The Fat Chick from Colorado :)

Ugh. The past couple of days have just been ugh. Even though I knew it would was likely to happen and knew there is no reason for it, I’m still discouraged that the pounds aren’t just melting off like the first few days. I’m thinking maybe that I should start weighing myself weekly instead of daily now. My stomach also seems a bit confused about everything going on and is trying adjust to all the changes. At least I hope that’s what is happening…

Thank the stars for the other challenge that I’ve signed up for on 3FC, the one who started it is fantastic and broadcasting optimism : ) It’s hard not to catch some of it.

The last two days I’ve stayed within my calories, but haven’t been eating all the great. The difference is definitely noticeable. Time to go back to my usual green-ish smoothie in the morning (I want a real blender!), whole wheat pasta for lunch and a big salad for dinner. It just seems to do really well for me that way. I haven’t done any activity the last 2 days either, obviously that doesn’t help. At this point I’m trying to chalk it up to 2 bad days and now it’s time to move forward. If I get too disgusted with myself or disappointed with myself, it will only bring more negativity into this process, which is the last thing I want. I’ve only gained one pound back and that could just simply be a normal fluctuation, or my very old, very cheap non-digital very iffy scale. A brand new digital scale is definitely on the horizon. I’m hoping it won’t bring a terrible surprise that I’m actually 10 pounds heavier or something, lol I guess if I am I’ll have to focus on the 10ish pounds that I’ve lost so far. That definitely counts for something.

Well, time to go make a chunky green smoothie (btw orange juice is a much better concentrate than apple to use, apple has way more calories and I actually like the oj flavor better) and plan my activity for today. Maybe double, hiking this morning and zumba tonight, that should help get me back on track!

Okay, I’ve had such a fantastic first week (lost another 2 pounds this morning, I think I can officially consider this a down trend!, that I’m needing to re-assess my goals a little bit. I also joined another challenge by one of the chicks in my Nov 1st challenge and I’m considering a goal of 15 pounds per month. That’s 3 1/2 pounds per week, still a pretty reasonable goal I think, here’s how I have it laid out:

July 20: 215
Aug 1: 210
Aug 20: 200
Sept 1: 195
Sep 20: 185
Oct 1: 180
Oct 20: 170
Nov 1st: 165

If I were able to continue this trend of weight loss, I could be at my goal weight by 2012! How fantastic would that be?!

My official goal date is June 23, 2012 (two very good friends’ wedding date), so really as long as I get there by then, I think I’ll be happy, but this gives me something to really work for : )

Okay, I decided to take before pics of front and side that I can keep retaking to compare along the way. It takes a lot of guts to post these pics, especially the one showing my awful belly! My hope is of course that I’ll one day look back and go, holy flab batman! did I look like that?? So here’s goes, full disclosure:

ugh. it helps to see this though. I can no longer deny that I’ve gone from chubby to fat lol. This is even after I’ve lost 9 pounds! I’ll post new pics after every 10 pounds I lose to compare. Let’s hope it happens quickly, this is shameful!

p.s. sorry for the awful quality of photos on top of everything. Cell phone pictures by an 8 and a 9 year old lol

Still on a roll, lost another pound as of this morning. It’s going to be rough once this trend stops and the real hard work begins. The boys and I went for another hike today. It kicked our asses : )  I got a wee bit of a sunburn, nothing much, just on my shoulders that rarely see light…

I’ve decided that chocolate is to remain a part of my life and bought some hersheys kisses. 75 calories for 3 of them. I spread my 3 through out the day. I’m also a fan of fat free fudgcicles. Especially on a hot day like this! I figure I can eat anything I want on occasion as long as I’m willing to make the sacrifice in total calories. I am not one to be denied, any strict diet just isn’t going to work for me. And that’s not how to go about making a life style change anyway.

There are several chicks joining in on my Onederland by November challenge which is fantastic! I’m also going to do the Strut Your Mutt walk on October 29. I’ve never done any kind of run or walk event before and this seems like a laid back way to become introduced to one. Plus I love taking my HoneyBear places : )

After I get to Onederland, I’d like to slowly start adding running into my fitness routine. I’ve always wanted to be a runner and tried when I was in high school (when it would have been easy), but I thought you just had to go out and run until you felt like you were gonna die, and then go out and do it again the next day. Now that I’m older, wiser and fatter (lol) I’m looking forward to trying again. I’ve found being this overweight makes it pretty uncomfortable and want to lose some heft (and rolls lol) before I try again. I figure Onederland is a reasonable weight to start again, I can’t wait! : )

So I must be doing something right, I’ve lost another 2 pounds. Excellent : )  The problem is that weight loss has become a bit all consuming and I’ve been slacking on homework. and the dishes. But that’s nothing new : )

So I need to learn to continue what I’m doing while still taking care of everything else that I need to do. I think it once everything becomes habit it will be easy and natural, but right now I’m having to plan everything and reading the forums several times a day. It keeps me optimistic and on task with my healthy eating and fitness goals. But I also want to get two A’s this semester so I need to learn to multitask! Part of the problem is that both of these classes are very textbook intensive, which is my ridiculous way of saying that I have to read a lot. I love reading, non-fiction. Reading textbooks, not so much. I think it has something to do with the fact that I have to read it. Takes all the fun out of it. Which is why I’m procrastinating and rambling here instead…

*sigh* off I go to be productive… stay tuned for more.

I just got back from a really fantastic 2 1/2 hour hike with my boys and dogs. My feet hurt, I’m dirty and I stink. And it’s fantastic! : )  This morning I weighed myself and was very pleasantly surprised to see that the scale showed me at 239! That’s my goal for the end of June. It’s probably water weight blah blah blah but if it stays off I’m beyond happy.

Last night my youngest son and I did zumba in the dark for an hour and we had a blast! I could really feel it and boy did it make me sweat, which I’m taking as a good sign. Right now I’m feeling supremely optimistic about beginning this journey. And while I know it’s not always going to feel this good, I’m hoping that having a good attitude and trying to have as much fun as possible with it will go a long way to making this an incredible experience that will change me and be a good example for my boys that a healthy lifestyle is fun : )

I’m also eating better today and of course still tracking on myplate. Breakfast was a yummy smoothie with mixed frozen fruit, frozen spinach, OJ concentrate and water. Lunch was a turkey and cheddar sandwich lunchable. Could have been healthier but it was convenient and the calories and portion sizes were just right.

I’m off to shower and then to get started on this weeks school work. Psychology is up first!

I didn’t do so hot today. I had a flat tire that needed repaired on my p.o.s. car and have to drive 30 miles to the closest city to do that. Naturally today would be the first day in 2 months that it has rained, and as happy as I am that it rained, because we really needed the rain, it made for a very unpleasant drive. I wasn’t comfortable taking the freeway at 75 mph on a donut tire, so I had to take the backroads. The dirt (mud) backroads. Let’s just say I’m glad we made it to our destination because we nearly got stuck in the mud a couple of times.

After arriving at our destination, I had to fork over $75 for a new tire. This was especially painful since I’m not sure the car is even worth that much…

Because I was feeling lazy this morning and grouchy because of the rain, we stopped for breakfast at the gas station. Where I got a quesadilla and a (disgusting) hot chocolate crappuccino. which I took two sips of then threw out. For lunch, we met up with a friend of mine who requested Sonic. Feeling unrequited for some coffee lovin’ this morning, I got a mocha icecream thingy. It was delicious. And later when I was guiltily logging my calories on my MyPlate, I found out it was also 760 calories. Over half of my allotted calories for the day. Well damn.

So for dinner I tried to redeem myself a little by making tilapia with a mrs. dash seasoning, spinach salad with a strawberry vinaigrette and one french fry. Because oh my god I love french fries. But, hey, only one! yay for will power. at the end of the day.

I didn’t walk today (I did for an hour last night), so I’m thinking I’ll break out the zumba dvd and try it in my bedroom. In the dark. Because I’m too embarrassed to see myself try zumba.

My motto for tomorrow is “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

So I just set a goal for myself to reach Onederland by my birthday, November 1st, 2011. I’ll be 32 and would love to be in the 100’s by 11/1/11. Lot’s of good numbers rooting for me there : )

I’ve set individual goals to help me reach this bigger goal. Today I’m at 244.

End of June:239

End of July: 229

End of August: 219

End of September: 209

End of October: 199! : D

As a goal I think I’ll get one of the tattoos I want, probably one of the dancing skeletons from Disney’s Halloween Treats. My all time favorite movie as a kid and very appropriate for the day, El día de los muertos.

So this is a blog about my life and my journey on the battle against fat. Ka-Pow! Stay tuned for more while I try to figure out how the hell to use this