I have been off work for almost a week now & I am still easily waking up early in the morning (ok - early for me is 7:30-8:00). I feel so much more productive and adult!

Angihas, thanks so much for saying that Robin and I give you hope! How wonderful!! One of the great by-products of the success I've had so far is knowing that people can look at my ticker and see that it IS possible to lose a lot of weight. And we all look at Robin's success and just marvel at how great she's doing -- it gives us all inspiration! I loved reading that you're more confident now -- losing weight really does give one a boost in that area!!

Katheryne and jennylou -- great clothing NSVs! Those are always wonderful, aren't they?

Ritzy, I'm impressed by your determination and commitment! I think once we notice that we will NOT give up our workouts, we realize how truly committed we are. It's a turning point when you realize just how important your commitments are to you, and then you know that you WILL succeed!

Another little NSV for me today: another teacher told me that students in her class frequently talk about how different I look this year and how good I look!! She said she's been meaning to tell me that she hears it all the time! That was nice to hear. It's always nice to know people are saying good things even when you're not there to hear them, because then you know they truly mean it!!

Victory! I went to SuperTarget because I needed to get a refill on a medication today after work - and I was hungry because I hadn't had dinner yet. (Ill-advised move on my part, but oh well). The great thing - it was hard, but I walked past my prior "binge foods" and felt really great about it. Came home and ate a great dinner - didn't respond crazily to my hunger.

Awesome job, kae!

Lisa - It's great that kids are noticing! Their heads are so often in the clouds that it's hard to get them to notice anything!

My NSV for today - a friend at church said she could tell I was "shrinking"... That's the first time an "outsider" has said anything...

Great NSV's today!

My clothing NSV for today... I buttoned my blazer!!! I have one of those jackets, you know that you can wear open but can't button. Well, it buttoned! And without that awful pulling and everything... LOL. I also have the same blazer in a different color and a smaller size. I can't wait to get into that one.

Yesterday I went to the parent meeting which takes place the week that track season officially begins. I've known Coach since my oldest son was on the team eight years ago. He hadn't seen me since the team picnic last year in May when our youngest son was a junior in high school. At that time I weighed about 260.

Anyway, Coach smiled and walked right by me. I thought he just had lots of stuff on his mind as he got ready for the meeting. I sat down and the meeting began. I went to talk to him afterwards. He was polite but reserved like when you are talking to a new person that you have just met. I mentioned how excited I was to have BOTH of my sons on the team this year- one as a participant and the other as an assistant coach. He got this strange look on his face, fell backwards a bit and said, "Oh my gosh! It's YOU, Cheryl! You were sitting in front and I THOUGHT you looked familiar but you looked SO MUCH YOUNGER that I didn't think it was YOU!"

Well, I'm a huggy kinda person even with people I just meet, but THIS COMPLIMENT from a GUY, and a COACH, well, I almost KISSED Coach!!

I am COMPLETELY blown away when I get reactions from people like that! I KNOW I have lost almost 75 pounds, but somehow I don't expect reactions like that until I have lost much more. I guess since I see myself every day I am losing the "Oh MY GOSH!" feeling when I see myself in a mirror or in a reflection of a store window. When people haven't seen me in over a year I guess I DO look so much different that they are shocked. I've been heavy for the last TWENTY YEARS at least, so the majority of my adult years have been spent in PLUSville!

Coach's compliment will keep me going for WEEKS!

Cheryl

Oh, Cheryl, how wonderful! I understand exactly what you're saying about his comments....cloud nine for sure! And what is it about the comments coming from men that boost us even more? Again, how wonderful for you....ride on that comment for as long as you can!

What a great feeling Cheryl!!

Today's NSV for me was I can finally wear my seatbelt without doing areobics to get it fastened!!

Aren't compliments from people we've known for so long and who don't even recognize us fantastic?!

OK, I have a really long inseam, 35", normally, I buy 36" inseams for my jeans to make up for those heels I tend to wear on most of my shoes. I have alot of jammie/lounge style pants for around the house, sized from 1-3X, all of them, that used to fit a bit snug in the waist, now hang around my hips and every single pair of them is to LONG. I couldn't figure out why for 2 days, I kept walking on my pants, "what in blazes is wrong with these pants", DUH!!! Not as much waist and hips for the material to cling to, it's gotta go somewhere. SO, all of my fave house pants are now to long. So, instead of buying new ones, I'm rolling the waistbands up, until I'm firmly in a Large size, then I'm getting new ones! I did get rid of all the 2-3X's since I literally, walked out of them. So, now I've got 2 huge bags of clothes to donate.

Last night's NSV... I exercised! I tried out a new gym last night. I am a member of one of those 24 hour Chain Gyms.. I had been struggling (very unsuccessfully) to make myself go to a gym near my work. It is very big and new and hi-tech. And the mirrors... they are everywhere. You have to stare at yourself the entire time you work out. So last night I tried out one of the gyms that was a couple minutes from my house. It was great. It was tiny in comparison.. definately older.. quieter.. and much more comfortable! I think I can get into going there regularly. I tried out the new equipment and such that I was afraid and embarrassed to try at the other gym. I just looked at the pictures on each machine of how to use it and went around testing them out. Woo hoo! I am very excited about it. I think I am finally crawling out of the gutter I fell into.

Wow - so many great NSV's!

I lost 1.5" this week!

kae - way to go on working out!

lifeguard - congrats on the inches lost.

angi - woot! awesome that you can get rid of the bigger sizes.

mrsquadcrew - congrats on the seatbelt.

cheryl - that must have you still floating on cloud 9.

OMG soooo many incredible NSV'S, just one after the other. I love Tiffany's with closing her blazer and Cheryl's HUGE compliment and Lifeguard's missing inches and Kae's exercise and Angihas's TWO bags of clothes to give away.

And of course, Mrs. Quadcrew's seatbelt NSV. OMG, that is SUCH a great feeling. I remember that day. It was complete and utter joy for me. I just felt so regular. To not have to struggle with something that is so important and that we do so often. Enjoy Mrs. Quadcrew. Enjoy.

A class mate of mine (who I’ve known since first year undergrad 6 years ago and has always has been thin) looked at me as said “I don’t know if I should say this but you’ve lost a lot of weight. I don’t know if appropriate to say.” I replied with thank you, yes I have, and it’s a complement. It was very nice that she noticed and attempted to find a gracious way to say.

Such great NSVs! (Cheryl, I LOVE yours!!)

Today I got lots of compliments. I usually get them when I wear clothes that actually fit instead of all the baggy stuff I've been wearing! Today I had on a nice shirt and pants, both size 16, and I actually felt like I looked good. It's hard for me to say that, but I'm getting much more self-esteem lately. Anyway, I got some "skinny-minny" and "slim jim" comments, which still crack me up, and then something happened that I really liked. After school, a coworker came into my room and quietly took a seat in one of my student desks. I don't see her much, so she hasn't commented on my weight loss yet. Today, however, she simply sat down and said, "Ok, tell me how you're doing it." Then she carefully listened to my whole plan and we talked it all out, and I gave her advice, and she thanked me for it. It was weird to give advice to an acquaintance about weight loss after being obese for so long. Then my mother called and asked for advice as well!! She's the one who lost 45 pounds and inspired me to start this, and now she's looking to me for advice! Life is so weird but good lately...