**New Blog**

I've started a new blog!  I know, I know - it's kind of annoying that I'm asking you to move over to a new blog with me, but I'd love for you to follow me!  I've explained on my new blog why I decided to start a new one.  This will be my last post here.  Don't worry - I'm not giving up on losing weight!  Never!  You can find my new blog here:

http://www.mamashan.blogspot.com/2012/05/welcome.html

If you have any trouble viewing the new blog, please, let me know.  Thanks!

**Day 511**

Weight today:

I like it, I love it, I want some more of it (any Tim McGraw fans out there?)!!  Ha!  Anyway, that's a 2.5 pound loss!  Yes!  I knew I'd see a loss this week because I've been, totally, stressed out, and not eating much.  I know that's not a good way to lose weight, but, hey, I, usually, eat when I'm stressed, so it's good that I didn't turn to food and binge.  We've just been really busy and not at home much, which I hate because I'm a, total, homebody, and, also, I was upset about some personal stuff yesterday, so it wasn't a great week, but I lost weight, so that's a plus!  

Have a wonderful weekend!!

**Days 509 & 510**

I've been super busy, but I've been doing good.  I had a great workout at the gym today:

I burned 391 calories on the elliptical, and then I did the treadmill for 15 minutes, and burned another 100 calories, so I feel good about my cardio today.

I'll be doing my weigh-in first thing tomorrow morning, and then I'm leaving to go out of town until Monday night, but I'm going to try to post my weight before I leave.  I'm hoping to see a two pound loss!!

**Day 508**

I did go to the gym this morning with my dad - I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the treadmill.  I didn't take my usual picture because a guy was right next to me on another elliptical, and I hate when someone sees me taking a picture of my workout.....I don't know why I care!  It's stupid, I know.  So, I had a good workout at the gym, but I didn't take a 2 mile walk tonight, as planned.  It was a busy day, and I didn't end up getting home until almost 9pm, and I was just done for the day!  I'll be back in the gym in the morning - my dad is picking me up at 8am, and after I get home I have to help my girls go over their lesson plan for an online class they have from 11am-noon.  Right after their class we have to head out for a theater performance they are doing from 1-3pm, so it will be another busy day, but we should be home by 4pm, so I WILL go on, at least, a 2 mile walk at 4:30pm!  That's my plan!

I must start dropping weight, again, because getting dressed for my daughter's performances over the weekend was not fun.  My pants are tighter, and my shirts are tighter, so nothing feels comfortable, and I won't even get started on all my fatty rolls that were bulging through the fabric on my shirt!!  Ick!  I lost 3 pounds last week, and I hope to meet my goal of losing 2 pounds this week!!  I can do it!

**Days 505 - 507**

We had a crazy busy weekend - up at 5:30am, and out the door by 7am...Saturday and Sunday!  My daughter performed in four performances, over two days, as Mrs. Potts in the Beauty and the Beast Musical:

We didn't get home until after 7pm on Saturday, and after 2pm on Sunday, and I just didn't have the energy, or desire, to exercise either day, but I did get some exercise in tonight.  I took a 2 mile walk with my hubby and my girls:

My dad and I are going to the gym in the morning, and I'll take a 2 mile walk with my family in the evening, so I should burn some good calories on Tuesday!

Take a look at my girl singing Beauty and the Beast - she did a great job:

**Day 504**

I hadn't weighed myself for a few weeks because I knew I was gaining, and I just didn't want to face it, but Tuesday I stepped on the scale, and this was the sad number:

So, I was only down 5.5 pounds from my beginning weight of 248.5 on January 1, 2011, which is when I started trying to tackle my obesity.  It's so sad because last September I was down to 215 pounds - I managed to lose 33.5 pounds in 9 months, which isn't anything spectacular, but it was sure better than nothing!  Unfortunately, since September I have gained almost all the weight back, but I'm committed to getting myself back on track.  On Monday I set a goal of losing 2 pounds a week for the rest of the year, and today I weighed-in at:

I've lost 3 pounds since Tuesday, so I met my goal this week.  I'm taking it one day at a time, and trying to stay focused on what I need to do. Yes, I have a long way to go, but it's been worse.  Back in 2006 I weighed over 280 pounds, and looked like this (yikes):

Me w/ my nephews and my hubby

So, I'll take the 240 pounds I'm at, right now, and tackle losing another 40 pounds, and then another, and then another - if I did it once, I can do it again. 

 

I'm going to start my picture page over since I'm back in the 240's where I was when I started this blog.  I'll post a current picture today, and then I'll do another one on June 30th - hopefully, there will be progress!

Have a great weekend. 

 

**Day 503**

My dad and I were back at the gym this morning.  I took my usual picture, but I didn't realize how blurry it came out until I went to post it - dang!  Anyway, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, and 15 minutes on the treadmill.  It was a good workout, but tonight I felt like doing more, so my girls and I took a walk together:

Two miles walked, and 251 calories burned on our walk!  I really do love exercising with my girls.  I want them to learn how important it is for them to take care of their bodies, and they really seem to enjoy doing it, so that makes me very happy! :)

Weigh-in day for me tomorrow!

**Days 501 & 502**

I'm doing good this week.  I'm taking it one day at a time, and getting back into a good routine.  I went to the gym this morning, and spent 50 minutes on the elliptical:

Burned 433 calories!  Yay!  The resistance goes back to 1 when I stop the machine, but I keep it between 6 and 8 during my workout - didn't want you all to think I wasn't challenging myself, in case, you've noticed the 1 in the pics! :)

My plan was to take a 2 mile walk with my family tonight, but I started getting a stomach ache around 5pm, and, unfortunately, I still have it, so we skipped the walk.  I guess, we'll just have to do 4 miles tomorrow!

**Day 500**

I'm on day 500 of my journey....and nowhere near where I want to be - in fact, I'm, basically, starting over, at this point, and that's frustrating, but that's okay.   Yes, I have gained weight back, and I've struggled alot for the last year, but I haven't given up - not once.  For almost 14 years I sat on my butt and didn't try to fight my obesity, at all, but last year I started eating better, and exercising, and I did lose weight.  Unfortunately, I lost a bit of my fight and drive, but I have never given up, completely.  I've just had trouble doing everything I need to do - I slack on one thing or the other.  I will either exercise, but not eat great.  Or I will eat good, but not exercise.  I just can't half ass it like this anymore because it doesn't work, obviously!

Today was a good day, and what a great day to start again - Day 500.  There's only 231 days left in 2012 - this year will be over before I know it, and I hope to end this year on a much healthier, and much thinner, note.  I haven't set a long term goal in a long time, so maybe it's time.  On day 731 of my weight loss journey (which will be Dec. 31st) I will be down 66 pounds from today, which means I have to lose 2 pounds a week, which is, totally, doable, IF I do what I'm suppose to do.  So, that's my long term goal for the year.  My short term goal - my very, very short term goal - is to focus on tomorrow.  My plans for tomorrow:

Walk 2 miles
Do an upper body dumbbell workout
Track my food - keep my calories under 1300
Drink 120 ounces
 

**Days 496 - 499**

I've been struggling, which is why I haven't been blogging.  I hate talking about how I'm failing and I know no one wants to hear me whine.  Whining isn't going to get me back on track, so I'm not going to dwell on the last few days.  Tomorrow is a new day.  I will exercise - I'm going to take a 3 mile walk.  I will track all my food, and I will drink 120 ounces of water.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

**Day 495**

My hubby and I took a 2 mile walk tonight:

Yes, I use my Garmin Forerunner for walking, so, I guess, it's my Garmin Forewalker!  Anyway, I'm such a slow walker, but here's the thing - I know I'm getting a good workout because I'm a sweaty mess after my walks.  I still weigh ALOT, so just walking at this slow pace is hard for me, but I know I'll get faster as I lose weight.

Here's a pic we took on our walk:

Can you guess which one is me?  Yup, I'm the bigger, rounder one!  Someday I'll have a normal size shadow....someday.

**Days 493 & 494**

I went to the gym yesterday - 30 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the treadmill, and my foot felt pretty good during my workout!  I didn't go to the gym today because I want to rest my foot between workouts.  I think, it's a good idea to ease back into working out, and it's working because my foot pain was not too bad today.  I'm icing regularly, and doing stretching exercises, too, and it seems to be paying off.  I'll be back to exercising tomorrow.  I'm doing good with my eating, and I've been drinking water.....lots and lots of water!!

My girls performed in a musical theater play tonight!  The play was called No Strings Attached, and they did a wonderful job! Here they are as the Fox, and the Blues Fairy:

And here they are after the play:

I'm so proud of them!!

**Days 490 - 492**

When my sister bought her house the living room had a big wall of mirrors, and she never got around to taking them down.  I hate those mirrors because I always have to see myself from head to toe when I'm over there!

I don't know - maybe if I had the mirrors at home they would help me stay motivated, 24/7!  What do you think?  Would you like having a wall of mirrors in your house?

I just finished icing my foot, and now I'm heading to bed to put my night splint on, and get some sleep, so, hopefully, I'll be pain-free, and rested for my workout at the gym first thing tomorrow!

**Day 489**

I woke up with some major foot pain from my gym workout yesterday, so I didn't go to the gym today, but I iced my foot, on and off, all day, and I was able to take a 45 minute walk tonight with a couple friends - well, they ran, and I walked!  Wow, it was humid out there - I was a sweaty mess when I was done!  My foot did hurt as I was walking, but it was bearable.  I ordered this off Amazon (image from Google):

It's suppose to be good for stretching my foot, so we'll see - I'm desperate!  I refuse to quit exercising though, so I'm going to keep at it!

**Days 484 - 488**

I've been sleeping with the night splint for five nights, and, unfortunately, it's not the miracle I was hoping it would be.  It is helping a little - I can, at least, put pressure on my foot when I wake up in the morning, which is progress because there were many mornings when I would have to hop around because walking was way too painful.  Also, sleeping with that big boot on is not comfortable, so I'm not getting much rest, but I'm going to keep wearing it for a bit longer.  I, finally, went back to the gym this morning, and I did have pain in my foot while I worked out on the elliptical and the treadmill, BUT it is what it is.  I can't not work out, so I need to just deal with the pain.  I iced my foot, and did a few stretches, when I got home from the gym, and I will make that my regular post workout routine.

I can't believe it's May already!!  Wow!  I've made no progress this year, so I'm really disappointed in myself, but I'm going to keep at it, and it will start paying off....soon.  I'm going to stop looking at the big picture, which is that I have to lose 100+ pounds.  Every time I think of that number I get really discouraged, so I just need to break it down, and think....only 5 pounds at a time, only 5 pounds at a time.  Sure, I have to lose 5 pounds about 21 times, but that's still sounds better to me than saying that I have to lose 105 pounds!  So, that's my plan!