Going Out

I can't believe it, even with my family here for vacation, I've lost another 3 pounds since my last update.  It's not that my portions were crazy, I still can only eat so much at any given sitting, but there were nachos and garlic fries at the baseball game, and dinner at a steakhouse, and the lunch at the barbecue place...you begin to see my point.  But I am pleased that I am still losing.  I'm averaging about 1 pound a week and at the moment I'm wearing a 16 and occasionally a 14.  I also purchased my first dress in a size L.  Since my surgery, I've lost about 75 pounds.  And since I was at my heaviest before the surgery, I've lost almost 90 pounds.  I can hardly wrap my head around it.  I don't have a number in mind, despite my tracking the pounds I'm losing.  My goal is to be a size 12.  I could conceivably go lower and be a 10 or even an 8.  I think at an 8 I would constantly worry about maintaining it and who wants to think about that all the time.  

So a while back I dropped a hint that I was communicating with someone.  He was someone I met on match.com.  I said I didn't want to talk about it too much because I didn't want to jinx it.  Well, that fizzled out, but I did meet someone else at an event a few weeks ago.  We've been out now maybe 5 or 6 times.  It seems to be going well.  We have fun, he's smart and witty.  And tall.  Just taller than me when I have my heels on, which is perfect.  I may have mentioned this before, but I have very few hard and fast things that I look for in a guy.  Eye color, hair color, build, I don't really have feelings about those either way.  He has to be taller than me though.  I've read plenty of articles about why you should give guys shorter than you a chance, but I just can't.  It's one of my hang-ups.  The other?  Good teeth.  And by good teeth, I mean straight and even.  Again, kind of random, but that's my deal.  Fortunately for me, this guy meets both of those criteria - on top of being funny and charming and smart.  It's been way too long since I dated someone, so I'm going to just enjoy this and see where it goes.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 198.1
Current Weight: 194.9
Lost: 3.2
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  75.1

Vineyard Run

I participated in my second 5K race this weekend.  It was sponsored by the local vineyard near where I live.  Since it was basically in my backyard, I had to participate.  It was fun.  I came in under 38, which is always my goal.  I think I would have had a PR, were it not for that pesky hill just before we hit the last half mile.  I was not expecting it and it was slow going for a minute.  It was a beautiful morning for a race.  It was about 65, sunny, and no humidity.  I think it's my last race for now, though.  I love running however I don't do incredibly well in very hot weather and we are about to enter into the really bad Texas summer months.  I'll still run, mainly on the treadmill, and pick up the racing again in the Fall when I can get outside with more regularity.  

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 199.8
Current Weight: 198.1
Lost: 1.7
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  71.9

I'm Under

There are several phrases from my Weight Watchers days that have stuck with me.  I've talked about a couple of them here.  NSV for example (non-scale victory).  Another one that has been in the back of my mind is Onderland.  When someone would lose enough weight and would come in under 200 pounds, they would say they got to Onderland.  Well, I'm here.  I am officially under 200 pounds.  It's coming off slow, but it's coming off still, which is all I can hope for.  I'm following my diet, I exercise 5-6 times a week and I've started to include weight bearing exercises in my exercise schedule.  There really isn't much more I can do than that.  I'm excited to be under 200 pounds.  It's been about eight years since I've been under 200.  It feels good.  I feel good, better than I have in a really long time.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 202.2
Current Weight: 199.8
Lost: 2.4
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  70.2

On the Road

This past week I was in Anaheim, California for a conference.  I made sure to pack my running gear and hit the gym almost every morning I was there.  I made sure to do that since I would be eating restaurant food most of the week.  I was nervous that I hadn't lost any weight while I was away but was pleasantly surprised to find I've lost another pound and a half.  I'm so close to being under 200 pounds.  That's my next milestone.  At my heaviest, before my surgery I was 283.  That was number on the scale the first time I saw Dr. Robinson.  Which means at this point, with my pre-surgery diet and post-surgery weight loss, I've lost over 80 pounds.  I'd like to lose another 25-30.  I'm comfortably wearing a size 16, but would love to get to a 12 and maintain that.  Another milestone?  I'm completely out of plus size clothing.  The remaining dresses and skirts I had that were plus size are just too big, so they've gone into the donate pile.  This has depleted my closet a bit and fortunately I found a few dresses on amazon (nice dresses too - Jones New York and Anne Klein) for $40 each.  Score!  So I feel more comfortable with my clothing options for work now.  One last milestone this week, although it's been coming on gradually and getting more noticeable, but I'm starting to see my collarbone again.  It's kind of a weird milestone, akin to a vanity milestone, but there you have it.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 203.8
Current Weight: 202.2
Lost: 1.6
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  67.8

Race Recap

I did it!  I completed my first 5K.  I ran the whole thing, not stopping to walk once.  It was a lot of fun.  We started at the zoo gates and ran through the neighborhood around the zoo wrapping up the last part of the race with a run through the zoo.  I was hoping to finish under 45 minutes.  Imagine my surprise when I checked my official chip time and discovered I ran the course in 36:42.  I enjoyed it so much that I've signed up for another race already.  This one is the first weekend in May and it's right around the corner from my house.  It's hosted by Delaney Vineyards.  

I've lost another 2 pounds.  This part feels slow going.  I work out consistently, my diet is pretty consistent, my body apparently just gets to a certain point and hates to lose weight.  I have started some weight training though and I'm hoping that helps with the metabolism and weight loss aspect.  I'm still moving down though, not up, so any weight loss is a good weight loss.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 205.8
Current Weight: 203.8
Lost: 2.0
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  66.2

Zoo Run

I've had some scale victories recently and also some non-scale victories.  On to the scale first.  I'm down almost another 3 pounds.  I'm getting closer and closer to that 200 pound mark.  I would like to be under 200 pounds by April 1.  So five pounds in three weeks.  I've started running again.  I ran years ago, like almost a decade ago.  I started again after my surgery back when I was living in Rhode Island and I've kicked it up a bit since returning to Texas.  I hit the 3 mile threshold this morning. Woohoo!  So now I'm running 4-5 times a week and also doing Zumba twice a week.  On Friday last week I even pulled a double - I ran in the morning and took a Zumba class that evening.  I've never been someone who will work out twice in one day.  Heck, I was lucky if I would work out once a day.  

Getting close to that 3 mile mark, I made the leap and signed up for my first 5K in about 10 years.  When I was living in Watertown oh so many moons ago, I did the Race for the Cure 5K.  I signed up for the Fort Worth Zoo Run.  Who doesn't want to run through the zoo? The run is in just under 3 weeks and I'm getting excited about it.

Now, on to the non-scale victories.  I've dropped 2 ring sizes.  I had been a size 9 on my ring finger, and now I'm a 7.  Also, I bought jeans at the Gap, size 16.  I can hardly believe it.  I can't tell you the last time I bought pants at the Gap or any store not carrying plus sizes.  I also cleaned out my closet again and donated a bunch of clothes.  I had a pair of Old Navy skinny jeans that I could slide right off without even unbuttoning them.  Those went in the donate pile along with a jacket and some dresses.  The dresses were hard to say good bye to because I loved them so much and they were some of my favorites, but they really were too big and it was time to let them go.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 208.5
Current Weight: 205.8
Lost: 2.7
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  64.2

A Little Bit Farther

I'm getting close - I am less than 10 pounds away from being under 200 pounds for the first time in close to 10 years.  I can hardly believe it.  And somewhere along the way I started running again.  I have tried off and on for years to be able to run for more than a few minutes.  I haven't been able to sustain the time or length that I'm at now for over 10 years.  I've even signed up for a 5K.  This one doesn't mean anything, it's merely a fun run at a conference that I'm attending, but I figured this would be a good way to get my feet wet, so to speak.  Later in the spring I'd like to sign up for a race here in the DFW area.  I don't think I'll ever be a distance runner, I'm not really interested in running 10Ks or half marathons, but I think I can handle running a 5K every now and again.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 210.5
Current Weight: 208.5
Lost: 2.0
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  61.5

Paying the Price

I have been maintaining my workout regimen pretty well.  I ran on the treadmill last Saturday and Sunday.  I missed AquaFit on Monday, but made it to Zumba Tuesday night, AquaFit Wednesday night, and Zumba again last night.  Now, if you know anything about me you know I'm competitive.  If I can push harder at something I will.  Which is how I've been approaching my workout the last few weeks.  Now that I've found this new zone where with my diet and exercise I am averaging 1.5-2 pounds lost a week, I am working hard at maintaining it.  I was down another 1.5 pounds this week.

All that to say, my back has been incredibly tight lately.  Not pain, I don't really have pain just tightness across my back.  Stretching feels oh so good.  And I signed up for a massage.  Next Friday after work.  I am so so looking forward to it.  So what's on tap for this weekend?  Well I can't hit the gym tomorrow morning, I am attending Graduation 101 at UNT because I am scheduled to graduate in May.  Hopefully I get out at a decent time and I'd like to hit the gym after that.  Sunday I'll definitely make it to the gym and then I need to work on some edits from my committee on Chapters 1&2.  There weren't many so I'll be able to do some work on 3&4 as well.  Just keep swimming is what I tell myself.  I am pushing so hard to get this dissertation done.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  My finishing this semester is an incredibly aggressive timeline, but I am committed to doing it.  Almost there. And I'm going to look good and feel great when I cross that stage in May.

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 212.0
Current Weight: 210.5
Lost: 1.5
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  59.5  

Moving Right Along

So I feel like this today:

 

In other words - pretty good.  I've been very dedicated the rest of this week and the result of that is another 1.5 pounds down.  If I can stay this course, I'll reach my goal by the time my reunion comes around in June.  So so exciting.  There's other stuff going on too that's helping to keep me motivated, but I don't want to jinx it, so I'm going to stay mum on that a little while longer.  Working out this week - Tuesday: Zumba, Wednesday: Aquafit, Thursday: Zumba, Friday: day of rest, Saturday: Treadmill.  And I was able to run for 30 minutes straight on the treadmill today.  I haven't been able to do that in...oh...never.  

Foodwise it was a good week too.  My breakfasts for the week were refrigerator oatmeal, a recipe on found on pinterest.  Y'all, it was so good.  I made my own version with almond milk instead of regular milk and my add-ins were some chocolate protein powder, bananas, and pb2.  Delicious.  And filling.  It's pretty hardy and I never finished a whole serving (I never finish a whole serving of anything anyways).  I found myself nibbling on it for most of the morning at work.  Lunches were spinach with diced chicken breast, a few croutons for crunch, and a little dressing.  I didn't make a big meal on Sunday like usual because I was out, but I had leftover Taco Soup on Monday (thanks Billie-Jo!) and some lean cuisines the rest of the week.  I highly recommend the mezzaluna mushroom ravioli.  And then last night it was sushi.  A roving band of Girl Scouts accosted me on Sunday at the Tom Thumb and forced me to buy their cookies, so I've nibbled on those here and there, but nothing crazy.  

All that adds up to 1.5 pounds!

Current Stats
Previous Weight: 213.5
Current Weight: 212.0
Lost: 1.5
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  58  

And We're Back

Dear readers - it's been awhile hasn't it?  My mom asked me a little while ago about why there hadn't been a blog post lately.  To which I had to reply, there really wasn't anything to report.  I had kind of plateaued at 215.  Which, to be fair, wasn't a terrible place to be at considering where I had been before.  Taking into account the 10 pounds I lost before the surgery and the 55 that came off after the surgery, those came off pretty easily.  I didn't really have to think about it.  Well, I found the point where I really had to start to think about it.  Not that I wasn't measuring my food or exercising appropriate portion control, but I wasn't eating as healthily as I could and I was probably going to have to bump up the exercise.

It's not that I'm not happy with how I look and feel now - I feel great.  I move better, I feel better, but I knew I was going to have to commit to working out more instead of just a few times a week.  So I bought a fitbit.  It tracks a bunch of things - my weight, my steps, my activity level, my calories in/calories out, etc.  I track all of my food and portions.  The info syncs between my phone and my computer and my wristband.  It also tracks my sleep.  For those who have known me for a while, you know what a terrible sleeper I am.

I could have stopped where I was at and maintained that easily enough, but I didn't have the surgery just for it to be easy.  I want to be even healthier than I am now.  I'm not done yet.  It helps that I have some milestones coming up that I want to hit.  Not only do I have my cousin's wedding in December which is less than a year away now, but my 15 year college reunion is in June.  And I'm going.  Flight is booked, hotel is reserved and I am headed back to Fairfield to see everyone.  So I have a goal in mind and I know if I work at it and keep on course, I will get there.


Current Stats
Previous Weight: 215.0
Current Weight: 213.5
Lost: 1.5
Total pounds lost since 26 June 2013 (270):  56.5