I'm Still Here!

Me minus 30!

When I set this blog up back in the summer I had every intention of posting at least once a week. But I got scared. Really scared. I had attempted to lose weight and get in shape in the past, but I had never stuck with it. The entire reason I shared my story so publicly was to give me an added incentive to stick with it. I even shared my exact weight and where I want to be in a year with everyone. That was the scariest thing I have ever done, but damn, it worked!

I own the fact I started this journey at 223 pounds and I am so proud to say I am down to 190 as of this morning. My goal is 141. Why that seemingly random number? Well, I'm 5'3'' and that would put my BMI at 24.9 which will put me in the healthy weight class. If I achieve this goal by September I will get $100 from HealthyWage.com. (Check out their website--it's totally legitimate. If you join please use my referral code: 4046395052.)

I want to be around for a long time for both my kids and my husband. There are things I want to do that I could not do with so much extra fluff. I want to mountain bike, white water raft, and maybe even start running.

I want to go shopping and by clothing that show off my curves instead of searching for ones that camouflage my weight. While getting healthy is my first priority, I'd be lying if I said I did not want to look really good again. I know that might sound shallow, but it is important to me.

Down 33

Each week or so I post a picture of two shot glasses. The one on the left has a pebble in it for each pound I need to lose while the one on the right has a pebble for each pound I have lost. I moved the 33rd pebble over this morning. I have had so many people ask what my magic bullet it. I wish I had a magic formula, but I don't. However, I will be glad to share what I have been doing that has helped me shed my excess baggage.

First, I eat all of the time. Seriously. You will rarely see me without food. I try to keep breakfast around 200-250 calories, lunch around 400 and dinner to 500-600. I have 200-300 calories worth of snacks. I track EVERY CALORIE I consume using an app called LoseIt. I typically consume anywhere from 1300 to 1500 calories each day.  I eat a lot of salad, nuts, and fruits. (I have discovered that I love dried cranberries.) My weakness is chocolate so I keep a stash of dark chocolate squares with me at all times. They are only 55 calories and they take care of my chocolate craving. The only liquid calories I consume are in the skim milk I have in the skinny lattes I get a couple of times each week.

My second secret is that I exercise all of the time. I get in at least 400 minutes of cardio each week and 60-90 minutes of weights each week. Sometimes I do this at 4:30 in the morning and other times I break it up into two sessions. It doesn't really matter. All that counts is that I am moving and burning calories. I know my metabolic rate has increased because I feel like a human furnace. I'm hot all of the time!

There you go. Those are my secrets which aren't secrets at all. I simply burn about 7000 calories less each week than I need to maintain my current weight which allows me to lose two pounds a week.

I am not on a diet therefore I am not struggling with issues of self-control. If I want to eat something then I eat it, but I do so in moderation. I don't beat myself up for having a cookie or a small piece of cake. I have slipped up a few times, but I have not let it derail my progress. A few hundred extra calories here and there over the course of several months is not a big deal.

The holiday season is in full swing so it's going to be harder than ever to eat right. For what it's worth here is my unsolicited advice:

• If you know you are going to a party where there will be lots of good food then eat light the rest of the day. Just don't skip meals! That only slows down your metabolism. 
• Pack your own lunch whenever you can to avoid having to eat out. This has saved me thousands of calories each week! 
• Back away from the salt shaker. 
• Eliminate breads and flour whenever possible. This can save a few hundred calories each day. 
• Watch how many calories you drink. Fancy coffees and cocktails have TONS of calories, but they are everywhere this time of year. 
• Finally---enjoy the season! 

Thank you for your support and encouragement during this process. It means the world to me.