Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 8

The Contest Edition of Losing It! has been an awesome experience. It began on November 12 and today is the end. I am so grateful for Kathy at House of Hills who challenged us to lose or at least maintain our weight through the holidays and although I did neither, I believe it helped me not totally pig out and put on a lot of pounds.

Here are my results:

Starting weight: 161.5
Ending weight: 162

Yup, I gained half a pound. Darn!

I was pretty focused throughout the first five weeks....then Christmas Eve through New Year's Day I was eating cookies like there was no tomorrow.

By the way, just to let you know...tomorrow comes. Ha!

Even though I was eating cookies like a crazy woman, I should have practiced a wee bit of self control since my treadmill broke during the same time period and I was not practicing my goal of "eating less and moving more."

The amusing part of this story is that Wonderful Husband and I went out on New Year's Eve and purchased a new treadmill that was going to be delivered on January 6. When we were leaving the store, I told him that the timing was a bit too close to the end of the Losing It! Contest and without missing a beat he said, "Well, you'll just have to come home from work and hop on the tready for a good 5 or 6 hours!"

I laughed and told him that I knew that wouldn't be happening. (You'll have to come back over the weekend to see my next post on my new treadmill. It makes for a good blogging story.)

Please head over to the House of Hills to see how the other Losing It! ladies finished the contest. There are prizes for the first and second place winners and I'm so proud of them all!

Losing It - Contest Edition - Weeks 6 & 7

Since I didn't post for Week 6, this is Weeks 6 and 7 recap.

I thought I was doing pretty well with eating less and moving more until this past week. My treadmill broke (hence moving less) and I baked cookies and large meals for our adult kids (hence eating more).

I've learned that I shouldn't eat cookies between every meal. That's just bad! (See how you can learn from my mistakes?)

So my results are dismal but with one more week to this contest (and I'm going out to buy a new treadmill today) I've got to "pick up my game" (and also we've run out of cookies). Hooray!

Weeks 6/7 Results:
I gained 3.5 lbs.
Walked on tready for 4 days in Week 6, she died on Week 7. RIP tready!
Did sit-ups and used light weights for 4 days/each week.
Total loss in 7 weeks is a gain of .5 lb. YIKES!

So my plan for this final week of the contest is to reintroduce fish into my dining experience. "Hello Tilapia, nice to see you again."
More water. Yes, my continuing challenge.
And moving more whether my new treadmill arrives this week or not.

Thanks for stopping by and please proceed to the House of Hills to cheer on the Losing It ladies.

Happy New Year! 

Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 5

The weather outside is frightful ... below freezing temps for I don't know how long, but it seems like forever.

I'm still not fully over my cold, yet am much better than last week since I took a Saturday of rest and napped off and on and felt more human by Sunday. Rest. It "does a body good."

Yesterday was my company luncheon at the wonderful Joseph Ambler Inn where I ordered the petite filet mignon. Yummy delicious. People around me ordered fish and I explained my Texas roots where I eat beef whenever I can. Ha!

So you're interested in my weight loss this week?

Week 5 Results:

I lost 2.5 lbs.
I walked on the treadmill 2 days this week.
Did sit-ups and used light weights for 4 days.
Total loss in 5 weeks is 3 lbs. (Total percentage of body weight will be posted on Week 8.)


Saturday night is my Wonderful Husband's family Christmas party. My plan is to snack moderately and enjoy the party. Sunday I will be marathon-baking pumpkin bread to give as gifts.

Here's a peek at our Christmas tree. Man, that angel is bright at the top!

Years ago, our daughter and I had an allergic reaction to a fresh tree. We invested in this faux tree and have put it to good use for the past 14 years. I love it and leave it up through January. It helps lighten my mood through December and January.

This week's question is: Do you have a real or fake Christmas tree?

This contest has been a blessing to me. It's kept me focused on being responsible with my food choices and kept me accountable with my exercise decisions. I'm enjoying the holiday season this year. No weight gain and no guilt. Life is good.

Thanks for stopping by and please proceed to the House of Hills to cheer on the Losing It ladies.

Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 4

Well I finally succumbed to a cold. I'm just grateful that it's Friday and the end of my work week.

By the way, my new job is going great (except for the cold thing). I'm retaining all the new stuff and learning more new stuff every day. I guess you can "teach an old dog new tricks." Ha!

Week 4 Results:
I gained 1 lb.
I walked on the treadmill 3 days this week. I couldn't breathe with my cold so I took some days off.
Did sit-up and used light weights for 4 days.
Made it to my goal of drinking 64 oz. of water....today.

Here are some words of wisdom for you:
Don't eat Chex Mix like crazy if you don't get on the tready.
There.
That's my gift to you this week.
You're welcome. :)

My plan for this upcoming week is: beat this cold, keep treading, doing sit-ups, using light weights, and more days of drinking 64 oz. of water.

I thought you might enjoy seeing what the house looks like all lit up on a windy night. I'm assuming the lights were shaking, not my hand on the camera but I'm not sure.

Thanks for stopping by and please proceed to the House of Hills to cheer on the Losing It ladies.

Is your house decked out with Christmas lights?

Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 3

You can go to Kathy's House of Hills blog to read the rules. Please note that you have to link up or leave comments for 6 of the 8 weeks in order to qualify for the prizes. Today is it people! If you're going to join, you must start today so you'll have 6 weeks of links or comments in order to win a prize. You know you want to! :)                                                                                                                  

This week has been wonderfully weird for me. I started working full time on Wednesday. I have been unemployed for 2 years and 10 months, so going back to work has been exhausting! And the funny thing is that I have only worked 3 days this week instead of a full five. Next week will be exhausting-er. Ha!

The job is going well and I'm thankful that I'm surrounded by nice people who are patient with my many questions. I'm looking forward to "hitting the groove" of knowing all the answers and being comfortable with all of my new responsibilities. The best part of starting a new job in December is writing down when the company Christmas luncheon is and it's at a really nice restaurant too. Yum! Oh and receiving a paycheck again is pretty cool too.

Week 3 Results:

I lost 1.5 lbs. (Total loss in 3 weeks is 1.5 lbs.) Total percentage of body weight loss will be posted on Week 8.
Got on the treadmill 5 days this week at a 2.5% incline, 3 mph, for 45 minutes.
Did sit-ups and used light weights for 5 days.
I did drink more water but not my goal of 64 oz./day...again.

My plan for this upcoming week is: keep treading, doing sit-ups and using light weights. The real challenge for me is to drink 64 oz. of water per day. I've have to drink more water.

Wonderful Husband and I are going to an open house party tomorrow so my plan is to eat in moderation. This is a tough time of year with all the sweets and party food and that's why I'm glad to be participating with the Losing It ladies.

Please join us at House of Hill's to link to your blog post, or leave a comment of your results, or to cheer everyone on.

The house is fully decorated. I'll be baking pumpkin bread soon to give as gifts (and stock-piling some in the freezer for when our kids come home to visit.) Cookies will be baked right before Christmas too. I mailed off Christmas gifts last Tuesday to Texas and Maryland and I'm sending Wonderful Husband out to finish the Christmas shopping. I have to find some new clothes for work...it's time to "beef up" my wardrobe.

How are you doing with the holidays?

Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 2

You can go to Kathy's House of Hills blog to read the rules. Please note that you have to link up or leave comments for 6 of the 8 weeks in order to qualify for the prizes. You still have time to participate for weeks 3-8 so join us!

The update on my job interview can be read here.

My plan for Thanksgiving was to eat in moderation. I succeeded! I enjoyed turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and my contribution to the meal (onions in cheese sauce). I also had a piece of pumpkin pie with a dollop of Cool Whip.

There were five other side dishes that I passed up and five other dessert choices that I passed up and because of those decisions, I was full but not stuffed. I achieved my goal of moderation for Thanksgiving! I'm relieved that the Thanksgiving feast is once a year as you can see by my results listed below.

Week 2 Results:
I gained 1 lb.
Got on the treadmill 4 days this week at a 2.5% incline, 3 mph, for 45 minutes.
Did sit-ups and used light weights for 4 days.
I did drink more water but not my goal of 64 oz./day.

My plan for this upcoming week is: 5 days on the treadmill, 5 days of sit-ups and light weights, and drink 64 oz. of water per day.

There were 22 people at my sister-in-law's house for Thanksgiving. We showed up with our side-dish and appetites, enjoyed the meal, football games, and visiting together. Some of Wonderful Husband's family go shopping on Black Friday. Not me. I'm staying home, hopping on "tready" and working off that 1 lb. gain. The best part is that I don't regret a single bite. Wonderful Husband's family are great cooks! 

Please join us at House of Hill's to link to your blog post, or leave a comment of your results, or to cheer everyone on.

Did you enjoy your Thanksgiving feast? Do you shop on Black Friday?

Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 1 (For Realz)

OK. I messed up last week because the competition was just beginning. Today marks Week 1 results. Really. I promise.

You can go to Kathy's House of Hills blog to read the rules. Please note that you have to link up or leave comments for 6 of the 8 weeks in order to qualify for the prizes. So get busy!

This has been a somewhat stressful week for me. A family issue, fingernail polish issue, and I had my first job interview in a longgggg time. OK. Two out of those three things were stressful.

The job interview went well and now I'm in "wait-and-see-mode." I'll post an update (either way) when I have news.

What I've come to realize is that if I'm stressed, I eat. If I'm happy, I celebrate by eating. Does anyone see a pattern here or struggle with it yourself?

Week 1 Results:
I lost 1 lb.
Got on the treadmill 3 days this week at a 2.5% incline, 3 mph, for 45 minutes.
Did sit-ups and used light weights for 3 days.

My plan for this upcoming week is: 5 days on the treadmill, 5 days of sit-ups and light weights, and drink more water.

Next week is Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday! I'm a bit apprehensive of losing any weight BUT I am going to enjoy a moderate feast and celebrate at my sister-in-law's home with a lot of family members. Moderation in eating is my goal and hugging my kids who will be home for a visit. (I wonder if I can burn a lot of calories by hugging my kids?)

Please join us at House of Hill's to link to your blog post, or leave a comment of your results, or just to cheer everyone on. I'm looking forward to eating turkey and dressing...in moderation. :)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)

Losing It - Contest Edition - Week 1

Woo hoo! Kathy at House of Hills is having an 8 week competition that will take us through the holidays. (Click on the link above to read all the rules.)

I am soooooo grateful for Kathy hostessing this because I really need the incentive (to possibly win a prize) and the accountability factor that will carry me through these holidays that are always celebrated by overeating eating yummy food.

I have been yo-yo-ing through the world on my bathroom scale. I've said goodbye to 160 once (on September 17th)...then hello to the 160s over and over again ever since. Darn.

My beginning weight today is 161.5 lbs.


My plan is to eat less and to move more. In addition, I want to say a firm goodbye to the 160s.

1) Get on the treadmill 5 days a week.
2) Drink 64 oz. of water per day.
3) Take-in less calories (and healthier ones at that).
4) Do sit-ups and use light weights daily.

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."
This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways."
Haggai 1:5-7

This week I will give careful thought to my ways.

Please visit Kathy at House of Hills, read the contest rules, and join us in this friendly contest as we encourage and cheer each other on while we maintain or lose through the holidays.

(Update: I should not have called this Week 1 since in the real world Week 1 will be next Friday, November 19th. Sorry for my confusion and I'm hopeful it isn't contagious!)

Losing It - Week 37

It's been an interesting week. We went to Virginia to visit our son leaving early Saturday morning and got back home midafternoon on Sunday. Three meals out....well I ate two meals because I sent away my underdone burger. Yes, I embarrass my family by actually sending food away. Sorry!

The big news is that I've increased my time on the treadmill from 2.5 hours/week to 3.75 hours/week. That works out to be 45 minutes on tready 5 days/week. Phew!

Oh yeah, and we had leftover Halloween candy. Darn trick-or-treaters! I'm guessing it was a bit too cold this year. But I've noticed what I haven't lost in pounds, I have been losing in inches.

This week I lost 1 lb.! 

Goals for this week:
Drink more water!
Measure myself so I can be specific with inches. (I wish I would have measured myself back in February so I'd have a running total. Oh well.)
Stay with the treadmill schedule of 45 minutes per day for 5 days.

I'm linking this post to Kathy's blog (House of Hills) and am hoping you'll stop by to join in and/or encourage the group! See you next week!

Update: Kathy is announcing a contest next week so now is a great time to join us!

Losing It - Week 36

This week I read about Kathy hitting the treadmill in her hotel. For 45 minutes per day. She inspired me to "up my game" this week and I hit my tready for 45 minutes for 3 days. (I looked a bit purply-sweaty at the end but I think I worked off some of my Halloween "candy taste-testing" this week.)

I lost .5 lb. this week. You don't need to stop the presses...yet I am happy with the scale going down a bit.

I also went to the dentist on Thursday...no cavities! (I love sharing good news.)

This week's goals are:
45 minutes on tready for 5 days.
More water. 64 oz./day.
More healthy eating (hurry up trick-or-treaters....have all my candy!)

I'm linking this post to Kathy's blog (House of Hills) and am hoping you'll stop by to join in and/or encourage the group! See you next week!

Losing It - Week 35

Dag nab it! This week's update is not one I wanted to "talk" about. It was a week of eating stupid and not moving enough obviously.

The scale moved up 1.5 lbs. and I need to get my head back in the game (again)!

I must say that I've already read Kathy's update and her wonderful success this past week. She has inspired me to get focused again and so I ask for your prayers this week because I need them!

I've linked up to Kathy at House of Hills this week and ask that you stop by and check out the other ladies and their progress. Thank you and see you next week!

Losing It - Week 34

This past week my usually focused and organized world was changed up a bit. Wonderful Husband and I started sanding and prepping the front porch. We worked on the porch on Saturday and Sunday.

Monday morning I went out and wiped it all down with a 1 part bleach/3 part water mixture and then (lucky for me) our daughter, Young Sweetie was home for "Fall Break." She wiped off all the sponge remnants and then assisted me with painting the exposed wood with primer. (I thanked her profusely since I knew it wasn't much of a break for her on that day.)

On Wednesday, I finished the bleach/water wipe down on the lowest part of the porch and painted it with primer. Finished it in 3.5 hours and thought I'd never be able to stand up straight again. Yet I could!

Here is a picture update so far.

We are waiting for Thursday and Friday rains to blow through and Wonderful Husband and I will (hopefully) finish painting on Saturday and Sunday.

Then our next step is to seal the floor of the porch. We're under a time constraint between weather, visiting our son in VA at the end of the month, and of course the bazillion trick-or-treaters that will coming with hopes of treats (not tricks).

Here is my Losing It! update for last week:

Eating - Not so great since I was too beat to cook I had unusual unhealthy meals including: a cheese steak hoagie, a slice of chicken-bacon-ranch-pizza.

Tready - didn't step on her for 3 of my porch work days. My body was one big ache from bending/hunching over. So 4 days of tready this week.

Did sit-ups and worked on my arms with 7 lb. weights.

Increased my water intake but didn't hit the 64 oz. per day goal. Going to try and get back into this habit this upcoming week!

Lost .5 lb. this week.

I do want to say that while working on the front porch I was continually thanking God for giving me a body that could move, bend, hunch over, and scrape along the bushes that sometimes were a little mean to me! (It  helps me to focus on blessings while doing work I don't like very much.)

I've linked this post to Kathy at House of Hills. Please stop by and see how the other ladies are doing. Join in if you have your own weight challenge. The accountability factor is great and we encourage each other toward success one week at a time.

Losing It - Week 33

I've decided to post my Losing It! updates on a weekly basis on my blog and link to Kathy's House of Hills. I've tried to do updates every 5 weeks on this blog and post comments at Kathy's House of Hills weekly but it doesn't seem to keep me accountable enough and my results have been dismal.

A re-cap:
The first 10 weeks I lost 10 lbs. (Hooray!)
The second 10 weeks I lost 6.5 lbs. (OK!)
The third 10 weeks I lost 3 lbs. (YIKES!)


See a pattern? Losing less and less as time progresses. Please don't misunderstand, I am pleased with weighing 19.5 lbs. less. But, I need to get my head "back in the game" and blogging weekly will hopefully keep me more focused and determined.

Week 31 - I was on vacation with Wonderful Husband and didn't have a scale nearby.
Week 32 - Gained 2 lbs. Not unexpected since vacation is vacation.
Week 33 - Lost 1 lb. Alrighty then.

My lifestyle plan is to eat less (making more healthy choices) and move more.

I need to make more healthy food choices this week. Meals were fine but I was snacking on Hot Tamales (candy) and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (more candy). I need to stock up on green apples and have healthy snacks.

I walked on the treadmill at a 2.5% incline, 3 mph, 25 minutes/day for 5 days this week. I want to hit tready 6 days per week.

Keep doing sit ups and working with 7 lb. weights.

Last but not least....water! I need to drink more water. 64 oz. a day worked well for me during my first 10 weeks.

After Bible Study yesterday, I ran a few errands and decided to "treat myself" to a slice of chicken-bacon-ranch-pizza. I'd rationalized that I had been pretty good this week. (Sometimes I tell myself little white lies.) I walked in to my local pizza place and looked at the counter. I asked the server, "Do you have chicken-bacon-ranch-pizza?" The cashier (with her back to me) said, "I just sold the last slice."

"OK, thanks anyway."

I was laughing on the way to my van and thought, "Well God, I guess You didn't think I deserved a slice today." (I do believe that God wants me to be healthier too.)

I've linked this post to Kathy at House of Hills. Please stop in and see how the other ladies are doing. Join in if you have your own weight challenge. The accountability factor is great and we encourage each other toward success one week at a time.

Lifestyle Change Part 3

Today is the third 10 week completion of my lifestyle change (weight loss).

The update for weeks 6-10 is the scale that looked like this:
Week 6 - lost 1 lb.
Week 7 - gained .5 lb.
Week 8 - lost 1 lb.
Week 9 - gained/lost 0
Week 10 - lost 1 lb.

During this 10 week period, my total weight loss is........ 3 lbs.

I began this "adventure" on February 26 with a total loss of 10 lbs. in 10 weeks.  I lost an additional 6.5 lbs. in my second 10 week period. I'm continuing my plan of eat less, move more. I am watching my portion size, and walking on the treadmill at a 2% incline, 3 mph, 25 minutes for 5-6 days per week.

I have lost the total of 19.5 lbs. in 30 weeks. That's 10.89% in 30 weeks. And now can say goodbye to the 160s! My current weight is 159.5 lbs. Booyah!

I have marked off 10 more weeks which will take me to November 26. My update posts will be on Week 5 and Week 10.

Thanks for your encouragement and support as the journey continues! I've linked this post to Kathy at House of Hills. Please stop in and see how the other ladies are doing and cheer them on.

Lifestyle and Stress

I had decided that I had better results with marking off 10 week increments while working on my lifestyle change. My plan is to eat less and move more.

So this is my Week 5 Update and I've lost 1/2 lb. in 5 weeks.

Can anyone say yo-yo? That's what my scale has been in the past 5 weeks.

I've been doing well with the move more part. I've been on the treadmill at a 2% incline, 3 mph, for 5-6 days per week. I've also been lifting 7 lb. weights trying to firm up my flabby arms and have seen improvement there too.

So the issue during this 5 week period has been the eat less part (and making more healthy choices). I've always known that I can go a bit bonkers when I'm stressed, so my lack of weight loss results have not been a suprise to me, yet it is disappointing.

Although I could list the reasons for the stress, it's been nothing tragic or mind boggling so I just need to get a grip and re-focus my efforts.

My next Losing It/Weight Loss Wednesdays blog update will be on Week 10 (September 15). In the meantime, I'll be checking in at House of Hills (on Fridays) and will be commenting on Karen Ehman's Weight Loss Wednesdays.

How has your journey been lately?

Update: Since Karen has decided to discontinue Weight Loss Wednesdays posts on her blog in a couple weeks, I'll be hanging out with my Losing It buddies at Kathy's House of Hills. The journey continues...

Lifestyle Change Part 2

Today is my second 10 week completion of my lifestyle change (weight loss).

The update for weeks 7-10 is the scale that looked like a yo-yo during these weeks.

Week 7 - lost 0
Week 8 - gained 1 lb.
Week 9 - lost 1.5 lbs.
Week 10 - lost 1 lb.

So during this 10 week "adventure" my total weight loss is........ 6.5 lbs.

I began this adventure back on February 26 with a total loss of 10 lbs. in 10 weeks. I've been continuing my plan of eat less, move more. I've increased my water intake, am watching my portion size, and still walking on the treadmill at a 1.5% incline, 3 mph, 25 minutes for 5-6 days per week.

So doing the math (our son would be so proud) I have lost the total of  16.5 lbs. in 20 weeks. That's 9.22% in 20 weeks. Booyah!

I have marked off 10 more weeks which will take me to September 15. Wish me luck (and some will power!). I think my update posts will be on Week 5 and Week 10.

Thanks for your encouragement and support as the journey continues! I've linked this post to Kathy at House of Hills. Please stop by and see how the other ladies are doing and cheer them on.

A Good Week (Week 6)

This is Week 6 for me and it was a good week. I discovered that I like romaine lettuce with cherry tomatoes tossed with a bit of balsamic vinegar dressing and topped off with a scoop of tuna salad. It's filling, palatable, and good for me.

I'm being thoughtful about my food choices. I'm not depriving myself of anything, just living/eating in moderation. Prior planning is crucial and then I'm not obsessing about food all the time. If I eat a lot of carbs during the day, I go low(er) carb for dinner. I'm also on the treadmill 6 days a week, 25 minutes per day, 1.5% incline at 3.1 mph.

I did make a sad discovery this week though. I had a s'more...and hated it! I think if it would have been dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate it would have been tolerable....but it was disgustingly sweet. No more s'mores.

This week I lost 3 lbs. My total weight loss at the end of Week 6 is 5 lbs. I've been yo-yo-ing a lot during this 6 week period, yet am pleased with being 5 lbs. down. I journey with this lifestyle improvement in 10 week increments, so there are 4 weeks to go.

More celebrations are coming up this weekend with our son's birthday and our wedding anniversary.  If I plan ahead, I'll be fine.

I've linked up to Kathy at House of Hills. Please go and visit to see how the other ladies are doing. Join in if you wish. I've found it's easier to be with the group to encourage one another, get good ideas on what works, and to have an accountability group that can keep me motivated during my journey. 

How was your week?

The Bathroom Scale (WLW Week 5)

Oh scale, it's Wednesday

you frequently are my friend

this week, you are not.

OK, I went a bit crazy this week with something called Fiesta Sunshine Mix. The yummy-crunchy-salty goodness was just too much for me. The ingredients consisted of roasted peanuts, cashews, corn sticks, honey mustard sticks, and pumpkin seeds. Wait a minute. I ate sticks?!?

Maybe I focused too much on the Fiesta in the name.....I was partying eating like there was no tomorrow. And as a matter of fact, I would have posted a picture of the stuff, but there is none left.

Note to self: Do not buy Fiesta Sunshine Mix for a very, very long time. Until I rediscover a little thing called Self-Control.

This week I gained 1.5 lbs. (Picture me shaking my head.) But the good news is that I have forgiven myself and today is a new day and there is no Fiesta Sunshine Mix in the home!

I've linked this post to Kathy's House of Hills, so click over and see how the rest of the ladies are doing.

How did you do this week?

Weight Loss Wednesday (Week 4)

On Karen's blog today, she wrote about the unofficial beginning of summer. She had a lot of great questions and included a yummy looking side-dish recipe that I hope you'll check out.

I started thinking that a year ago we took an early "summer vacation" leaving in the middle of the night on Memorial Day, traveling by van to Southport, North Carolina. It was our first family vacation to North Carolina and we rented a condo that I had found online. The accomodations were wonderful, clean, spacious, and less expensive than where we usually rent in Wildwood Crest, NJ.

The biggest difference for this vacation was the travel time. It was a looooooooong drive. North Carolina vs. New Jersey, don't you know. And I fondly remember the Mexican food in North Carolina as being the best that I've had in years!

This week I lost 1 lb. Not too bad for having lunch out twice during the week. So my total loss in 4 weeks is 3.5 lbs.

I'm hoping that someone will give me some new ideas for a side-dish that I can take the family Pig Roast in July. Any suggestions?

Today I'm also linking this post with my buddy Kathy at House of Hills. The First 10 weeks of my journey to better health was with this group of wonderful encouragers.

Losing It (Week Ten)

I had joined Mary at Giving Up On Perfect in the "Losing It" weight loss challenge.

My plan was basically to eat less and move more.

Mission Accomplished!

My goals were:
1) Get on the treadmill 6 days a week.
2) Drink 64 oz. of water per day.
3) Take-in less calories (and healthier ones at that).
4) Lose 20 10+ pounds at the end of 10 weeks.
5) Sit-ups and light weights (Weeks 5-10).

Here is the update for Week 10:

1) Treadmill 6 days this week, 20 25 minutes per day, 1.5% incline at 3 mph. I had started on the treadmill 15 minutes per day. Increased to 20 minutes per day. And this past week increased to 25 minutes per day.

2) 64 oz. of water per day. Check.

3) Food Choices. This week was a challenge since I had more meals out. I have learned to accept my food decisions and if I go "off course" for a meal, make a more healthy choice for my next meal. I am not perfect (shhhhh, don't tell my kids), yet I am responsible for what food I put in my mouth.

4) Lost 1 lb. this week. (Total loss in 10 weeks is 10 lbs.) Total percentage of body weight loss is 5.59%. I had changed my goal from losing 20 lbs. in 10 weeks, to losing 10+ pounds. I didn't hit 10+ but 10 lbs. even. I know that someone else in the "Losing It" weight loss challenge has lost a larger percentage of body weight so I did not win the fabulous prizes. Yet I am happy for the winner and "pleased as punch" with my results.

5) Sit-ups. 5 days this week. Light weights working on my arms every other day.

On Week 8 I wrote, "I am now on the cusp (a point that marks the beginning of a change) of firmly saying, "So long," to the 170s in the next week or two."

Week 10.

I stepped on the scale. 169 even.

Bye bye 170s...hello 160s!!! Booyah!

At the end of Week Ten (and the end of the "Losing It" challenge), I am thrilled!

Thank you Mary (Giving Up On Perfect), Jessie (Vanderbilt Wife), and Ashleigh (Heart & Home) for co-hosting this event. Because of you three ladies hosting the "Losing It" weight loss challenge, I have gone from inactive to active. From drinking no water to drinking 64 oz. per day. From making bad food choices to making healthy food choices (more often). I have lost 10 pounds. I have done sit-ups and light weights.

I should have been doing this all along, especially in the past (over) two years that I've been unemployed. I had the time. Just not the desire, focus, determination....

So what changed?

I needed this accountability group of encouraging women. I needed a specific period of time (in this case 10 weeks). I needed to set goals for myself and reevaluate/change them as I continued on this journey. I needed to get over my annoyance (with myself) when I "fell off the wagon." I learned how to forgive myself and not quit move forward.

Next Wednesday I will be joining Karen Ehman's Weight Loss Wednesday group. Because the main thing I've learned is that I need the positive peer pressure, ideas from others, and to keep my focus on God and His will for me during this lifestyle improvement.

Please stop by to encourage the other participants at Giving Up On Perfect.

And thank you for your encouraging words during these past 10 weeks. It has been a wonderful experience and a great beginning on my journey toward better health!

Update: Kathy at House of Hills has decided to continue hostessing "Losing It" as a weekly carnival. So if you're interested in continuing on, or want to join for the first time, check in with Kathy beginning May 7.