plans are starting to diminish, and I’m back on track.

I haven’t blogged in 6 weeks! I think that might be the longest that I’ve gone! But a lot has happened in 6 weeks. Two concerts, a new baby added to the family, a wedding in St. Louis, a weeklong vacation filled with two separate road trips to Minnesota and Arkansas, birthday celebrations, and of course Labor Day festivities. On top of all of that, work is busier than it has been in about a year! So needless to say, there hasn’t been a dull moment for a while.

How I’ve gotten back on track:

1. Running training. I’m currently in the process of training for the half marathon that I signed up for MONTHS ago! The race is October 15th so 6 more weeks for training. I was pretty discouraged about the race for a while because I was doing NOTHING to get ready for it. I was exercising but I wasn’t running like I should have been. Now I’m following a training program and doing great. Can run 4 miles pretty well so even though I have a lot more miles to be reaching, I’m feeling confident and am getting excited about stepping it up. 6 miles on Saturday so I’ll let you know how it goes!

2. Pre-planning and Routine. For a while there, my weekly routine got all jacked up. I was having protein shakes from a place right down the elevator from my work. Convenient. Easy. Healthy. Then the place shut down. So it took a while to find another option and it was getting frustrating. For me to be successful, it needs to be easy and not allow for choices! I’m not good with choices! So my co-worker and I went to GNC, bought their blender (two cups, two lids, and the mixer for about $25), got some vanilla protein powder, and each day for lunch we just make our own protein shakes. It’s cheap. It’s easy. It’s convenient. And it’s healthy. I add some reduced fat peanut butter, a banana, skim milk, non-fat banana crème yogurt, and the vanilla protein powder and it’s AMAZING! Comes to about 450 calories and about 30 minutes after drinking it, I’m stuffed. Literally feel like my stomach is crammed full. My pre-planning also has to do with making sure to order enough supplements for the week, plan my dinners ahead of time, and allow for not a single moment of hesitation on what I’m planning to put into my mouth. My success lies in having no available choices. When I know exactly what I have planned for the morning, afternoon, and evening, I’m 100% successful.

3. Order and organization. When my life is organized, everything seems to just flow. I’ve spent the last few weekends getting odds and ends figured out, making lists, crossing off said lists, and just re-focusing. It’s just the little things in life that start adding up and by little things I mean needing to get the oil changed, car licensed, birthday presents bought, dry cleaning done, etc.etc.etc. These things that are constantly in the back of your mind that just need to be taken care of. My blog is another thing so that’s getting crossed off shortly! It’s just refreshing to get all your tasks completed and start each day with nothing hanging over your head.

Some inspirational thoughts that I’ve had the last few weeks:

1. A mile is a mile. No matter how fast you go, how many times you walk, how many times you run, a mile at 14 minutes and a mile at 6 minutes……..it’s all still a mile. It’s easy to compare yourself to others when you’re exercising and especially when it comes to running. But sometimes the only true comparison you should be making is with yourself. The fact that I can go out and run 4 miles is something that is really hard for me to grasp. It doesn’t seem like it’s correct or accurate. How in the hell did I get to the point that I can run 4 miles????? The number on the scale becomes so much more important (and sometimes it should be especially if you’re STILL trying to lose weight) but at the same time, it clouds what accomplishments you REALLY should be looking at. My body is in the best shape it’s ever been in my life. Even though I was smaller back in the day, there is no way in hell I could have run 4 miles. I need to give myself some positive feedback instead of constantly picking out the negative.

2. I read a LOT of blogs and almost half of them are in regards to weight loss and/or maintenance. In the last few months, many weight loss bloggers have been struggling. A few of the people who inspire me the most have gained weight back these last few months. And it’s not that it makes me feel better about my own struggles but it makes me realize that this is HARD. This weight loss, weight gain, weight maintenance is HARD. Whatever it is that you’re dealing with, you’re not alone. When I start feeling alone in this whole process, that’s when I’m hardest on myself. I start to feel like a failure because to me, I’m the only one that can’t stay on track and I’m the only one gaining weight and I’m the only one REALLY, REALLY struggling with this weight issue. But I’m not. And realizing that I’m not alone allows me to dig deeper into how I can help myself. And dig deeper into how others deal with their ups and downs. Not only learn my strengths and weaknesses but take advice from others who experience the same temptations. I’m not the only person on the planet that was extremely overweight, lost a bunch of weight, and continues to struggle. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

3. When I treat my body the right way, I am happier. I feel better. I look better. I dress better. I take more time getting ready. I’m more productive at work. I am overall more optimistic. I know that exercising is extremely important in all of this but what I put in my body is what makes all the difference. I mean, it makes sense. There’s no special formula behind this. Healthy food, vitamins, water, exercise, sleep………all of these things allow your body to function the way it was built to function. When all of these things combine together, your brain starts thanking you with this overall euphoria. Everything is just a little more beautiful.

4. Along the same lines, running has got to be the single most rewarding exercise there is. I know that I haven’t tried too many forms of exercise but running is just such an all-encompassing workout. It’s a mind and body workout. For one thing, I sweat the most when I run and there’s something so refreshing and rejuvenating about that. Secondly, once you get into this rhythm you start to feel unstoppable. Kind of like this feeling of “My body is possible of anything”. Each stride involves your full body. There’s not an area left out. You can actually feel the muscles working to pull yourself up a hill or slow you down on a slope. And then there’s the after workout “high”. With running, it was something that I NEVER thought I was capable of doing…..basically my whole life. And now that I actually can run and do run, I hope that for as long as I live I never let that feeling of accomplishment fade away.

Quote of the week:

“I never regret it when I do it, but I always regret it when I don’t.”