One Year!

Today marks one year from where I started.  I have offically lost 77lbs in that year.  Today also marks when I am kicking it back into gear to start losing again.  Since Oct I have been mostly ok with just maintaining being under 200.  I am done being in the 190s.  My dear friend said to me today...."2011 is about finishing what we started last year!"  Amen!

So I started out gun-ho about being strict and counting points starting today.  I have not been counting points and have been just eye-balling portions etc.  I was able to maintain but its time to get back to the basics.  My sister had twins last week.  She lives in minnesota.  I flew to minnesota today to come see her and her expanding family(stay tuned for pictures soon!)  Wow...I forgot how hard it is to ear healthy when traveling.  When I am traveling I love to carb load.  I dont know why!  I do it on car trips as well as plane rides.  Here is what I had today:
breakfast: WW 4 point breakfast sandwich
Lunch: ham and turkey sandwich on rye and top off top slice of bread.  (I dont really like rye bread anyways!)  I really wanted chips but I resisted.  (yay!  Small feat!)
Dinner- Roast beef sandwich on the plane.  Not a great sandwich but was bored and hungry so I ate it.
When i got to my sisters I had a small bowl of greek yogurt with a spot of honey on it and an apple.  I am guestimating that I had about 28 points today.  I am aiming for 24 so thats not terrible considering.

I am really resisting switching to the new weight watchers program but I might have to give in and do it. I am still pissy about having to buy all new books etc.  I brought my old slider on the trip and am going to see if I can do it without the web site.  Any of you doing weight watchers?  HOw different are the new points from the old ones?

Wanted to recap a few big deals for me in the last year associated with my weight.
* I can wear most stores XL....no more lane bryant for my clothes!  I can shop where normal people shop
*I didnt have anxiety about the seat belt on the plane fitting me today.  It fit and I even tightened it a bit.  I realize many of you have no idea what I am talking about.
*Being able to run 5+ miles.  Who would of thought I would be training for a 1/2 marathon???  I can say now that I am a runner!

I really think these next 30lbs will make a big difference in how I look and hot clothes look on me.  I am excited!  The first 50 really were hard to see but the last 25 made a difference.  You guys can let me know!  I am going to be doing my official weigh in on mondays still.  I am not sure about my sister's scale (or if she even has one!) so it might be delayed.  My gaol for when I get home is to be 192...we'll see!

Thanks for all the support!
Murn

I know...I am behind!

I am doing good.  I know I have not been posting.  Frankly I have not felt I had much to post.  I hit my 75 lb goal around the first of Nov.  I have been working on maintaining that.  I needed a bit of a break from trying to lose.  I have been successful at maintaining.  I have been staying between 196 and 194 pretty much every day.
Weight watchers just did a major overhaul of their program.  Everything has changed.  I dont have the mental energy right now to learn a new program.  I know the points of foods right now.  I dont want to learn a new point value for every food.  So that being said....I have stopped going to WW so I dont have my monday weigh in there.  I am a bit irritated that it has all changed.  I frankly feel they should have an option to stay with the old program.  I dont want to buy all new point guides and cookbooks.
Today I did decide I am ready to start moving in a negative (weight) direction again.  Of course as you can imagine it is getting harder and harder to lose.  My goal is to be in the mid 180's by the end of Jan.  I think I can do that!  I am going to Minneapolis for several weeks in Jan.  My sister has gotten me a gym membership to a really nice gym there.  My plan is to go every morning after I drop her kids off at school.  I'll let you know how that works out.  I am not going until Jan 4th.
the week of Christmas is traditionally a hard week to eat healthy.  I am working every day this week (although some days I am only there 4 hours) so I am hoping it will not be too hard.  I have been really good about keeping my hands out of the crap that always is around at work.

I appreciate everyone's support and love!
Hope your holidays are going great!
Murn

much better this week

Last week I had a really hard time.  There were a lot of changes going on in my life.  I dont deal with change well.  Most of the changes I dont really want to go into on here.  ONe of the biggest changes is that I am now working in a big beautiful new Emergency Dept.  The transition went as well as any one can expect but its always hard to work in a new place.  As a nurse many times you know what you need to give good care....it was frustrating to not know where to find what you needed!  It is getting better every single day that I work.  Another thing that has been hard (yes...get ready to moan) is dealing with all the comments about my weight loss.  I am not use to being the object of attention and last week I seemed to get a lot.  I didnt deal with it well.
I am happy to say that all is calming down in my life.  I have also been told by several people (and I agree) that a few sessions with a councilor might be helpful.  I need to get my head wrapped around my new self because I need to learn to love my new me and move forward and not miss the old me.  I went to my first session today and I think it will be helpful.  I dont really want to talk about this with people....so if I have not talked about it with you....please dont ask me about it.  :)  Thanks!  It is a personal thing that I am willing to put on here that I am struggling and getting help but dont want to chat about all of my issues with everyone.  Much appreciated!

On a different note....Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I am not working!!  Woohooo!  My friend Mia is having a bunch of us nurses over to have turkey with all the fixins.  In the morning I am going to  10K Turkey Trot with my friend Holly.  I am running purely so I can eat a big ole slice of Pecan (said in my best southern voice) Pie!  MMMMMM!!!  How I love thee!

I am so thankful for so many things but mostly my family and friends.
Murn

Race Day!

Today was the Mermaid all woman's 10K race in San Francisco.  This is a race I have been training for for quite a few months now.  I had 4 friends that did the race with me including my friend Teresa (TQ) who flew in from Arizona!  You could not of asked for a better day to be running in San Francisco.  The course was along the water, which is my favorite run anyways....but doing it as a race made it even better.  I had 3 goals. 

#1 Finish

#2 Not come in last place

#3 I really wanted to do it in under 12 minute miles

I am happy to report that I accomplished all of those.  I ran it in 73 min (just barely under my goal but under none the less.)  

After the run we all went to Hannah and my favorite hang out (The Grove) for some breakfast.  It was so much fun hanging out with my girlfriends on a beautiful 70 degree Sunday morning in San Francisco!  

 Before the race.....

 After the race.....

Murn

Mind and pictures!

We have finished up our second day here at Disney!  What a fun place this is!  I was showing Cindy some older pictures of me last night.  Her here is an interesting thing I found when looking at pictures.   I  am taken back at all of my current photos.  I dont think of myself looking like this.  Likewise I dont think I ever saw myself at 271.  In my mind I have been the same all along....living somewhere in the 220-230 range.  It is a bit strange to see pics of myself now cause I really dont think they look like me.  I guess thats a good thing.  How long does it take your mind to catch up to your body?  

Cindy and I got up this morning and went to the gym again today.  I ran 4 miles on the treadmill.  Eating in Disney is a challenge.  I have not been eating veggies like I do at home and I have had potatoes every meal but I we have not been snacking and I have been making the best choices I can with the options.  I am hoping that the gym in the morning will help the scale be not terrible to me when I get home.  

Here are some pics from earlier today!

Murn

MIckey's house!

I love being at Disney...world or land.  There is something fun about being kid-like and going with the fantasy.  Cindy and I are at DisneyLand for 2 days.  Day #1 was great.  we rode tons of ride (the park is empty!) and had fun being together.  We were good girls and got up and went to the hotel gym before playing.  By the end of the day my legs were beat!  Thought you might enjoy a few pics!

Murn

out with the old!

Losing weight is great....mostly.  There has been one challenge.  Clothes!  I used to have a large selection of clothing.  I started making a pile of clothes that  would put on and have to take it back off without wearing it because it was too big.  The stack was getting really large.  I took 2 large bags of clothes down to my sister's.  She works with someone that could use my old scrubs.  For some reason I was having a really hard time letting go of my clothes though.  This ugly stack of clothes has been in my bedroom for months now....growing!  

Yesterday my friend Lance told me to finally get rid of it all.  So I did.  I bagged them all up and took them to goodwill.  Here is the bigger problem:  I dont have very many clothes that fit me!  I have been trying to shop but when under pressure its hard to find things that you love and look great on.  So if you see me in the same outfit every week....know that I am looking for something else to wear...just having trouble finding it!

I am heading to Disneyland in a few hours.  This is my first time to see Mickey in California.  I am really looking forward to relaxing and having girl time with my friend Cindy.  My friend Kim gave me an amazing new camera for my birthday.  I still dont know how to use it but I am planning on learning and taking some fun pictures!  Because of the trip I am not going to be weighing in this week but dont fret....as of this morning I was down a little bit.  

Murn