Pictures

Here are the promised "before" and "now" pictures.
The one on the left was taken at my parent's house
in June/July 2006. Then in February of 2007 I began
the HMR weight loss program through St. Bernards Regional
Medical Center. To date I have lost 116 pounds. The
picture on the right was taken about 6-8 weeks ago as
a part of a set that will be used on the HMR local
website. If you are new to my blog and want to know
the story in between the pictures that is what this
blog is all about. I have posted almost every week
from the beginning of this journey until now. I am not
finished with the journey. I would like to loose another
30-50 pounds. It will depend somewhat on what my diabetes
will allow. As I wrote last week, it seems at some point
weight loss and diabetes don't mix too well. However, I
am not convinced I am at that point just yet. I lost
a pound this week and will be working hard to have an
even better loss next week. Until then...

Running

I have finally worked up to actually "doing" the
Hal Higdon 30/30 plan.I have built enough stamina
to run for 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute, then
run for 1 minute and so on for a sustained 25 minutes.
The way I do it is I walk the first 7-10 minutes just
getting my joints warmed up. Then, I start the minute
intervals of running and walking. I do that for 25
minutes. The last 3-5 minutes I walk to cool down.
I accomplished these times for the first time yesterday
and was able to repeat the process today. Now, I will
work to be able to 1. increase the distance I am able
to go during those times and 2. run longer than I walk.
All of this is great for the calorie burn, but...

It seems (or so the diet counselor thinks)that the
increase of intensity in my workouts has triggered
something in my body that is causing it to think it
is not getting enough nutrition. Therefore, it is
holding on to more than it should. This week I was
actually up a little. The counselor has asked me to
add into my daily plan one extra shake. We are hoping
that extra protein in the shake will help my body
release some of what it feels like it needs to store.
We also know we have run into some problems with
insulin resistance. It seems when you are insulin
dependent there comes a point when your need for insulin
actually works against being able to loose weight. I
don't exactly get it, but I think I am at that place.
I am going to keep working on it (stay in the box)
and in the meantime focus more on running and training
to run a 5K and a little less on the number on the scale.

Exactly the same

Well, I held my own this week. My PA was down a little,
but my eating was in the box. So, I guess I know I have
to keep the PA up in order to be successful. To that end
I am going to walk in the Rely for Life benefiting
the American Cancer Society on June 6-7. I am walking with
a team from Curves. We had a meeting tonight to pick up our
cool shirts and make plans for event night. It sounds like
great fun. Between now and then I want to walk/run some
everyday in addition to the Curves workouts. Exercise used to
be a challenge just to do it. Now I don't mind doing it so
much, but finding the time to get in enough to make a difference
is tough. I will let you know how I am doing with this challenge
next week.

Catch up time

Wow - I really didn't realize how long it
had been since I blogged. Sorry - I have
been out of town for work every week for
the last 3 weeks. Enough of that...

Anyway, tonight I lost 3.1. pounds. I am
very happy about that, because during the
time I was out of town I had gained some.
I don't quite have it all back off, but am
very close. The bonus is I learned some
valuable lessons through travel such as,
1. Even healthy selections at a restaurant
have a lot more salt than I am used to.
2. Salt leads to water retention - boo.
3. Not all menu descriptions are created
equal. What sounds healthy may not be.
4. Some restaurants are VERY diet friendly
(i.e. Outback and Chili's) and will even
let you substitute grilled veggies for the
rice or potatoes if you ask :)
5. Yes, they can grill the shrimp and
scallops without the oil - if you ask.
6. Some observant waitresses will notice
when you are making healthy choices and
actually ask if you would like the bread and
butter before just slapping it on the table
in front of you.
7. They will sometimes even offer you choices
(like grilled asparagus - yum) that are not on the
regular menu if they realize you are trying
to make healthy choices.

Enough lessons learned. I read Brad's blog and
see that he has had similar experiences with travel
and weight control. I don't remember where he is on
our little wager to loose 30 pounds, but I have lost
2.3 in that effort. So, if you are actually reading
this and haven't given up on me ever blogging again -
Please keep the cheers coming. I am at the point of
needing the encouragement to get back on the right
downward trend. I will blog next week - until then
Happy Memorial Day.

Down another 2.1 - WOOHOO!!

Wow! Are you guys cheerleaders or what? Way to
go. I actually read my own blog more this week
because I wanted to see the comments you all were
leaving to encourage me. Mommymeepa - I love
team spirit - Thanks. I have a lot to tell you
all tonight, so I better get started.

First, I walked/ran my first ever 8K last weekend.
I was very proud of me. I finished in 1H 13M 16S.
The most exciting part for me was at mile 3 - which
is the distance of the 5K I did 2 weeks earlier - I
has shave 5 minutes off my time from 2 weeks ago. That
was the push I needed to get me through mile 4 (almost
all up hill)which I thought would kill me. I had a
friend take a picture at the end. When he e-mails it
to me I will post it.

Speaking of pictures - Thursday I "posed" for the St.
Bernard's HMR photo shoot. They asked me and a few
others who have had great success with the program to
pose and bring a before picture. They are going to
use them on their website. I will post that as well
when it is up. It was really a lot of fun. They hired
a professional photographer and everything. Can you
tell I was impressed :)

Next week may see a late, or no post because I will be
out of town. I am going to try really hard to get into
the weightloss center when I get back to weigh in, but
I don't know if I will make it. I had to "bank" my
meeting by attending an extra one last week and will be
calling in all my numbers, but the actual stepping on
the scale will obviously have to wait until I am back
in town. I promise not to leave you hanging too long.

Until then - Please keep cheering me on. It is so much
fun to see what you all are saying to me and on those
really hard days - to log on and see 8 comments...
Even if some comment more than once - it just helps me
to realize how much you are behind me and support what
I am trying so hard to accomplish. I can never thank
you enough for your support. Keep it coming.

Yo - Down

I like it when the yo-yo is going down. Last week my yo-yo
stayed the same, but this week I am down 2.6 pounds. I am
logging in more than 3,000 calories of PA each week and
staying in my "box". Now, I don't remember if I have told
you that my "box" has changed a little. I am doing something
called maintenance boot camp. I have 3 shakes, 5 fruits/veggies,
and Lean Proteins everyday. Lean Proteins can be HMR entrees,
commercial entrees (i.e. Lean Cuisine), or actual lean protein
(i.e. turkey, chicken, fish). This sure has allowed for more
variety in the diet. It also requires more planning. You see
with more choices comes more responsibility for making good ones.

One good choice I am making this week is to participate in the
K8-8K on Saturday. I am going to try pushing in a little jogging
this week. I jogged a little yesterday and it really felt good.
The pace felt good, the breathing felt right, and I wasn't as
sore today. I have been doing at least two workouts per day -
either a workout video and curves or curves and walk/running.
Some days I have actually done all three. I have found that I
MUST keep the PA way up to loose well.

I haven't checked Brad's blog yet to see if I am behind on our
challenge, but I suspect I am - anyway I am not out and I would
only need to loose 27.4 more to win. So where are the Losing
Debbie Cheerleaders - Let's hear your best cheers!!!

Long time No Blog - Sorry

Boy, life can get busy. I have neglected the blogging
for a while - Sorry. Well, here is what has been going
on. The week I didn't blog I lost 1 pound. This week
I found it. I always enjoyed yo-yo's as a child, but
this yo-yo weight thing is about to drive me nuts. People
keep telling me, "But you have to look at how far you
have come..." and I know that is so true, but it is hard
to push on when the body just doesn't seem to be cooperating
as well as it used to. However, I will keep on!

Brad has issued me yet another challenge. He says "double
or nothing" - But what he is proposing is not exactly that.
He proposes - No CD for me at this time, but we start this
week and the next person to loose 30 more pounds gets a prize.
He says he will get me a Barnes and Noble gift card if I win
and I should get him an itunes gift card if he wins. Sounds
like a pretty good deal - Brad, you are on! It is now
official. I have accepted the "double or nothing" challenge.
I weighed in last night - and as a true woman will not tell
here what I weigh, but I will write the number down and give
it to a mutual friend. Brad should be going to his weigh in
tomorrow I think and he can record his number and we will start.
Cheerleading is encouraged on this blog!

I am going to run/walk a 5K this weekend and have registered for
2 more this month. To be more accurate, I will probably walk this
weekend and begin the run/walking in the next one. The weather
here has been so bad, I have not been consistent with the training
and don't want to hurt myself this weekend, so walking is probably
best. Plus I have a wonderful friend who is also walking this
weekend, so we will have a chance to do that together.

Well, please keep me in your prayers for safe, but quick weightloss
and effective exercising. Thank you all for the support you continue
to give me. It is GREAT!