20 and 100

It's officially May, and I thought maybe I'd fill you in on another BIG thing that I have been doing this year. It affects me every day, it fills my thoughts, it directs my actions... for better or worse...

I'm actively trying to lose weight. I'm working really hard. And it's working!

Since January 1, I'm down 20 pounds. TWENTY!! WOW!! I feel awesome!

So what are my secrets? Haha...

• I've been blogging lots of my journey on another blog, movinmommas.blogspot.com, and really it's good to be accountable. Since January 1 was a Tuesday, weigh-in day is always a Tuesday. I drug my feet for what seemed like months about posting actual weight numbers, but seriously doing it once and for all finally gave me the kick in the pants I needed. When the world knows your number, you gotta make it better. 
• I joined in a local Biggest Loser competition. More on that in later. But WOW it's another great way to be accountable!
• My biggest tool for success has been MyFitnessPal. I log in every day. I don't even think about it anymore. It tracks what you eat, and has a HUGE database of foods. You can input recipes and find out how much a serving is (which is helpful, since we eat a lot at home). It's awesome. It really teaches you what nutritional value/caloric value food actually has. I've become much more food savvy. A Cadbury egg is 150 calories (only!!), a cheese stick is 70 calories, a banana is 100 calories, celery is like 4 calories. Less is best for peanut butter and regular butter. I have it on my computer, my phone, the iPad. It's awesome and so accessible. 

Some happy thoughts so far in this journey:

• I am on track to lose ~5 lbs per month. I think this gradual weight loss is a good thing.
• The only time I've been able to achieve this kind of weight loss is by doing crazy things like not eating carbs or sugar. I eat carbs AND sugar, I also try to eat a lot more vegetables and fruits. I'm balancing! I feel like I'm doing it RIGHT!
• I don't like to eat at all after 6 PM, definitely not 7 or 8 PM. 
• I'm exercising a lot. At least 4 times a week, usually 5, sometimes 6. I do fitness videos, I jump on our elliptical machine, I run outside. I am training for a half-marathon (INSANITY!!) and I'm up to 6 miles. SIX MILES. That is like, an hour of running straight. When I get into these long runs I always feel like I have no business doing this, I am such a faker, I don't belong.... but I keep at it and then all of a sudden the run doesn't seem so bad. If it hurt the first time I want to try it again and again until it doesn't hurt any more. 
• I read Bob Harper's "Skinny Rules" and now I'm reading Jillian Michaels "Slim for Life." I'm learning some things. One of Bob's rules I always follow is to drink a HUGE glass of water before eating anything. It does make a big difference. Jillian explained BMR and AMR (various metabolic rates), and I learned my body needs 1900 calories to just exist as it is now and not gain or lose. So baby I'm eating 1300 and good things are happening.
• When I first started MFP I tried for 1200 calories and I was really discouraged. It was hard. I saw my doctor and said I wanted to lose weight but I wasn't seeing success and I was stressed out, and she suggested I try 1400 and see how that felt. I did, and it WORKED, and I realized I COULD do this. Awesome. Eventually I went to 1300 and I feel great. 
• I eat when I'm stressed or bored. Period. I still act this way. But at least I realize my downfall and I can work to prevent it. It's been interesting to be "tempted" and say to myself, "no. not this time." I'm so used to giving in to allllll of my temptations. So yes, there is chocolate in the house (not ice cream, not right now). But I don't give in every time my little brain begs for it.
• I have a lot more energy. I feel lighter when I go up the stairs. I feel stronger. I can crawl around on the floor with the kids. 
• I've essentially doubled my wardrobe since a lot of clothes that didn't fit (but that I've held on to since forever) now totally fit. All three of my summer shorts fit (not so much last summer). The only pants that don't fit are like, fancy jeans from college. They're my motivation now. I also tried on lots of shirts Saturday night as I was organizing my closet and realized many of them fit really well. Awesome. Which doesn't give me a lot of incentive to go shopping to reward myself for weigh loss, but I go shopping regardless :-)
• When I started I made a rewards chart, so every 5 pounds I get something. So far I've had a pedicure, shopping spree, new pair of running shoes & entry fee for the half-marathon, and a new workout DVD. My final goal, in like, 40 more pounds, is a trip to LAS VEGAS. Seriously. If I lose 40 more pounds I'll do it. 
• I've hit pre-pregnancy Laurel weight!! I am 2 pounds away from pre-pregnancy Wesley weight. I'm finally where like, people remember me as being. Where I'm used to being. Well guess what, I want to be BETTER than people remember!!!!

OK here's the visual.... 

(last July)    (today)

There's about 15 pounds' difference between picture 1 and picture 2. Too bad the angles aren't perfectly matched.

My current goals:

1. lose a Wesley (~15 more pounds).
2. fit into my wedding dress (~10 more after that)
3. see numbers on the scale I've never seen in my adult life (~10-15 more after that)

I think they are all attainable, actually. It's not going to be easy. But it's in the realm of possibility. I told myself in January that 2013 was MY YEAR. And I'm doing it.

OK, so the big bang from this weekend:  In January a friend on Facebook (our babies are the same age), posted on a mommy group we are both on that she wanted to start a Biggest Loser competition. Was anyone interested? I was probably the first one who said, "yes! me!" I was already actively trying in January. There was a $10 buy-in and weekly weigh-ins by phone, email, or text. She created a new Facebook group and posted results every Tuesday from the Monday weigh-ins. Winner would take $100, second place $40, and third place $20. Twelve weeks.

I was really consistent from week 1. I lost every week except the Monday after Easter where I gained a pound or something. I was never in first place, but I started in 7th, moved up to like 4th, and then I sat at 2nd for awhile.

Finally, the last week came. I had a number in my head, and I said to myself, "If I can get that number on the scale, it'll be the best I can do. I know that. I can't expect any more out of me." Well, I got it. I got that number. I felt awesome, and I knew it was my best, and I sent it in. Final weigh-in was by video, which was funny but proves you're not weighing your skinnier husband or something. (One gal put her teenage son on the scale and submitted it as her April Fool's joke, haha!)

Well, the big finale party was on Saturday. Since we were all done weighing in people brought cookies and chocolate mousse (whaaaat?). I brought apple slices with peanut butter ;-)

My total weight loss for the 12 weeks, February thru May, was ~16 lbs, or 8.41% of my body weight. And guess what? I WON!!! I WON $100! I won the competition! HOW COOL IS THAT!?!?!?!

I feel so awesome. Money or no money, I was so glad to have participated. The organizer of the event came in second (we verified her weight, plus she looks awesome), and she actually wants to do a second round starting in June. I already won my buy-in money back so I have no excuse not to throw $10 more at this :-) I don't know what I'll do with my $100. Maybe save it for my Vegas trip?

This has been a wonderful experience. I am so proud of how far I've come, but still anxious because I have more to go. My half-marathon is in October so I've got all summer to run my little heart out and continue to lose. I'm gonna to keep with the 1-2 lbs per week, since it's working. MFP is working. It just feels awesome. Maybe my life is a little out of balance since my house is kinda messy, but making time for exercise right now is what I really want to do.

You heard that right. This is what I really want to do. More than anything else. I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything.