Do I really need a new title every time?

I have always been horrible at coming up with a good title. It becomes so tedious that I wind up spending all of my time trying to think of something witty, yet relevant and run out of time to actually write my blog. Anyway, I digress.
That is kind of the theme for this week. I digress. I haven't gained any weight back, and I am continuing to work on the no grazing rule but the workouts have been less than impressive. I walked outside 2 miles on Tuesday morning, and proceeded to laze about the last couple of days. Yesterday was my birthday so I "took the day off" and grumbled that the number on the scale stayed the same. Well, at least it didn't go up. :) Today I didn't do a workout, per se, but I did work hard today. Lots of trips upstairs and down to the basement and lots of carting around a very grumpy baby boy. And, I have been phenominal about not over eating, of which I am quite proud. It helps that I don't feel well, I suppose. Some life issues are starting to weigh on me (no pun intended) and the stress from that is making me nauseous. I am proud of myself, though, that I have not been stress eating, which is usually how I handle stress.
Well, that is all for today. I am sitting at 216 going into the weekend, my hope is tomorrows weigh in will show a loss of 1 or 2 pounds, and am praying for strength to not overeat this weekend at my birthday party.

Downward trend...good thing!

I am down to 216 as of today. I got clotheslined by a nasty cold this weekend and that kept me from getting good workouts. That's ok since I kept a close eye on my diet. The weight isn't just flying off, but it is a steady downward trend. That is ok with me. As long as the number doesn't go up, I'm happy. I am not depriving myself the foods I enjoy, just eating smaller portions of them. Food alone didn't get me to this point, lack of discipline along with bad eating habits did. I constantly have to remind myself that I don't need a second helping, nor do I need a huge first helping. Meals aside, grazing is a tough habit to kick too. I am so used to snacking on whatever is handy while James eats, while I cook supper, while I watch TV that whenever I am doing these activities I find my hands just grabbing whatever is handy. So...again I have to tell myself NO! I'm not perfect, but am getting better.
Of course, diet is only half the equation. With two kids at home during the day(three in a couple weeks when school is out) combined with very little sleep, a consistant workout routine can be challenging. I counter this by incorporating exercise whenever I can. Today is a playdate at a park that is about a mile from my house. If I go, I have to walk there, or get my treadmill walk in before I leave. If I don't do a workout in the morning, chances are pretty good that I wont get it done. Afternoons are just too busy.

Oh Yeah!

I had a great workout today! Yesterday I walked with the kids and dogs with James in the carrier and I thought that was good. Today I rocked the treadmill using some methods I learned from a trainer a little over a year ago. It felt great! I am hoping I didn't overdo it...I don't mind being sore from a good workout, but I have to be able to get back on the 'mill tomorrow and do it again.
Jim and I have been talking a lot about joining the Y later this summer, and the old arguments are coming back before we even join. Wanting to work out together, but me also wanting to go in the morning being the main one. Part of me wants to just say "screw it" and not bother with it. But then out of nowhere Paige will ask about her friends at the Y and swimming class and get sad. That seals the deal. I have been a member at a few different gyms over the years and the Y is the only one I've been at where family is so important. They really go out of their way to know everyone by name, and provide affordable classes for the kiddos as well as great group classes for the parents. No...this is not intended to be an ad for the Y!!!
Anyway, as I've mentioned before, a block for me tends to be "but if only I could go to the gym, everything would be better" when in reality, I have the tools to do it right here. I can push myself and kick my butt on the treadmill. I can walk outside with the dogs. I can wear my shape up (well, my Target knock offs) shoes around the house. I can bench James while we're playing on the floor (he loves this game!). There are so many things that I can, and have been doing lately that may seem small but make a huge difference at the end of the day.
The biggest hurdle for me aside from exercise is diet. I am a grazer, and I have to train myself TRAIN myself to stop doing that! I am counting calories, but at this point am not being super strict. 1500-1600 a day is still a lot less than what I was taking in. The key for me is being aware of what I am eating and when. I set myself up on a meal/snack schedule and am working on drinking more water throughout the day. I started at 223 on Wednesday morning, and am now at 218 after only a couple of days. When the weight loss starts to plateau I will cut my calories back, and as I get stronger I will up my exercise routine.
I admitt I am a little bummed that I will not be at my goal weight for summer, but I look forward to shrinking in the heat! It would have been nice, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it. There will be plenty of summers for me to look good, this will just be the one where I got there. :)

Rock bottom?

So I got the idea that it would be interesting to see my progress through this process, so am going to take pictures often, in hopes that seeing the progress will be motivation to continue on the journey.

It has been a while since I posted, and have gained some weight, so I sit now the heaviest I have ever been (aside from pregnancy). It is not a fun place to be.

Today I attempted to walk on the treadmill, but between the distractions I cannot help (i.e. baby crying, kids drama, and basic house stuff) and those that I can (i.e. chosing to start a project when I am supposed to be walking) it has not happened yet. Some days it is just easier to rest on the laurels of my excuses than actually get a good workout.

So, in the spirit of logging my journey, today at 220 I feel tired, swollen, defeated, embarassed, and crabby. My end goal is 150. I have a long way to go, but lots of grand plans on how I will get there. Of course the longest journey begins with a single step.

Enough writing for the day, time to take that step.