My Weight Loss Journey

Last August, I took a long look in the mirror and realized I did not like what I was seeing at all.  I am sure we all have those moments right?  But this was a moment that I seriously consider a life changing event for me.  I stood there and looked at myself and knew that something had to change.  Not only did I not like my reflection, I did not like that my joints were starting to ache, that my back started to hurt, that I could not keep up with 2 active children like I wanted to be able to do.  I knew that something had to change...no, not something, everything!  Everything had to change- my attitude, my diet, my lifestyle.   I decided at that moment that I was going to get healthy and get active.  I knew that it was going to take a big jump start for me and decided that I would do a physician monitored program.  Now, let me say this...I know a lot of people have their opinions about these programs.  That is fine, we are all entitled to those opinions.  Because I have had heard so many people share their opinions about physician monitored programs, I only shared with a small handful of people that I was doing this type of program.  Not because I was ashamed of it, but because I just did not want to listen to any ones opinion.  Unless you have ever been considered obese or struggled with weight (and I don't mean 10 pounds) then it is hard to understand what it is like.   So, I enrolled in the program in August of 2010.  It was around the time that deployment #3 was starting and I had set myself a goal to loose 50 pounds in a year.  I felt that 50 pounds was a healthy and reasonable amount to loose in a year.  

The day I enrolled in the program I weighed:

208 pounds
height: 5'8"

(it took me a really long time to just type those numbers...my goodness, it seriously makes my heart speed up just sharing that) 

That is not the heaviest I have ever been, but it is still way too much for me.
So below are 2 pictures of me taking in August 2010 at 208 pounds:

I did the physician monitored program for 4 months.  It worked great!  I dropped 25 pounds in 4 months.  I was feeling better than I had in a really long time.  I was fitting in clothes that I had not worn in years and I was getting rid of clothes because they were too big!  That is such a great feeling!!

So December rolls around I was down 25 pounds. I was very pleased with my results and I was not having any problems at all.  I was sticking to my allotted calories and doing really well.  I decided that paying the weekly fees was just too much and decided to take a break from the program and prove to myself that I could do it on my own. 

I know that many people quit weight loss programs and pack the pounds back on but I was determined that would not be the case for me.  I knew what I had to do and knew that I could do it on my own.  So, I did.

In January I changed up my workout a little bit-actually a lot.  I was still monitoring my calories, but in addition to walking, I started going to zumba.  And I LOVED it!  I took my measurements in February and again in March...I had lost in one month a total of over 9 1/2 inches (I measured my arms, chest, waist, hips, and thighs)  I was completely excited and it was just the jolt I needed to keep going.  And so I have been a regular at zumba class since that time...well at least until ball season rolled around.  Baseball got very very hectic in April and May then Jack made all stars so it was even more hectic over the summer.  Because I could not attend zumba like I wanted to, I just decided to start running one day.  (No, no one was chasing me, lol)  I am not an avid runner.  I don't do 5ks.  I don't run everyday.  On the days I could not make it to zumba, I would hop on the treadmill and stay on for 30 minutes and eventually built myself up to an hour.  If I only ran 5 minutes of that hour, it was better than nothing.  As I have kept doing it, my time spent running has gotten longer.  I still enjoy zumba so much more, but I can't make it everyday so hoping on the treadmill gets my cardio in and I feel great after I do it. 

So that brings us to July...just before J came home for R&R. 

My new weight was 172!  I had lost 36 pounds!!!  (25 pounds on the physician program and 11 pounds all on my own) 
Below are some pictures of me at my new weight:

Then my hubby came home for R&R...we went on vacation...school started back...J went back to the 'Stan...I was sad...I fell off the exercise wagon, lol.  I gained 6 pounds in a month!  crap!  I did not like that at all!  So I am back on the exercise routine...zumba when I can, running/walking, and watching the calories. 

I have dropped 2 pounds. 
Current weight: 176

will I make my goal of 150 before hubby gets home??? I highly doubt it.  I am shooting for 170.  I am trying to do this the healthy, realistic way.  This time next year, I will be at my goal of 150...if not lower ;) 

whew, now my nervousness can subside...I did not know that sharing my weight would do that to me, lol

So, what are your diet success stories or secrets???