I went to a barbeque at the home of some friends from my old church. I was a little bummed because I hadn't seen them for a few months and no one said anything about my 36 lb. loss. Later, though, I used the bathroom and I looked in the mirror on the way out and realized: I look hot! I mean, I have more to lose but I look really, really good.
Here's a bit of an odd, roundabout one... Thanks to the tummy-fold that has only gotten more pronounced from my weightloss, I've developed a bad rash in the crease. I was examining it today, lying in bed, when it occurred to me... a month or two ago, that would've never been possible. Then, my belly was not going to move anywhere, no matter how hard I pushed. It was a firm, implacable object that could not be seen past. Now, I can tug it around pretty easily.
Here's one that made me pretty proud... Last night, I got together with some friends to cook a meal and watch a movie--sounds innocent enough, right? And the meal itself started out with good ingredients (tons of fresh veggies, brown rice, and tofu, mmm), but then my friends decided that they wanted to stir-fry everything with tons of oil and this teriyaki sauce with enough sodium to choke a goat. Now, I don't mind the occasional planned indulgence, BUT as we were cooking I just couldn't shake the feeling of I don't really want to eat this... So I didn't! I mean, I had just hit goal, and I knew all the sodium would make me blow up like a balloon, and I just didn't want to have to deal with seeing a spike tomorrow for something I didn't *really* want. Plus this week is TOM, which is usually the ONLY week of the month that I actually lose anything, heh, and I didn't want to do anything to throw a wrench into that. So I very stealthily filled up on the raw vegetables and tofu before they were smothered in oil and sauce, packed up most of my pan of stir-fry to "take home" (and give to my family, heh), and ate another small bowl of raw veggies while they thought I was eating my stir-fry... Crisis averted! I didn't have to eat something I didn't want, but I didn't have to alienate my friends, LOL! Yep, I'm pretty devious...
I am so tickled. THis past weekend I went camping with my family. And when they were out fishing, I went hiking down probably the toughest mountain path I've ever been on. Very rocky, and in some places quite steep. I was SOOO glad I had my walking stick. I'd plant it, hold on tight, then step down. I took a number of breaks (logs and rocks all over the mountain to sit on). Saw a hummingbird! And shared one rock with a little toad. Other hikers, many of them families with young kids, passed me by. And I wasn't sure I'd make it to the falls which were my destination. I usually only hike for about an hour at a time, and this was obviously going to be longer.
Cliff Trail .75 mile to the falls - difficult
For those looking for more of a challenge, the Cliff Trail to the Falls is a more strenuous trail that goes over the mountain and includes rough terrain and steep rock outcroppings. This trail travels with the Catoctin Trail for a short distance. Hikers should be careful not to miss a turn onto a spur trail that will lead to the base of the falls.
And then I decided I couldn't go back up the way I came, so I took the easy path along the base of the mountain to the lake, then caught a ride back up the mountain to the campground.
I am SO proud of myself. I'm still hyped! And very much looking forward to my next hike.
Walked to the mall a few days ago because I'm getting to the point that my size 28 pants and skirts are starting to fall off me in a way that's incompatable with work. 3.5 miles up there. I picked out 2 cute belts and tried on a few clearance items. Fit into some size 22 pants that were snug but buttoned and zipped fine without me having to lie down or anything! Size 22 was the smallest I ever got in college so that's big for me. But they didn't look good so I put them back and just bought the belts! That's a diet victory and a financial victory (except that the belts were $50 together. Ouch). Still I don't want to go replacing all my work clothes yet.
Then was lazy and called for a ride home from the mall because it was 95 and being the idiot I was I walked up in my work clothes including a long sleeved blouse.
Hmm, I'm beginning to notice that my friends are the biggest source of food temptations for me, LOL... Last night, some friends and I got together to watch a TV show we all like and make smoothies, and I am very proud to say that I stayed perfectly on-plan the whole evening! Again, smoothies aren't so bad in themselves, but my friends all wanted to add fruit juice and/or extra spoonfuls of granulated sugar into theirs (sooo much sugar! )... So I came up with the brilliant idea of making our smoothies separately so we could all "have the fruits we wanted," etc. That way I got to make sure that I got a plain and simple "fresh fruit + ice" deal, while they were all able to add in as much sugar as they wished. And it was delicious! I need to get a blender, lol. Also, along with the smoothies they were all munching on tortilla chips and salsa while we watched the show... Now that is pretty much my FAVORITE snack and I can almost never turn it down, heh, but somehow I did last night! I'm so proud of myself. And lo and behold, today I am 0.8 lbs down from yesterday, instead of being bloated from all the sodium that would have been in those pesky chips! Hehe.
I went to the doctor today for some stomach issues (probably gallstones, but won't know for sure until the ultrasound he scheduled for me next Friday) and he was THRILLED with my weight loss! Not only that but my blood pressure was down from 130/80 (my last appt. in December) to a much more respectable 110/70.
I went to the doctor today for some stomach issues (probably gallstones, but won't know for sure until the ultrasound he scheduled for me next Friday) and he was THRILLED with my weight loss! Not only that but my blood pressure was down from 130/80 (my last appt. in December) to a much more respectable 110/70.
So when I started out my hips were ENORMOUS. I'm an hourglass, which is nice now that I'm smaller, but when I was heavier, I really hated how big my hips were. They're still pretty big, don't get me wrong, but they're much more proportional now.
Even 40 pounds ago I wouldn't wear a dress until I absolutely *had* to (for my cousin's wedding, for instance) because there was no hiding my hips in a dress. But over the weekend I decided I would dust off my sewing machine and make a dress, just for the heck of it. The whole time I was worried that it was going to look terrible and my hips would look giant and I'd hate it, but not only does it look good, but my hips look totally normal! That's a big deal for me.
I wore it to work today not only did I feel good in it, I got tons of compliments. And the next time I make the pattern, I get to go down a size on top, which is pretty exciting on its own.
I was in Target on Saturday picking up a few last-minute things for Father's Day and decided I'd buy one of the cotton/spandex polo shirts on sale for $5 for me. I picked up an XL and thought, "Hm. That looks like it might be too big for me." So I grabbed the L. I wasn't sure, and I DO NOT try on clothes in the dressing room (standing in front of a dept. store mirror naked is something I will never be able to do, no matter what I weight), so I figured I'd take it home, try it on, and if it was too small it would fit eventually.
I got home and tried it on and it fit! Then I thought maybe it only fit because I wanted it so badly to fit, so I asked hubby if he thought it looked too small. It passed the Hubby Test. (One thing he is is honest if I ask for an honest opinion!)
Yesterday several of my co-workers were complaining that the parking places close to our office were all filled early so they had to park in the parking garage. The garage is a short walk away but all uphill.
After I heard that, I got to thinking about the way I used to be. I used to be one of those people who had trouble walking from the garage and got to work early just to be able to get a close parking space. Now, I pass the empty close parking spaces and park in the garage. The walk is easy now. I don't even think about it!
I have changed! I am much more mobile. I can walk the whole way easily! Life is soooo much better!
My NSV started a while ago, but it is an ongoing thing so I wanted to share it with you all. I am a sugar freak, or at least I used to be. My whole life has been wrapped around sugar and the way it makes me feel, the super high ups and of course the crashing lows. It has been my friend and comfort for so many years that I don’t really remember when or where it started. Probably at birth, since my mom has told me that she used to use Caro syrup to cut evaporated milk for formula when I was an infant. I remember as a kid sneaking bags of chocolate chips up to my room to eat, and polishing off an entire bag in a day, to hiding candy around the house, not telling my husband or anyone about it. I would eat things when I wasn’t hungry and would continue to eat cake and cookies and such, even when my stomach hurt from the sugar. I could hold a candy bar in my hand and say “this is no good for you, put it back” and eat it anyway. I sometimes feel like it was a drug, but so hard to get away from it. How do you just stop eating? And artificial sweeteners are even worse for me. They drive me to eat more and crave more.
So after reading all that, you may ask – what is your NSV.
Well, first you have to know that almost every desk in our office has a candy bowl on it and in the finance department they have a table in the hall that always has snacks, candy, cakes, cookies and other assorted sugary things on it.
On May 15th, I walked passed that table and as I usually do and I grabbed a Kit Kat bar out of the bowl. I looked at it as I walked back to my desk, I even opened it at one end and then it happen, I said, as I have many times before “you don’t need this, put it back.” Well this time I didn’t put it back, but I did walk to my desk, sat down and wrote 5/15/09 on the back of the wrapper in black Sharpie and set it on my desk under my monitor and thought, “let’s see if I can leave it there until tomorrow. “ And here I sit today 06/24/09 and that Kit Kat bar is still sitting there under my monitor as a daily reminder of the progress I have made. That was also the last day I had a piece of candy.
And although I still indulge in an occasional cookie or small bowl of ice cream, sugar is beginning to lose its grip on me, and that feeling is indescribable.
)... So I came up with the brilliant idea of making our smoothies separately so we could all "have the fruits we wanted," etc. That way I got to make sure that I got a plain and simple "fresh fruit + ice" deal, while they were all able to add in as much sugar as they wished. 
And it was delicious! I need to get a blender, lol. Also, along with the smoothies they were all munching on tortilla chips and salsa while we watched the show... Now that is pretty much my FAVORITE snack and I can almost never turn it down, heh, but somehow I did last night! I'm so proud of myself. 
And lo and behold, today I am 0.8 lbs down from yesterday, instead of being bloated from all the sodium that would have been in those pesky chips! Hehe.
defeating the sugar demons
