:: Free 2 Be :: the Odyssey ::

This week my Sunday weigh-in showed a 1-pound loss. At least that is the way the needle looked to me… Digital was easier, but it is still shocking to see that needle drop.

This is 1 pound above the half-way point. Total loss is 74 pounds from top weight and 55.2 lost since August and beginning this blog. 226 is a number so long gone from my memory that I do a double-take every time I see it.

This week I hit a wall on exercise (too much) and food (not enough, especially protein) and have now taken 5 days off exercise except for a little walking. Now, I need to get back on.

The half-way point is my next goal and it is amazing to be *only* one pound away. This month ends Thursday so I will do a monthly weigh-in on Friday, and then weekly weigh-in Sunday. If I could hit the half-way point or below on both Friday and Sunday… ah, the best of both worlds.

What is your next goal?

My workouts have really been my focus here for the last few weeks. It takes me back…

When I was 22-23, I worked in heavy construction after riding a 10-speed bike 10-20 miles a day. My weight was about 20-30 pounds above where I wanted it, and, it didn’t really come down, at the time.

But later, at 24, I suddenly lost 40 pounds. It was the muscle. I had quit working so heavy and quit eating so heavy (eating for fuel) but I still had all that muscle I had built up, and, MUSCLE BURNS CALORIES!

Suddenly, I was 5′8″ tall and able to wear men’s 29″waist jeans. I was THIN!

So the other day I realized, I may not be losing weight fast now, but I am certainly building MUSCLE! And there will be a pay off.

It really gave me hope that whether the scale *looks like* I am losing or not, I am going the right direction every day I do what I need to do to eat right — give my body the good food that it needs — and exercise — challenge my body to go a little farther, faster and lift a little more.

I don’t need to see weight loss every day to know that I am on my way to a new, thinner healthier me. I am burning fat and building MUSCLE! And, I will get *there* (where I want to be) some day. As long as I stay on this road and keep going.

Thanks to all my lovely faithful readers who inspire me and make logging in a treat and a pleasure! I *will* get out there and catch up on your blogs, too. I will, I will!

What gives you hope?

This morning the scale read 227, down 4 pounds from last week’s obviously mis-leading gain. WooHoo! It has taken me 2 months to lose this last 10 pounds, but, I’ll take it!

I have become sooooooo grateful for all the weeks I’ve been able to weigh in on digital scales. And now I am sooooooo grateful that I have scales I can weigh in on! LOL

This puts me down 73 pounds from my top weight, and 54.2 pounds from when I started this blog in August. I have *only* 77 pounds to go to goal, which means I am 2 pounds away from my next goal, the half-way mark at 225 pounds. Whew!

Just so grateful to be still going… Thank you, faithful readers!  Seriously.

What keeps you going?

Don’t know what happened, I wrote and saved this but it disappeared! My apologies - faithful readers - for not posting all week, not even my weigh-in.

Speaking of faithful readers, THANK YOU! Faithful readers, without you I feel sure I would have given up blogging about my weightloss, and then I would have given up tracking and being accountable, and then I would have just plain given up. YUCK! So look. You and all your wonderful visits and comments have saved me from myself. THANK YOU! Really.

Speaking of last week’s weigh-in, I think I was in denial. The scale said +1, it is now a week later, and I still don’t believe it. Enough said.

Meanwhile, this is my *token* belated weigh-in post, just in time to get on with this week’s weigh-in… =)

I just hafta share here, I’ve been concerned that continuing to do my (heavy) CrossFit workouts with the addition of a couple hours a day of dog walking at a fast pace seemed just too much for this body.

Yet today - I set new records on a benchmark weightlifting workout. For those of you who follow such things, here are my personal records:

1. Back squat, 145 lbs. (twice now)
2. Shoulder press, 75 lbs. (new today! WOOHOO!)
3. Deadlift, 205 lbs. (twice now)

CrossFit adds these three up for a total. The first time I did them over a year ago, my total was something like 180. A month ago, it was 385. Today, it was 425!!

This is a real bench mark that I can use to say I must not be doing too much, or, I would have worn out halfway through and not set a new record total.

Can’t tell you how happy I am to think that I may be able to keep up the CrossFit AND add in the dog walking (or, hiking!) that I want to be doing this summer.

Who else around here is lifting weights or setting new records at your exercise?

First, I had trouble doing all my dog walking and workouts. Then, I ran a lot while walking the dog one day and found out I was supposed to *run* a 5k for my workout the next day. It was really important to me to get a good time (for a change! lol) but I was soooo whipped from overdoing it the day before. I could barely walk, but walked extra, and forfeited the run. =/

Next day was supposed to be a rest day and I really struggled with wanting to *make up* what I had missed. Today I didn’t finish my workout because my equipment broke, but again was *whipped* after the dog walking.

Am I trying to do too much? Can I adapt to this doing more and increase my stamina and weight loss? That would be the plan! lol

Next, I went from staying on my food to having chocolate - a lot. And kept going the next day (today). And then forgot to eat dinner ( a real no-no) and got a chicken sandwich at Bojangles which means I ate wheat. Plus sweet tea.

My food plan is meat, eggs, nuts, green veggies and fruit. No sweets, no wheat, and, AT LEAST THREE MEALS A DAY. Could I eat chocolate and NOT count it as a sweet?? Could I count chocolate as a meal?? I think not.

Self sabatoge? Or usual ups and downs? I refuse to panic. But weigh in is less than 36 hours away and just eating wheat usually drives my weight up 3-5 pounds. Yikes. I really do want to get back into the swing of losing at least a pound (or more) a week, then make it to *one*derland 4 months from now. Hmmm.

How was your week?

I made a six month goal about 5 months ago. It may be best not to think about that one now. ;-p Maybe it was just a tad lofty! LOL

But the w8challenge idea is still working for me, and now I’m thinking up a new semi-longterm goal.

In a few days it will be eight months since beginning again, and four months to go to one year. Hmmm. I’ve lost 51.2 in the eight months and I’m 31 pounds from *onederland.* Think I can do it?

That would put me at 82.2 pounds lost for the year, 101 pounds total loss, with *only* 49 pounds to goal.

Got the idea from thinking that if I could keep losing at this rate… we could expect about 25 pounds in 4 months. But why not 31? Get radical! Go for it! All that stuff.

I could always get consistent on CrossFit and tighten up the food again. Really. And maybe even fit in a little extra walking/running/hiking. Sure. Why not? It is springtime!

Why not, indeed? Hmmm.

What goal would you like to make?

The results of Eileen2blean and her weight loss challenge for March, from which we now have w8challenge.com, and a whole new way to stay encouraged and on track. This is helping me so much just say “yes” to staying on plan with food and getting out there and doing some exercise. Thanks, Eileen!

These challenges are open to anyone. I encourage you to check them out. A little gold star goes a long way for inspiration… =)

Well, I knew I had been distracted lately, but this is just plain silly!

I passed the 50 pounds lost mark, since starting again last August (when I started this blog) and didn’t even notice! It happened eight days ago.

Down 70 pounds since my top weight, but now a total of 51.2 pounds lost since starting back dieting August 10, 2008. WOOHOO!

That is an average weight loss of 1.5 pounds per week, much higher than hoped for. Next week will be the end of my eighth month at this!

Now I really want to get back in the swing of things, doing CrossFit consistently (a little more of a challenge is this setting, but no excuses) and eating right, or, right-er as necessary.

I’ve also fallen behind on your blogs, chickies, and so apologize. Very much hope to make the rounds soon!

How long have you been at this, this time around?

I figure I may as well get happy about this. =)

Down 2 pounds from last week. Now the caveat: I’m on scales that are not digital, so, no more tenths. This means I’m closer to 230 than 231, but in truth may not be quite all the way there.

In any case, it is *down* and that is good news!

I’m going to declare myself officially busted off the temporary plateau and if I can post anything below 230 next week, I’ll be vindicated! LOL

In the meantime, I have lost 70!!! pounds — WOOHOO — and have *only* 80 to go!!! This is 5 pounds from the half way point! I get a new badge (see left side) and any weight loss from here will throw me back to where I was before moving to NC in 1995.

Also, my BMI is now 35!!!

I am so grateful. I’ve cleaned out my storage space since returning to NC and given away all the clothes that are too big. I’m wearing the smallest clothes I have (mostly 18w) and hope to need a new wardrobe by mid-summer. =)

This week I did walk twice and soooo hope to get back onto CrossFit tomorrow.

So what excites you this week?

One pound. But, that puts me back at my lowest weigh-in weight, back where I was two weeks ago. 68 pounds down from top weight; 49.2 below where I started again last August. I’ll take it.

Obviously this is good, but a trend would be better. I’m grateful. 82 pounds to goal.

This is the first week I have had to post a gain since mid-November: one pound. It has been a struggle to get below or even hold the loss since seeing 232.8 three weeks ago.

Not sure what it will take to break this. My family keeps pointing out it may be that I am building muscle. I believe I am, but don’t think that is it. I’m more inclined to blame the steady, quick loss for so long that my body is now resisting losing more.

The bottom line is, I am only one pound below where I was one month ago. Moving back to NC tomorrow may make the needed difference as my living (and eating and working out) situation will change again.

If the plateau doesn’t break on its own in the next week or two, I’ll work on changing things up drastically enough to shake myself off the plateau.

Still, this is a grand total of 67 pounds down from top weight, 48.2 pounds lost since beginning again and just over 50 since late July last year, when I decided to *do something…*

I’m heading back to North Carolina tomorrow 23.4, pounds lighter than when I came to Colorado in November. All this is good!

What is your good news?