That picture is supposed to represent me feeling in control of myself, well at least I feel really in control and positive towards my eating habits right now. Also, now that J.J. has a job again, and he will be working full time, I will be alone a lot and so if I do not go to the gym I will be really pissed at myself. If I do not start going to the gym later this week it will be Monday for sure. I am still coughing up a lot of stuff and still having some trouble breathing while getting over my sickness.

I know it is only the second day, so knock on wood and all that jazz, but I just feel like maybe I can do it this time… you know like I was before. Biggest Loser was on tonight and that is pretty much the only show I watch religiously. I LOVE it. I know a lot of people like it, and a lot of people hate it, but almost every time I watch it I end up on the verge of tears. Tonight was no different. I just want to know what it would feel like to be at a normal weight for once.

Anyway I just wanted to post and say so far so good. Also I joined Eileen’s challenge! All these months I have still been reading about it even without posting blogs. It is nice to be a part of all this support again. It feels very refreshing!

Okay… for those of you familiar with my blog you may notice I changed the title from “Jessica’s Journey with Weight Watchers” to “Jessica’s Journey to Healthiness”. This is because I have not gone to a WW meeting since I last told you about it. I cannot really afford the expense right now, and since I was not even really going, it does not make sense for me to pay. I will use my knowledge and continue with points tracking for this new plan of mine ultimately until graduation. Then I will decide whether or not to continue with WW or to do calorie counting. I may join WW again when I get a little closer to my ultimate goal for the support. Though the gals on this web-site are certainly fantastic support.

So I had been somewhat struggling with my weight until just recently when I got really really sick; a combination of the flu (not swine flu), bronchitis, and pneumonia in my left lung. After a month of wheezing at night (I honestly did not feel sick, sick until just over a week ago) and then a weekend in which I could not breath, felt like I was drowning, I went to the health center on campus and had to do a series of tests including: chest x-rays, blood test, and pulmonary test. After a week of feeling like I was dead and a pack of antibiotics I feel a lot better. I still have some gunk in my lungs, but with that week of sickness came a blessed surprise of weight loss back down to almost my lowest.

For a long time there my weight crept back up to right around 240. Now it is back to 234, and for some reason I feel like the loss of 6lbs makes it a little less daunting and a little more realistic. Short term I am planning on really trying my best with my WW points until graduation. I just started week 6 today in the quarter, and there are 10 weeks, followed by a week of finals. My graduation is the Friday of finals week. So including this week, I am planning on sticking really strongly to eating within my points and working in exercise for the next 6 weeks.

Ultimately I want to be working out at the gym 5 days a week; 45 minutes on the elliptical and then some combination of abs and weights for at least a half an hour. I would really like some tips on the exercises I should do for my abs and what kind of weight lifting I should do. If you use the machines what ones should I try and what other exercises should I be doing? I am completely lost when it comes to a plan that is not cardio. Help.

Alright, for a reward I am going to get a haircut. I also am going to find a book I want or possibly a series. I really LOVED Twilight. I know… I hate that I love it so much, but it is probably a girl thing. Honestly I started reading it because I am from Port Angeles, WA which is right by Forks; I became addicted though and had to buy the next book as soon as I finished one. After I finished all of them I was so bored and sad with no Twilight haha. I looked up suggestions online and ended up buying the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. Part of the reason I chose this series is because there is now a show on HBO called True Blood that is based on the books, and this show happens to be by the same people who did Six Feet Under which is one of my favorite shows of all time. Truly, the series changed my life haha. My friend and I watched the whole series a couple summers ago and gosh, I just love them is all I can say.

So I am using my starting weight as 234, because that is what I weighed in at with clothes at the doctors last week. Friday will be my official weigh-in day. I do not know how much weight I can lose in these next 6 weeks, but I am excited at the possibilities. After 6 weeks I will re-access and figure out where to go from here.