STOP!

If you know me well, you know I hit every RED light there is! Lights see me coming and turn yellow then red immediately.  I don't know why, it just seems I am a magnet for them. I think maybe God has a message in this for me, but what? It seems everything I do - whether it is housework, writing my book, going on a trip, helping someone, and yes even losing weight - or try to do, I run into a giant Stop sign! 

Today, my van is on it's last breath and I just needed it to take me to work and back. I literally had to stop at every light in Union. Six of them in a three mile stretch. My van tends to stop breathing and chokes on me when I come to a stop. I have to turn off the car and restart it. ANNOYING!!! On the trip home from work, I kept asking God why He was allowing the lights to turn red on me, no answer came. However, while I continued to hit red light after red light, my van never died. Which is an amazing feat all in itself.  Yet, I still whined...and whined. When I pulled into the driveway and my van coughed, but didn't stop breathing, God let me know - I made it home! 

Indeed I did. I humbly apologized for being a whinny baby and started saying Thanks. 

I have been a BIG WHINNY BABY a lot lately!  Thankful for what I have, but very discontent. Especially with where I am in my weightloss. I see the photo down below of me three months ago and 35 pounds lost. That was, again, THREE months ago. Now I am only 40 pounds down. Thats 5 pounds in 3 months! Really?! Seriously, I have busted my butt, but my butt won't come off! Neither will my gut! Stoplight! Don't get me wrong, I am not going to stop. What I am going to do is stop stressing over it. It has to come off eventually!

I have even started jogging while I walk. Stoplight! My knees are not liking it at all and you can forget about my lower back even wanting to do anything the next day. But I will prevail! I feel better - minus the knees and lower back - and know I am doing all I can to do. Really?! Am I? 

No, I should walk more. Twice a week, really doesn't cut it. I rationalize that it is now dark when I get home and that is is freezing cold in the morning. I have an elliptical downstairs I could ride anytime, but do I --NO! Why not? - I have no answer to that. Which is an answer all in itself - laziness! Not enough motivation! Really? Seriously, 275 lbs isn't enough motivation?

Well.....GO already!

Party!! what to have that I can eat...

My son Timothy graduated tonight. So we had a small party for him. That is probably the hardest part for me in my weightloss journey (wlj). I never know what kind of food to fix or serve and celebrations call for cakes! There needs to be a healthier solution. I did get cupcakes so there were single servings. I ate 3/4th of it. But I had fried chicken and potato salad also! It was quick to buy and easy. I didn't have time to fix anything myself,so I took the easy way out.
Everyone liked it, and Tim was blessed and had a great time. I can't believe how grown up he is!
What would be a good alternative to cake?

Back on track!

Okay, I am rid of "Old Judi" mentality and have gotten myself back in a good frame of mind.  Went to the Fitness Center and road the elliptical for 2 minutes longer. Up to 17 minutes!! One of which was going backwards. Not to pat myself on the back, but "Yeah Me!!" Tomorrow I will go for 20 minutes...I will let you know how that goes.

I haven't weighed myself yet (been about three weeks now) but I am assuming I am at the 278 mark. I hope. I will find out tomorrow morning. Trying to stay positive!

What would be a healthy dinner for my family and I, that the fam would actually eat? Any Suggestions?

Keeping it going!

I am almost at the 40 pound mark. For the first time ever, I can truly see myself thin. I know I will succeed. I did the elliptical today and lasted 12 minutes. Not bad for someone who could last only 8 minutes a week ago. Been working out and staying consistent on my diet...there is no going back to eating junk, processed foods. They taste nasty to me now. God truly has delivered me from that kind of eating! He gets all the glory! He has sent people at just the right moments to encourage and strengthen me in this "losing" journey.
I have decided to reward myself with a full body massage every 50 pounds I lose. I used to turn to "nondiet" foods, like ice cream, brownies and such, but I have just incorporated them into my diet on occasion. But truth be told, I don't eat that but maybe once a month, and I don't miss it.
I love how my body is shaping up too. I love being able to squat down and pick things up! I love not having to have someone else do things for me cause my health or body fat won't let me! AND it is just going to get better!!!!
I see others in the gym at work (students) who need the same routine as I have and want so badly to help them, but I also know I wouldn't want someone walking up to me and saying, "I can help you lose weight!" AS IF!  lol. I have to keep reminding myself, I still need help too! I have not made it yet... I will though, watch out world, Judi is almost back!

The Beginning

At this point I have lost 30 pounds. A mere drop in the bucket of what I need to lose, but it is a good start.
Why I Began This Journey
A year ago I saw a photo of myself and thought 'yuck, that can't be what I look like!'  When I voiced this out loud to a friend, her reply was, "but that's you, and you are beautiful!" My heart stopped! That wasn't me!! Which lead me to start thinking about who I was verses who I had become. I thought of myself as a happy, easy-going yet competitive, try anything once, outgoing, always joyous person. But truthfully, that wasn't me anymore.  I had become, in the past 15 years, an inactive, easy-going, minimal effort, sometimes happy person who lacked self-confidence. I had given up doing the things I love to do. I stopped going places that I once enjoyed.  I had given up living life to the fullest for...what? Food? Because I was tired?
No more!! I can't and won't let my size dictate to me who I will be anymore.

What I Did About It
I started walking on March 3. One mile on Wednesday night for the first two weeks, then I added a mile on Saturday mornings. Soon it was two miles on those nights. I also cut my diet in half. I tried Weight Watchers points (without paying and going to the meetings) because a friend was successful using it and showed me how. It worked for a while, but I hit a plateau. I stayed on that plateau for 4 months, not gaining or losing. I joined a program at work for walkers and started walking at work everyday. I lost a few more pounds.

Where I Am Now
In November I went to see a Nutritionist and Personal Trainer. In two months, I have lost 2 inches from my waste and 1.5 inches off my hips, but only about a pound of fat.