12 Week Journey...

Wow, it's been so long I forgot I even had this blog. Not really, but I sure did push it to the far corner of my brain. I'm back, and have lots to catch you up on. So I don't completely bore you, I'll make it short and sweet. From my side bar to the left, you can see that my weight got up to an all time high of 190. It made me SICK to see that number. I only saw it once but hung around 188 for months. I fell into a deep depression.

Before summer 2011 I heard about the HCG diet and decided to give it a whirl. I lost 20lbs in 23days. So happy. But as with all quick losses, I had quick gains and ended up gaining 10lbs back. Then I dabbled with Medifast and lost 14lbs, but a move and Halloween kicked me up a few pounds, PLUS I was spoiled by HCG, and losing 2-3lbs a week was not fast enough to me since I knew I could lose a pound a day with HCG. After Thanksgiving I went back on HCG again but with the Holidays I couldn't keep myself from cheating and since it's so hard on your system to start and stop that protocol I had to take myself off it. The lowest I got was 162 in Jan.

So, since I haven't given up on my weight loss dream, it's time to start yet ANOTHER type of program. Now I know what you're probably thinking..."you've tried everything lady, nothing is going to work for you". Trust me, I KNOW. BUT, I also know that I have not been overweight all my life. In fact, the majority of my adult life I have been a healthy weight and even after my second child I was fit and lean. This has been an issue since I had my third child in 2010. I just can't seem to get focused. But I'm not giving up. If I listen to the voice of doubt in my head saying "nothing will work for me", NOTHING WILL WORK FOR ME. Because I won't be doing anything! If I keep trying, I have hope. And "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies" - Shawshank Redemption.

And so, here I am again. This time I've spent some time evaluating: myself, my past successes, past failures, and I think I've come up with a solution. I tried to figure out what the difference has been between the times I did lose weight after my kids, and the times I've failed. There are a few similar factors. One, I never had a scale. After my second child I only had the scale at the gym, but I worked out with a friend so we only stepped on it maybe once every couple of months. Two, my goals NEVER revolved around weight, always about fitness, clothing size and inches. Three, no time constraints ie, be this size in two months. I did however have fitness constraints like run a 5k in this month etc. And fourth, no diet plan. I tried to make good choices 50% of the time, but I didn't follow any certain diet plan.

Now, I'm not saying these four are my road to success this time, just that they've been in the past. The first two I'm going to do this time. The last two have to be tweaked a bit because I'm now about 10years older and it took me about a year to lose 20lbs with not watching my diet. I don't have that kind of time now. Plus it's a healthier way to do it.

So, I'm getting rid of the scale, taking my measurements once every two weeks, signing up for a 5k and eating according to the Body for Life program. Will be following that exercise program as well.

I'm so excited. It will feel so freeing to not judge my day by the number on the scale but by how many miles I run, or weights I can bench.
It's what worked before and it feels familiar and comforting.
I will try to post a few times a week, but I can't commit to everyday. I just know it won't happen.
I'll be putting up some before pics as well as my numbers on the left there. Again, only the measurements will be changing.

So, for day one I did cardio. It was supposed to be a weight day because tomorrow is the cycling class I like and that will be my cardio day, but I didn't have time to go to the gym so I just did a video. I think it's ok while I'm trying to sort out a schedule.