Seems like it’s taken forever but I’m finally in a size 16.  I tried a pair on a Fashion Bug.  They looked pretty good but I could find no good tops to match the pants so I left with no outfit.  Maybe I should have bought it, but serioulsy I’ve worked so hard to lose weight I really don’t want to waist my money on lousy looking clothes!  Beside I’ve had a lot of luck buying clothes at the Salvation Army and places like that so I figure I can get them cheaper there and it’s easier to transistion from one size to another.  CANNOT wait to hit a size 14.  That was the smallest size I was ever in, so I eagerly await getting there!

I finally made it under 200 lbs.  LOL, yep 199.5!!!! Ha ha ha!  It’s still good to say “one hundred and ANYTHING!”  I did pretty well through the holidays.  The only indulgences I had were a few homemade shortbread cookies (ugh nothing but butter and sugar but they were good!) and I also ate my MIL’s Christmas dinner of Cabbage Rolls, Potato Salad, and Ham.  I also had a slice of her apple pie (yuck canned apples!).  I’ve kept up with my exercising walking daily and using my exercise ball, so all in all it was a good holiday diet wise.

I’m hoping 2009 sees me reaching my first goal of 185 lbs.  I think I’d like to go lower than that but one goal at a time.  I’d also like to get toned for this year.  I have excess flesh on my arms, inner thighs, and belly.  I doubt if I ever get them looking great but I think I can improve on their overall look by doing some strengthing exercises and toning the muscles underneath.  Can’t wait!

I’m now down to 202 lbs!  So many people commented to me today that my face suddenly looked thinner and how “skinny” I looked, so when I got home I had to weigh myself.  I normally don’t weigh myself so often, but that plateau I hit had me at the same weight for so long that I’ve been jumping on the scale a bit more.  I’m just so exicted to be “this close” to being under 200 lbs.  What a thrill!

LOL, I even felt lighter today walking.  I noticed I was walking much faster than usual.  It was probably the excitement I’m felling over losing weight, but I’m sure dropping a few extra pounds helps too!!!!!!!!

I did my exercise ball some more last night.  It’s actually pretty fun to do I’m just trying to get a good balance of when to do it.  I know it’s not good to do something like that everyday, so I try to break it up between upper body,lower body, and waist toning. 

Well off to bed I go so I can get up early for work tomorrow.

I Cannot wait to get under 200lbs.  If someone asks your weight and you begin it with a “1″ it automatcally sounds skinny to me regardless of the numbers that come after!!!!  I actually lost  a couple of more lbs and am now down to 205.  I know, I shouldn’t have weighed myself again but I tend to only lose a few lbs once every few weeks sometimes up to a month or more, and then hit a plateau until the following month.  I am now 205.  I feel that I want to work extra hard to get it down to 199 lbs since I’m now so close.  What a motivation to be so close to another goal!

Wow I’m finally getting over being sick–thank goodness!  Found out I had bronchitis.  Throughout it all I tried to be very good about what I was eating.  I was thrilled to see today that I’m down a pound and am now 207.  For anyone interested my starting weight was 251 so as you can imagine I’ve been thrilled with my weight loss.  I’t’s taken me a little over a year to accomplish this but I don’t care because I’m hoping doing this slow will insure that I keep it off.

I finally seem to be on the verge of getting out of my size 18 pants.  Seems like I’ve been in them forever but noticed the other day they are getting loose, so that’s great!  I might have to stop by the store and try on a pair of sz 16’s to see how close I really am!  I have a store called Gabriel Brothers nearby and they carry name brand clothes at discounted prices and they carry lots of Lane Bryant jeans which are my favorite.  I also like the fact that they seem more true to size IMO.  Don’t worry I won’t be sad if they dont fit, because I know sometime soon they will!!!!

I have been suffering w/Bronchitis for 3 days (yes I finally went to the doctor) and have barely ate more than 500-700 calories each day.  I stepped on the scale today, thinking the one “positive” would be losing a few lbs…..well…..guess what?  Didn’t lose a pound!!!!  So for anyone worrying about plateaus, DO NOT STRESS OUT!  Hitting a certain weight and not budging just seems like a normal thing we all go through. 

I think in my situation my body may be going into a slight starvation mode and is clinging to those calories.  I’m sure once I’m well the weight loss will begin again.  I’ve just been more focused on fluids than foods.  Oh well, off to bed, trying to get better!!!

I’m now down to 208.  It’s great to be so close to being under 200 lbs again!  I did some exercises on my excercise ball and was please to feel the “burn” to know it’s working.  It’s only the second time I’ve used it so I’m not expecting miracles but I know as the months go by I’ll improve and look better.   I’ve actually started fitting into “some” size 16’s and XL’s so I’m slowly but surely going down in size.  LOL, it’s about time, I feel like I’ve been in a size 18 for forever!!!!  I can’t complain though because for awhile back there I was wearing close to a 24 in super baggy eleastic, so an 18 was a great improvement!

I’ve basically been maintaining my current weight (fluctuating between 209-211 lbs).  I’m ready to buckle down and start losing again.  My eating has been pretty good (not great) and I’ve still been walking though I skip on doing the elliptical on occassion (bad!!!).  I’m pretty psyched about getting back in the grove.

First I decided to start cutting some of my portions in half.  I like to have an entire wrap for breakfast but then a few hrs later I end up snacking at work and it’s usually not something good.  Well I discovered that 1/2 wrap satisfies me just as well and then I save the other 1/2 for work!  To me it’s win win because I’m consuming less calories and actually getting a better satisfaction in my belly.

Second I need to get back on that elliptical to increase my cardio.  I had finally got myself up to 15 min which was no small feet, so I’m ready to keep that up and hopefully continue to increase the numbers.

Third I got an exercise ball.  I put it in my room and plan on adding some toning because I seriously need it.  I’ve noticed during my weight loss that like many others my target areas such as my large belly are not budging.  Even though I’ve lost a good bit of weight over the year I still can’t get out of a sz 16/18 because my belly is just too large.  I know you really can’t target weight loss in certain areas but I can certainly tone those areas and hopefully improve the overall appearance.  Geez, if I could just get rid of that belly sag when I lay on my side I’d be thrilled!!!!!

Fourth, I’m getting more focused on my Fitday.  I go for days posting regularly on it, then something will happen and “poof” I’ll stop posting for a while, and even though I THINK my numbers are still OK, I can’t be sure because I’m not logging the info.  To me logging fitday also helps to pinpoint what works and doesn’t work for me.  If I go for awhile not losing I can look back and see where I can improve and when I do lose I can see what I’m doing right!

Well off to my exercise ball….I know this won’t be as easy as it looks but I’m up for the challenge, wish me luck!!!

UPDATE:  Just finished on the exercise ball and just had to post how much I liked using it.  The exercises are harder than you think but the ball seems to releve some of the stress and give you some added support.  LOL, I did wobble around a bit here and there but I know that using my muscles to stabalize the ball will benefit me too and teach me balance. 

Instead of walking to the track I decided to step right outside my house and walk!  Sometimes I forget that one of the most challenging places to walk is right outside my door!  I live on a hill so today I just went outside and went around the block twice for a total of 20 min.  I was going to go around once more but the cold air was hurting my throat and since I’m not used to making that many uphill trips at once I decided two times was pretty good.  Isn’t it funny that we can all make excuses about why we skipped exercising when it can be easier than we think.

My weight is holding steady.  I do need to re-evaluate what I’m doing because my loss is pretty much at a standstill. I’ve been wearing a sz 18 for what seems forever and I’m ready to take the next step down.  I think today I will do some abdonimal exercises to strenthen those muscles.  I do get frustrated because my belly is so floppy and wish I could tone it all down.  Of course I know that ab exercises won’t target that fat but maybe developing the muscle underneath will smoth it out a bit more.  Why do I have to be so squishy!

I haven’t posted for a bit but I’m definetly still working it.  I walked 30 min today at my local track.  I plan on hitting the elliptical tonight after DH goes to work.  I made it down to 209 lbs.  Seems like I bascially go for a few weeks not losing then BOOM I’ll lose a few lbs.  Sticking to low carb and low cal has gotten a little easier over time.  I’ve discovered that I don’t NEED bread and potatoes, and when I do eat either of them It’s in moderation.  

People at work are starting to notice my weight loss and it’s nice to hear compliments from them I’m starting to take a greater interest in how I look and what I wear.  Over the past few weeks I’ve picked up a few new tops to compliment my shrinking figure.  An XL used to be tight and is now getting a tiny bit loose.  I’m thinking by the end of the year that size will be completely loose and I’ll be ready for a plain ole’ large!  I’m still in an 18 pant but can fit into a smaller 18 jean that I’ve had laying around the house for awhile, so that feels good.  My belly is the biggest part of me so it’s expected that I’m not losing as quickly there.  Main thing is is to stay focused and keep plugging along.