Starting over, again.

Today I did what I've been needing to do for awhile. There was no more denying my clothes not fitting like they used to, or my inability to control my appetite and how much I was eating. I needed something to keep me line since I can't seem to do it myself. I went back to Weight Watchers.

There is nothing like getting on the scale knowing it's going to read a number that is higher than you want it to be. Finding out just how high it is is even worse. I am all about being open and honest here on my blog, but for now, I don't want to admit what I weighed in at. It's higher than I've been in many many years and I don't like it. Not. One. Bit.

It's that kind of anger and frustration that I need to get me off my butt and do something about it. And I am the only one who can do it. I am excited about following the new PointsPlus program and see what all it has to offer. I am excited to plan my meals and have that structure that I need to stay on point.

I didn't stop going to Weight Watchers because I wanted to. I stopped going because when I got busy at work and needed every minute I could to do what I needed to and was bringing work home to do in the evenings, the easiest thing to give up to make time for that was my time at WW and working out. All of a sudden, my Friday mornings were spent wherever I had surveys or permitting or customer meetings, so I wasn't able to go to my WW meeting. When I would get home from work, instead of putting on my running shoes the minute I got home and running out the door, I was sitting down at my dining room table to continue to work on whatever I brought home with me. I was also eating whatever was quick and easy. All of this added up to extra pounds for me. Nobody's fault but mine. I didn't like it but I was doing what had to be done. This is where I need to find balance. I work to hard at work to keep things busy and I can't let being busy control my every minute and affect my wellness.

A good friend is doing WW too. I look forward to sharing recipes, thoughts, motivation, and more with her. I also just last night read a post on Colleen Bee Fit's blog about how she just reached her Lifetime weight goal. What an inspiration she is! Her before and after photos are incredible and she is so amazing. I guarantee you when I walked back in to Weight Watchers this morning, I was thinking about her meeting her goal. I want to again feel that excitement of getting to my goal weight and I want to br proud of myself for working my butt off.

It won't be easy. Lord knows my body doesn't respond like it used to. But nothing worth having is easy. It'll be hard to not eat everything in site and have to really limit those glasses of wine I so enjoy. On the flipside, I will enjoy foods that I love and I will be taking better care of myself. In return, I look forward to feeling better not only about how I look, but also about how I feel. I don't like being achy and sore all the time. My body is telling me something. And finally, I am listening. That is a very empowering thing.

I hope you'll follow me on my journey. Any support I can get is important to me and will motivate me to keep plugging away at this, one pound at a time, however long it takes.

Saturday randomness

What a nice day this has been so far! My morning started with a 7.88 mile training walk with my sister-in-law Jenna. She is doing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For The Cure walk in October and has training walks pretty often. I did one with her a few weeks ago, 6 miles. Today's was just short of 8 miles and we ROCKED IT! I really enjoy walking with Jenna... We keep a great pace together and there is always plenty to talk about. Here's a picture from this morning when we finished.... You can tell that I was super sweaty and icky and I felt totally gross when done, but it was worth it. And can I just say, for the record, that I love how my shoulders are starting to look again. After looking at this picture again, it makes me feel good to know the hard work and effort I am putting out is paying off.

Me and Jenna

After our walk we went to Starbucks (the big green logo behind us gave that one away) for a much needed caffeine fix for me. Jenna had TWO passion iced teas. I think that is awesome. Even better, the passion tea is pink, perfect color for the cause.

After going home for a much needed shower, I had suddent motivation to not only go grocery shopping but also to the produce market. The amount of money you can save at the produce market is crazy. We are fortunate to have one about two miles away and it's great. I went there first to stock up... Baking potatoes, green cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, apples, plums, and fresh garlic. Then it was off to the grocery store. I got stuff to make WW 0-point garden vegetable soup, always good to have on hand, and some shrimp to make a new WW recipe. Mmmmm, can't wait to make it.

I spent the last 2 hours in the kitchen making the soup, putting all my groceries away, and making devils food spice cupcakes. SUPER easy to make, just mix with a can pf pure pumpkin and bake. They are super moist and fewer points since there is no egg or oil. I put buttercream icing on half of them for my hubby so he can get his sweet tooth fix but left mine plain. De-lish!!

There is laundry going now and I foresee a nap in my future. I'm going to curl up with my book and I bet within a short time I fall asleep. I have been a busy girl today!

I hope you are all  having a GREAT Saturday!!

I *heart* walking!

I went for my first long walk in 2 weeks. Being sick and just plain old life got in the way. It took me days to get over being sick and then some to really feel like myself again so I did nto walk until Wednesday. That was on the treadmill because even then I dreaded being out in the heat and humidity of the afternoon. Yesterday morning we took the dogs to the park for a walk. That was nice but my walks with them are much slower (since they have to stop and smell everything...). So this morning after we ran a few errands, I decided it was my time to get back out there and do what I do best - and what I so enjoy.

I love to walk. I am thankful for my strong legs to get me where I need to go and to allow me to walk farther ad faster as I need to. I walked a pretty good pace, 15:24 which means I finished 3.11 miles in 48:01. Not my fastest to date but still very good.

I love the feel of the sunshine on my shoulders. I think the sun is a drug, the more I get it, the more I want it.

I sweat my ass off today. There is nothing pretty about walking in the heat of summer in Florida and when I'm done, I am a disgusting mess. But man it feels good. And it makes me want to walk more. It's funny how the more I walk, the more I want to walk. But when I miss a day or two, it can be harder to get back to it.

I am hopeful to get a walk in tomorrow morning.

It's like a drug

After a great walk / run last Saturday, I skipped Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Sunday got away from me without it happening and Monday and Tuesday were busy work days and I was beat by the time I got home. EXCUSES, I know. By the time yesterday evening got here, I told hubby I HAD to go and walk. It was a necessity. So off I went. And man it felt great.

I set my super cool Nike+ GPS app on my handy dandy iPhone for a 5k and off I went. I had finally loaded some music on my phone and imported it into the app and enjoyed having music in my ears while I walked my little heart out. Back a few years ago, my last time on WW, when I was running alot, I would pick an artist randomly and whenever one of their songs came on, I would run. For yesterday, my artist of choice was System of a Down, what I like to refer to as my rage music. Wouldn't you know, several of their songs played for me so I got some good running in. My heart was pounding and I was a hot sweaty mess but it was great.

I can honestly say that walking / running is like a drug to me. No other exercise has that effect on me. I can be in the worst mood or stressed out or whatever, but when I'm done with my walk, I am a different person. So when I said yesterday that I needed to walk, I meant it.

Having only walked 3 days since my last weigh-in last Friday, we'll see how tomorrow's weigh-in goes. I don't really have any gut feelings on it right now. I've been keeping up with my 64 oz. of water a day which I know has been a big help. We will see tomorrow morning!!

Double time!

I have rediscovered my love of TaeBo. I used to do TaeBo when I first did WW in 2006. It along with walking / running were my go to workouts to get the most bang for my buck. I would do TaeBo in the morning and walk/run in the afternoon. Eventually that dedication to working out stopped when life got in the way and the TaeBo DVDs were put away.

I've pulled them out a few times over the past couple years. It doesn't do much of anything when it's done sporadically and I never really got back into it.

Last week I pulled the DVDs out again. Cardio Circuit 1 is 36 minutes long and Cardio Circuit 2 is 53 minutes long. To me, the 36 minute one is a little more intense and challenging, but I enjoy both. I did Cardio Circuit 1 last week and had set a goal to do it twice a week. That plan fell through last week so I gave it another go this week.

Yesterday I did Cardio Circuit 2, the 53 minute one, to see if I could still do it, the whole thing. And I did. Not only did I do it, but I enjoyed it. And I was so pumped when I finished, that I then walked for 2.75 miles afterwards.

All day today, I kept thinking about doing it again when I got home. To me, this is exciting. It's that drive and motivation I had before and it thrills me to have that feeling. So the minute I got home, I changed and popped in the DVD. 53 minutes passed just like that. I definitely felt it more than I did yesterday and it was a little more of a challenge, but it was great. And again, I walked afterwards. Today I walked 2.25 miles.

For those of you who have never done TaeBo, I highly recommend it. I am not very coordinated so for me to be able to do it, that's huge! (haha) And Billy Blanks is very motivating. The DVDs I have are 5 years old and I have not checked out any of the newer ones, but I imagine they are similar.

I am excited to find that drive ands motivation that I was struggling to find for so long. I hope that it takes me far in this journey I am on.

Dare I post these?

As I have become quite the blog-follower as of lately, I see alot of progress photos and I think it's great way to keep track of changes to your body during your weight loss journey. I had my hubby take some photos of me last week and I've been wanting to post them but have not had the nerve. That leads me to this post...

Of course I need to post them, that is why I am here! That's why I'm sharing my journey on here for anyone who is interested. If I liked the way I look and feel in my skin now, I wouldn't be taking these steps to a better me. So, I am going to post them. I don't like them, it's upsetting to see, and I will be glad when I have better ones to post soon.

When I first joined WW back in Jan. 2006, it was all because of a picture of myself that I just could not get out of my head. One that I would look at and think, who is that?? I find myself in that position again, 5 years later. Who is this in these photos? It's not me... It's not the girl who a few years ago felt great in her skin or enjoyed wearing cute capris and tank tops. This girl wants to hide behind clothes that are too big. 

Having lost 8.6 lbs. just 4 weeks into this journey has me motivated to keep going. These photos motivate me as well. Sharing these photos with anyone who sees them on here, motivates me ALOT.