Update - September 8th

Well it's been quite some time since I've written on my blog.  I'm happy to report that my weight has stayed exactly the same.  This is I'm sure partially due to me working out and partially due to my healthy eating habits that I've maintained. 

The biggest struggle for me is to not let my old eating habits come back in to play.  I know that if I've lost the weight fast it will come back just as fast so I'm constantly worrying about that. I thought that once the weight came off that I would be happy and would no longer have to worry.  However, now I find I worry constantly about what I eat and my weight.  I am trying to remain positive and am trying to keep motivated with my workouts.  It is hard - I won't kid you.  I almost think the strict diet was the easy part.  Maintaining it will be a challenge for me for the rest of my life ---especially with my PCOS.

Here's some updated photos of me.

Updated Photos - July 2010

Still doing great and keeping active!

Well, I realized I haven't written in awhile so I thought I better update you!

I am still doing great being off the plan.  Surprisingly I am still maintaining my weight!  I have also been working out and my husband and I have started a running program together as of last Saturday (July 3rd).  Running is so much easier with 63 less lbs!  I am really enjoying being active now as my body doesn't hurt or ache like it used to.

I kinda went off my plan a bit last week...but only to test to see which foods my body can tolerate and cannot tolerate.  I learned that bread for me is still evil and that I cannot eat any potatoes (even though I can at this point in my maintanence).  However, sugar doesn't seem to be bothering me and I am finding that if I allow myself a treat here and there, my weight actually goes down a bit.  This is not to say that I should treat myself every day...but I think my body needs the sugar/extra fat/calories now that I'm working out and burning more calories. 

At this point in the game, I'm filling up on lots of veggies and eating lean meats such as turkey breast/chicken breast and lean steak.  I am now allowed to eat corn, carrots, and peas which is great b/c eating brocolli everyday gets boring! I can also add in rice and potatoes but they don't seem to agree with me. 

I find that my weight goes up a bit when I exercise a lot...but I'm sure its due to water retention in the muscles and muscle gain.  Afterall, I do have PCOS and excess tetosterone.  All I usually have to do is walk for 1/2 hour and my legs are solid when I get home! It sure doesn't take me long to gain muscle.

On another note, my husband and I did a lot of research to see how others are doing being off the program.  It appears that most gained their weight back but only b/c they went back to old eating habits. I'm happy to report that I have not gone back to old eating habits and have been very good (with the exception of the odd treat here and there).  As well, of the ones that gained their wegith back, all gained 10 lbs within the first 2 weeks. 

I think my body is stabilizing itself.  It seems as though whenever I add in a new food that I couldn't have before, my weight goes up 1 or 2 lbs and then goes back down to 155 where I stopped the diet at.  I'm sure it's normal as my body gets used to the new foods.

Still Maintaining

Well I'm still maintaining my weight which is great! I'm done really well on my maintenance plan so far and have really impressed myself! I've been doing the Jillian Michaels 30-day shred DVD I have at home and have been doing that every day for the past 6 days. I also did some pilates and went for a 1 1/2 hour walk last week too.  I've been solely focusing on my DVD though b/c I'm seeing the best and fastest results from it.  My husband says I look thinner since stopping the diet so that is definitely motivating!  He thinks that since I've been working out that I've toned up quite a bit and burned more fat!

I added in a 1 1/2 bagel last Wed to my diet and it feels good to have that extra bit of carbs!  I now eat my Breton mini crackers (18 of them) and 1/2 bagel a day.  That's pretty much the extent to my carbs but that's okay b/c carbs are evil!!! I have allowed a little treat here and there for myself but nothing major and my portions are very small (my hubby has been ensuring that I get some enjoyment but within reason).  This is also allowing me to maintain my weight but still have some enjoyment as well.  This wednesday I maintain my current diet and do not add in any additional foods.  The following Wednesday is when I can add my starchy veggies back in.  I'm looking forward to eating carrots, potatoes and rice again!

that's about it for me! I've been using the same motivation I had when I was on the strict diet to keep motivated with my workout program. It really seems to be helping...I basically just keep thinking that I'm on the strict program and that if I don't workout I will gain weight!  It really helps!

This weekend is my sister's wedding reception! I'm soooooooooooo looking forward to that! I bought the most amazing dress the other day (a style that would not look good on me before the diet).  I can't believe how good and confident I feel in it! I will be off my plan a little this weekend but I plan to try to make wise food choices and do the best I can.  I do plan to allow myself some enjoyment since I've been eating nothing for the past 6 months and haven't done much of anything in 6 months! 

I will write again next week when I add in some more foods and let you know how that goes!

Maintaining

Well, I haven't forgotten to write.  I've just been saving it up for when I had something useful to write!

I've been on the maintenance plan 1 week tomorrow and am so far maintaining my weight.  It goes up 1 lb then down 1 lb, then up, then down.  I think my body is in a bit of shock mode right now since I can eat quite a bit more.  I have to admit though...having that bit of extra freedom makes it even harder to stay on track and to avoid temptation!  I'm trying to keep my goal in mind though and am working hard on trying to stay motivated, even when my loving husband eats junkfood around me!  I realized I can't stop the world from eating badly or eating foods I cannot have so I am learning to focus on other things when these situations arise.

This week I have started exercising again.  We have been taking our dog out and we did a 1 1/2 hour walk yesterday and even did hills! I cannot believe how much easier it is to exercise being 63 lbs lighter! Normally I would be gasping for air when I got to the top of a hill but this time I was like, "that was it? That's all you got? I need more hills!".  So there you go. A proven fact that weight causes exercise to be much more difficult!  And losing weight makes it much more enjoyable!

So far I've been allowed to eat unlimited vegetables (with the exception of peas, carrots, corn, potatoes, and rice which come in week 4).  I've added avocado to my diet which I am really enjoying.  I put it in my salads and in my new dip that I make with fat-free plain yogurt and Epicure spices.  Believe it or not, I love eating veggies! My new favourite lunch is cut up peppers, celery and cucumbers with 4 oz of fat-free plain yogurt and some herb/garlic Epicure seasoning with a tiny bit of avocado mixed in (I'm not indulging much with the avocado since it has quite a bit of fat in it).    For dinner I have a Compliments turkey burger or chicken breast (3.5 oz or 6 .5 oz depending on my lunch) with 1 oz of part-skim mozzerella cheese and more vegetables (lately my husband, the cook in the household, has been doing my vegetables on the bbq which make them taste so much better).  For breakfast I'm still having my yummy egg white omelete. 

Tomorrow I can add in 2 additional slices of wholewheat bread or 1/2 wholewheat bagel.  However, I'm not sure if I need to go back to eating bread again. I have a feeling that my system doesn't do well with bread and a lot of carbs. If I can avoid bread I will.  However, knowing that I can have it if I want is always nice.  I haven't had a sandwich in a very long time so it might be nice for a change here and there.

My mom gave me a great idea for a workout to do at home.  She said to buy a pilates DVD and do it at home.  B/c I still have to get weighed once/week, I don't want to start lifting weights right away b/c I build muscle so fast and lots of it (unfortunately, that's my build and is caused by the excess tetosterone from my PCOS).  As I will start to gain a bit of weight from the increased muscle, the clinic will think I've gained weight from eating too much and will not be very happy with me!  So if I can get some toning in without gaining weight, which I really need at the moment, then I'm going to stick with that...along with my 1 1/2 hour walks with my husband daily!  Just getting outside and moving around again feels wonderful!  Hopefully we can get to 2 hour walks daily!  That is my goal since walking is so good for you!

Well, not much else to report.  I will report back in a weeks time with some updates on the addition of more food and how much weight is doing.  I'm just hoping I can keep it steady and that it doesn't go up!  I'm pretty scared about all that since I've worked so hard to lose it. 

On Maintenance

Well today is my first day on Educational Maintenance (yes I decided to go on it afterall).  I did not get an injection today but go in for now on once per week until my 8 weeks is over with.  My weight just isn't moving much so I've decided to give my body a break and follow the principles of the Educational Maintenance diet. I can only go on this once so once I'm through I will most likely go back on the strict diet to finish the rest up. 

I now get unlimited vegetables (except for the starchy ones like peas, corn, carrots, potatoes and rice ---those come later), I decrease my fruit to 1 per day and I can now have all fruits, I can now eat 8-10 oz of protein/day (right now I only eat 70z/day), I can now have 2 0z of low-fat brick cheese/day, fat-free plain yogurt (1 cup), etc.  The nurse said that 99% of people that go on this gain weight but only b/c they eat more than the maintenance program tells you to eat.  I went and bought groceries yesterday to coincide with the new amounts I can now have so I do not plan on gaining any weight. It would be retarded of me to start eating outside of the allowance after all of the money I spent losing 63 lbs!  I don't feel like I will go crazy or lose my motivation at all.  The Nurse said that as long as I follow the serving amounts on maintenance, I can even still lose weight.  I'm not worried b/c if something happens and I start to gain, I will just go back on the strict program.  I can tell you that I'm sure looking forward to having different foods in my diet and unlimited vegetables now! 

Today for lunch I have a garden salad with 3 oz of chicken breast, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and 2 tbsp of fat-free italian dressing.  For breakfast I had my usual egg white omelette and for dinner I will be having 3 oz of chicken breast or extra lean ground beef with brocolli, cauliflower, peppers and onions and I will still have my 1 cup of no sugar jello for dessert.  I also have my usual 18 breton mini garden veggie crackers and my 1 apple that I normally have.  I do not add in more carbs until week 2 (next Wednesday).

I am planning on starting my running program come Monday (I am thinking that running will be much easier with 63lbs less body weight!)  I am still going to update this blog...maybe not as much but I will still continue so that you all can see my progress with maintenance.

Here's my weight results for today:

Current weight as of June 9/10: 155.0
starting weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total weight loss to date: 63.4 lbs
Weight loss to go: 25 lbs
Goal Weight until maintenance: 130

Slow, slow, slow

Well today I weighed in and I only lost 0.6 lbs since Friday and 0.4 lbs since last Monday.  This is the slowest my weight loss has been so far throughout this whole diet and no cheating has been going on at all.  The nurse told me today that as you get closer to your goal, your weight loss slows down.  If it's going to keep up like this, I might as well just not pay for them to help me and finish the rest myself! This is ridiculous! I'm almost wondering if my body is trying to tell me something ---STOP!  I have to pay again so I will pay again for only a week and then if nothing is budging by the middle of next week, I'm definitely going on the maintenance plan and finishing up the rest myself.  No sense on staying on the strict diet if my body is telling me to stop.  So let's hope it starts to speed up soon!

Here's my update:

Current weight as of June 7/10: 156.2
Starting weight as of Jan 5th/10: 218.4
Total Weight loss to date: 62.2 lbs
Weight loss to go: 26.2 lbs
Goal Weight: 130 lbs

So wish me body luck b/c it needs something to give it a push!

Until Wednesday...

Change of Heart

Hello again!

So I did some more thinking today and I realized that if I quit now that I will never know if I could actually reach my target weight!!  I am thinking that I am crazy for going on the maintanence plan now.  So I have decided to stay on this plan at least until the end of June and possibly complete the program (I hope) by the end of July.  It seems as though I probably won't reach my goal weight until August now for some reason so my short-term goal is jsut to get into the 140's.  A weight I haven't been at since I was a teenager!

So that's what I'm doing for June. I'm going to continue with the program and hopefully make it into the 140's by the end of this month! Unfortunately, there isn't anything I can do to speed up the weight loss so I'm just going to do the same things I've been doing.  However, at the end of June when I'm in the 140's, I will have less than 20 lbs to go and I can complete the rest myself with exercise and following the maintanence plan. 

Sorry for all my mind changes! It's just so hard to keep going on this strict diet---especially in the summer time when all I want to do is drink cool beverages (a.k.a. corona's and slurpees) and have summer bbq's! I guess these things will have to wait and I unfortunately, when I get into the 140's, I still won't be able to have these things...at least for quite awhile!

Thanks for being supportive and rooting me on!!!

Also, I forgot to mention that I bought a dress for my sister's wedding this month!  I cannot wait to wear it!  I bought it snug fitting so it should be perfect by the 26th of this month!

Update

Well, I went down a little bit today and lost a total of 2.4 lbs since last Friday. The nurse said that I'm losing the average amount of weight that I'm supposed to be losing on this diet so she isn't sure why I'm concerned.   

I have decided to do maintanence for 8 weeks to give my body a break and so I can start exercising and toning up.  I am pretty sure that I can finish the rest myself.  I've always had fairly good eating habits and exercise habits so following the maintenance plan won't be hard. This will also give me a chance to save up my money so that if I feel the need to, I can do another month or 2 on the program to lose a bit more (should the maintanence and the exercise not help me get to my goal weight of 130 lbs faster).  It really is time for a break for me. I've been doing this diet for over 5 months now and although I've been very successful so far, my weight loss has slowed down and I just don't feel as good as I did before. All the signs are pointing to a "break" for me. 

I am still going to be blogging my experience on the maintenance plan and exercise program I'm creating for myself. 

My weight update is below.

Current weight as of June 4/10: 156.8
Starting weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total weight loss to date: 61.6 lbs

So what is going to happen on Monday for me?  I pay a small fee for the vitamin b-injections 1 X per week and still come in once/week to get weighed and keep track of my progress. I will start adding in some different foods. For instance, I can now eat extra lean ground beef (in a small quantity of course), I can add in 2 oz of hard low fat cheese, 1 cup of now fat plain yogurt, 1 cup of milk, 4 whole eggs per week (although I'm just going to stick to my egg whites as I love my egg white omelettes for breakfast), I go down to only 1 fruit a day (right now I have 2 fruits/day), I can now have low-fat dressings not allowed on the strict diet, margarine or butter (1 tbsp/day), almost all kinds of seafood (except for oysters, clams, mussels, and pickled fish), all forms of chicken and turkey.  In week 2, I introduce some more carbs back into the diet so I will keep you posted on that.  I am still taking my potassium 3 times per day and my multivitamin 1 time per day.  as well, I will increase my protein intake from 7 oz/day to 8-10 oz/day and can now have unlimited vegetables.

On Monday I also start my exercise regime. I am starting my running program again (on my own) and will be starting out slow (run 2min, walk 1min) and will hopefully be adding in some weight training a little ways down the road.  I think being 62 lbs lighter will make it much easier for me to run now (I'm hoping anyways!).

Frustrated!!!!

Well I went up by 0.4 lbs today and still have not reached my 2-week goal from last week.  This is the slowest my weightloss has been so far on this diet and it's really frustrating!  I haven't changed a thing so not sure what is going on.  The clinic told me it might be time to take a break.  I"m considering finishing up this week on the diet and then going on the maintanence program (without the clinic) starting next week and getting back into exercise.  I do not want to pay if I'm going to be in a plateau for the rest of my diet.  Not sure what I should do about this diet. I'm getting really sick of being on it and am tired of the slow weight loss.  I guess I have some thinking to do!  They said that as long as I follow the principles of the maintenance plan that I will not gain my weight back but I know that I will need to exercise quite a bit and be very cautious about what I eat.

On a positive note, I lost another inch off my waist and another inch off my hips since 3 weeks ago.  My measurements and current weight are below.

Here's my measurements:

Current weight as of June 2/10: 157
Starting weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total weight loss to date: 61.4
Waist as of June 2/10: 33 inches
Waist on Jan 5/10: 45 inches
Hips on June 2/10: 42 inches
Hips on Jan 5/10: 51 inches

Down Another Size!

Woohoo!  I am now officially a size 10 in pants/skirts and size Small in tops! I cannot believe it!  I haven't worn a size 10 since I was in my teenage years!!  This was a very exciting day for me and I just had to share it!

I will blog again on Wednesday when I get my measurements update!

Another Successful Weekend

Well I had a better weekend as usual than I did during the week.  I went down 1.8 lbs since Friday and 1.2 lbs since last Monday.  I'm not sure what's going on with my body but I have a feeling it is getting very tired of this diet or something or wants to stop my weight at the weight I'm at now. A little frustrating since I've spent so much money and worked so hard but my body does what it does when it wants to do it I guess.  I have 4 weeks until I am stopping the diet.  Although my husband's new benefit plan which kicks in tomorrow may cover the cost of the diet so if it does I will definitely continue until I reach my goal weight.  Otherwise, I will stop at the end of June and go on to maintanence. I wish I could finish it but I will just get to my goal on my own I guess.

Here is my update:

Current Weight as of May 31/10: 156.6
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total Weight Loss to date: 61.8 lbs
Weight loss to go: 26.6 lbs

Wednesday is measurements day so I will be blogging this day to update my measurements as well.

Not budging much

Well I'm not budging much this week.  I actually went up a bit this week ---not sure why but I did.  I think it's b/c I lost so much over the weekend and its my body's way of evening things out! 

I have made a final decision that June will be my last month of the diet, regardless of whether I meet my weight goal.  I unfortunately ran out of money and although I'd love to be able to continue with it until I reach my goal, it just isn't in the cards.  It was actually recommended to me by the nurses at the clinic today that I stop for awhile anyways to give my body a bit of a rest.  They also said that I've done so well and that it may be time to stop for awhile.  They gave me a sheet with information on the maintenance plan that I can do in the comfort of my own home (they still recommend you come in 1 time /week to get weighed and bring in a urine sample, etc).  However, I'm just going to do it myself at home. I am pretty sure I have the means and the willpower to lose the rest myself with a good exercise routine and similar eating habits.  Exercising has never been a problem for me but it may be a bit of a struggle to get back to exercising since I haven't done anything since I've started this diet!!!

I have to say this whole experience has been life changing and has really allowed me to start liking myself again and the way I look.  I now get ready only once in the morning instead of constantly scrutinizing the way I look and changing my outfit 4 or 5 times! I actually get ready on time too which my husband quite enjoys.

I think I will be about 15-17 lbs away from my goal by the time I complete this diet but it could be closer or further away depending on my body.  I will still have lost almost 70 lbs by the time I complete this diet at the end of June.  I unfortunately cannot help how fast my body loses weight and I'm learning slowly that your body does what it wants to do when it wants to do it. 

Lost 60.6 lbs!

Today was my official weigh in.  I am now officially in the 150's.  I lost 2.4lbs since Friday and 2.8 lbs since last Monday. My body always seems to plateau around the end of a ten-pound increment for some reason but now I'm in my new increment (the 150's) and its starting to move now again. Not much else to say---burning really well in terms of keytones as usual.  That's about it.

Here is my weight update:

Current weight as of May 25th: 157.8
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total weight loss to date: 60.6 lbs
Weight loss to go: 27.8 lbs
Goal End date: ~end of June/July

In the 150's!!!

Well, I'm in the 150's!  I made it!  Yippee!  I never thought I'd get down this far so I'm very happy! I didn't have an official weigh-in today b/c its a holiday but my scale at home says I weight about ~158 or so.  This could change a bit by tomorrow but should be around the same.  I gotta reach at least 156 by Wednesday so I hope I can do it!

I know I said that I am going to end the diet at the end of June.  However, I still haven't quite made up my mind about that yet.  I've got less than 30 lbs to go and if I only have 1 more month after June to get to my goal I may just keep on truckin'.  I will keep you posted on what I decide to do. If I do decide to stop at the end of June, I will most likely only have about 10-15 lbs left to go which I know I can lose the rest myself doing exercise and keeping my diet the same (withouth the vitamin b injections).  But again, haven't made this decision yet.

I will post an official weight update tomorrow after my weigh in!

End of June

I had my doctor's appt today with the clinic doctor today.  She said I'm burning lots which is really good.  I'm still retaining water from the heat wave. Now that its cooled down I hope for my weight to drop quite a bit over the weekend.  My 2-week weight goal next week is 151.8-154.8.  I'm at 160.2 now.  I'm usually 2 lbs higher than my 2 week goal for some reason so I do not expect to drop 5.4 lbs over the weekend and on Tuesday.  But if I can get to at least 156.8 then I will be happy with that. 

I have decided to end my diet at the end of June.  It's just getting too expensive and really starting to stress me out.  Everyone keeps telling me that its worth going into debt over and the extra expense.  I do not 100% agree with this.  I want to start paying back the money I paid for this expensive diet and start living my life again! It was a great experience to get me to lose the weight I needed to lose and to start feeling better.  However, at the end of June I plan to start working out again and eating pretty much the same way.  I will be able to lose the rest of the weight by myself ---I know I can and I am determined enough to do it!

Here's my update:

Current weight as of May 21, 2010: 160.2
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total Weight loss to date: 58.2 lbs
Weight loss to go: 30.2 lbs

Stayed the same but burning extra well

Well I stayed exactly the same weight as Monday.  But the Nurse said it's due to the heat and that most people coming in for their weigh in's at the clinic are retaining water and not losing as well. I'm not worried as I lost well over the weekend and it matters what I lose over the course of the week.  I will catch up on Friday and hopefully be in the 150's by Friday or Monday!

On Wednesday's I bring in an evening urine sample from Tuesday night.  I am usually just barely tracing but my sample from last night was burning extra well and I was a 2++!  I'm usually just barely a 0.5++ in my evening urine samples.  So not sure what is happening there but I'm very happy!

It's my wedding anniversary today.  Usually my husband would take me out for a nice dinner but this year we are substituting a movie instead.  It's so hard to not be food centered when everything in life is about food!  When there's something to celebrate, we celebrate with food.  This is what I'm going to struggle with and I have to figure out a way to get around it!

Week 19 - Post #1

Well, not much new to report. I'm almost in the 150's---just 0.6 lbs to go! Yippeee!  I had to go shopping for some summer clothes this weekend as it was a hot one here and I anticipate it will be a hot one for most of the summer.  I ended up going to Wal-Mart and grabbing a bunch of stuff for super cheap!  Great prices and stylish clothes!

Other than that, decided to get a new haircut to go with my new body.  I love it and I feel so much more confident about myself!

Can't wait for my sister's wedding reception as I will get to wear a dress and for the first time feel confident wearing a dress!

Here's my update:

Current weight as of May 17th/10: 160.6
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total weight loss to date: 57.8 lbs
Weight loss to go: 30.6 lbs
Goal End Date: End of July

Week 18 Update #2

Today was my measurement day.  I lost 2 inches off my waist and 2 inches off my hips since 3 weeks ago today. I lost 1 lb since Monday.

Not much new to say today.  Still truckin' along - waiting for the finish line to near.

Here are my results below:

Current weight as of May 12/10: 161.8
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/ 10: 218.4
Total Weight loss to date: 56.6 lbs
Waist as of May 12/10: 34 inches
Starting Waist as of Jan 5/10: 45 inches
Total Inches lost off waist: 11 inches
Hips as of May 12/10: 43 inches
Starting Hips as of Jan 5/10: 52 inches
Total inches lost off hips: 9 inches

Week 18

Well it's Monday May 10th and I went down another lb since Friday (lost 2.4 lbs since last Monday).  Not much new to report.  Had some struggle this weekend as I've been feeling extra hungry...I'm dealing with some added stresses in my life right now and I usually get hungry when I'm stressed.   However, I didn't let this ruin my diet. I've come too far to let food get in my way now!

Here are my results:

Current Weight as of May 10th/10: 162.8
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total Weight Loss to date: 55.6 lbs
Weight loss to go: 32.8 lbs
Goal Date: end of June

Week 17 and Some information on the "Maintenance Plan"

Well It's been a pretty great week so far! I am down 2+ lbs since Monday, I am now wearing a size "Small" in most shirts and am pretty much a size 10 now in pants.  I'm loving every minute of this dramatic change!!!  My confidence level has increased dramatically! 

I must admit that although I'm happy with the changes I'm making in my life at the moment, I am also still trying to battle some other issues I deal with, i.e. clinical depression, constant worrying about the past, present and future, indecisiveness, etc., at the same time which are some main symptoms of PCOS.  Although I am managing the symptoms of PCOS much better now with the dramatic weight loss, I still have bouts of depression which really affect me.  It is my hope that once I reach my goal weight of 130 lbs that these symptoms will lessen even more and will eventually go away for good!  However, at the moment, I'm trying to deal with these bouts without any anti-depressants/anti-anxiety drugs b/c my goal is to be prescription free for the rest of my life and to find other ways to combat these symptoms!!! Some ways I'm trying to deal with these symptoms are by keeping myself and my mind busy (i.e. taking better care of my house, being a better wife to my husband, walking, getting outside more, reading, focusing on other people besides myself).   I also plan on starting to go back to my hardcore exercise routine when I'm done this diet and focusing on getting myself back into shape.  It is my short-term future goal to be able to run a marathon and to enter a fitness competition. My husband has also recently taken an interest in my goals and would like to be able to run a marathon as well! This is something we are both going to work towards once my diet is over!

This whole experience is a life changing experience for me --not only does it affect the way I see myself but it also affects the way I view life in general, my relationships with friends and family, and how I manage difficulties in life.  Even though I will hopefully reach my weight goal by the end of June, this life changing process will be ongoing for me!

Great few Days!

Well, I went to the clinic today and I lost 1.6 lbs since Wednesday (a total of 2 lbs since Monday).  I went up 0.2 lbs on Wednesday for some reason but then had a big drop this morning so I guess it's my bodies way of evening out the weight loss!  I'm now down a total of 54.6 lbs!!!  I cannot believe how much weight I've lost!  I'm really noticing it in my clothes, especially my pants.  I think my new size is now a size 10 as I bought a size 12 pair of dress pants just over a week ago which fit perfectly, and now they are quite loose on me.  I'm trying to stretch out the wearing of my pants as long as possible as it's getting expensive to keep replacing them!

Not much else is new.  My b-day was yesterday and I ate my regular food.  I cannot wait until next year when I can actually go out for a nice dinner for my b-day!!!!

I'm still drinking decaffaneited green tea and really noticing a difference in my skin and hair.  I encourage everyone to drink green tea!

Here's my weight update:

Current Weight as of May 7th/10: 163.8 lbs
Starting Weight as of Jan 5th/10: 218.4 lbs
Total Weight Loss to date: 54.6 lbs
Weight loss to go: 33.8 lbs
Goal Weight: 130 lbs (hopefully by the end of July/10)

Down another size

Hello!

I totally forgot to write in my blog that I went down another pant size! I'm now a loose size 12, tight size 10! I never thought I would be able to wear a size 10 ---ever!  This is just fantastic! I'm sure the size will vary per store but I really only shop at 2 stores ---Reitman's and Ricki's as I love their clothes! Hopefully my pants I bought last week will last me until the end of the month! 

Getting There

Well I went down again since Friday.  Lost exactly 1 lb.  I also lost a total of 3 lbs since last Monday.  Not too shabby.  I got some good tips for my sister's wedding reception weekend so I have now decided to continue with the diet until the end.  I'm going to enjoy myself at her wedding and not worry too much about my diet (I will make conscious decisions).

Here are my results:

Current Weight as of May 3, 2010: 165.2
Starting Weight as of Jan 5, 2010: 218.4
Total Weight Loss: 53.2 lbs
Weight loss to go: 35.2 lbs

It's my birthday on Thursday this week.  Not sure what I'm going to do. My husband, bless his heart, wants to treat me to a nice dinner out but it's so hard to go out for dinner and enjoy yourself when you are on this diet!!!  I haven't decided if I'm going to treat myself on my b-day or not.  Another big decision to make!! I also see the doctor at the clinic on Friday too so that is why I'm leary of cheating a bit on Thursday.  I may just allow myself a little treat for my b-day and not go all out and blow the whole day.  I have to learn to get through these tough times and make wiser choices.  I've always been used to eating whatever on those special occasions and not thinking about it.  Now, b/c I've lost so much weight and spent so much money, I don't want to blow the diet for one night of bliss.

Happy today!

Here are my latest results:


Current weight as of April 29, 2010: 166.2 (-0.4 lbs since Wednesday)
Starting Weight as of Jan 5th/10: 218.4 lbs
Weight loss thus far: 52.2 lbs
Weight loss to go: 36.2 lbs

Well, I was told by the nurse today that I'm doing very well! I lost 11.4 lbs in APril which is good since I have missed a few injections due to the holiday and being sick last week!  She said that losing 52.2 lbs since January is awesome!  So that just motivated me even more to keep going!

I still have the big decision to make at how I"m going to survive my sister's wedding reception weekend at the end of June as I won't be at my goal weight by then.  Not sure if I will make that my end date since I will be roughly 10-12 lbs away from my goal or if I should just do the best I can over that weekend and continue with my diet until I've reached my goal. I just don't want to measure a weight gain after that weekend since I've worked so hard to get this far!  Decisions, Decisions!

I wrote a few weeks ago that I was decreasing my diet pop intake. I just thought I'd let everyone know that drinking diet pepsi does NOT affect your weight.  I have still lost the same amount of weight without drinking diet pop than while drinking it - so I've proven my theory correctly :-).  I still drink diet pop but not as much as I used to.  I am really enjoying decaffenated green tea and encourage everyone to drink it!  My skin and hair is so much nicer since I've been drinking it.  They say 4 or so cups of green tea a day provides you with enough antioxidants to fight all those yucky diseases out there! 

Here's an update of the kinds of foods I'm eating now:

Breakfast:

Egg white omelete:
5/8 cup naturegg egg whites
8 oz of tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, green onions
Becel cooking spray and topping

18 Breton mini garden vegetable crackers
1 apple
2 cups of green tea (decaffenated) or 2 cups of lemon and ginger herbal tea

Lunch:

It depends on how I'm feeling but today I'm having:

1.75 oz of chicken breast
4 oz of spinach, tomatoes, peppers
2 tbsp Kraft fat-free italian dressing

5 oz of strawberries

Other days for lunch I have:

35 grams of cloverleaf flaked light tuna in water
1/2 tbsp of Kraft Calorie Wise Miracle Whip
4 oz of celery

Dinner:

1.75 oz of chicken breast
4 oz of broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and mushrooms
Becel Cooking Spray and Topping

Dessert:

1 cup of No Sugar Jello

Just wanted to update my blog with my current weight.  Been a tiny bit of a struggle in the 160's probably b/c my body just isn't used to being this small! But its moving again!  They said b/c I was sick last week with a bad flu/cold that that slowed down my ability to lose weight.  I'm much better now and all is back to normal! 

As usual, I didn't reach my 2 week goal (I was 2 lbs off like always) but I'm not worried about it.  I've learned that my body does what it wants, when it wants.  Also, since I do have PCOS, the rate of weight loss is also going to be a little slower than someone without PCOS who's on the same diet.  So I'm not going to beat myself up over it ---especially when I know I'm following the rules and doing everything right!  I'm also so proud of my progress as I would not have been able to lose this kind of weight any other way.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I'm going to do when I've reached my goal on this diet.  I think that I'm definitely going to start a workout program. I'm deciding on whether I want to join a gym again or just do my Jillian MIchaels bootcamp DVD's and the Biggest Loser workout program on my WII at home. I am also kicking around the idea of getting a personal trainer but not sure yet.  This is a whole new life for me and I need to find a way to keep this weight off and get into the best shape of my life once I reach my goal.  That is what I'm going to work towards and I think if I keep setting goals for my self that I will be able to keep this weight off and for good.

Here are my results:

Current weight as of April 28th/10: 166.6 lbs
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4 lbs
Weightloss to go: 36.6 lbs
Weight loss to date: 51.8 lbs

Well, not much new to report today.  I went down 0.8 lbs since Monday.  However, I usually have my best weight loss over the weekend for some reason so I should go down again on Monday.  If I go down lots over of the course of a weekend, I won't lose much during the week - I think its my body's way of losing weight gradually.

I met with the Doctor today.  She said my weight might not be budging much due to the fact that I have been taking cold medication which often interfers with weight loss. I've been taking Buckley's daytime/nighttime tablets since Monday.  She gave me some other suggestions for some cold pills to take but not sure if I will need them anymore as I'm starting to slowly feel better now.

Here's my results:

Current weight as of Apr 23/10: 168.6
Starting Weight as of Jan 5th: 218.4
Weight loss to date: 49.8 lbs
Weight loss to go: 38.6

Hello:

Today I got measured.  I got my waist and hips measured.  Last time I was measured was on March 31st.  Since then I lost 1 inch off my waist and 1 inch off my hips. 

My results are below:

Waist as of April 21st: 36 inches
Hips as of April 21st: 45 inches
Waist as of Jan 5th: 45 inches
Hips as of Jan 5th: 52 inches
Total inches lost between waist and hips: 16 inches

My weight at the clinic stayed the same today.  However, I forgot to take off my jewellery and I'm wearing a heavy bracelet and necklace.  When I weighed myself at home (my scale at home is exactly 2 lbs heavier than the clinic), I weighed 168.6 lbs.  So I'm going with that weight for now. Hopefully I will go down some more on Friday as I have to reach my 2 week goal on Wednesday which is 161.4 - 164.4 lbs!

Before/After Photos

I was going through some of my old photos today and I thought I would post a photo of me from New Years 2010 and a new one of me as of April 17th side-by-side. I didn't realize how much weight I lost until I saw the difference in these 2 photos!

In the 160's

Well, I made it into the 160's today!  Finally!  I never made it into the clinic today for a weigh-in as I'm home ill with a cold/flu but my scale at home is exactly 2 pounds heavier and I weigh 169.4 today.  I'm very happy as I haven't been in the 160's since I was a lot younger and it seems as though I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel now.  Only 39.4 lbs to go and I've reached my goal weight.

I have decided that I'm ending the diet the week of June 26th.  The reason is b/c my sister's wedding reception will be on June 26th and this is going to be my goal date.  It will be too hard for me to travel to Calgary and stay on this diet for the weekend.  I want to be able to enjoy myself and not have to worry about making sure I find the proper food that I can eat on this diet.  I will be beginning my own maintanence plan after my sister's wedding reception and I am looking forward to this end date.  I may not be at the clinic's goal weight of 130 lbs but I will be darn close and will have still lost a considerable amount of weight by then.  I am going to follow the maintenance plan with the information I have been given and begin working out again and getting fit.  This will allow me to lose the rest of the weight or at least maintain it.

I'm so looking forward to buying a dress for my sister's wedding reception and feeling good about myself and the way I look for the first time!  I cannot wait!  I will finally be able to enjoy myself and be happy as I congratulate my sister and her new husband on their wedding.  I won't be preoccupied with how I look and can finally put all that behind me!

Here's my results:

Current weight as of April 19th/10: 169.4lbs
Starting Weight as of Jan 5th/10: 218.4
Total weight lost as of April 19/10: 49 lbs
Weight loss to go: 39.4 lbs
Goal End Date of Diet: June 26th

Updated photo - As of April 17th

Up a little today

Well I went up 0.6lbs today and have no clue why.  I'm sure its just water retention as when I weighed myself first thing this morning I was down to 170.6lbs on my home scale (which is exactly 2 lbs higher than the scale at the clinic) and by the time I got to the clinic, I was up to 172 lbs.  I think that TOTM is coming so that may have something to do with it.  I don't cheat and I've done everything right so that has to be the only explanation. It seems to be a trend that as soon as my weight gets to the lower part of the 10 lb increment that my body struggles to get to the next 10 lb incremenet.  This happened when I was in the 200's, 190's, 180's, and now its happening in the 170's.  Its quite annoying I must say as I work so hard and do everything right and sometimes my weight doesn't budge for a week.  Argghhh!  Frustrating!

I decided to try something new so I bought some of their protein bars and protein shakes.  I bought the peanut butter and jam protein bar to have on the weekends when I'm out doing stuff and am too busy to make lunch.  The vanilla protein shakes I bought to have for lunch a few days a week instead of my usual boring old lunch.  They say if you change a little bit in what you eat that that sometimes helps with weight loss. I don't know if I agree with that but its worth a try!

The weekend is here now and it seems I do my best weight loss over the weekend.  However, we will see as I can feel my body resisting right now as it nears the 160's!!! 

I went shopping lastnight and decided to try some clothes on at some stores I never used to shop in.  Le Chateau and Winners were some of them.  I did establish that I'm a size medium in tops at most stores now (it depends on the store) and a size 12 at most stores now but again, it varies. At ricki's I got into a size 8 top which I NEVER thought would happen!   Size 12 blouses seem to be a little on the loose side for me now so I think I will be venturing into the size 10's in the next week or 2.  I tried on a size 12 in a brand of jeans I haven't heard of before at Winners and just barely got them done up.  But at Ricki's, a size 12 jean fit me just perfect.  I also got a size 10 done up in a pair of dress pants at Rickis, however, I didn't buy them as I'm waiting to next month as I'm sure I will be a perfect size 10 by then.  It's so weird how clothing sizes varies so much!  I wish that all women's clothing was made the same b/c how else do you know what size you are??? 

My numbers are below.  The nurses were not angry at me at all for going up a bit.  I think this must happen and be quite common for people. 

I really hope that this diet will be done by July - I'm not sure what's going to happen as whenever I near the end of my 10 lb increment, it slows for a week or 2 and then my body starts losing again.  This has really slowed me down and I was expecting to be done this diet by June at the latest!!  If the diet wasn't so expensive I wouldn't care but I really cannot afford to go on it longer than July so I will be praying that my body stops being so stubborn and continues to lose.

Current weight as of April 16/10: 172.0
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total lbs lost: 46.4 lbs
Lbs to go: 42

April 14/10 Results

First, I'd like to say a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Mother who I know reads my blogs! So I hope you read my blog today Mom!

Today's results are as follows:

Current Weight as of April 14/10: 171.4lbs
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4 lbs
Total weight loss as of April 14/10: 47 lbs
Weight loss to go: 41.4 lbs

Next Wednesday I will update my measurements as that is my next 3 week measurement date!

I almost met my 2-week goal this week - I was off by 0.8 lbs (my 2 week goal was 170.6).   However, considering I had a slow start to the month and was behind to start with, I did pretty good.  I'm not sure if I'm losing better due to not drinking as much diet pop, the addition of green tea into my diet, or the added water.  I am testing it to see what makes a difference.  I have a feeling that I can still continue drinking diet pop (althought its not healthy for me) and still lose weight regardless.  However, b/c this diet is about me getting HEALTHY, I've decided to ween myself off the diet pop and stick with healthy non-chemical beverages such as green tea and water.  I will still have the odd diet pop when I want one but certainly not the 6 cans+ a day I was having before! 

I wrote on Monday that I was putting 1 packet of splenda into my green tea. Well I have stopped that and now drink my green tea plain.  Its not too bad - a little bland but I am getting used to it. I am noticing that my face is clearing up and looking much healthier and youthful since I've added in green tea to my diet.  So I hope it keeps up!

I will write again on Friday with my weight update!

Monday's Weigh In

Hello:

I went down 1.8lbs since Friday. 

I am happy to report that I'm down to 1 pop a day and have now changed from drinking pop to drinking decaffinated green tea.  I love green tea! I cannot believe how good I feel!  I've even noticed that my face is clearing up and is much smoother since drinking green tea and quitting with the diet pop.  My hair is also a little nicer and not as brittle/dry looking. I put just 1 packet of splenda in my green tea to give it a bit of a sweet taste but I can do without it and I will eventually be weening myself off the splenda. 

My results are below:

Current Weight as of April 12/10: 172.2 (-1.8 lbs since Friday)
Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4
Total weight lost: 46.6 lbs
Total weight loss to go before maintenance: 42.2 lbs

Time to Add in Some Exercise!

Well I had my doctor's appt today and according to her my weight loss numbers aren't that great.  I cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong as I don't cheat on the diet and have done everything right!  Its really frustrating as I thought I was doing great! I am not used to being able to lose weight at all and the fact that I've lost over 44 lbs is amazing.  However, the doc made me feel pretty crappy about my success thus far and now I'm going to start exercising again to try and burn more calories and hopefully this will speed up the weight loss.

I am allowed to do anything but lifting weights.  So thankfully we have a dog and are now planning to go walking for 1 hour everyday. I may also add in some running to the mix as I like to run.  The only thing is that I'm worried about gaining muscle.  I gain muscle very easily which is why I am afraid to exercise on this diet.  Hopefully now this won't happen. 

I am also giving up diet pop.  This is the only thing I can think of that is screwing up my weight loss. I will try it for a week and see how much better my numbers do.

This is my first crappy entry since I started in January.  I am hoping for some motivation and inspiration from my fellow readers as I am feeling pretty sad today.  I know I just have to keep going but its hard to hear from the doctor that you are not doing that great when I thought I was doing fine!

Here are my latest numbers:

Current weight as of April 9th/10: 174.0
Starting weight as of Jan 5th/10: 218.4
Total lbs lost as of today's date: 44.4lbs
Lbs to go to maintanence plan: 44 lbs

I Survived Easter!

Well I survived Easter! One of my first Holidays that I made it through without blowing my diet or going overboard with eating! I did allow myself to have some no sugar added apple pie but that didn't screw up my weight loss at all.  I went in for a weigh in again today and am down 3 lbs since last Wednesday (2 lbs since Monday).

I do hope that I reach my weight goal by the end of June as intended and get to go on maintanence by that time.  I'm going to stop this diet no matter what weight I'm at by the end of June due to financial reasons but it would be nice to hit that magic number so I can get advice for doing the maintenance plan.  I have been told that they won't tell you about the maintenance plan until you reach that magic number.   

On another note, I think that our new benefit plan may cover a portion of this diet which would be super awesome!  If it does, I may be able to extend my diet past the end of June to reach my goal weight!  I won't find out until after my husband's new benefit plan kicks in but its something to look forward to :-).

I'm now wearing a size 12 pant and they are already getting loose on me.  I just bought 2 new pairs of size 12 pants last Thursday.  I bought them tight fitting and now they are loose in the waist and baggy at the knees and legs! I am now wearing all size Medium shirts (I have hardly any size Large tops left in my closet).  I am only keeping size Large tops that are meant to fit a little bigger but I think I'm going to have to recycle them soon! Gosh, this diet is expensive!  Not only do I have to pay that huge fee every month but I also have to buy new clothes about every 2 to 3 weeks!  I cannot wait until I get to my goal weight so I can buy one size and stay there!

My results are below.

Current weight as of April 7th: 174.8
Starting Weight as of Jan 5th: 218.4
Total loss as of April 7th: 43.6 lbs (I'm rounding it to 44lbs!)

Surviving Easter Weekend

Well, I am doing my best to survive Easter weekend.  It's proven difficult so far with all of the Easter chocolates/candy, pie, etc around.  However, I've done pretty good so far.  I decided I want to enjoy some part of the big feast so my husband and I found some no sugar added apple pie at Sobeys.  I had a slice and I really hope it doesn't effect my weight loss too much.  I just needed to have a little bit of enjoyment.  I'm working hard to not use food as my means of enjoyment but it's quite hard when everyone around are eating all of my favourite holiday foods!

My husband is making a turkey tomorrow with stuffing but all I am going to have is the white turkey breast meat and mashed cauliflower (in lieu of mashed potatoes).  I also have my 1 cup of no sugar jello as my dessert for tomorrow.  I only had 1 small slice of my no sugar added apple pie tonight so my husband will be polishing the rest of that off for me!

I have to say I've come a long way. Before, if pie or anything really yummy was in the house, I would have to eat it, and all of it.  Now, I can control myself better and if I decide to eat something I shouldn't eat, I have 1 small slice or serving or I don't have any at all.  My husband ate pringles in front of me lastnight and I didn't even crave them or want to have any of them!  Before, I had to have some. 

I still have a lot of work to do on my willpower and telling myself no to anything that is not good for me.  I want to be able to "eat to live, not live to eat" by the time I'm done this diet. 

Wish me luck on Monday's weigh-in! I hope the NSA pie didn't screw me up too much!

Happy Easter!

(-43 lbs as of April 2, 2010)

Update

Sorry I haven't written lately.  Not much new to report as I was in a plateau for a bit.  I'm moving again which is nice!

I lost 2.2lbs since Monday and some more inches off my waist and hips!

Here's the results:

Starting Weight as of Jan 5/10: 218.4lbs
Current Weight as of March 31/10: 177.6lbs (-41lbs)
Starting Waist as of Jan 5/10: 45 inches
Current Waist as of March 31/10: 37 inches (-8 inches)
Starting Hips as of Jan 5/10: 52 inches
Current Hips as of Mar 31/10: 46 Inches (-6 inches)
Total Inches lost between waist and hips - 14 inches.

On another note, I asked the nurse at the clinic today for tips on how to make it through the Easter weekend.  Luckily, my husband and I are staying home and having our very own turkey dinner but I still needed some tips to stay on track.  They mentioned to me that if I really want something that I am not normally allowed to eat, that I pick just one thing and have just a little bit.  My 3 favourite things for a turkey dinner are stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin/apple pie.  Now I have to make a decision as to which one I'm going to pick to have or if I'm going to have anything at all.  Is it really worth it and a possible slow down in my weight loss?  Probably not but it would be nice to enjoy myself for just one meal.  I guess its a big decision that I need to think about!

as of March 30, 2010 - down 41 lbs :-)

Updated Photos - March 28th

As of March 28th

Yeah! I got into a Size 12!

WOW!  I went shopping lastnight to look for some new pants (again!) and I went to Ricki's and Reitman's.  I tried on a size 12 in pants and I got them done up!  I'm now officially a size 12!  I guess I should say a "tight" size 12 but I could still do them up!  I can't believe it!  I've always been a 14 or 16 so its quite emotional for me to get into a 12!  Ricki's pants fit small so it makes my day!  At Reitman's I can get in to a 12p (petite) - they're quite tight but I still got them done up!  I'm also now wearing a medium in all of my shirts.  Sometimes I go up to a Large but not very often anymore - just depends on the shirt. 

I cannot believe my progress! I just had to share! 

Will write more tomorrow after my weigh in!

Now in the 170's!

Yeah for me!  I'm in the 170's! I do not remember the last time that I was in the 170's??  I'm so happy though! I lost 1.4 lbs since Monday which is the most I've lost on a Wednesday before!  I am trying to think of what I did differently and I really cannot say.  I ate tuna lastnight instead of chicken breast but I cannot see that as making much of a difference!  Hmmm...oh well, I'm just happy! :-)

I have also decided to quit drinking diet pepsi/coke or any soda beverages starting today.  I've been reading a lot on other people's blogs about how diet pop goes straight to your thighs and screws up weight loss. I'm hoping by cutting it out of my daily diet and just drinking water that it will help my weight loss go a bit faster!  I hope I can do it - diet pop has been my crutch for many years and is my "comfort".

See my current weight below. I get measured next Wednesday!  I cannot weight as I'm sure I've gone down more inches again. I think I'm going to be able to get into a size 12 pant by next week and that I cannot wait for as I haven't been at that size in more than 10 years!

Current Weight as of March 24, 2010: 179.6 (-1.4 lbs since Monday Mar 22)
Starting Weight as of Jan 5th, 2010: 218.4
Next measurement date: March 31, 2010

No More Bad Cholestoral!

Well I went in for my usual Monday weigh in. I dropped 1.4 lbs since Friday.  However, my weight loss slowed down since a week ago.  Not sure why as I've done everything right but I guess my body does what it wants!  I'm not complaining since I'm still dropping pounds.  However, I want it to keep dropping so that I can finish this diet by the end of June! My husband told me I have to stop the diet by the end of June no matter what weight I am at due to financial reasons. So I'm trying to do everything right until that time!

I am happy to report that I saw the doctor last week and I got my high bad cholestoral back down to the level it should be at!  No more bad cholestoral for me!  Also, my thyroid and all other major levels are at the level they should be at.  Finally - I'm healthy again! 

The clothes a bought just a week ago are starting to get loose on me again. I figure in 1-2 more weeks I will need to go shopping again.  I think I am going to start shopping at Value Village as I cannot afford to keep up with my change in pant size!

Current Weight as of March 22, 2010: 181.0
Starting Weight as of Jan 5, 2010: 218.4
Total weight loss to date: 37.4lbs (its been 11 weeks so far)

Great JOB!

HI Babe, Keep up the good work. It's amazing to see you shrinking away right in front of me. Andy

Not much new to report - went down only 0.2 lbs since Monday.  However, I lost a lot more over the weekend than I usually do so I figured this would happen.  Plus, I usually do not lose weight on Wednesday's so the fact I lsot anything is amazing!  My 2 week goal is 172.6-175.6 (by March 31st) which is a 7-10 lb difference than I am now.  I hope I can reach it!!! I was having problems reaching my 2-week goal in February due to a plateau my body was going through!  However, now I think my body is actually budging. I've been the same weight for so long I think my body has hopefully gotten through the shock and is not going to be stubborn anymore and start losing better!

I have to admit that although I love the results of this diet, its taking a toll on my finances!  I cannot wait for it to be over!  I don't think I can go any longer than June on this diet due to the depletion of my funds.  But I will reassess at that time.  According to their records, I should be at 130 lbs by June 23rd and should be able to go on maintanence at that time.

I was trying to find out some information on the maintenance program but there isn't much out there.  I wish they would tell you more about the foods you can eat and how much you can eat of each. IT would be nice to know how your life will change after the hard part of this diet is over!

Since I want to meet my goal weight of 130 lbs by the end of June, I am going to work sooooooo hard to stick to this diet and not have any "slips".  I've had a few minor slips that haven't affected me any but I want to try and be perfect on it at all times so that I can get the hard part over with and start enjoying my life and new body! 

WOW!

WOW! I lost 2.2lbs since Friday!  Since last Monday (exactly 1 week ago), I've lost 4.6 lbs! I haven't lost like this since the beginning of my diet!  It seems my weight loss is speeding up!  I'm burning really well too! Today they used a different litmus strip which tests your sugar levels, if you have a bladder infection, how good you're burning fat, etc.  I guess I'm doing quite well!  I didn't have as good of a weekend as I would have liked but I actually lost more weight than if I had a perfect weekend.  Go figure!

My 2-week goal is on Wednesday and the range is 179.8-182.8.  I just reached it today which is fantastic as I haven't reached it since January.

I have to say that my current weight is the lowest weight I've been at since my early 20's - I am very pleased!  When I get into the 170's I will be jumping for joy!  I have 52.8lbs to go before they will put me on the maintanence plan!  I can't wait!

Current weight as of March 15, 2010: 182.8
Starting Weight as of Jan 5, 2010: 218.4
Total Pounds Lost as of March 15, 2010: 35.6lbs

Updated Pics of me

Just thought I'd update some photos of myself so you can see my progress. I'm now down 34.4 lbs as of March 13th (lost another lb since March 12th's blog).  I'm so impressed with the results of this diet that I can't stop taking pics of myself!!  Enjoy!

as of March 13th (-34.4lbs)  as of Feb 28th (-28lbs)

as of March 13th

Down, Down, Down

I'm happy to report that as of Wednesday I went down 1.4lbs!  So far since Monday I've lost 2.4 lbs which is amazing in such a short period of time!  I think my weight loss has finally sped up again and that is due to the fact that I'm not on antidepressants anymore!  The nurses also think I probably hit a bit of a plateau last month.  Although I was still losing last month, I wasn't losing as fast or as much as I am in March so far.

I started my new potassium medicine.  Its these orange pills you put in about 100ml of water and it fizzes and sort of tastes like orange juice. I'm not really a fan of drinking my meds but I noticed already that I don't have those horrible cold chills I was having. 

I did go shopping this week and I bought a few shirts that were a size "Medium" which is awesome! I do not remember the last time I wore a medium in a top - maybe in highschool over 12 years ago?? I am finding it easier to shop and buy clothes now!

Lets hope the weight loss keeps up!

Current Weight as of March 12/2010: 185.0lbs
Starting Weight as of January 5/2010: 218.4
Total Pounds Lost as of March 12/2010: 33.4lbs

Measurement and Weight Update

Hello! 

I just wanted to update you on my weight and measurements for this Wed!

I lost 3/4 inch off my hips since 3 weeks ago and 1 inch off my waist.  So in 3 weeks I lost 1.75 inches!  I lost more around my legs and chest but they only measure your waist and hips.

I also FINALLY lost weight on a Wednesday!  I am down 1 lb since Monday (exactly!)!  I am now off my antidepressants entirely and am only take my one multi-vitamin a day and 3 potassium pills twice daily, and 6 metamucil tablets once daily.  YEAH, NO MORE PRESCRIPTION MEDS!!!!  I don't remember the last time I wasn't on any prescription meds!!  Yeah for me!  I will be starting on some new potassium pills here shortly called K-Lyte and they are supposed to help get rid of my cold chills/shivers that I have everyday.  Just waiting for the Pharmacist to order them in for me!

I also had my first clothing crisis this morning and I officially do not have much to wear in terms of shirts anymore and I will be going shopping today for a smaller size (large)! Everything I own, with the exception of very few items are loose and baggy on me.  I also need some new jeans finally as the 2 pairs I have left are falling off my hips/waist!

Well, I should get back to work but I will write again on Friday with another weight update!

Current Weight: 186.4
Starting Weight: 218.4
Total Weight Loss since Jan 5th (or 9 weeks)  - 32 lbs
Inches lost on Waist: 7.5 inches
Inches lost on HIps: 3.25 inches

Goal Weight

A few people have been asking me how long I have to be on this diet for. 

I currently weigh 187.4 and they will put me on the maintanence plan when I reach 130lbs.  I have lost 31 lbs in 8.5 weeks and I have 57.4 lbs more to go.  I figure it will take me at least 2 to 3 more months until I reach my goal weight of 130lbs (so probably by June/July I should be able to go on the maintenance plan).  Once I reach 130lbs, I am supposed to go down to 105-115 lbs according to their records which is based on the BMI and on my height.  To me 105-115lbs is too small so I will be happy if I get to 130 lbs. 

The maintanence plan will show me how to incorporate more foods and calories back into my diet so that I don't gain all my weight back.  Its much cheaper than what I pay now. I think it costs $749/year and I will only need it for about 1 year to keep me on track.  Once I reach the maintance stage, my goal is to continue with my healthy eating habits and to start working out again.  You cannot do strenuous exercise on this diet as you only eat 800 calories a day.  If you work out, they have to adjust your diet and its not as effective.  For me to keep this weight off I will need to work out almost every day and make sure not to go back to my old eating habits!  It will be a struggle but I know that the longer I keep this weight off the easier it will be in the long run to keep it off! 

I hope this makes sense. If you have questions, feel free to comment on my blog or email me at shenadefinn@shaw.ca.

New Found Energy

Well today is March 8th and I had another successful weigh in.  I'm down 1.4lbs since Friday...pretty good I might add considering it used to take me almost 1 month to lose just 4 lbs and now I can lose 1.4lbs in just a few days!! 

Not much to report.  I get measured on Wednesday again and I'm sure my hips/waist went down from the last time I got measured.  I now wear a size 14 pant and I was at size 18 just a few months ago.  That's impressive to me!  I've successfully lost 31 lbs as of today and I am so very proud. Being in the 180's again has motivated me even more as its been quite a long time since I've been in the 180's!!!  I never thought I'd get back down again as I was stuck in the 190's for so long!  It just proves how great this diet is...if I can lose weight on it - anyone can! 

I had to break down and buy a couple of extra clothes on the weekend. I still need more though - mainly jeans as I only have 2 pairs left and both fall off my hips now!  Its quite embarrassing to have to pull up my pants every 2 seconds! Belts don't help either so it looks like I will be going pant shopping tonight! 

On another note, I think I have beat my polycystic ovarian syndrome!  I cannot believe how awesome I feel! I don't get tired anymore and I can go out and do things, clean the house, and take care of my husband again!  My husband has pretty much taken over most things around the house since I got sick about 3 years ago and now that I have energy, I'm taking that role back from him! I cleaned my whole house on Friday, Sat and Sunday and did not even get tired when I was done. I used to only be able to do a little bit and then I'd have to have a lay down shortly afterwards!  My husband did say that its going to take some time to get used to my new found energy as he's used to doing nothing on the weekends (as all I used to do was lay in bed and watch movies since I had no energy).  Now, I have lists of things for both of us to do and errands to run, etc!!!  I think it helps too that I am starting to like myself better, especially the way I look.  I don't feel as self-conscious anymore and feel a little more confident in myself!  But I must say, feeling happy and energetic is something I haven't felt in a long time and I like it alot!!!! 

I am now weening myself off my last anti-depressant as I do not need them anymore.  I am down to 1 pill every 2 days (I used to take 2 pills every day).  It will feel amazing once I'm not taking prescription medication anymore!!!

Here is my update on my weight.

Current Weight as of March 8, 2010: 187.4 (down 31 lbs woohoo!)
Starting weight as of Jan 5, 2010 - 218.4

I will write in on Wednesday with an update of my measurments!

Down

Hello!

Just some small news to report today.  I went down from Wednesday and did much better on my diet this week!  Its still ttotm for me so I didn't go down much but I still went down which is better than nothing! I hope to see a better result at my weigh in on Monday!

On another note, I tried on some t-shirts that were really tight on me last year and now they are loose! :-)

The doctor changed my pottassium pills for me today.  I keep having these cold, chilled to the bone feelings every day and at night I have to sleep with the electric blanket!  We are going to try changing the brand of pills to see if it helps my cold chills.  I have to have my heater on at work every day now so hopefully this will change with the new brand of pottassium pills!

Current weight as of March 5, 2010: 188.8
Starting weight as of Ja n 5, 2010: 218.4
Total weight lost since Jan 5th: 29.6 lbs

Oh Well...

So I registered a small weight gain of 0.6lbs on the scale since Monday.  However, it is "that time of the month (ttotm)" for me so 0.6lbs isn't bad (I usually gain 3-7lbs).  I did have a small slip lastnight and gave into my craving for something greasy.  Andy was eating pizza and I had a small slice.  However, I'm still burning really well and I'm 100% sure my weight gain is only due to ttotm.  Next week should be a better week for me so wish me luck. I have decided that giving into my craving for a small piece of pizza just wasn't worth it. I felt guilty all night and had trouble sleeping.  I can tell you that won't happen again!!!!!

Sorry there isn't better news today.  However, I'm still below 190lbs which is good news for me! I'm just happy to be out of the 200's and 190's! 

I see the doctor on Friday and have another weigh in so maybe my weight will go down a bit by Friday.

In the 180's!

Finally! I got into the 180's! I haven't been here since the early 2000's when I was in my early 20's! I can't believe I actually made it and its only been 8 weeks and I've lost 29.2 lbs!  I now have 60.8 lbs to go before they put me on the maintenance plan!  Awww...seems like that will take forever and the hard part of the diet will never end!  I just gotta keep picturing myself in that bikini on the beaches of Mexico!

I figured out a little trick with my water consumption that helps me lose weight better.  I can only drink a maximum of 8 glasses a day and the key for me is to drink 4 - 8 0z glasses within 1/2 hour in the morning and 4-80z glasses of water in the afternoon within a 1/2 hour. After that, no more water. I can drink anything else in the late afternoon/evening but water and I manage to lose more weight than if I pile up on water. Strange I know but my body doesn't like a tonne of water apparently!

Well, my 2-week goal for Wednesday is 184.4-187.4. Its going to be tough to meet since I never lose weight on Wednesdays so I most likely will stay the same but I'm hoping and praying lots that I will lose on Wed! WIsh me luck!

I meant to say that comments are welcome on my blog so don't be shy and comment away!

Shenade

2 Sizes Smaller

Well I finally had to breakdown today and buy some pants.  I went  from an 18+ to a 14+ in 2 months.  I'm quite pleased with myself!  I haven't been a 14+ in a very long time!  I'm at the lowest size in the plus size section now and cannot wait to wear normal sized clothes again!  I also went down from an almost XXL to a L in shirts which I'm also very pleased with!  I am pretty much down 1 bra cup size as well which for me is fantastic!

Wish me luck for the week to come - I hope to be in the 180's when I weigh in tomorrow! I've had better weekends though - I had a small piece of chocolate today and a little nibble of Andy's pizza.  I could have done much worse.  I just needed that "taste" to satisfy my craving.  I could have eaten a full piece of pizza but I settled for one bite :-).  I hope that doesn't screw up my weigh in tomorrow :-0.

Well, off to watch the last hockey game of the olympics.  I hope you enjoyed my updated pictures!

Cheers!

New Photos!

Updated Photos of me as of Feb 28, 2010 - 28 lbs lighter and counting...

Better late than never!

Hello.  Sorry for not writing all week! I haven't been feeling all that well the last while.  I just am feeling really worn down and I think I'm fighting some sort of flu bug or something.  So I pretty much come home from work and head to bed.  Fun times!

Anyhoo, here's a little update on my weight so far.  I've lost 3 lbs exactly since last Friday and my current weight is now 190.6.  Weightloss total as of today is 27.8 lbs!  Wow! I can't believe how heavy I once was...I'm hoping to meet my 2-week goal on Wednesday which is 184.4-187.4.  Its going to be tough but please pray with me so it will happen!?!?! Wish me luck :-). 

I have to note that my weight still stays exactly the same almost every wednesday.  My body apparently doesn't want to go down in weight on Wednesday's!!! Strange since I eat the same thing every day but I guess that's just what my body wants to do. 

I also want to note how hard I've been finding the diet the last while - especially since people around me are eating a lot of my favourite foods! I don't expect people around me to change their dietary habits for me - I just need to learn to not let it get to me.  Maybe if I think of myself in a bikini on the beaches of Mexico showing off my new body that will help?? 

Thanks to my friends and family for reading my blog!  Knowing that you are all with me during this life-changing process gives me the courage to keep going!  Love you all!

Weight as of February 26, 2010: 190.6
Starting Weight as of Jan 5, 2010: 218.4

I'm doing Fine!

Well with all of the stress I've been putting myself through, I was told today that I am right on track with my weight loss and that I'm burning fat really well!  "You're doing fine" they said and "you should not be worried"!  As of today I've lost a total of 25 lbs since January 5th.  Pretty good I must say.  I'm lingering a bit in the 190's b/c this is the weight I used to be at for years and years and years before my big weight gain last year.  They said this is normal as my body is still trying to get used to the diet.  :-)

I thought it would be good to write on here what I eat on a daily basis so you can get an idea.

Breakfast:
3 egg whites
4 oz of onion, green onion, peppers, mushrooms

Snack:
1 apple

Lunch:
3 egg whites
green onion, peppers, onion and mushrooms

Snack:
1 apple and 18 cheese nips

Dinner:
3.5 oz of chicken breast
8 oz of broccoli, cauliflower, onion, green onion, peppers, mushrooms and zucchini

Snack: 1 cup no sugar jello

Pretty boring hey?  That's what I eat pretty much every day. I can certainly add in more variety but whenever I do that it screws me up.  So I try to stick with the same meals.  I cannot wait for the maintenance plan so I can eat more freely!!!

Well, wish me luck for the weekend! Its always my tough time since I don't do much and when I'm bored, I usually like to snack!!

Until Monday...

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Well today is February 17th.  It was my 3rd measurement (I get measured every 3 weeks) and I've lost a total of 6.5 inches off my waist and 2.5 inches off my hips.  My weight loss has slowed right down.  They recommended that I take out the miscellaneous items that I'm allowed to have (sugar free jam and salsa) and see if my weight loss starts to increase again.  I'm still going down - just a lot slower than normal.  To date I'm down 23.6 lbs which I'm very proud of but I should be down more by now according to their statistics.  After my weigh in today and my results of my measurements, I feel a little better about things. I just wish my weight loss would get moving again as I'm spending a tonne of money to lose weight!

I have to admit I almost quit the diet the other day.  I miss eating normal and not feeling hungry.  I miss being able to go out for the odd dinner or lunch or breakfast out with my husband.  I also wanted to quit since my pocket is getting lighter but my weight loss has slowed right down!  However, as of today I am feeling a little better about things. I'm going to give it another month and if my weight loss doesn't start moving, I may decide to end this diet and just go back to exercising daily and hoping for the best. 

That's it for today.  Here are my updates:

Weight as of Jan 5th: 218.4
Weight as of Feb 17th: 194.8

Waist as of Jan 5th: 45 inches
Waist as of Feb 17th: 38.5 inches
Hips as of Jan 5th: 51 inches
Hips as of Feb 17th: 48.5 inches

I'm burning fat at the top level which I think is important to note as if something was wrong with me then I most likely would not be burning fat!!!

Strange Week

Well I didn't journal on Wednesday b/c I experienced my first small weight gain.  I weighed 197.6 on Monday and went up to 198.2 on Wednesday. I was quite perplexed as I did everything right.  The nurse said its probably b/c "that time of the month" is on the way for me and that my weight may start to vary.  But still, with the amount of money I'm spending, I expect good results each weigh in regardless!

Today (Friday Feb 12th), I had a successful weigh in and am down to 196.2.  So I did lose weight this week.  I certainly am not losing at the rate I was in January but the point is that I'm still losing. 

My biggest obstacle this week will be my sisters pre-wedding party on Saturday night. There will be lots of yummy food there.  I cannot drink at all and watching everyone eat good food will be hard for me. 

I just wish I could have one cheat day - sometimes I get down b/c I cannot have a cheat day and enjoy my life just for one meal.  This diet is definitely positive but there are very few choices for meals b/c of the strictness of it.  I'm getting bored of the same old food and wish that I could have something tasty and yummy!!!  I am trying to keep my goal in my mind but sometimes its just hard.

I've realized that eating is purely emotional for me.  I eat b/c it makes me feel better; I eat when I'm sad; I eat when I'm happy; I eat when I'm bored.  I need to start focusing on other things instead of food...that is my goal for the next weeks to come.  It is very hard though b/c everything about this diet has to do with food. 

Weight updates:

Starting weight as of Jan 5, 2010: 218.4
Weight as of Feb 12, 2010: 196.2
Waist: 41
Hips: 48.5

My next measurements will be done on Wednesday so I'm looking forward to that.  I also got into a few pairs of pants that I have not gotten into in a long time - Yeah for me!  I am not quite at the point where I need to go shopping yet - I'm getting there though.  I can only wear about 2 pairs of dress pants that I have and 2 pairs of jeans.  I have a lot of pants so I will be wearing these 4 pairs until I absolutely cannot wear them anymore. 

Slowly but Surely...

Another successful weigh-in today.  I'm now down to 197.6 lbs.  I'm not losing as fast as I should be I don't think.  My weight loss has slowed down considerably since I first started.  I am supposed to lose 16-20 lbs per month (which I accomplished in January) ...however, I seem to only  be losing 3 lbs per week which would mean in February I won't lose the required 16 lbs.  I think I will talk to the Doctor about that as I seem to be burning fat really well (according to the Nurses).  I am sure it is because of my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome but I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right.  This diet is costing so much money that I don't want it to drag out any longer than it has to!  I also want to start living my life again!

Well, as you can see I'm a little frustrated today but I should be happy that I am losing at each weigh in I guess!

Talk to you on Wednesday!