Weekly Update - Week 30

(end of week 29/beginning week 30)

On the Scale
Lost this week: 1.8

Starting Weight: 265.6
New Weight: 195.2
Total loss: 70.4

Unimpressed. The scale reflects my inability to bounce back completely from the holidays. For the weeks surrounding Christmas I decided to loosen up a bit on my calorie counting - not go crazy, but just allow myself a little more freedom. Its that freedom that I'm having trouble getting over. A bite here and there, an extra yogurt if I'm "hungry", five million clementines a day, that kind of thing. That together with not working out as much and you get 1.8 on the scale. Based planned calories in/calories out plan I consider 2 or more lbs a "good" week for me. I'm glad, in a way, that I didn't squeek by with 2 lbs. That would only encourage my recent behavior.
In the Kitchen
I have a few new tools. My husband bought me a panini grill. I'm really happy because the itty bitty Foreman grill I had before was a pain to clean and way to small to be useful. We also bought a new gas grill. We grill almost every night in the warm weather and a good bit in the cold too. But our old grill was just done. So there should be some wonderfully grilled lean meats in my future. I also bought a knife block recently to keep my better knives from getting ruined in the drawer.

This week my meal plan is incomplete. I got a subscription to Cooking Light magazine for Christmas. I'd like to try one or two new recipes a week.

Last night I made the most evil cinnamon rolls for the kids first day back to school today. My husband said they were the best thing I've ever made. I ate one last night and one this morning. I have no problem resisting things like that but when I worked hard to make them it's harder to pass up. Anyway, what's left is going to the freezer and book club.

At the Gym
I've all but abandoned C25K. I had gotten all the way up to the end of week 8. My last attempt at a 28 minute run didn't go well and then it got too difficult to keep up the schedule. It's all in my head but I keep coming up with reasons to not do it. I have however increased my walking incline and getting a great workout that way. So 30+ minutes between treadmill, elliptical and bike is what I'm doing for cardio. I'm I increased my weights recently and that has felt really good. This week my Ultimate Body Shop is going to be delivered. This is Jillian Michaels version of the Total Gym. My husband gets fitness reimbursement from work so we are using it to add to our home gym area. I can't wait to try this thing. I'll report back once I do.

In My Closet
Size 16 jeans are getting baggy. I bought a belt. I'd like to bypass 14 completely because at this rate I should be lower than that by the warm weather and I don't want to buy anything else for winter. I have a couple of things that are too big but for the most part I love my whole wardrobe right now. I will have to find a way to shrink some of my favorite new sweaters so I can wear them next year :)

Goals and Challenges
I need to find my focus and my drive - has anyone seen it? Part of the problem is that I look and feel pretty good. I'm at a lower weight than I've been for a very long time, I like my clothes, my fitness level is great. It's easy to forget why I'm doing this. I need to get my mind out of maintenence mode, I need to look in the mirror a little bit more, focus on some fitness goals, and get my tush to the gym more than 2x a week. I really want to get back to running. I loved it. I had high hopes of getting really good on the treadmill and then transitioning outside in the Spring.

The goal I'm working toward now is to lose a total of 100 lbs by my birthday at the end of April. It's within reach for sure. But only if I can regain the momentum and focus I had before.