Out Sick

I missed my first weigh in. I went home sick this week and didn't make it to my meeting. If I were to guess, I would say that I lost a pound. We'll find out next week.

As for the plan that I am following: I am eating the HMR meal replacements for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I'm eating whatever my family is having for dinner. I probably won't win any weight loss contests with that plan, but a pound a week would make me happy.

9 Week Challenge

Blah blah holidays blah gained blah blah. You didn't want to hear about any of that anyway did you? No. You want to hear about how I am going to move forward and lose more weight.

My maintenance class is hosting a nine week challenge. Today, we were all weighed and our measurements were taken. There is a competition over the next nine weeks to lose the most weight or inches. The classes are competing as a group against each other. Individuals are also competing. Everything is counted as percentage lost. Just like the Biggest Loser competition.

So today:

Weight: 225.5
Arm: 16.5 inches
Thigh: 27.25 inches
Waist: 45 inches
Hips: 49.5 inches

These measurements were all taken by a nurse (and I was fully clothed). The same nurse will come back in nine weeks and measure us again.

The challenge for this week is to journal everything I eat. I'm also supposed to wear a pedometer and journal how many steps I take each day. They are easing us into the weekly challenges with an easy one.

Wish me luck. Better yet, wish me determination!

Vegas, Baby!

I'm going to Las Vegas for my birthday this weekend. When I get back, I'll try to get back on track and follow the plan. I've thought about doing a little blogging of my food journal to keep me motivated. We'll see.

These are the shoes I'm wearing this weekend - HOT!

Bored and Boring

Maintaining is boring. It has none of the drama of a good weight loss story. The losses, the excitement, the new clothes. You don't get any of that when you maintain.

I am well aware that my weight is not at the final place that I want it to be. And yet, I just can't seem to find the will power to do anything about it. So I am maintaining. Maybe I will get sucked into the current of the New Year's weight loss river. Is motivation contagious? Can you catch it from other people?

I'm still going to my maintanence classes every week. I sit next to a charming man who just turned 60. He has been doing this program off and on for 7-8 years. He had a high weight of 300 pounds and is now hovering just over 200. He has gone up and down in a 40 pound range over that time, but has never regained all of the weight. And he is totally motivated right now to lose. He is following the plan perfectly. He knows that he might not be in this mood a month from now.

The motivation to lose weight comes and goes. There is a trick to this though. Usually, when I'm bored with a diet, I quit and slowly gain back the weight. My new trick is to learn how to maintain. If I can just not gain back the weight, then I will be in a great place to start from when I feel that next wave of motivation.

In the mean time, any suggestions for good motivational books or blogs?

Week 28 - Down .4 Pounds

Weigh in: 212.8 pounds
Total loss: 32.5 pounds

One of my comments asked what plan I am following. As usual, my answer isn't simple. Most days I'm drinking a double shake in the morning. Another in the afternoon. I have a snack of low-fat popcorn and a light dinner at home. Sometimes the dinner is just an HMR Entree or a bowl of HMR Cereal. When I'm hungry and want to eat something, I will have vegetables. Usually a bag of the Steamfresh kind that you can make in the microwave. If I have a party or a dinner out, I will eat like normal. Where "normal" = "way too much".

Since I have been on maintenance, I have not managed to lose much weight. But I have maintained. And as long as I keep up what I am doing, I will gradually lose the rest. A little at a time. I think I'm OK with that. Sometimes I get impatient and think I will try to go back on all shakes. It hasn't worked out for me so far. With the holiday season coming, I doubt I will have that kind of willpower. As long as I can keep losing a little bit each week through the holidays, I'll be fine.

I found some pants that fit right and bought a black pair and a khaki pair. I have yet to see how they come out of the dryer, but otherwise they have passed my tests. I did have to spend $32.50 instead of under $30. Close enough. It is kind of cool how good it feels to wear pants that fit. Everything I've been wearing has been either too baggy or too tight. I still hope they don't fit by the end of the year!

Week 27 - Down 1.4 pounds

Weigh in: 213.2 pounds
Total loss: 32.1 pounds

I need a new pair of black pants. My current pants are so baggy in the butt that I am starting to look clownlike. Unfortunately, I haven't lost the same proportion of weight in my waist. So while the waist fits, the butt sags. I can't go shopping and try on pants because very few stores carry a large selection of talls. So I internet shop. I like a low waistband and a 34" inseam. I would like them to come out of the dryer fairly nice without needing an iron. I don't want elastic on the waistband. Is this too much to ask? Oh, and I'm cheap. I don't like to spend over $30 since they aren't going to fit two months from now.

Did you hear that people? They are NOT going to fit two months from now. I AM going to keep losing weight. Wish me luck with the shopping.

Week 26 - Down .6 pounds

Weigh in: 214.6 pounds
Total loss: 30.7 pounds

OK. Recovering from vacation may take a little longer than expected.

I tried to just go on all shakes again, but that isn't really working for me. Once you get used to eating again, it is almost impossible to make it an entire day without solid food. I talked to my class about it today. All except one said the same thing. They have tried to do all shakes and failed. One guy has been able to do it. He lives alone and gets rid of all the other food in his house. Wow.

I'll keep trying. Even half a pound is still a loss.