Addicted to Facebook

It took me a really long time to sign-up for Facebook because I thought it would takeover my life. And sense I'm going to school full time, and working full time, I certainly don't need any more distractions in my life than I already have. So I avoided it... until recently. I signed up for Facebook. Now I'm left wondering why. It is every bit as addictive and distracting as I imagined it would be. And now's not a good time to be distracted. Finals are here (my first one was this past week). This is the time of year where things get hectic... projects due and papers to write, which, I wrote two papers and completed a major project on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week. Crazy.

Fortunately, I'm getting the stuff done and still playing with Facebook, but I'm left wondering why I opened Pandora's Box?

Those who've been keeping track with my weight loss are probably wondering why I haven't posted lately. Facebook would be the main reason, the other reason would be I haven't lost any to post, in fact, I've gained... six pounds over the past three weeks! Eek. This is where I give myself a pep talk again and remind myself I am oh so close to my goal and need to keep forging ahead. I will, and I'll get there, it's just a stark reminder that once I reach my goal I'll have to work twice as hard to maintain that weight. Ugh. Why can't it just be easy?

Keep it coming

Another two weeks, another two pounds! (Almost.)

Yes! I've lost 65.4 pounds so far!

Holding steady

As I've said before, no gain no pain, and that's a good thing. While I didn't post a loss this week, I weigh exactly what I weighed last week. Lately, that's a good thing as I seem to go up and down a couple pounds every week. Staying steady is good. I need to, once again, recommit myself to this process so I can eek out a loss, even if minimal, each week. I am getting close to my final goal -- it's in sight, but I know it could take several months to achieve it because the last 15 pounds are the hardest.

To that end, and to SpyC's surprise, I've been thinking about taking up running. She's happy because she's been wanting to run, but doesn't have the motivation to do it on her own. Now that I'm interested, it's a process we can start together, allowing us to help motivate each other. All it costs is a pair of shoes. We plan on using the running guide available gratis from iTunes to get us started -- we'll let you know how that goes.

Yes! I've lost 63.8 pounds so far!

On the slide

Back on track and sliding lower! Another weigh-in, another pound. This time almost four. Of course, WW yelled at me for losing more than two, but come on, I had gained almost three the two previous weeks. Back off, alright!? I'm correcting my wrongs. This week I weighed-in at 198.2, which is a new all time low for me, and I hope to make it even lower next week.

BTW, I'd like to add I lost weight during my birthday week! So there.

Yes! I've lost 63.8 pounds so far!

Stale, but happy

It's been nearly a month since last posting my Weight Watchers progress. It hasn't been lack of wanting to, or some scary weight gain, just a busy, busy schedule. I've been swamped with work and school lately, and just when the dust settled, I was off and running on a week long west coast tour to visit family in California and Nevada. It was a fun trip, but I've been enjoying being home the past few days, before I'm off and running again starting Wednesday.

First off, tomorrow is my birthday. That works well timing wise with WW because I'll weigh today, and then again next Monday, giving me a week to work on any indiscretions I exercise tomorrow! There are no grand plans for my b-day, however, so I may be able to eek by without too many temptations. SpyC has something planned for me next weekend, but she won't tell me a thing, only that I need to give her Saturday or Sunday... hmmm. Curious.

Anyhow, today's weigh-in comes with mixed results. I'm up from my 199 low a month ago, but I'm also happy that I've been able to nearly maintain. I haven't been very structured the past few weeks with WW. While I've been watching what I eat and exercising caution, I haven't been closely counting points. Today, I weighed in at 202, which is a weight gain of three pounds. Not so bad really.

It's time for me to re-commit (again) and get my arse in gear so that I can achieve my goal, which I am ever so close to. My waist continues to shrink, which is exciting. I went shopping yesterday and purchased pants with a size 34 waist. For comparison, pre-weight loss, I wore a 42-44. That's exciting!

Yes! I've lost 60 pounds so far!

Success! 199 and counting... down!

Yeah yeah yeah! I lost two pounds last week, which means I've achieved one hell of a milestone in my weight loss journey. I am now below 200 pounds, weighing in at 199! Yes yes yes! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I can't tell you the last time I weighed less than 200 pounds. It's so amazing. My doc's goal for me was to fall below 200. Mission accomplished. My goal is to hit 185, WW's goal is for me to hit 172. My doc doesn't agree with that, and I may have him write to change it. But, for now, a HUGE milestone has been met. Hooray for me!

My brother can't believe I've lost so much and equates it to losing a kindergartner! Funny, funny.

Yes! I've lost 45 pounds on WW and 63 pounds overall!

Getting closer!

Woohoo! Another weight loss and I'm inching ever so close to falling below the 200 mark. I lost an add'l 1.6 pounds this week, bringing me down to 201 pounds!

Yes! I've lost 43 pounds on WW and 61 pounds overall!

Splendid!

Great news to share this week. It appears I have truly pushed through the plateau I fought for two months as I recorded another loss today. I am happy to say I am down 3.6 pounds from last week! I am thrilled with the results, even if WW yells at me for losing weight too rapidly. They say you should lose no more than two pounds per week on average. I haven't exceeded that, otherwise I should be down twice as much as I am, but whenever you record a loss greater than two pounds they scold you. Whatever. I'm taking the weight loss!

FYI, you may have noticed I've updated the way I record my weight loss below. I ultimately started this journey in August 2007 when my doctor recorded my weight at 262. When I started Weight Watchers in February 2008 I weighed 244. So while my weight loss on Weight Watchers has been truly amazing, it doesn't reflect where I ultimately started, which is why I decided to start entering my WW weight loss and overall weight loss numbers.

Yes! I've lost 41.4 pounds on WW and 59.4 overall!

It's in the numbers

Many exciting numbers to write about today.

First, I begin my second to last semester tomorrow as I wind down my 13 year challenge of finishing school. I am as anxious as ever and am excited that the end is finally near. I had my Senior Summary the other day, a meeting with my adviser to go over my classes and transcripts to make sure I am indeed on track to graduate in May. I have completed my graduation application, another step in helping me realize this long, sometimes painful and very expensive journey, is about to come to an end.

Second, I am slowly continuing my weight loss with Weight Watchers. I weighed in yesterday and was thrilled to find I have reached a new low of 206.2 pounds. My previous low was 208.4. I have gained a few pounds here and there and have finally managed to stay on the loosing end for a couple of weeks. I found that for a few weeks I wasn't religiously counting my Points, and though I felt I was staying consciously aware of what I was eating, and tracking my Points in my head, it's no match for writing them down.

Goal setters often talk about how goals are easier to achieve when you write them down, and I suppose this is no exception. I have a daily goal to remain within my Points target and a weekly goal of loosing weight. I have a renewed commitment to Point tracking and loosing weight. I hope to have achieved my personal goal weight by the time I graduate. It will be two very huge milestones that I will have conquered after battling them for years. What a victory!

On the weight loss note, I had an appointment with my doctor a couple of weeks ago. I haven't seen him since November... he thought I fell off the face of the earth. Well, I didn't, but my weight has. He was very happy to see the weight loss and said he wouldn't give me a hard time for not making my three to four month appointment interval since I had lost a lot of weight. The highest weight he had me recorded at, last summer, was 262. That is the most I've ever weighed. When I started Weight Watchers in February I weighed 244. It's thrilling to know that in one short year (yes, short!) I've lost nearly 56 pounds! I am so proud of myself.

In addition to being at a healthier weight, my blood work showed my body is much healthier on the whole. My cholesterol is down 100 points. What's not to like about that? Everything is down, and everything is in the normal range where as last year, at my all time high, nearly everything was elevated. My doctor said I probably win the award for the most weight lost, naturally, in his office. Woohoo! It's nice to know people are noticing. My co-workers constantly comment on how I've lost so much weight. It feels good.

One more positive number to report. I paid $3.46/gallon for gas yesterday, a number I haven't seen in months. It's still crazy high, but I'll take it over the high of $4.04 I paid a month or so ago. I know that's less than many parts of the country, and for that I'm thankful. I'll still take $3.46, and better yet $3.45 and even better $3.44. You get the idea.

Lots of number talk, but all good numbers. Healthy weight loss and a graduation date I thought would never come. It's happening. It's real.

Yes! I've lost 37.8 pounds so far (on WW) and 56 overall!

In the right direction

Whew... I seem to have plateaued lately and it's been frustrating the hell out of me, but alas, I finally lost again and am now at a new low. Yeah! I am under no illusions the plateau is over. Hopefully I'll have continued success next week but it's become clearer to me I'll have to step up my game and work even harder. If you add my WW weight loss with what I achieved in the three months before WW, I've now lost over 50 pounds since the end of November. Woohoo!

Yes! I've lost 35.6 pounds so far!

Flat and happy

We're not talking my stomach here, sadly. No gain, no pain. No loss, no fuss. Ok, so it doesn't exactly rhyme, but it get's the point across (maybe) that my weight remained flat this week, that is, I didn't lose or gain. Frustrating on one hand because I walked 12 miles on my trip to London this past weekend and didn't pig out in the process. I should have lost some on that day alone. And, I didn't blow it at all this week. Not sure what happened, but as WW says, it's nice not to gain. I've got to look at the big picture. I remind myself now that I've still lost a lot of weight.

I'm on vacation now in Asheville, NC and thoroughly enjoying the Grove Park Inn. If you've never heard of it, or seen it, check out their website. This place is very, very cool. We're actually here for a conference for SpyC. I, on the other hand, get to enjoy leisure days full of relaxation (and a little Spanish homework, too). But I'm being active (cause you know the food is a problem). Today I attended an hour long water aerobics class and a one hour yoga class. The two netted me seven activity points, or seven extra food points today. Which is good. I might need them as we're headed out to dinner tonight with SpyC's boss and others from the conference.

Tomorrow I plan to attend another yoga class and a pilates class and enjoy the amazing spa facilities they have here. Plus a little more Spanish homework. It should all work out to be another amazing day full of healthy, happy living. What's not to like about that?

Yes! I've lost 33.6 pounds so far!

Two weeks on, two weeks off

I'm headed in the right direction this week having chipped away a tad at my last two week's weight gain. I'm down 1.6 pounds this week. It took me two weeks to put on two and a half pounds, so I guess it's only fitting it'll take me two weeks to take it off. I had hoped to get back to my original low today, but hey, I'm headed in the right direction.

Yes! I've lost 33.6 pounds so far!

Back trickling

I guess it had to happen sometime just to keep me firmly planted in the reality that yeah, losing weight is hard. I've been pretty impervious to that thought so far as I've been pretty successful with out any setbacks... until now. I didn't get to weigh in last week because I was out of town (a good thing, me thinks) but I had to finally face the music today. I gained 2.4 pounds. Ugh! I am happy, sort of, that that is all I gained. I had a pretty care free weekend last week while at my parents and then went to Rome and was tortured with fresh cheese, salami and pasta. Who can resist that?

Considering all that I've eaten in the past two weeks a gain of 2.4 pounds isn't that bad. I probably gained more than that but have been able to lose some. I hope to be back at my previous low by next week, which is why I'm hoofin' it this week and keeping with the plan.

I didn't post my weigh-in results from the week prior... I probably got distracted. I had lost 1.6 pounds that week, bringing my weight loss total to 34.4. For the first time I got below 210, which was a huge milestone. Though it didn't last long, I plan to be right back there by next week. I can still proudly say:

Yes! I've lost 32 pounds so far!

Trickling

Another week, another weigh-in, another loss! I lost 1.6 pounds this past week, and am now just 12 pounds away from falling below 200! For now, I am looking forward to dropping to 2-0-something. I have enjoyed each milestone, falling into the 230s, then 220s, then 2-teens. Now the 2-0-somethings is looking great. But even better? The 190s! Hopefully in another month I'll be there!

Yes! I've lost 32.6 pounds so far!

Still losing

It's been a few weeks since I've posted about my weight loss, but not because I've been gaining. In fact, I am still slowly dwindling to my goal weight and since the last post have lost 5.2 pounds, bringing my total weight loss on Weight Watchers to 31 pounds, and total overall weight loss since last November to 44 pounds! The plan, though still easy, has become slightly more challenging to maintain. It is hard to keep coming up with fresh, new ideas to keep the eating on the right track and the weight going down, but I am committed as ever and look forward to every five pound milestone.

Yes! I've lost 31 pounds so far!

Yes! I've reached my first goal!

The elusive 10% goal was finally obtained this week. I've been inching towards it for a couple of weeks, narrowly missing it by 0.2 pounds last week. I finally reached, and surpassed, that goal and am thrilled. The 10% goal is set by Weight Watchers as a first step goal toward your target weight. It's a great start and I am thrilled to have made it. Now, I have my own goals in mind as I move toward my target weight. For now, I am looking to fall below 200. It shouldn't take terribly long and I am looking forward to achieving that next milestone.

Yes! I've lost 25.8 pounds so far!

So close

I am ever so close to my 10% goal and nearing my 25 pound green star! I only need to lose 0.2 pounds to meet my 10% goal, and 0.8 pounds to get my 25 pound green star. Woohoo! The weight has come off very slowly these past few weeks, but I am surprised it has come off at all since I've had three blow-out weekends in a row. I am done with that pattern for a little while, and thank goodness. I am happy that I've still been able to record a weight loss each week, even as small as 0.2 pounds, but it is still a loss. I had to work really hard to maintain the losses, too, with all the eating and drinking that's been going on.

Hopefully, with a break in my social schedule I can get back to the business of real weight loss and redouble my efforts. Ten weeks, 24 pounds down. Here's to another 10 weeks of success and another 24 pounds of weight loss!

Yes! I've lost 24.2 pounds so far!

Dangerous times

I have been overloaded with parties as of late. I know that may not sound so bad to most, but for those on Weight Watchers, like me, these are very dangerous times. I have attended three parties in the past two weeks, one planned, the other two on a whim. The planned events make it a little easier to allocate points, but the ad-hoc ones are difficult. Fortunately, I am still on the losing side of the scale this week with a 0.8 pound weight loss.

Which is good and bad. I stepped on the scale a few days earlier and was happy to see I was down nearly two pounds. My partying ways added a pound of that back, but I thought I was going to gain last week. I am so glad I didn't. I have another party coming up this weekend, but plan to be good this week so that I don't have to be as good come Saturday. Damn... having weigh-ins on Monday is brutal.

Yes! I've lost 22.4 pounds so far!

No gain, no pain

This week it's necessary for me to adjust an old adage about building muscle: no pain, no gain. In my case, it's no gain, no pain. I only lost 0.2 pounds last week, but that certainly is better than gaining so I am, indeed, feeling no pain. My 10% goal weight remains elusive, but I keep knocking on its door. I'll get there, just not this week.

Yes! I've lost 21.6 pounds so far!

Dos mas

Another week and another two pounds... Hooray for me!

Yes! I've lost 21.4 pounds so far!

More, more, more!

My weight loss journey continues and this week I logged a great success, although Weight Watchers yelled at me for losing too much! Ha! I don't know why you lose more one week than another, especially when your activity and food intake levels are nearly the same, but it happens. At any rate, I am thrilled to say I lost another 3.8 pounds this week! That's delicious news. I am also happy to say I remain motivated and am getting excited for the summer months ahead. Woohoo!

Yes! I've lost 19.4 pounds so far!

Continued Success

I didn't get a chance to post my results for last week, but I lost .8 pounds, and today I logged another loss of 1.4 pounds, bringing my total weight loss so far to 15.6 pounds. The weight loss has definitely slowed since the first two weeks, but I knew that was going to be the case. Now, I am in the long stretch to achieve my 10% loss and ultimately my goal weight.

I am losing the expected amount, on average, and am happy that I have been able to continue losing each week, even if only a little. I attended a blow out St. Patrick's Day party on Saturday where I consumed an entire day's worth of points (even eating WW recipes!) in one evening. The food was awesome and the drinks were great, but I was able to balance that day with 29 activity points for the week and managed to stay on track. Thank goodness.

This is one of the things I've come to like quite a bit about Weight Watchers: It's not really a diet. It makes keeping track of what you eat and being conscious of the choices you make when you eat very easy. There isn't anything you can't have, rather, it allows you to acknowledge how the choices you make at one meal should affect the choices you make at another meal in order to keep a healthy balance throughout the day and week. It also helps to encourage healthy eating by suggesting how many servings of water, fruits and vegetables, dairy and oils you should work into your daily points.

I am in this for the long haul and am loving every pound I lose and the results I see. It feels good and is incredibly rewarding.

Yes! I've lost 15.6 pounds so far!

Slow and steady now

I am continuing my weight loss journey and am happy to report I've lost another 2.4 pounds. I lost six pounds the first week, five the second and just over two the third. Weight Watchers says a healthy weight loss is about two pounds per week after the first two or three. I hope my body is beginning to get used to this new way of eating and being healthier. I am getting settled and am enjoying the challenge that lies ahead. It will be a long one, but I am anxious to continue the positive results.

Yes! I've lost 13.4 pounds so far!

Weight Losing

I am thrilled to announce my great start last week continued this week and I lost another five pounds! I can only hope this trend continues and I will continue to work hard to make sure it does. Hooray for me!

Yes! I've lost 11 pounds so far!

Weight Watching

After months of abuse, prodding and nagging I signed up for Weight Watchers last Monday. Well, SpyC signed me up. I've been following the plan quite well this first week, if I may say so, and had great results today for my first weigh in. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... count them SIX pounds in the first week! Woohoo! I don't expect to have that kind of success every week, but man I would love to lose that much every week. The weigh in has certainly motivated me for the week ahead, and it'll be a challenge as I head to work Friday for four days. Being on the road will definitely be a challenge, but I'll do all I can to stay within my points. I'll be anxious to weigh in next Monday to see how I did.

Feel free to throw your support my way... I can certainly use it! Look for the following tag line below at the end of each post and track my weight loss with me!

Yes! I've lost 6 pounds so far!