LOSING WEIGHT, FEELING GREAT, AND TAKING CONTROL OF MY LIFE!

2007-07-09T11:03:00.000-04:00

In case you are still checking up on me, check HERE...

http://lapbandforlife.blogspot.com

See you there!

2007-04-09T16:58:00.000-04:00

Well, this is it. I'm sorry but this post will conclude this blog. I tried and really gave it an honest effort, but Cambridge is just not for me. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from doing this though. For many it has been an EXCELLENT way to lose weight, and keep it off. However I am not one of those people.

I will be starting a NEW BLOG. I just returned from having Lap Band© surgery on 4/3/2007.
If you have a medical problem you usually go to a doctor to get treatment don't you? Well, I did.
If you would like more info on Lap Band© surgery, the least invasive weightloss surgery today, feel free to contact me. It is an outpatient procedure, with VERY few risks. I loved my whole experience!
Good Luck in all your efforts!
Donna

2007-02-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

I'm still here. I've been really busy, and have been on the go a lot. I've also been eating some of the time too. Nothing crazy, I've been watching it! I haven't gained ANY, but unfortunately didn't lose any either! However, I'm holding steady at 239. Today, I went back to Cambridge only. Wasn't bad at all. Now I'm ready to tackle tomorrow! Hope you are all doing well. I'd would write more, but I'm SO sleepy!
Nite!

2007-02-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

Day 3, yipppeee!

Yes, I have made it to day 3, and I'm now 6.5 pounds lighter! See why Cambridge is THE diet to be on? How many people do you know, have been on a diet for 2 days, and lost 6.5 pounds? OK, I know it's gonna slow down some now, but I've RARELY lost less than 5 pounds a week! How many other diets can make that claim?

If' you're NOT on any kind of diet program, and you're DESPERATE to lose weight, I would suggest you give Cambridge a try! But be SURE that you are DESPERATE to lose weight, otherwise you won't have the willpower to stick with it. Those first 3-4 days are pure TORTURE, but if you can survive them it's easy sailing! If you do have a bobble, jump back on! I've bobbled SEVERAL times, in case you haven't noticed. BUT, I always come BACK to Cambridge, because it's the ONLY diet that has ever delivered upon it's promises! Hard? Yes, at first. Worth it? OH yes, yes, yes!

2007-02-08T10:36:00.000-05:00

Mind Over Mouth

Everything we do starts in the mind. Your mouth can't make you cheat on your diet. It's not gonna just start gobbling up sweets, or pizza on it's own! Everytime I have cheated on a diet I have had a conversation with my mind first, and it usually goes something like this...

Mind- you KNOW you want a big piece of cake, or maybe a slice of pizza, or maybe some greasy potato chips!
Me- I AM ON A DIET!
Mind- You can always start over tomorrow, besides think how GOOD that pizza would taste!
Me- I really want to lose this weight, and if I get off track, I May not be able to get back on!
Mind- SURE you can! Just go ahead, look in the refridgerator, there's LOT'S of goodies in there!
Me- Really I shouldn't!
Mind- But you are SOOOO hungry! Come on, let's go get some fast food.
Me- Well....I guess I could start over tomorrow.
Mind- yes, yes, yes, you can! No big deal! Come on EAT!
Me- OK, I DO really want a juicy cheeseburger!
Mind- yeah, and don't forget those FRIES! How about a shake, or a great big cold COKE? If you're gonna cheat, let's do it RIGHT!
Me- OK, let's go! What else would be good?

Then at other times, when I have been really sucessful the conversation goes something like this...

Mind- Hey, why don't you order a pizza?!!
Me- I'm on a DIET, now SHUT-UP, and don't even THINK about food!
Mind- But...
Me- NO, I'm not listening to you! I'm NOT entertaining these thoughts, not for one second! Food is not an option, ONLY Cambridge! I WILL STAY ON THIS DIET! Let me think about what I can do, to distract myself. I'll go for a walk, or get online, and talk to my Cambridge buddies, or maybe soak in the tub!
Mind- Bye, sniff, sniff...

SO, this is the conclusion you CAN control what goes in your mouth! You just have to STOP the thoughts of food before they can take hold! Just say "NO", and change what you are doing, or change your environment, ANYTHING to FORGET about cheating! The more you let yourself THINK about food, the harder it is to resist! You can do this!

Now, about me....Day 1 was a success! I stayed on track, and today I'm 4 pounds LIGHTER! Yep, down to 242! WE can do this! On to DAY 2!

2007-02-07T13:54:00.000-05:00

OKAY, I'm back! Long time gone!

It's been WAY too long, and a lot has changed. First of all, we moved to Iowa. It's nice here, but it's REALLLLY COLD! We moved here in November, and I steadily gained back all my lost weight! The holidays, and stress eating, and all the people in the neighborhood brought brownies, cookies, cakes, pies, and all SORTS of goodies to welcome us!

Not only that, but it has been like a continous VACATION since we moved here. Hubby has wanted to try out all the restaurants, plus we've had so much company. People wanting to see our new home, and we end up going out to the wonderful restaurants with them! It's been food, food, food EVERYWHERE. I know, it's NO EXCUSE, but I DID IT.

But, I'm back now, and I'm ready to get this weight off for GOOD. I had almost decided to get Lap Band surgery, but once again I thought about it, and decided I really don't want to go that route. So what do I do? Do what WORKS. I know this works, and if I do what I'm supposed to, the weight WILL come off.

So here goes DAY 1. I think I weighed 247 the first time I did Cambridge. Well today I weigh 246. So, let's just see what the scales say tomorrow!

2006-06-22T16:59:00.000-04:00

EXCITING NEWS! I was asked to do an interview, for another website! Check it out, it's a very inspiring website!
It is... "Weightloss Tips.com" or www.wltips.com
I'm still plugging away. See my progress! I'm happy. Nothing major going on. Excited that Cambridge has introduced some new products. Yummy new bars! Can't wait to try them! See you later!

2006-06-16T09:03:00.000-04:00

Well, no loss today, but the total for the week was....

6.5 pounds! So, I'm happy about that! I hope I can lose another 6.5 by the time hubby get's home from Belgium. He's only going to be gone for a week, so maybe I can trim down a little bit by then. I weighed in at 218 this morning. I think I must not have gotten enough water in yesterday! I just didn't want to drink it! So, I've got to do better today. I'll take my jug with me today, since I'm going to be out of the house a lot. Got to get Father's Day presents today!
Hope you all are doing well!

2006-06-15T17:17:00.000-04:00

Still Losing....ALL IS WELL!

Only 53 more pounds to go! Yippee! I'm hanging in there!

2006-06-14T15:21:00.000-04:00

Just like the Energizer Bunny...I'm still going!

Finally back on the downhill swing! I've lost 26.5 pounds, and I can tell it. I can't WAIT until it's 209, then 199! WHOO HOO! Nothing else to report really...just wanted to let you know that I'm STILL hanging in there.

2006-06-08T10:03:00.000-04:00

On to Day 4 of the challenge...should get easier after today!

So, I changed my ticker to my mini-goal of 199. Yep, that's not too far away, and I'm REALLY hoping to get there by the 4th of July! That would be GREAT. I only lost half a pound yesterday, but I think it's because I had muffins twice. I'm doing only 3 shakes today. I like the muffins, but they do seem to slow my loss a little, and I don't want anything slowing me down! Day 4 or 5 has always been the hardest for me. I feel like I'm going to make it though. I'm really excited about getting the weight off, and I think that is what it takes. You have to believe you can lose the weight. I think that is one of the reasons Cambridge works so well. The loss you have in the first few days, is usually very inspiring! Most people lose 10 pounds the first week.

I was watching TV, and a commercial for e-diets came on. They said, "Lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks!" Then I thought, WHAT? I can lose 10 pounds in ONE week on Cambridge. Sometimes we get discouraged, because we may only drop 3-4 pounds in one week, but if you think about it, on any other diet, it would take at least 2 weeks to lose 4 pounds! So, if you are losing that fast, you are really cutting your diet in half, or even in thirds! That is what motivates me!

2006-06-07T10:53:00.000-04:00

DAY 3, of the 4th of July Challenge, and I'm on my way!

24.5 pounds! Finally a half pound below where I was before I went hog wild! It's going to continue to drop from THIS DAY ON. I'm hoping that by July 4th, the scale will read 199.5 OR LESS. I would be happy at 199. That would be the first time I've been below 200 in 5 years!

2006-06-06T13:14:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be brutally honest...

I want to eat something! I know it's because I'm doing the HORRID first week over, and this too shall pass, but HOLY COW! I could eat a COW! That is why I don't want to do this again! I KNOW what it's like to be floating around in ketosis, and I can't WAIT to get back there! REALLY wish I hadn't screwed it up in the first place!

I have so many reasons to lose this weight. I won't bore you with all of them, but here are a few.

1. I want to wear my wedding rings again!
2. Cute shoes! (need I say more?)
3. So, I'll LOVE shopping again, instead of DREADING it.
4. So, I'll turn heads and, NOT because they are thinking "Good LORD, she needs to lay off the doughnuts!"
5. Swimsuits!
6. I want to FEEL better about myself! FOR ME.
7. So, I 'll LIVE longer....yep that's a BIGGIE!
8. So, I'll be slimmer than my mother-in-law, AGAIN, and I can prove her WRONG about Cambridge! (she thinks I can't do it)
9. So, I'll have more energy to play with my kids.
10. And the biggest new reason...Hubby just got promoted to management, and we will be moving to a new state. Lot's of sociallizing, and entertaining, and I DON'T WANT to be the managers FAT WIFE.

OK, now that it's in writing, I'm not so hungry anymore. Give it a try! Now, I'm gonna go work on my tan!

2006-06-05T11:17:00.001-04:00

WOW....I feel like I've been visited by a celebrity!

I've been really busy lately, so I was very shocked to find a comment on my blog left by Mike. Mike is from the UK, and has a blog that is chocked FULL of inspiration. I have read it a million times, and have sent numerous people there to absorb inspiration from him!

He had amazing success with Cambridge, and was the one who inspired me to start my own blog. If you have never been to his website, you don't know what you are missing! Thanks Mike for your encouraging words, and for taking the time to leave a comment on my blog!

Visit Mike's blog!
www.mylighterlife.co.uk

2006-05-30T10:10:00.000-04:00

OK, OK, I'm BACK.

In case some of you were wondering...I went camping. I've also been working on a HUGE wedding DVD, and I've finally got that all wrapped up. Left to go camping on Friday, and got home yesterday. I wasn't good. I chose to eat while I was away. I was very lucky though. I didn't GAIN weight. I didn't lose, but I didn't gain, and THAT is an accomplishment considering I ate WHATEVER I wanted.

I really wasn't that hungry. Maybe because it was 93 degrees outside, very humid, and just plain HOT, and MISERABLE. Who knows?
Nonetheless, I'm BACK on Cambridge today. Time to finish this race, once and for all. There's no need to keep carrying this weight around.

While I was camping, I was thinking, (and sweating!) and I thought, being overweight is like sitting out here wearing a BIG fur coat. This extra weight is insulating me, and I'm probably the HOTTEST person out here on the river, and not "HOT" in a good way. The heat REALLY makes you miserable when you are overweight. It was scorching hot, and just TRYING to stay cool was near impossible. I don't want to wear this big FAT COAT any longer. I'm ready to take it OFF. You don't wear coats in the summer!
So, here I go again. Cambridge Day 1.

2006-05-18T17:42:00.000-04:00

PICTURES

Some of you have contacted me, and said that you couldn't find my pictures. Sorry. I LOVE looking at before, on the way, and after pics myself, so let me try to help.

The FIRST picture (before) is located in the March archives. If you look on the right hand side of the screen, scroll down until it says March 2006. Click on March, and then you'll have to scroll, scroll, scroll down to the very bottom of the page.

To find my picture after the 20 pound loss, once again you'll have to visit the archives. Click on April 2006, and scroll about halfway down the page this time. You'll find a good comparison picture there. Hopefully by the end of May, I'll be posting a smaller one!

Also, someone wanted to know my starting weight. It was 245.5!

24 ugly pounds ago!

2006-05-18T10:27:00.000-04:00

Well, it's ONLY one pound, but that's GOOD considering!

I have really been misbehaving, but I'm getting serious now! This is it. Forget the 100 day challenge. I've blown it so many times, I can't remember what day I should actually BE ON. Besides, my cousin called me yesterday, and challenged me to a "4th of July Challenge." We are BOTH trying to lose 25 pounds by the 4th! That will put me BELOW 200 for the first time in YEARS. (Todays weight - 221.5)

So, today starts the BIG challenge. We are going to reward ourselves as soon as we each reach 25 pounds. We are planning to go shopping for a new outfit, and get a pedicure. So, it's time to get busy! This should be a breeze. Just got to stay FOCUSED this time. Hey, I'm only human, NOT superhuman!

Besides, where would I be if I wasn't doing ANYTHING at all to lose weight? I have been goofing off A LOT though. Looking back, I've only lost 1 pound since May 4th! That was 2 weeks ago. TWO wasted weeks! I could have been 10 pounds less, or MORE! OK, not going to think about that. It's pointless now. Just gotta move forward!

2006-05-17T13:56:00.002-04:00

Sorry, I've been absent...

I've just been REALLY busy! I'm videotaping a wedding this Saturday, and right now that is taking MOST of my time. The planning, getting all the cameras ready. Getting outside pics of the church, etc. Lot's of stuff to do.

I blew it over the weekend. Might as well be honest. Mother's Day I went out for Mexican, with my family. Shame on me. BUT, I got back on Cambridge Monday, and things are going good! So, you can't gripe about that! I've been really hungry lately, but I think it's because I CHEATED. So, now I'm paying for it! Anyway, I wanted to let you all know that I'm STILL HERE, just busy.

I will TRY to check in a little more frequently.

2006-05-12T13:49:00.000-04:00

I'm Still Here...bet you thought I'd jumped ship!

But, I didn't. I'm still here, and still plugging along. I can't say that I've been completely FAITHFUL, but I'm still working on it!

I guess I've been getting bored. Nonetheless, it's time to get BUSY. Time to stop letting GRASS grow! TIME TO MOVE FORWARD. Time to STOP having a little cheat, from time to time. TIME TO DO THIS!

Poor hubby, he meant well, he really did. He brought home a box of "sugar free ice cream." He thought I could have it, since it was fat free, and sugar free. One thing you have to watch, I've noticed a LOT of things that say "fat free," are FULL of CARBS!! 1/2 cup of this stuff had 19 CARBS, and 80 calories! I guess that's better than the alternative stuff, but MY GOSH.

Yes, I did have some. BIG mistake! The next day I was REELING with cravings, for carb laden foods! Just my luck. So, instead of FIGHTING off temptation, I gave in.
BUT, I'm back on the wagon now, strapped in, and hanging on for dear life.

My cousin called yesterday. (the one that had the lap band surgery) She's had it for almost 6 months now, and hasn't dropped an ounce. She went back to get tightened last week, and NOW she says she can FINALLY TELL that she had the surgery. She's FINALLY feeling a little bit full, and has actually lost a few pounds this week. So, I guess she's on her way to slimdom now!

She said, "Well, my surgery worked for YOU!" It was a bit ironic. Considering I lost 24 pounds, and she's the one who had the surgery. I guess I did kinda go into panic mode when she had the surgery. I didn't want to be the last FAT GIRL in the family, so if SHE was going to lose weight, then BY GEORGE, I was too! So, yes...her surgery DID help me!

My husbands Grandma will be here in 10 days. She's a skinny woman, and I can tell that she thinks.."My, my haven't you let yourself go?" In fact I KNOW she thinks that, because she was telling me about her daughter-in-law who has gained about 80 pounds, and she said, "She has really gained a lot of weight." "She's just let herself go!" Well, I KNOW she's not blind, so obviously she thinks that I not only "let myself go", but apparently CHASED MYSELF AWAY!

So, I'd be really happy if I could drop another 10 pounds before she get's here. She will be here for 2 weeks. Maybe I could even lose another 8-10 pounds while she's here. Then she might think I was "bringing myself back!"

I know you've got people around you that have made you feel like that. It's a classic scenario. There will always be people around us that think, we are just fat, and lazy slobs who just don't CARE. Little do they know that if we had a metabolism like an EL train, we could be just as skinny as them, and achieve it just as effortlessly.

However, their theory of us being lazy, is quite the opposite. In fact we have to work 5 times as hard as they do, to HAVE the figure we long for. So, in the long run, if we are doing something about our weight, WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM. WE ARE STRONGER THAN THEM, and THEY are the lazy slobs! Don't let ANYONE look down their nose at you, no MATTER WHAT YOU WEIGH. They have no idea what your circumstances are.

2006-05-08T14:17:00.000-04:00

Make It A Habit...

Well, I'm back from camping, and I did manage to write while I was away. Just some thoughts, but I put them on paper, and thought I'd share them with you...

Habit...
I once heard that it only takes 11 days to make or break a habit. I don't know how they came up with that number or why, but I do know that you can easily develop a habit in about 2 weeks. When I started Cambridge this time, I made up my mind, that THIS was how my life was going to be until I lost all the weight I wanted to lose.

I didn't start with the "intention" to create a habit, but somewhere along the way, it happened! I really didn't even realize it had become a habit until I went on that Ladies Retreat. While I was there, it just felt strange. I enjoyed the food, but there was a nagging sensation inside me, that made me feel uneasy.

I was breaking habit. My daily routine that I had been following for 42 days was ALL MESSED UP. I actually missed the routine! WHAT? I really did. I knew that when I got back to my scales, it was not going to be pretty.

When I was in "my routine" I looked forward to weighing myself every morning. I knew that as long as I was following "routine," I was going to see the numbers drop, or at very least, stay the same.

Going back to my "old" bad habits, and unhealthy way of eating (even though it was just TEMPORARY), was letting in a definite uncertainty. Who knew what that scale was going to say? Odds were it was NOT going to be something to look forward to.

There's still the occassional urge to binge, and of course it's going to rear it's ugly head from time to time. After all, that habit was 13 years in the making, so it's bound to resurface on occasion. The thing is...it's no longer a habit, or the "routine."

It's an old habit that died hard, but it has been replaced by a healthier habit. One that will bring a smile to my face when I get on the scales, knowing that today, I did EVERYTHING I COULD, to lose or maintain my weight. That is my NEW habit. I don't think this diet would be nearly as easy, or even possible if it wasn't a habit.

So think about it. What can YOU do for 11 days? Can you change ANYTHING for about 2 weeks? It can become a habit, and it can change the REST of your life...for the better!

By the way.....
I stayed on my diet ALL weekend while camping. Didn't cheat ONCE! Aren't you proud?

2006-05-04T16:42:00.000-04:00

Leaving to go Camping!

I might have been able to shave off one more pound, if I had been here to weigh in tomorrow, but OH Well. We are leaving to go camping tonight, and I'm happy. I've packed all my Cambridge, so I'm all set to SS all through the camping trip. I did it LAST time. I can do it THIS time. Besides, when I get home, I'll probably have gotten below 220! Whoo hoo!

Gotta get back to packing up the camper. Just wanted to let you know that I'm progressing. I would have been a little farther along if I hadn't decided to eat last weekend, but that's water under the bridge now. I've undone the damage and lost a pound to boot. I must say that's better than MOST of my former weigh-ins at Weight Watchers! Have a great weekend! See ya Monday.

2006-05-03T19:28:00.000-04:00

What IS it about those CROCS?

Tell me, are they as popular where you live, as they are HERE? You know, they are the funny RUBBER looking shoes with holes all in the top, and sides. The FIRST time I saw my cousin wearing a pair, I thought she had LOST it. They are about the UGLIEST shoe you could EVER purchase. She told me they were amazing, and felt like HEAVEN on her feet. So, I ventured out and bought a pair. Call it peer pressure, or call it the need to BUY shoes, just because I'm a WOMAN...who knows?

WOW! That's all I can say. Now I have the SAME obsession with them that EVERYONE else has! THEY are WONDERFUL. If you haven't tried them YET....YOU SHOULD. They truly are amazing!

Now, if you don't want to spend THAT much on a pair of rubbery looking shoes, you can also get fake Crocs at Pay Less Shoe Source. They are about 14.95 there, and I can't tell a whole lot of difference. The real ones have the Crocodile on the side, but Pay Less did a darn good job of faking that too! Their version is called the Airwalk, and as of today, I own 3 pairs of them!
Told you I was obsessed. Even both of my daughters have a pair, and my 3 year old thinks they are the GREATEST thing in the WORLD!

I started out with the clog looking one that you see everyone wearing. They felt SO good. Then today the lady in Pay Less said, "You really should try these, and points to a cute little rubber looking pair of Airwalk thongs!" I said, "I can't wear thongs, on my FEET, or on my butt...both for the same reason!"

But, then curiosity got to me. I've never liked anything between my toes, when it comes to shoes. Then I slipped these babies on! Once again....HEAVEN! So, now I own a pair of thongs. (also known as Crocs Athens line) For my feet ONLY, thank you! I'm still working on getting my butt small enough for the other kind! Then again, I don't know if I'll EVER be ready for that!

If you still don't know what I'm talking about, you can see them here! www.crocs.com
You gotta love them, or hate them!

2006-05-02T17:12:00.000-04:00

"VISUAL AIDS" for MOTIVATION

I'm not talking about putting up pictures all over the house of yourself...but you can if you want. There are a few things you can do to help you along the way. For one thing, I must recommend Michael Marder's Weight Commander. It is a GREAT tool for "seeing" your weight loss, and it also predicts your FUTURE losses based on the rate you are losing now. Pretty cool, huh? It has an interactive diary, and a chart to log your measurements. I enjoy putting in my weight each day, and seeing what it has to say. You can try it free for 5 days, and if you decide you like it, just send him an e-mail, and he will send you the code to unlock it forever. It only costs $9.95, and he requests that you mail him a check. He will send YOU the stamped addressed envelope, so you don't even pay POSTAGE. What a DEAL. You can find it at www.weightcommander.com

If that's not your thing, and you want some FREE visual aids, try this...you can make a paper clip chain, and add a paper clip for every pound you lose. (I like the big color coated ones) I had put 14 on my chain, and then forgot about it for a few days. It was fun to add 6 paper clips. It really showed me how FAST the weight is really falling off. Plus just KNOWING that each link on that chain represents a pound LOST is pretty cool, especially when I look up and see how LONG it is.

If you don't have paper clips, you can make a paper chain. Remember how you made those in elementary school? Same concept. OR, you could go backwards too. Say if you want to lose 50 pounds, make 50 links, and take one OFF for every pound you lose. I personally like seeing them add up myself, and if I GAIN, I know I have to take a link OFF, and I DON'T want to do that!

Get creative, there are LOT's of things you can do to help you stay motivated along the way. The thing is, if you want it to be YOUR secret it can be. Nobody in the office is REALLY going to know what that paper clip chain is all about, unless you WANT them to. Got an interesting idea? Send me an e-mail and let me know. I will post everyone's "ideas" and your name, and we'll see who comes up with the most unique idea! Come on send in those suggestions to sparks2n2@yahoo.com
Or post an idea in the comments section, but be sure to post your name, so we'll know who get's the credit.
Come on get creative!

2006-05-01T14:26:00.000-04:00

What I found out about myself while I was gone...

Ready for it? This is what I learned about "ME" while I was gone on this weekends Ladies Retreat.
I AM SO NOT "SUPERWOMAN!"

Ok, there are MANY things that I CAN resist gracefully. There are SOME things that take a little more self control, and there are SOME THINGS that can make me fall down on my face like a blubbering IDIOT. Chocolate at MIDNIGHT is ONE of these things!

Yep, you read that right...not just chocolate, but 2 GORGEOUS CHOCOLATE FOUNTAINS...That's right! Chocolate Fountains! Who would have THOUGHT I would have encountered SUCH a thing on a Ladies Retreat?

There were over 500 ladies at this thing, so the first meal was served to us, and it consisted of bar-b-qued pork, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, corn on the cobb, rolls, and apple cobbler. SO, of course I had to eat what was served to me...even though it WAS FULL OF CARBS, and I knew it meant imminent destruction to my diet for the rest of the weekend. However, I CHOSE to eat this weekend, right? Yes, and I was going to enjoy myself.

Well, we met at 7:00 for the services. At 9:30 it was still going strong, and I was exhausted. At 11:30 it was finally over, and they told us to go back to the cafeteria, and we would have refreshments before bed. So, I get in line with the rest of the ladies, at MIDNIGHT. What I saw next nearly made my knees buckle! A huge table with Hawaiian bread, and spinach dip, broccolli, little smoked sausages, angel food cake with sweetened stawberries, and Cool whip, and a GORGEOUS bowl of punch. I grabbed a few pieces of broccolli, and a little dip, and thought I'd be OK. Then I saw it...I couldn't believe my eyes. A HUGE table with two of the most lovely 3 tiered fountains, pouring with CHOCOLATE, and a HUGE platter of the most BEAUTIFUL BIG JUICY STRAWBERRIES you have ever seen.

I'll sum it all up right here....I WAS BAD.
It was one eating adventure after another, the whole time and very few options for healthy choices! I guess the purpose of these things are to get away, and ENJOY yourself, and I DID. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I was VERY afraid to get on the scales this morning. Well, I gained 4 pounds. Yep 4.
I'm not TOO upset because with all the sodium I consumed, I'm sure a lot of it is water, but NONETHELESS....it's TIME TO GET BACK TO WORK!

So, today is like Day 1 SS for me. I'm drinking my Crystal Light, and having my soup, and wondering....WAS that chocolate REALLY worth it? And you know what...
This time I have to say YES IT WAS. You cannot be perfect ALL the time, but you DO have to get RIGHT back on the wagon. You can't just keep endulging in things that are meant to be enjoyed ONLY on special occassions.

I have been living my WHOLE life like everyday is a special occassion, and yes, everyday that we have here on earth IS a celebration, but you don't have to EAT like it's one. There are SO many more ways to celebrate without FOOD. For instance, just painting your nails can lift your mood. Tanning in a tanning bed for a few minutes does WONDERS for your mood. Not only does it make you TAN, but the "fake Sunlight" produces endorphins, and THAT makes you feel good. If that's not your thing, spread on a fake tan....sun in a bottle!

Paint your toenails, or treat yourself to a nice hot bubble bath, and do a face mask. There are SO many ways, we women can TREAT ourselves, and food does not have to have ONE little thing to do with it. So, remember...you are NOT superhuman. There are EVENTS that call for celebrating with food. BUT, everyday is NOT a celebration of food, and every morsel of "bad choices" comes with it's own set of consequences. It may not be 4 pounds of consequences, but it can be sabotage for your willpower, or your diet, if you don't keep the right mindset.

If you think you can handle the diversion, go for it, but STOP IT, as soon as the celebration ends. EVERY DAY IS NOT A CELEBRATION OF FOOD!

2006-04-28T10:32:00.000-04:00

Womens Retreat, and DAY 43!!!

Well I must tell you my faithful readers that I have made a CHOICE to go off my diet for Friday & Saturday. I have a Women's Retreat to attend, and there will be FOOD. We are staying overnight, and it is supposed to be a LOT of fun. I will try to make wise choices while I'm away, and when I get home it will be RIGHT BACK TO SS. I PROMISE. So, no running off, I'll be here!

I'm very thankful to all of you who are reading along, and your lovely comments have REALLY encouraged me! Thanks so much for your support. I hope each and every one of you are getting "something" out of this blog. I'm interested in hearing about YOUR successes too! Please let me know how YOU are doing. Drop me an e-mail, or post a comment. I'll be glad to help you anyway possible. I will see you all on Saturday afternoon!
Hang in there!
By the way....I only lost 1 pound this week, so that leaves me with a 22 pound loss. A loss is MUCH better than a GAIN though!

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2006-04-27T15:49:00.000-04:00

Saying NAY to the NAYSAYERS!

Why is it that sometimes the people we love most, are the ones who cause us the most grief? They may mean well, and really be doing it unconsciously, but they STILL DO IT. It's hard.

Sometimes you may hear things like..."That diet CAN'T be good for you!" or "You KNOW you are going to gain all that weight back as soon as you get OFF that diet!"
Why do they want to discourage us? What does it benefit them?

Maybe they are afraid that they will lose "us" after we lose a good size portion of ourselves. We won't be the "same" person we once were. Good ol' fluffy, frumpy, friend, who just can't be SKINNY! It just wouldn't be YOU.

OR, Maybe your fat is a comfort to them. People have some of the craziest notions. Maybe it's a co-worker that thinks, "Hey, if she loses weight, she might get more attention from the boss." "She actually could interfere with MY chances of getting promoted, and MIGHT actually stand a chance of getting promoted HERSELF!" "Let's give her some CAKE, or some CHOCOLATE, that should work!"

OR, maybe it's pure JEALOUSY. Yep, that thing has been known to rear it's ugly head in MANY dieter's lives. Suppose you have a friend who is also a bit heavy, and she's thinking, "Oh no, she's losing weight, she's actually looking GOOD." "My boyfriend might start looking at her!" "Gotta stop this train...let's see if I can talk her into going out for Chinese FOOD!"

Or, it could even be your own spouse who's got the silly notion that once the weight comes OFF, and you start turning heads, maybe it will GO to your head, and you'll run off with someone ELSE.

When you are tempted, try to look BEYOND the tempter, and see if you can find a reason for the sabotage. It might not be that obvious, but if you look hard enough, you will FINALLY see it. AND you will overcome it! Be GORGEOUS! Be SLIM, and BE YOU! You can do it, and it will be so worth all the trials, and temptations!
Hang in there!
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2006-04-26T13:54:00.000-04:00

Don't Give UP, Don't Give IN, Don't give OUT!

DON'T GIVE UP!
We all have decisions to make. Sometimes we make good ones, sometimes we make bad ones. It is a part of life, and EVERYONE does it. There is not a SINGLE person out there that has NOT made a bad decision at ONE time in their life. Even great men/women of valor, and even PRESIDENTS have made bad decisions at one time or another. So who are WE to go blaming ourselves for a bad decision every once in awhile?

Put it behind you. Everyone has a slip up now and then. Don't get me wrong, I'm not telling you to get up, and go raid the refridgerator right now, and say, "You said EVERYBODY does it!" I'm saying if you DO have a moment of weakness, and you make a "not so great" decision, don't GIVE UP.

One little slip, or two, or more, is NO reason to give up on yourself, OR your diet. It IS reason to take a GOOD hard look at what is tripping you up, and what you can do about it. Maybe you need to think about some of the accomplishments you have made in your life already. It's time to be your OWN cheering squad. Don't get down on yourself, but BOOST yourself up! You are doing something IMPORTANT for YOU, and YOU ARE SO WORTH IT!

DON'T GIVE IN!
There are so many people out there that want you to fail. DO NOT LET THEM WIN! Don't give in. I have people in my life who may mean well, and try to get me to eat. They just don't understand the damage they are doing. If you tell them "NO", in a firm voice, and let them KNOW that you mean business, it will ALSO empower YOU. Hopefully it will also dissuade any other attempts to TEMPT you into blowing it with food! DON'T GIVE IN!

DON'T GIVE OUT!
Sometimes it just gets TIRING! It can be boring, at times. Just don't GIVE out! You can lose as much weight as you WANT, but it is going to take an EFFORT on your part. This diet is not for the weak of heart! Never wait until you are TOO tired or too hungry to eat. Sometimes, I forget to have my Cambridge, and the day just gets away from me. Next thing I know, it's close to bedtime, and I haven't eaten, and I'm SO tired. I feel too tired to BOIL water for soup, or blend ice cubes for a shake. Instead, I could EASILY grab that bowl of onion dip, and potato chips, and REALLY do some damage!
Cravings are harder to overcome when you are tired, and you may feel like you just want to grab something that is EASY, and call it a day. Don't GIVE OUT! Make TIME for your Cambridge. It makes a WORLD of difference, and it IS important! Every morning could yield a loss or a gain...we want the LOSS!

2006-04-25T11:57:00.000-04:00

"LANE BRYANT"

OK, so today I got a magazine in the mail from Lane Bryant. No joke. I'm thinking HOW do they know I'm fat? I've only shopped there a couple of times, and they didn't know who I was! I certainly didn't join their mailing list, and I didn't even write a check! Did they just think my name SOUNDED like a fat chick? I'll have to think about that one.

Nevertheless, I opened the magazine, and LO and BEHOLD....if I looked like ANY of the models IN that magazine I WOULDN'T be shopping at Lane Bryant!
What's up with that? Do they think that we are SO STUPID (since we are fat, we MUST be, right?) that we actually think that if we BUY those particular clothes, they will LOOK like that on us? Give me a BREAK!
If that were the case NOBODY would be fat... but, EVERYBODY would be shopping at LANE BRYANT!

I'm NOT kidding the models ON those pages were all atleast size 5 or 6. OK, MAYBE there was an 8 in there SOMEWHERE. I'm really not as dumb as I look! I know that when I order a dress that is pictured in a size 5, when it get's here in a size 20, and I put it on, I will not look like a size 5! It will most likely look like an
ill-fitting TENT, and certainly NOT the model on the page.

And I know they say that the clothes are all cut to one specific SIZE, so that they can find models to actually MODEL them, but this is my opinion.....
WHY not REALLY help us? Grab a 20 off the rack, and hire some FAT models, and show us how we'd REALLY LOOK IN THOSE CLOTHES. Then we might actually ORDER something, because we would BELIEVE that we might look like that when we put it on?

Should we have to look ridiculous while we are losing weight? Absolutely NOT! I hate shopping for clothes, but I'm NOT going to go out on a limb and order something expensive that LOOKS good on a 19 year old beanpole, with the hopes that I'll magically drop 80 pounds when I put it on.
I will trudge into Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or Target, or WHEREVER, and buy some cheap stuff that looks OK right now, and HOPEFULLY next week will fit a LITTLE looser than it does today. And I'll do that again, and again, until FINALLY, I'm HAPPY to go shopping, and I'm NOT buying fat, frumpy looking clothes. In fact if I work REALLLLLY hard, I might just be trying on something that I'd see a 19 year old beanpole wearing in a MAGAZINE! It's ALL up to me!

2006-04-22T09:53:00.000-04:00

PICTURES!! DAY 37!! Sorry, I kinda left you hanging!

It is the 37th day, and I've lost 21 pounds! I'm happy. I really WANTED to lose faster than this, but I'm not complaining! I'm planning to UP the exercise this next 30 days in hopes of DROPPING weight in a HURRY! I guess you want to see pictures right? OK, to be honest...I can't tell a difference by looking at the pictures. I CAN tell a BIG difference in my clothes!!! They are SOOOOO baggy. BUT, I don't want to spend any money on a new wardrobe just yet. I want to shrink a BUNCH more, before I do that!...Well, here goes...comparison pic number 1! (Click on the picture for a closer look!)

OK, I guess I've lost some in my face. I always lose there first, and that's a GOOD thing. I hate how pudgy my face looks in that top picture. Even to this DAY, I look at my fat pics, and think..."WHO is that?" I've been fat for 5 years, and I STILL can't believe that is ME in that fat body! I guess it really takes the brain a long time to catch up to what is going on with the body. AND, why is it, that when I look in the mirror, I don't look THIS fat??? I mean I thought the camera was adding like 50 pounds, but then I noticed that when I look at pictures of OTHER people, they don't look 50 pounds heavier. So much for that theory! OK, here's one more picture. See how baggy my clothes are now? I like that! I'm gonna hide in these big clothes, for a few more months, and then drop them, and be SLIM. WOW, won't that shock the socks off some people! Ha ha ha ha

Did you notice my ticker says 59.5 pounds to go??? That is hilarious! It just sounds so much better than 60 more, or 70 more, which it probably SHOULD be, and probably WILL be before I decide to stop! I really would rather be 155, but it's been a LONG time since I weighed that, and the body changes a LOT over time. SO it just might be that 165 is where I'll want to stay. I've been very happy at that weight before, and I'm not as concerned about getting into a size 5, as I was when I was 20. OK, enough rambling. I'll post another pic 20 pounds from now, and we'll see how that looks! Thanks for stopping by!

2006-04-18T12:37:00.000-04:00

The Honeymoon Is OVER!

Everyone get's to this point I guess. You start a diet, and it's GREAT! You are SO excited about doing something NEW, and it is gonna GET THOSE POUNDS OFF. You lose a little weight, or A LOT OF WEIGHT, and then it happens. Just when you think it CAN'T. You start getting bored. Maybe not BORED, but just not as EXCITED as you once were. It becomes mundane. It's during THIS time that your loyalties are REALLY tested.

Just like a marriage. You get married, and all is bliss while you're on the honeymoon. Then you come home, and LIFE begins. Back to work, blah, blah, blah! But, you are still MARRIED. You made a COMMITTMENT to your spouse, and you are in this for the long haul!

It has to be the SAME with a diet. No matter WHAT plan you choose. It's gonna take a committment! You can't bail out after the honeymoon is over. It may seem really tempting, especially when the pounds aren't coming off as fast as they once were, but you GOTTA HANG IN THERE!

It's not easy, and it takes REAL determination, but you CAN DO IT. How, you ask? What do you do to keep your marriage exciting? You have to keep the romance alive. Same goes for your diet. Keep the ROMANCE alive! Think about how you felt that FIRST weigh-in. Remember how it felt to see that first big loss??
Remember how it felt, when you resisted that big fattening plate of _________? Remember how empowered you felt? Now think about how much MORE wonderful you are going to feel when you get to GOAL!!! That feeling will be MORE powerful than ANY of your former accomplishments!

Now, how do you keep the diet FLAME BURNING? Positive self talk. If you want to cheat, you HAVE to talk yourself OUT of it! DO NOT FOR ONE SECOND THINK...I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! NO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS!!!! You can do ANYTHING you set your mind to do, and that includes THIS! Keep your EYE ON THE PRIZE!

Tell yourself "I CAN DO THIS, and I WANT TO DO THIS. I DESERVE GOOD THINGS! I CAN ACHIEVE MY GOALS! I WILL ACHIEVE MY WEIGHT LOSS GOAL! I WILL SUCCEED!"

Say it OVER, and OVER, and OVER. Your mind can be convinced of ANYTHING you TELL it. So tell yourself this OFTEN!

You're in this for the long haul...no food AFFAIRS!!

2006-04-17T20:50:00.001-04:00

DAY 32!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE?

Well, to tell the truth it has been REALLY hard the past couple of days! Yesterday was Easter, and I REALLY wanted to EAT. I don't know WHY. It wasn't the chocolate, or any of the Easter goodies. I just wanted some FOOD, BUT I survived! I am on a plateau though, and that is a bit discouraging! It could be one of the reasons I've been wanting to EAT.

But, ONWARD, and DOWNWARD! 32 days have passed VERY quickly, and I can only HOPE that the rest will go that fast! I also hope that the pounds will start to fly off again. I HATE PLATEAUING, but I guess it is going to happen at SOME point! I'm hanging in there, for yet another day!

2006-04-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

Day 28, and feeling great!

Well, this is the 28th day with no food! WOW! I can't believe it! Time is just flying by! Ya' Know Tony Little was on to something when he invented the Gazelle. I have to say I LOVE that thing! It is so fun. I never get bored on it, and it's not HARD. It's not like exercise at all, but it sure burns the calories, and fat!

It's quiet, and I can still watch TV while I exercise. When I used to use the treadmill for an extended period of time, my knees hurt. Not with the Gazelle. It's such a gliding, swinging motion, you get NO impact at all. Anyone can do it!

In case you were wondering...Tony Little is NOT paying me to say all this. But, Tony, if you read this, feel free to send me a check!

I feel that exercise is important to boost your weightloss, but ALSO to tone you up while you lose. Especially when doing a VLCD (very low calorie diet) so that you are not just FLABBY all over once the fat is gone!
I don't want to have wrinkled flabby skin, I'm hoping to look SOMEWHAT like I did before I gained all this fat...

I know when you lose weight you look younger, so that is what I'm hoping for! It's amazing how adding fat to your body, seems to also add age! I have a friend who is a high school teacher, and she said she got really tired of the kids thinking she was so OLD. (she's 29) She started dieting, and lost 100 pounds. That is when I first realized that WOW, she really looked young! And she should, because she IS! So, anyway, I'm hoping to get a little younger as I get a little thinner! Wonder how I look now? Certainly not like the picture above, and I'm sure that I won't look like that when I lose ALL my weight, because of ONE thing...I have had 2 kids!! Hopefully I will be recognizable though!

2006-04-11T15:30:00.000-04:00

Day 26!

I can't believe how fast this is going. My cousin called me this morning, and asked "How many days now?" I said 26, and she said "Wow! You are already 1/4 of the way there! I never thought it would go by SO FAST" And you know what? It did. It went by fast. Know what else? The time is going to go by whether or not you are doing ANYTHING about it.

DON'T PUT IT OFF!
If you are putting off dieting, because you are thinking..."It will take me SO LONG to lose all that weight!" The days are STILL going to pass. I sure would want to know that 100 days from now I could be 80 pounds lighter, rather than the same weight, or even weighing MORE! You can do what you've always done, or you can DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Make a decision to LOSE weight, and STICK with it! If you are thinking...it will take me a YEAR to lose all the weight I want to lose. Think of this...If you had started LAST YEAR you would be DONE! SO, STOP PUTTING IT OFF!! Start today, and ENJOY the slim new you NEXT YEAR. Besides it's not like you will have to lose ALL of it to be happy! You can...

ENJOY THE TRANSFORMATION!
That's right! As your body transforms, you will feel SO empowered, and each day behind you will make you STRONGER, and make you believe in yourself EVEN more. That is a GREAT feeling. I never realized how much I moped around until I started losing weight. Now I feel GOOD that I am doing something for ME! I'm in a better mood, and it just feels GOOD. I've only lost 16 pounds, I can't imagine how empowered I will feel when I reach 50 pounds! I will be one unstoppable FORCE!

SUPPORT
You'll need support. I have the BEST support system in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD! Or in the World WIDE WEB! LOL There is a group of ladies on this 100 day trek with me, and they are AWESOME. Some of them have a LOT more days under their belts than I do, and they REALLY inspire me. I have to do this for myself, but I REALLY don't want to let them down either! They are my ROCK! When you decide it's "Time." Make sure you have the support you need. It means a LOT, to be accountable to someone other than your bathroom scale. Here are the awesome ladies that have helped me keep trekking on this 100 day trail, and the days that they have been doing this!
You ladies are amazing, and I love you all! Thanks for the support you give me!

100 Day Heroes!
Kelly (11)
Tammy (7)
Laureen (6)
Yvonne (34)
Yasmine (42)
Joy (53)
Teddi (6)
Jo (26)
Monique (57)
Lynne (12)
Kapri (starting soon)
Michele (starting soon)
Special thanks to Pam for funding the support board, and her amazing words of wisdom, you are TRULY an inspiration!!

2006-04-06T20:55:00.000-04:00

DAY 21 OVER and DONE!

I'm still sipping my Crystal Light, but after I watch CSI, I'll be ready for bed! Yesterday was probably the HARDEST day I've had on this diet. I was SO hungry. It was HORRIBLE. I HATE TOM. I know that it was the dreaded time of the month taking it's toll, but that doesn't make me feel any better! I will say that usually I have an ALL day binge when that hormone induced day comes around, so the pure fact that I SURVIVED, and didn't mess up my SS routine is a miracle in itself!

I am 1/5 of the way to my 100 day goal. Those 21 days actually went by rather quickly. I can just SEE myself at the END of the 100. I think I will get out my skinny clothes, and start looking through them tomorrow. This is finally becoming a reality, and it IS going to happen this time, so I should be looking FORWARD to it! And if you are doing this with me...you should be TOO!

2006-04-05T10:31:00.000-04:00

FFF "Fighting the Fear of Failure"

I guess we all do it at some point. Second guess ourselves. We ask ourselves, can I REALLY do this? Am I REALLY gonna be successful? We look at the BIG picture, and it seems unobtainable. We start doubting our own ability to make it THAT far. It's HOGWASH.

My best friend just had weightloss surgery. The lap band procedure. She told me the other day, "I think I'm going to be the ONLY person in the world who has EVER had weightloss surgery, and GAINED weight." I couldn't help but laugh. To me it's funny. Not because she will gain weight, but because she WON'T, and she THINKS she will!!
In my mind her weightloss is inevitable. She has had the surgery, the weight WILL come off. Maybe not as fast as she HOPED, but it WILL eventually GO.

The mind, and body is a funny thing! I think one reason she's not losing as much is because she thinks, "This is not going to work!" "Nothing ELSE has worked, so WHY should this work?" It will, and she won't be a failure, but her mind is tricking her body into trying to hold onto the weight. You have to be ready to let it go. ALL of it. The weight, AND your preconceived notions that "I JUST CAN'T LOSE WEIGHT!"

Have you ever heard of women who are trying to get pregnant, and the doctor tells them you just need to relax, and let it happen? (I'm talking about women who are fertile, and healthy, and do not have medical issues preventing their pregnancy.) They are stressing over "WHEN" they will get pregnant. Or, "WHY am I NOT already pregnant?" "WILL I be ABLE to get pregnant???" After a few months of trying, they start saying, "I CAN'T GET PREGNANT!" Then when they finally decide to put it out of their mind, or maybe they even decide to put it OFF for awhile. The next thing you know...BAM!...They're PREGNANT.
I'm telling you the MIND is a powerful thing!

There are days that I think..."Anyday now my weightloss is just going to STOP, and I won't be able to drop another ounce!" BUT...I'm eating a total of 420 calories a day. It is absolutely impossible to maintain this weight at only 420 calories a DAY. I may plateau, everyone does. The body has to stop, take a breather, and re-create set points occasionally, but STOP losing all together??? NO WAY. I won't stop losing, unless I stop doing what I'm doing. That is the ONLY thing I have to be on guard about. DON'T STOP.

Even if your mind is saying, "GIVE UP, this won't work, you are depriving yourself for NO GOOD REASON!" "You will NEVER get to the weight you DREAM of weighing!" You've got to put your MIND in it's place! Think of that voice as your BIGGEST enemy! Whenever it comes around, point out the OBVIOUS. "MY BODY CAN'T MAINTAIN ON THE AMOUNT OF CALORIES IT IS RECEIVEING!!" " I WILL LOSE WEIGHT!" "I AM IN CONTROL OF MY MIND, AND MY BODY." NO BODY HAS ANY RIGHT TO TELL ME THAT I CAN NOT LOSE WEIGHT, BECAUSE I CAN, AND I WILL."

Believe it....ACHIEVE IT!

2006-04-03T19:19:00.000-04:00

I'm BACK from camping!

This is Day 18, and I actually stayed on Cambridge while I was camping! NO CHEATING! I'll have to admit, that was a FIRST. I've never been able to maintain ANY diet while camping! All the wonderful food smells wafting through the campground is enough to make even the MOST enthusiastic, and devoted dieter go screaming into the woods with a roasting stick, and 3 packs of hot dogs...even if you HATE hot dogs!
And, what is the DEAL with hot dogs ANYWAY? I would have no desire to TOUCH one when I'm here at home. I mean who KNOWS what they scraped up off the floor to MAKE the things. But when in the OPEN air, the smell of ONE little skinny dog on the end of a STICK is enough to make you drool all over your shoes!
Oh well, I survived, and I might add that I was VERY proud of myself. I really wanted to stay on my diet, and get this weight off as soon as possible. I think also the pure fact that people were telling me, "Don't GO, you'll NEVER be able to resist the temptation!" was enough to keep me honest! If someone tells me I CAN'T do something, then you better BELIEVE I'm going to do my level best to prove em' wrong!
I know they had my best interests in mind, but it felt SO good to prove it COULD be done!
So today, I'm back at home, and getting back into the HOME routine. Trying to drink all my water. Exercising while I watch Dr.Phil. Who knew he REALLY could solve one of my problems? That's right...he makes exercising more interesting! Never could just EXERCISE without some kind of distraction! Thanks Dr. Phil, but don't send a bill.
Well, it's about time to whip up my last Cambridge meal, and call it a day! Only 82 more days to go!
Oh, did I mention I lost 2.5 pounds while I was camping??? Makes it all worthwhile!

2006-03-29T22:36:00.000-05:00

Day 13 Over and Done!

Well, another day over. I'm still hanging in there. Seems like I've been doing this all my life. I went grocery shopping tonight for our camping trip. I tried to buy things for the kids, and hubby that I don't like. That way, I won't be AS tempted by it! We are leaving tomorrow, so I won't be reporting until Monday. I'm HOPING I'll be strong, and have GOOD news!

2006-03-28T19:19:00.000-05:00

Day 12 DONE!

I survived another day, and it's amazing how EASY it seems to bypass food. Now this weekend will be a DIFFERENT story. We are going camping, and this is where I ALWAYS fall off (or bail off) the wagon! It's going to be tough. Seems like food always smells SO much better when cooked outside. WHY?? Anyway, I REALLY don't want to mess up, so I've GOT to make myself be good. I will be absent for a little while but I will definitely report as SOON as I get back!
See ya then!

2006-03-27T21:15:00.000-05:00

Day 11 over and conquered!

One more day down. Today I stayed busy, but seemed hungrier. I've been reading books about weightloss, and that seems to help. I drank a lot of water too. I'm feeling stronger, and stronger, and I think it's finally sinking in that SOON, I'll be back down to where I was when I was little! I can't WAIT to wear my wedding rings again!
Gonna go do another mile on my gazelle.
Nite!

2006-03-26T21:48:00.000-05:00

Self-Control....so this is what it feels like?

It's amazing. This is Day 10 on SS, and I feel AMAZING! I feel like for ONCE in my life I am in control of SOMETHING. There are hundreds of variables in my life that I have absolutely no control over, but for ONCE...I have control over something. What? I have control over WHAT goes into my mouth, and my body!
I have always felt like food had an overpowering hold on me. I could NOT resist that big slice of chocolate cake, or that big slice of pizza, or that HUGE CHINESE BUFFET. But, 10 days are behind me, and now I can actually say I don't really miss it! I feel like for once, I just might actually REACH that goal weight. I have been having some "free veggies" like mushrooms, and zuchini. I think that has helped a LOT too. I feel like I'm eating something that is good for me, and I'm starting to LOOK forward to eating those veggies. I've NEVER been much of a vegetable person, but they are becoming more appealing EVERYDAY. I can see how they will definitely be a big part of my maintenance, because I'm actually developing a taste for this stuff! If I had been eating this stuff BEFOREHAND, I wouldn't be learning this NOW. Oh Well!
I love being in control!!

2006-03-25T18:05:00.000-05:00

DAY 9 is OVER! 91 to go!

Another Cambridge Day under my belt, and I have beaten my OWN goal! This was Day 9, and it is the LONGEST I have ever been on SS. (most consecutive days) I am happy to say, that it's going rather well. I feel good, have lot's of energy. Life is good! Who knew that you could actually SURVIVE without food, and feel good about it?
I will have to say that I have been enjoying one of the "free" foods quite regularly. Mushrooms are FREE. So, I have been making a mushroom saute' using salt free seasonings, a splash of vinegar, Tabasco, and some fat free, calorie free butter spray. Tastes like HEAVEN, and has little caloric content. It is allowed on SS.
I have been trying to get all my water down today, since I didn't yesterday! :-( That is about it! I've got one more serving of Cambridge to go today, and it will be OVER.
Then there's nothing to do but look forward to getting on the scales in the morning! Not very often you are EXCITED about getting on there. But, with this diet...every DAY is something I look forward to, because there is almost ALWAYS a loss!
I also did 2 miles on the gazelle today. That's it!
Nite!

2006-03-24T20:05:00.000-05:00

WEEK ONE WEIGH IN RESULTS!

Well, I'm happy! After a good first week on Cambridge, I am happy to say that I lost a total of 8.5 pounds!! That is what I like to see. Tonight was tough though. I cooked the hubby a steak, and baked potato with saute'd mushrooms. I'll have to say, it looked and smelled like HEAVEN. I was able to resist though. Got my mind SET on seeing this Cambridge diet through! I didn't drink enough water today, so I'm gonna have to try to get it all in before bedtime. I guess I'll have to move a cot into the bathroom if I'm gonna get any sleep!

Easter is fast approaching, and they have ALL that delicious looking chocolate out EVERYWHERE! Normally, I would have gotten the girls, and MYSELF a couple of chocolate bunnies to munch on, but I avoided it! I steered CLEAR of the Easter AISLE.

Every holiday gives us reason to cheat if we let it. Normally I indulge, and blame it on...."well it was a HOLIDAY" We should want to get skinny on Holidays just like ANY other days. Think about how much more enjoyable the holidays will be when you are THIN. I know I can't wait! Day 8 is over so I'm 92 days away from my goal!
Hope you all are having a GREAT weekend!
Goodnight!

2006-03-23T10:01:00.000-05:00

America...Land of the Hefty!

Of course it's the land of the "plenty." It's land of the MORE than plenty! We can't even order fast food without being asked..."Supersize?" That's why our waistbands have become supersized. We have to ask ourselves though...can we REALLY blame the fast food chains? Our cars don't drive THEMSELVES to MickeyD's! They DO have salads on the menu.
We have to make the choice ourselves to IMPROVE ourselves. We can't put our lives OR our waistbands in the hands of the fast food chains!

Anyway, enough rambling...
Today was a little tougher than the rest of the week. For some reason I was hungrier. One thing was the fact that I didn't drink enough water. Second thing I noticed; I was a bit ill. So, it could be that Aunt Flo is coming for a visit soon! Just hope she doesn't bring a whole suitcase of cravings, and bloating.
I hung in there nonetheless, and overcame temptation! I'm determined to make it to that "100 day goal." Tomorrow is my first official weigh-in. So hopefully, I won't retain TOO much water! I added a little more activity today as well. I did 4 miles on my gazelle, maybe that will help some.
Book Review:
I started reading "Tales from the Scale" today, and so far it is NOT at all what I expected. Not to say that it is not good...just not what I thought it would be. I've only read about 1/4 of it, so I guess it could change. I was expecting a light hearted comic approach, with funny cynical comments. So far it has been rather depressing. Sad stories from some dysfunctional childhood memories. Depressing tales of the dread of going to PE class. Not that I can't sympathize. I've definitely been there, and felt their pain. Can't blame my parents for my weight gains though. They didn't do this to me...oh well...like I said, I'm only about 1/4 of the way through it. I guess it could change directions.

Anyway, Day 7 is officially over, and I made it through it. Time to soak in the tub, and go to bed. Happy weigh-ins everyone!

2006-03-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

Floating to the bathroom...
Well, it's Day 6, and it's ALMOST over. I've just been drinking Crystal Light all day, and trying to do something constructive between visits to the porcelain recliner! (I call it a recliner based on the amount of time my hubby spends sitting on it reading car magazines) Anyhoo, I decided to add a little exercise to my regimen today. So, I dragged my gazelle into the bedroom, and turned on Dr. Phil, and just walked all the way through his show. I gotta say....I really like that piece of exercise equipment. It doesn't even FEEL like I'm getting a workout. AND it doesn't make any noise...so I could still hear Dr.Phil! We'll see on Friday if I'm getting a workout or not!
I got my book "Tales From the Scale" by Erin J. Shea today. Can't wait to start reading it. I think it's going to be a hoot! Oh well, not much else to add. Another day under my belt, and I'll keep chugging (water that is) and plugging away at this diet!

2006-03-21T08:18:00.000-05:00

ANOTHER BEFORE PIC...Click on the picture for a closer look! (weight 245.5)

2006-03-21T08:09:00.000-05:00

BEFORE PIC...WEIGHT 245.5

2006-03-21T07:30:00.000-05:00

Well, this is it!
I started Cambridge 5 days ago. I've lost 7 pounds so far. I've decided that I'm REALLY committing to it this time. It HAS to be a committment, how else are you going to swear off food for that long?
I actually found a blog from a guy in the UK who lost 117 pounds in 117 days, he gave me LOT'S of inspiration, and I have PROMISED myself that I'm going to dedicate 100 days to this diet! (Atleast)
I know I may not lose a pound a day like he did...after all he IS a man, and we women know how they seem to lose faster than us! But I do feel that I can lose the 84 pounds that I want to lose.
I started this journey weighing 245.5. This is my 5th day on this diet, and I've lost 7 pounds. It is definitely the fastest way to lose weight, other than cutting off a leg!
The first 4-5 days are really hard, but I'm in ketosis now, and I'm feeling GREAT!
Today was pretty good. The hunger is officially GONE. I had to MAKE myslef have all 3 servings of Cambridge today. Weird. I bought some fresh mushrooms, and threw them in my tomato soup with a little Tabasco sauce...that was pretty good. We'll see how the rest of the week goes. Good Night!