February 2014 Update

Nothing spectacular to report here.  Just maintaining...barely.  I'm hoping to get a cleanse done in March to kind of reset my digestive system (this is not to loose weight, I'm happy where I am).  When you're as aware as I now am about how you feel when you feel the least bit off it doesn't fee good and a cleanse just kind of resets all that.  We'll see if I can work it in to my schedule!  I've got everything I need I just need to make sure my schedule is clear of any "eating activities".

 

January 2014 Update

Still holding steady a month in to 2014!  Nothing amazing happened in January, I'm trying to get back in to correct eating habits after the holiday's and it's HARD, but slowly I'm getting there.  Life is good, the Olympics are on and I'm busy all the time!

December 2013 Update and 2013 in Review

In general, what a fantastic year!  Yes, it had its ups and downs but overall one of the best years I've ever had.  I lost a total of 16 pounds this year, which doesn't sound impressive compared to the 49.6 I lost in 2012 but there is a reason for that.  I reached my goal weight in May and have been able to stay at or under goal month over month since then (wasn't sure I was going to be able to in December because I felt like I ate my way through the month, but I did!)!  I have no more weight lost goal per se, I would like to hover closer to 5 lbs. under goal instead of 2 lbs. under but I'm not actively striving to get there, I figure if it happens it happens and if not I'll continue to maintain under goal and be happy with that!

I'm so excited to see what 2014 will bring!  My one resolution (pretty much the same resolution year over year), NO BABIES IN 2014.  In all honesty the last 2 months of the year have been such a whirlwind that I haven't had time to come up with goals for the next year except pass my licensing tests (1 down!) and survive until that is over.

2013, you've been awesome!  I couldn't have planned a better year.  2014, I hope you're just as swell.  BRING IT!

Weight Maintenance Graph from the month before I got in to my maintenance range through the end of December

Maintenance Graph for 2013 as a whole

November 2013 Update

If it proves how crazy my life is, I haven't even thought about a November update yet and it's the 10th of December!  Well, here you go.  I would call November a success considering that Thanksgiving was 3 days from the end of the month, I ate whatever I wanted, didn't feel bad about it and still stayed under goal.  Our big Christmas party is over for December so if I can just curb my desire to cover everything in chocolate and make every cookie I see a recipie for we should be in good shape!

Hopefully all the studying that I'll be doing with massively cut down on the time I think I have to spend in the kitchen.



On a side note, I have to figure out what the deal with my graphs are.

October 2013 Update

I'm not sure how I managed to loose weight this month, but I did (not really trying, just trying to not go over my goal). Between the fair, traveling, stress at work and my birthday I thought for sure I'd be lucky to come in under goal. But I'm less this month than I was last month.

What a great month! I love October! The weather is cooler, the fair, leaves changing color, hockey, running outside, my birthday are just a few reasons I love this month. I FINALLY went skydiving! So much fun! I'm sure I'll go again, actually I have a few people that want me to go with them. I want to jump solo one day!  I'm sure I'll write a whole post on that adventure soon!
 

September 2013 Update

I lost a pound this month. Honestly, I wasn't trying I was just trying to be good. I've come to realize that weight loss the last quarter of the year doesn't happen for me so I know I'll be struggling to just maintain as well. Glad I got that little exta cushion now. 

Welcome to October, my absolute FAVORITE month of the year for so many reasons. I can't wait to enjoy it with hockey, trips and celebrating so many things. Stay tuned for exciting things to come!

August 2013 Update

Maintain, maintain, maintain. I should be happy right? I hit my goal and I have been able to come in under goal every month since. I don't know if its because for 3 years I was in the loose, loose, loose mindset that now I'm unsatisfied with maintain. Thing is, I'm happy with the way I look, I'm happy with the clothes  wearing, I don't want to loose more but I don't feel like I'm making progress. 

I'd like to loose 2 lbs....that's it. That way I'm not walking the fine line of over/under goal and stressing about if I'm going to come in under. I've always liked buffers....so I'm goof to work on that, probably slowly. I'm also working on toning again, finally. When I started running a lot last fall I quit lifting weights and I've picked that up again this month. That will help with my desire to loose 2 lbs. and hopefully while I work on that I can continue to change my mindset as well. 

So excited for fall and for cooler weather so I can comfortably run outside again!

July 2013 Update

Still under! This month wasn't nearly as discouraging as June, I pretty much knew I'd make it in under goal. I haven't been focusing on lose, lose, lose these past couple of months I've been focusing on maintaining, and with all the summer parties we have going on I'm just smartly enjoying myself. You'll still see me drag my cucumbers and apples to snack on around but that's more that I've been totally in love with produce lately.

I'd love to loose 1 or 2 (literally) more pounds but I'm not pushing it. It was a good month!

June 2013 Update

So, I hit my goal weight last month (very end of May).  I've been thinking the whole month of June on how to use my graph and blog now as weight lost isn't something I exactly need to track anymore, but reporting on my blog on a monthly basis does keep me accountable and I appreciate the accountability.

I had to go see my doctor earlier this month for other reasons but since I had just hit my goal 2 weeks before it was a good time to talk to him about maintenance as well.  He told me that he helped me choose my goal weight because it was low enough that I could have a 10 pound range around it (5 over and 5 under) and even if I were to go 5 over my BMI would still be in the healthy range.  So he said that I don't need to be so focused on my weight being the EXACTLY my goal every time I weigh in (because let's face it, it's different every day) but more that I need to be within my 10 lb range.

With that advice I created my new graph.  As, you will see it doesn't report weight lost for the month but it does show where I'm at in relation to my goal weight and my max and min weight range.  I will still be updating monthly for accountability.  I went back a couple of months as well so you can see the last month I was out of maintenance range and then as I moved in to that range. 

 

I thought for sure that I wasn't going to come in under goal this month.  The beginning of the month was really discouraging and I just beat myself up every day.  But!  I got on the scale this morning and I was 0.2lbs under goal!  SCORE!  Even 0.2 under is under and I'll take it!  I'm not working to loose more but I am continuing to work out and count my calories and I'm hoping that I will start moving toward the lower end of this graph as the months move on, I'd rather have a little more wiggle room to bounce up (for those events and times where you're just going to or vacations) than feel like I'm always walking a fine line.

 

If you've been following along in the 'Quest to Hit Laura's Goal Weight Saga' for long you'll know that my reward (to myself) for hitting goal was to go skydiving (it was between that and eating a whole cheesecake in one sitting).  It just so happened that Living Social has a coupon for a local skydiving facility at the end of May.  Since I was so close (and the deal was great) I went ahead and bought it.  I told myself I wasn't going to reward myself until I had 2 consecutive months under goal (thinking that there was no way I'd hit under goal for June).  Well, it's been 2 months reported under goal now so I guess I have to make good on my promise!  If you want to contribute to my reward there is a link where you can donate to the right of this post, I'd greatly appreciate it if you would like to celebrate with me!  I may not make it skydiving in July as we are pretty busy but I am going to be looking for some free time to schedule this jump (oh, and if I hadn't made this public I think I might back out on my own reward, I'm getting nervous about it).  HOLLA!

 

Now, we're moving on to July.  I love July, not necessarily the weather but I love 4th of July!  It's my favorite holiday because it's just chill.  And I love the patriotic feeling that wells up inside every 4th of July.  We are truly blessed to live in this country and we should be grateful every day for the men and women that protect us here and abroad.  So, enjoy your cookouts, ice cream and fireworks on Thursday!

May 2013 Update: VICTORY!

MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED!

 

As of technically last week I reached my goal.  It only took just over 2 years!  Since I hit my goal weight at the end of a cleanse I was scared to call it a victory because quite honestly some of the weight that you loose those last couple days of a cleanse is an unrealistic weight loss and I always gain a little back.  I only gained just under a pound back and stayed under my goal weight!

 

Now it's time to figure out what maintenance is like.  We'll see how this goes, when you've been in the lose, lose, lose mindset for so long it's hard to change gears but I'm going to work on it.  I've now got to work on my skydiving adventure, I said I was going to do it so now I have to make good on that promise.  If you want to help fund it look to the right :)

 

It feels great to have the very bottom of that orange line below the goal line!

 

May 2013 Graph

 

Since I'm finally at goal I included the overall graph as well below.  Since this journey started in Mid-May 2010 (shout out to my Dr. who finally made me mad enough to motivate me!) I've lost 110.9 lbs.  To get to goal weight I needed to loose 109.5.  I lost 92.6 of that since I did my first cleanse in June 2011.  Overall I've lost 113 inches since then as well.

Overall Graph

 

I'm excited that I've actually done this!  When I first started I thought there was no way I'd get down to my goal weight (which is what my doctor actually set).  But I have, as you can see there have been bumps along the way and times where I fell off the wagon a little but I always got back on and continued on.  I know that the struggle isn't over here.  It's going to be a life long struggle to maintain and stay within a healthy weight range but the first battle is over and I've made some amazing lifestyle changes along the way.  I'll try and take a picture and find some good before pictures to put up.  I'll also try and get a picture of myself in the pants that I kept from when I started loosing weight. 

 

I share these monthly updates with you not to brag but to keep myself accountable, since I started doing this I haven't had a month where I've gained.  it's quite a motivation to weigh less at the end of the month than you did at the beginning if you know you have to report to the world.  I also hope that this has been in inspiration to you all, no matter what your goal may be (loose weight, get fit, get stronger, etc.).  I hope my journey has shown you that if I can do it....you can too!