Well, I had my second and first official weigh-in tonight at my TOPS meeting. Last week I weighed in at 179.5 and this week I weighed 176, a total loss of 3.5 pounds this week. I have really been proud of myself. I kept up with everything I ate in a food journal and avoided junk food like the plague. I was tempted many times when I went out, but then I began to think about what I was doing and why I was doing it. I have tried unsuccessfully in the past to lose weight. You name it, I've done it. Diet pills... yes. Starvation diets... yes. I may have lost some weight but trust me.. it quickly came back with a vengence. Now I'm reprogramming the way I think and eat. I plan my meals ahead of time and am careful about the fat/calorie content. I've been eating about 1300-1500 calories a day, which is a dramatic cut from what I normally ate. It would have been nothing for me in the past to eat an entire bag of doughnuts, or stuff myself with fast food. I have learned to make healthier choices and if I feel like I cannot live without a cookie, I have 1. That's it. It is so self-empowering to finally feel like I'm gaining some control over my food habits. To be able to walk down a candy aisle and see all the chocolate and goodies and say.."nope, don't need it" is so wonderful! I know that right now I'm highly motivated but there may be days when I want to revert back to my old habits. I simply need to put things in perspective and realize that I have the ability to do anything I set my mind on. That means controlling my portion sizes, exercising even if only for 20 minutes a day, and choosing what I eat wisely. God gives us only one body and it's up to us how we are going to treat it. Good Luck to everyone who has committed to making a change for the healthier.

SW: 180
CW: 176
GW: 140