A month has passed and I didn't even realize it. I know that's a good sign that I'm taking this seriously and that it is a lifestyle change. I realized on Sunday that it had already been a month.
I'm still planning my dinners out a week at a time. My breakfasts I make sure I have in stock any ## of items from egg substitute omelet and toast, oatmeal, slimfast shake, grapefruit and toast. My lunches are still pretty much soup and sandwich but sometimes I will bring leftovers from the night before.
I'm exercising between 20 minutes and 2 hours a day and I just overall feel so much better.
So far I've lost 19 pounds and 17.75 inches.
I'm also not really focusing on the scale. I wasn't disappointed this morning seeing a 1 pound loss. In times past I would've been at least a little upset that the # wasn't more but not today. It's one more pound gone. I haven't set a weight loss goal beyond Onederland and I haven't set a time scale for losing weight. I'm just really proud of all I've been able to accomplish this time. I've felt like I've really been tested this past month—sick children, myself getting sick, septic backing up, water leaks, Central heat messing up, trying to fit in everything with work, family, exercise, etc. I came close to a breaking point on Friday when Nate was sick again and we had a water leak the day after the septic got fixed and I couldn't wash the 10 loads of laundry that were piled up. I really would've given in to a junk food binge had there been any in the house. Instead I took a moment to refocus and just worked out an extra 30 minutes to get me back on track.
I know that I'm going to succeed this time. Every little life obstacle that's been thrown at me I've not let it deter me from eating healthy and exercising.
I feel the same way about my weight loss this time. In the past I felt like it was a battle each day and went by so slowly. This time, I plan my meals everyday, allow myselfs small treats, and it has gone by so fast! The weight just seems to come off without a lot of effort. The truth is I'm probably putting in more effort this time with the meal planning and making time for the gym almost everyday. But it seems like it is an actual lifestyle change and not a "diet" so it feels like less of an effort. If that makes any sense
Great job -- and now that it's just a part of your life that's great. You should be very proud. And, the septic backing up, sick kids, etc. happens whether we eat too much or not -- so it's nice to have one less problem to deal with!! !
I think the trick is making this weight loss/maintenance thing work with the rest of our lives....and it sounds like you have done a great job figuring out how to do that!
Talk about life throwing challenges at ya all at once. You are doing so, so well! You should feel oodles of pride for handling all these things without jumping head first back into the food.
Have I really been at this a month?
Dawnyal!! 
