26 pounds down!!

I haven't posted here in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been making progress! 26 pounds down since I started getting serious about weight loss on Feb. 4th! I'm super proud of myself, but I still have a long ways to go. So I need to stay focused and on-task.

I am no longer doing the Medifast plan. That was WONDERFUL for me to get started and get a boost early on, but the plan doesn't match my core values of eating healthy, REAL food from nature and exercising to create the body I want. But it did give me a huge boost at the beginning and it got me going. So it was very, very useful for that. If I hit a plateau along the way, I am keeping that open as an option to do for a week here and there to get me going again--it's basically like going on a fast.

After doing Medifast for a week back in February, I have been eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and really watching my portion sizes. I have been eating smaller meals, more frequently, which is really working for me. When I get hungry, I eat something small and continue to do that throughout the day.

I've also really started exercising in the last month--doing Zumba twice a week and going to the gym 3-4 mornings per week to do cardio and strength exercises. That has made me feel so much stronger. I just feel really great and my endurance is MUCH improved.

Now that I've lost 26 pounds, I feel like I'm kind of in my "crunch time". It has always been relatively easy for me to lose 20-30 pounds. Honestly, it doesn't seem like I've had to work that hard for it. I have soooo much extra weight, that 20-30 pounds isn't that much for me.

But in the last few years of trying to lose weight, I haven't been able to get past the 30 pound mark. Once I hit the 30-pound loss, I plateau there for a while, get frustrated, then give up and go back to old eating and non-exercise habits. Therefore, the weight comes back.

So this is a very critical time. I need to get past the 30 pound mark. My next goal is to hit the 40 pound mark. If I can do that, there will be a huge celebration!!!

February was a GREAT start!

It's been exactly four weeks since I really started losing weight and I've lost 18 pounds in 4 weeks! Most of that was in the first week and I am amazed that I was able to not only lose a few more pounds, but keep that weight off from the first week even though I wasn't nearly as strict!

But I'm definitely eating better overall. Major difference in how I'm eating.

I don't do fast food or eat out nearly as often--only 1-2 times a week. That's still not ideal, but it's a HUGE difference from what I've been doing.

I've been making it a point to cook and take time to prepare healthy meals, rather than just eating whatever is convenient at the time. My "sweet tooth" has also been tamed. I'm not really sure how that happened, but it's not as strong as it used to be at all.

My goal for March---Lose 15 pounds. I know we're only supposed to try to lose 1-2 pounds a week, but I need to shoot for more so I will work harder. I want to also incorporate exercise this month---something I didn't do at all in February.

So 15 pounds by April 1st. I can do it.

1 full week

As of today, I've been on the Medifast plan one full week. Officially, during the first week, I've lost 13.2 pounds and 4 inches off my waist size.

Wow. Definitely surpassed my expectations.

I know the weight loss will slow down now, but I hope to hit the 20 pound mark by the end of the month. That would be incredible to lose 20 pounds in one month. I'm 6.8 pounds away.

Day 7

Today is the 7th day I've been on the Medifast plan. I know I shouldn't weigh every morning and I will stop that after this week. But my clothes were fitting more loosely, etc. so I just wanted to see that daily progress for the first week!!

In the first 6 days, I've lost 12.2 pounds and 3 inches off my waist size.

That is pretty darn amazing. And I haven't even followed the plan perfectly. I've had extra Medifast meals here and there (plans says do 5--I've had up to 8 in a day to help deal with hunger) and I've also had 2 "lean protein and lots of vegetables" meals some days, when according to the plan I'm supposed to only have one.

The biggest part for me, is that I have not eaten ANYTHING bad for me at all in 6 days. That is so incredible. I've been around bad food. I've gone thru the drive-thru window to pick up food for my son. I even have a carton of Blue Bell Cookies & Cream ice cream (my favorite!!) in my freezer right now, and haven't touched it.

That is HUGE for me!!!

Another thing---my skin breaks out really regularly and today I noticed a huge difference in my skin. It looks so much clearer. I've also noticed much more energy!! That did NOT happen until around Day 4-5. But it's definitely there now. I've also noticed being able to focus better the last couple of days.

I guess that's what happens when you don't eat any fast food, red meat, sugar, dairy or any of the other terrible things I've been feeding my body for so long.

What a huge change. I'm so thankful.

Just gotta keep it up. I'm very, very aware that I could go back to old ways at anytime. I just need to focus on moving forward and not ever going backwards.

Day 5

Still going well. My body is adjusting. I'm definitely not getting as hungry now.

My favorite Medifast meals so far are: French Vanilla shake, Dutch Chocolate shake, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Smores granola bar and Cappuccino drink.

Ones I liked, but not my favorites: Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal, Strawberry granola bar

Ones I didn't really like: Chili, Vanilla pudding.

Tomorrow my 5-week "variety pack" arrives. It has enough Medifast meals for 5 weeks and it includes all the flavors of everything Medifast offers so I have a chance to try everything and see what I really like.

So far, so good.

Day 4

Today my hunger is definitely easing up. The light-headedness and dizziness are still there, but the hunger isn't as bad at all. It's weird almost. Our bodies adjust so quickly to new things.

But I am still hungry. I had more social events today. Two of them were at coffee shops and one was at a restaurant. Again---surrounded by tons of calories!! But I had another victory today and I didn't succumb to temptation. It was hard, though. I even left the restaurant early.

No headache today, though. That was good.

The biggest thing--I haven't had any fast food, fattening food, sweets or anything bad for me AT ALL---not even a BITE--in FOUR days!!!! I have tried to just do ONE day of that for so long, and couldn't do it.

So I really feel like I'm turning a corner here and I'm sooooo thankful.

Day 3

Day 3 was tough because of my social events and being out most of the day.

The first social event was at Starbucks---I got a bottled water. But a white chocolate mocha sounded sooooo good!!! It was hard to sit there with my water, while smelling the sweet aroma of all the wonderful coffee drinks Starbucks has. Not to mention the pastries.

Second social event was at a friend's house. She was so sweet to make sure there were healthy things I could eat there. That was awesome. The other friends there ordered pizza, breadsticks and there were also sugar cookies there, which I love. So that was really tough. Really, really tough. I had to just not look at it at all.

But I have to be able to be around food and not let it control me. I can't just sit around my house all day in a bubble. There will always be food around that is bad for me. Not that I will never eat anything bad ever again---because I will. But I want to save it for special occasions--and just because it's there does not make it a special occasion.

Great news though---I conquered all my challenges for the day and stuck with it!! It feels good.