14 Days And One Piddly Pound

I decided a few weeks ago (unofficially - seeing as I didn't share it with anyone but my mom) that I wanted to hit 150 pounds of weight loss by the wedding. Seeing as the wedding is two weeks from today and I've just hit 149 as of this morning...I think it's totally do-able! WOOHOO!

After that, it's just 30 pounds to go -- and there's no deadline on that -- it'll come. I know it.

In other news, I've experienced another major "shrink" over the past three weeks. Here are the numbers:

• Down another 1/4 inch in my upper arms (6 inches total loss)
• Shrunk a half inch in my chest (9.5 inches total loss)
• Burned another 1/4 inch in my chest (8.25 inches total loss)
• Lost another half inch in my saddle bags (13.75 inches total loss - clearly, I am a pear!)
• Obliterated a full inch from my belly (16.5 inches of total loss - holy shit!)
• Even lost another half inch in my thighs (14.5 inches of total loss)

The rest of my body is 'unchanged', but all told, I've lost 96.15 total inches since November 2009.

I predict my final stop with the tape measure will tally up somewhere around the 115-125 inch mark, cumulatively...but I am definitely in the homestretch...er, homeshrink!

Now, off to do some pilates/yoga with Ellen Barrett...or maybe some kettlebells.

The First 140 ... The iMovie

It's been 19 pounds since the last one...and quite a lot has happened visually!  (It's like a puppeteer is pulling a string attached to my rump and an invisible man is pushing down on my tummy, LOL!)

Less than 50 to go!

I've had a LOT of far off friends ask for recent photos after the latest weight loss blitz. Problem is, my once tight leggings don't fit me anymore. They're just pj pants now. I'm also too cheap to go out and buy new ones just for the sake of photo taking. So, I've opted for a cami that's just about ready to go into the donation bin and a pair of jeans. This is me at 234.

131 down. Just 49 to go!

In other news, my losses have convinced my mom to give Medifast another go. She's going to do the program the way the docs recommend with little to no activity. After just a few days she's already down three pounds. I hope she can stick with it - it's not easy - especially for a food addict like the two of us!

I've modified the plan to suit my lifestyle a bit, however. I just like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from working out (too much) and can't cut it out of my life partially, much less altogether. (To be fair, they do suggest you exercise at least a little bit when you're settled into the program - but walking for 20-30 minutes is not a workout to me!)

So, I've upped my protein intake a bit by way of some extra cheese and lean meat in order to protect my muscles from depletion without messing with the low carb formula Medifast relies on. I also allow myself the occasional "cheats" and haven't seen any halt in my progress (for example, last week I ate an Indian meal of Tandoori Chicken with about a quarter cup of rice and a serving of whole wheat roti; yes, I know that sounds so like the polar opposite of a "cheat", but remember, I'm working to stay uber loooooow carb here! Rice is completely forbidden on MF!) Regardless of my naughtiness, lately I've been moving down the scale at a pace of 10-15 pounds per month!

Could my losses be greater if I never ate extra carbs here and there? Probably. Would I be at risk of being committed to a mental health facility if I never cheated periodically? Probably.  You bet your ass I would!

I attribute much of my losses to Medifast, and the ketosis and calorie deficit the program creates. However, to say that my 5-6x/week workouts have nothing to do with it would be nonsense. Actually, I think the fact that I do work out so religiously has helped to keep my "cheats" from costing me precious pounds. Lately, it's been kettlebells 1x, pilates/yoga 2/x and 30 on the elliptical and 15 on the bike 2-3x. Adding the elliptical and kettlebells into the mix this past month has really ramped up the visible muscle tone in my arms and legs...but you won't be seeing my gams for at least a few more months! Still have some flab to attend to.

Can't wait til those hips are more proportional to the rest of me and my tummy is gone. I can see the end in sight!!

By the way, if you're looking for a tough but fun workout - give this kettlebell bootcamp a try. The host takes a bit of getting used to, but the program is broken into sets, so you can skip some, do others you like twice, etc. It's a great starter to kettlebells - and boy, will your legs burn!

If A Camera Adds 10 Pounds, Then Damn! I'm Looking Good!

I realized today that it's been a long time since I'd taken a progress photo. 18 pounds, in fact. It's something I often dread. In fact, photos in general have been something I've worked very hard to avoid being the subject of over these past ... oh, I dunno ... ten years?

It's getting less painful to see myself in a photo. Of course, I'd look even better in these had I bothered to put on makeup, a bra or waited for my hair to dry but, what the hell. You've seen me look far worse. Just scroll down! I also apologize for wearing all black - but I have precious little left in my wardrobe that's form-fitting. My old white tank that I used to wear in the photos is all kinds of stretched out, so I opted for a cami. That way, I can keep tabs on my arms as they shrink too. Even these black leggings are starting to get bulky on me - so I had to take a pic with me in them freshly shrunk out of the wash.

It's strange, but I'm actually really starting to look forward to having my picture taken at our wedding in July. I know I look good and I know I will look great - and that selfish and completely conceited side of me wants ample photographic proof. Is there any better "after" picture than one taken on the happiest and most glamorous day of your life?

I don't know what you see in terms of progress, but I'll tell you what I see. First, my bangs are finally the length I want and my hairstyle is more versatile, LOL! Second, my arms are definitely getting more toned thanks to all of the major strength training I've been doing. My butt is where it's supposed to be for a woman my age. Instead of being behind my knees, it's up on level with my hips. It's also considerably smaller. My saddlebags are smoothing out. Instead of two sets of hips, I seem to only have one that begins at my waist and curves down around the sides of my legs. Used to be, I had the spare tire set of hips and the saddlebags set. The backs of my thighs are starting to protrude less and look more sleek. My calves are smaller. I still have sasquatch feet, but hey, what can ya do? Finally, my belly is shrinking. It used to bulge forward about as far as my rear end did backwards. Now, it's just a little pooch that I can continue to tone down. I also have a waist!

Wow. It feels really good to have written that list. It's honest, real and a true accomplishment. I'm going to go pat myself on the back now - cause, for the first time in ages, I can actually reach. ;-)

108...Shopping For A Wedding Dress Without A Body

So, I'm getting married in July. Very excited about that. Only problem: I can't shop for a dress. Sure, I can window shop (online) and get ideas...but with so much weight left to lose and no real idea of how cooperative my body will be between now and July...I'm left with only one option: be patient.

HA! That's hilarious. Me? Patient?

But what choice do I have?

Of course, the fact that it's not a big wedding and is more of a cocktail party is a big help. I'm getting a dress, not a gown. That means I can head over to a department store or get one of J.Crew's absolutely gorgeous casual, beachy dresses.

By my best guesstimate, I'll probably lose at least another 50 pounds by then -- at least I aim to. That said, I might lose even more. The weight has really been coming off lately - due in great part to Medifast but also because of the more efficient and targeted workouts. With better fitness comes the ability to challenge myself more and to sculpt and tone. I'm really seeing the results of that work - both in the mirror and on the scale. Then there's the fact that my body and my weight aren't necessarily in sync. At the weight I am now, the last time I saw it (on the way up), I was two sizes bigger on top and one size bigger on the bottom. So, let's say I only lose 30 pounds between now and July - as unlikely as that is - I might be three sizes or even four sizes smaller just because of my muscle density and tone.

Yeesh!

So, here I am, doing my best to be patient.  I figure I won't be able to buy a dress any earlier than the first part of June...and even then, I plan to still be shrinking. So, hopefully my tatas will have stopped shriveling up by then and I can at least get away with an Empire Waist dress. 

Down 44

Holy Hell do the numbers not tell the whole story. I might have "only" lost 2 pounds in the past handful of weeks, but I've shrunk into some clothes I've been hoping to get into by Spring and my body just looks so much better. I've been biking about 3-4 days a week with some XC skiing, walking and a few elliptical workouts tossed in. Things are just going along great. 

Of course, I'd LOVE to have lost more weight...but in the meantime, I'm just happy the fat's coming off!