Almost exactly two years ago I started this blog and asked for your help to keep me accountable on my Journey to a Thinner Me. Within 8 months I lost 50 pounds - and then I stalled. I spent the next year losing and gaining the same ten pounds, but overall I was still pretty happy and proud of my progress. I didn't quite get as frustrated by my lack of loss as I thought I would. Sure, it was a little disappointing at times, but even though I wasn't losing weight, my body was still changing and getting toned.
And then life happened. Last semester was easily one of the busiest and most stressful that I've ever had for a number of reasons. It seems like the world was determined to make me too busy to work out. Now, I make no excuses as I am certain that I could have made more time for myself, but I never claimed to be an expert at work-life balance. And I certainly could have made a better effort to eat better. But, alas, I didn't and I gained weight back. Unfortunately, I gained a lot of weight back.
It started as a little bit at a time...two pounds this week....then it was five....then it was ten....and then I stopped stepping on the scale because I didn't want to see how high it was getting. I kept telling myself that I was going to get it under control and that I would go back to Weight Watchers after I lost what I'd gained. I haven't been to Weight Watchers since the beginning of September...and I didn't get it under control. I haven't run or worked out in quite some time (I went to one Zumba class when I was home over Christmas and it seriously kicked my butt!).
I postponed my marathon for a year because I was nowhere near prepared for it. This weekend my friend (and one of my biggest supporters) ran the Goofy Challenge without me. Seeing her pictures and texting with her throughout the weekend, I kept reminding myself that I was supposed to be there with her. Despite that she has told me numerous times that I didn't and that we'll do it together next year, I feel like I let her down. And I certainly let myself down. So, it's time to actually get things under control.
The good news is that usually by the time I get to this point I've put on MORE weight than what I lost in the first place...and I haven't quite gotten that bad yet. But, here I am, two years later and in need of your help just as much as I did in the beginning. We're starting over on this journey and I'm bringing you with me again. No looking back at my fall off the wagon - only looking forward because the reality is that THIS IS REALITY. People do anything positive and then life happens and maybe they get sidetracked. I could not have expected to stop working out, eat way more desserts than I should have since I wasn't working out, and to NOT put weight back on. So, I get up, brush off the dust, and hop back on that wagon.
So four months after my last weigh-in, I went back to Weight Watchers today. The numbers on the scale are nowhere near what I would like them to be, but that's okay...I got them there once and I can do it again. I even had them "restart" my account so that today's weight is my new "starting weight" and all progress from now on will be from that weight and not my original weight two years ago (which is so hard to believe that it was two years....sheesh).
Starting over....
New starting weight: 239
Yeah, that was pretty painful, but it's done and we're starting over. I even signed back up at the gym and will be taking a Zumba class on Mondays at lunch (I promise I'll like yours better, Sister...). Alright people, let's do this....again.
Gah - blogger ate my first comment. It was longer, this will be shorter. You can do this! I have faith in you. I've hit a plateau after my surgery weight loss and I need to be more accountable about counting calories and eating good food. I went out and bought a fitbit so I can measure my sleep, my calories burned, my steps, my activity level, etc. I'd love to lose another 40 pounds. It's going to take work though. We can do this. I know you can make this happen for yourself.
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