(week 25). the voyage was very bon…

enjoying our first trip away at sea.

Wow, y’all, the cruise was amazing! We had a very lovely five days aboard the Carnival Ecstasy relaxing, resting, and of course... EATING! To truly celebrate my weight loss, I didn’t count a single point all week. I kept good eating choices in the back of my mind, but this was MY TIME to indulge, if I chose.

biggest indulgence: chocolate melting cake.

To offset that, I was going to use the on-board gym. Honestly—other than the initial tour—I never made it. (I got as far as the spa and then stopped, LOL!) BUT, we used the stairs A LOT (thanks mostly to annoying kids who pushed EVERY BUTTON) and walked the length of the ship often. During our excursion, we traipsed the grounds of Mayan ruins in 100 degrees, or plowed through sandy beaches (a workout in itself!). I more than got my 30 minutes of exercise each day, I think.

That’s probably a good thing, though, because the food could have really set me back. As our cruise director pointed out, you could have 14 meals a day, and it’d all be FREE! The buffet was always open, including a 24-hour pizzeria, the dining room had extended hours, and room service was always included! We tried it all.

lobster and shrimp. ooh la la.

Oh, and the drinks?! Wow. Very fruity, very fun, and very full of alcohol. I can see why Carnival calls themselves the party ships.

resting on the beach. in a bathing suit. GOAL!

Seriously, Alex and I had a fantastic vacation, and were so grateful for the break from it all. (Though we missed our little Noah terribly!)

the bares enjoying the last night of their vacation.

As soon as we hit Galveston, it was back to business as usual. I prepared myself for a gain this week, and was pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the WW scale: I lost 3.2 pounds! Hello, 190!

The numbers are encouraging for sure, but the fact that people around me are noticing my shrinking self is awesome. I’ve really appreciated everyone’s kind words… THANK YOU!

(week 23). the truth about numbers.

A few days ago, I promised to post my actual weight. (You can read the backstory here)

I'm a woman of my word. I'm proud to announce...

I'm 193!

Let's look beyond the number, though.

At my highest weight (pregnancy), I was 234. I lost 14 pounds before joining WW. I've since gone on a 27-pound journey, totaling over 40 in the past year.

Other fun facts about my weight loss: As a 5'6" female, I had a 35.5 BMI. Today, I'm a 31. Every day I lose weight, I am regaining a part of my life. I'm getting HEALTHY. I find myself with more stamina (perfect for keeping up with a toddler!), and of course, self-confidence. My clothes don't fit (which you'd THINK would be awesome, but it's fairly frustrating) and my feet seem to have shrunk about a half-size. Hah.

It's because of my success that I'm able to be so open with you all. Hell, even if I didn't lose another pound, I could look back on what I've accomplished so far, and have one heck of a smile on my face. But it's definitely not been without it's ups and downs.

For example, getting to weigh in this morning was a bit of a pain. I consider WW the ONE thing I treat myself to during my work week. I get up from my desk, go downstairs and for one hour, I surround myself with people venturing on a very similar journey. It's strangely cathartic to discuss your problems and progress. I love it.

Even still, other things get in the way. I flew in and flew out without even processing what the scale said. I just checked my sheet; I lost almost a pound. :happy:

I'm thrilled to be at 193, but am striving for lower numbers on the scale. I was 150 when I went to college in Texas, and 135 in Kansas. That may be a little low for me now, so 145-150 is what I'm shooting for, broken into smaller increments. I can do that!

Now, who's brave enough to share THEIR numbers?

(week 15). keepin’ it real... keepin’ it flat...

I weighed in today. Leading up to it, I was so nervous! With Noah’s birthday last weekend (happy birthday, baby boy!), I pigged OUT on cake. I mean, did I honestly expect my tiny 1-year-old to eat the massive cake by himself? The leftovers looked too good, and I couldn’t resist. So yes, I had (at least) one piece of cake every single day for the past WEEK! EEK!

I tried to watch portions otherwise, but I felt my plan slipping away. I stepped on the scale and *gasp * I hadn’t gained! ...I didn’t lose, either, but really, I did good to maintain!

I’m buckling down, though. With just three pounds from my next BIG goal, I need to step it up. And that is why I am taking some time tonight to go sign up for the gym. Nothing fancy, just the basics, but I need something to keep me moving toward my ultimate goal. I’d like to lose about 17 more pounds before the cruise, and that’s in just over two months. I can’t sit around just HOPING it will happen, right? So off my butt I go...

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]