First goal reached!

I have finally attained my first goal-20 pounds lost! YAAAHHHOOO! Only 60 pounds to go!

I'm BAAAACCCKKK!!!

AND...I DID IT!!! After going through all of the stress and hormonal changes last year, I finally have arrived at the 100 lb. mark (at least with MRC)! If you're counting from my heaviest weight EVER, it makes 125-1/2 lbs. I'm still a "little" emotional since weighing in yesterday. :) Crying, laughing, jumping up and down (yes, I think they were even surprised to see me act like that). And they cried with me too!

In December of 2010, I was at a 95 pound loss, and I was headed for the goal line. Then came the kitchen remodel in January 2011. I did okay through the first couple of weeks. We grilled out (in January - with snow at times - and it WAS cold), ate steamable veggies (the kind you microwave), and ate out the rest of the time. Tough, yes, but doable. The remodel was supposed to last 3-4 weeks, but with the snow/ice, the shipments for some things didn't come in on time, and it took 9 WEEKS!!! I survived. I lost a little more - lbs and inches.

Then 3 weeks into the kitchen remodel, I lost an uncle. One of my Dad's younger brothers. That was hard, but then came another loss. On the morning of my uncle's viewing, my aunt (my Dad's only sister) had a massive stroke. She lives about 1/2 mile from us. Her husband had already passed away 12 years prior, and they had NO children. Guess who had to step in? Yep, me, myself, and I, and Keith. She had made Keith the main executor for her estate with me as a backup. But with Keith working a job, I had to take over the financial, medical decisions, etc. Found she didn't want life support (after spending 2 hours hunting for the key to her safe where her papers were kept) and that she wanted to be at home when she passed if possible. So I not only had 1 household to run but 2. Brought her home after being in the hospital for a week, and we were able to get hospice to come to her house for medical attention. We were blessed to have a wonderful caregiver for the week that she was home. She passed exactly a week after we brought her home. Then began the disassembling of a life of almost 82 years. With no kids, we had to sort through EVERYTHING!!! I found out through all of this that it's time to start getting rid of things in our own home. :) With that being said, it's taken almost a year and we're coming in for a landing in the settling of her estate. Maybe another 2-3 weeks and all should be finished. With that part anyways. She left us her house. So another house to take care of until it sells. :)

And did I mention our oldest daughter graduated from high school and started college this past Fall??? It has been an emotional roller coaster for me.

Stress...and did I mention my hormones going crazy???!!! Yep, I took a medical test and found out this past summer they were not in the normal range. I've finally got them in the normal zone now, and I feel so much better and more sane! My family is thankful for that, too!!! :)

I bet you're wondering why I'm giving these major details of my life this past year, right? There is NO excuse for not losing the unwanted pounds. I just want to let you know that losing is still possible under these circumstances! Even when it didn't seem the pounds were coming off the inches were. Did I mention I've lost 119-3/4 inches??? That was a month ago that I was measured. I may have hit 120 now for all I know. Also, I didn't miss any days of exercise during all of this. Approximately 1,500 miles this past year. There were some I didn't record.

I feel incredible! I LOVE to shop! I never dreamed I would wear a size 6/8. Keith asked me the last time I could wear a size 6...I responded, "Maybe in kindergarten?"

I am excited and know without a shadow of a doubt that I will finish this race! Only 2-1/2 lbs left to go...

Come on, who's going to be a loser with me???!!!

P.S. I tried to sign my name big enough on the 100 lb wall, because I wanted to make sure that everyone saw that I had "arrived". :)

Doing good

Okay I am doing good this time...seem to have my momentum back.

I started almost two weeks ago.... Jan 16th.  So 4.2 lbs down since then.  My goal is 2 lbs per week.   I think that is a doable goal.  I hope!

One of my short term goals is Mar 5...the day before I leave for No Limits in Sacramento.  Then the final goal is Mar 26th the day we leave for Turkey.  I should be at the weight I want by then!!!

The Curves I have been a member of for years closed!  I joined Goodlife Gym for Women last week.  Tomorrow I go for an assessment.  They will set me up with the exercise program I need to target the areas I need help with.  (Stomach and hips!)

I have a personal trainer for 6 sessions.  First time I have ever done that but I thought I might as well start right and then proceed on my own from there.  Not just there doing random exercise.

The main thing I want to see is inches lost....not so much the scale number.  If I exercise I may GAIN weight with more muscle since muscle weighs more than fat.

After losing it will be the battle of maintaining!  Lifetime deal!

And of course, for sure I am wanting the health benefit of this.  It is really something we can't do without!!!

For our health we need to get to a proper weight and then eat healthy and exercise for the rest of our lives.

Okay...had my self pep talk for the day!!  LOL!

Come on Carla!

Okay Carla...I want the pic of you announcing the 100 lb loss!!! Misty showed me one.  AMAZING!

Going good

I just wish the fast loss at the beginning (which I know is fluids, etc) would keep up!!  I would be at my goal in 4 more days!  But not so.....it begins to be harder and harder to see the loss as you go!

I have lost 3.1 lbs in a couple of days without exercise...can't make myself go out in -24F weather!

12 more to go to my No Limits goal.  I am going to give it all I have!  If I don't I won't have any clothes to wear!  I have been wearing the same 2 skirts over and over with different tops most of the time!

So Mar 5 is my goal date for those 12 lbs.  Reasonable if I'll kick in the exercise and keep up the 1350 calories or less.  I never go under 1200.

If you are on the journey as well...blog and let us know...misery LOVES company!! LOL!

Or if you have already suceeded and can help encourage us along we welcome that as well!!!

Jan 2012

Wow....I decided to start again today with the calorie counting and exercise.  I use MyFitnessPal.com to keep record of my progress or lack of progress.

Wow....not a good feeling to see that you are only down 5 lbs since the first of the previous year Jan entry!  Up and down all year!!  I actually got down 12 lbs at one point i 2011 and now here I have settled at only 5 lbs!

The only good thing is that it is a loss for the year and not a gain!  WooHoo on that!

Star and Mindy are on MyFitnessPal also.  They can track my progress as well.  It makes me accountable to someone.

It is a free program if you want to join.  They have IPhone and Ipad apps as well that sync with your online account.  Therefore you can add comments or food eaten, etc anywhere you are.

You can make your account public or only open to those you invite to see it.  They don't see your weight.  Just how much you lose and how much you exercise and eat.

My short term goal is 7 weeks....yes you guessed it....No Limits!  If I don't lose some I won't have any clothes to wear!

So 2 lbs per week for 7 weeks....hoping to take off 14 lbs!

Want to join me for 2 lbs per week?