Starting weight (7/15/08):    279.8    (1/8/08):    285.2
Calories/Carbs Goals (limits):       1400  / 30.0
Yesterday’s calories & net carbs:  1105 / 25.1
Yesterday’s exercise:  30 minutes elliptical
Weight Yesterday:  254.0    Today:  252.6
Change today::  -1.4 lbs.   Loss-so-far:  27.2 lbs.  /  32.6 lbs. 

I’m so glad I brought my scale with me on this trip - it’s been, after all, quite a source of amusement!  This morning when I stepped up and saw the display I laughed out loud.  For real.  Then I shook my head in disbelief.

Gained a pound yesterday.  Lost almost a pound-and-a-half today.  WTF?  It never fails to amaze me when that happens!!  I know, I know, I was likely holding some water.  Maybe because of my elliptical adventures and that it’s so new to me, maybe I was having some swelling.  For whatever reason… I’m still in the 250’s!  Arrrrrghhh!!

I really wanna get past 247.  Two.  Forty.  Seven.  I cannot WAIT until I can step on the scale and see 246 or 245 or really any number that isn’t equal-to-or-greater-than 247!!!!  Why is that such an important number to me?  I think I’ve mentioned why, but I don’t think I really went into detail.

Well - about 3 years ago, I started a new job at a company and made friends with two women that worked there.  Almost every day, the three of us would go out to lunch together.  They told me, right when I first started working there, that sometimes they skip lunch and just walk during their lunch break.  Walk.  Around the downtown area.  Just for the hell of it.  Instead of eating.

Honestly, I thought they were nuts.  I figured when the time came that they wanted to walk instead of eat, I’d bow out.  But — one day we went outside, undecided as to which restaurant to visit, and the sun was shining and there was a breeze blowing, and it just felt so good to be outside of the office (and away from the work and the drama there at work), that we just wandered aimlessly — still undecided.  Without actually planning it, the three of us skipped lunch and just … walked.  An hour later, we went back to our desks, refreshed.  I had some crackers or something to hold me over until dinner, but I really wasn’t even all that hungry. 

From that point on, I actually found myself suggesting walks, or suggesting destinations for walks.  At least twice a week, we walked during lunch.  And then we started walking during the afternoon break.  I was about 260 when I started working there.  Guess how much I weighed six months later when I quit? 

247. 

Without dieting, without working out.  Without really trying, I lost 13 pounds.  I went to work at the nonprofit where I work now - and then three months later - I quit smoking.  And gained.  Then five months after that I got sick.  And gained some more.  This past January I had been quit from smoking for twelve months and was devastated to realize that I weighed 285 pounds, the most I’d ever weighed in my life.

So when I finally dip below 247, I will finally feel like I’m making NEW progress!!

Oh, by the way, I went to the hotel gym again today.  I couldn’t wait to get on that elliptical again, but then after about 5 minutes, my left hip was hurting and both knees were complaining.  After 15 minutes, I was feeling no pain whatsoever (love those endorphins) but still I wanted to stop!  But I kept pushing on until I hit 30 minutes (the last 5 minutes, again, at over 4mph) and I was so glad I did!  It was awesome!

Special note for etherence:
I work for a nonprofit organization that helps parents of children with disabilities to understand the special education process and how to effectively advocate for services for their children.  It’s an awesome job, extremely rewarding.  =D

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