Yes, I am going to jump on the bandwagon and do a 2011, year in review post just like almost everyone else is doing, but I'm going to do mine in pictures ... so here goes.
January 2011:
Lost 15 lbs - Walked 3 consecutive miles for the first time
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| Bought a new mattress and made my own leather headboard from scratch |
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February 2011:
Lost 7.5 lbs
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| Got creative with my work-outs! |
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| Completed the largest crocheting project I've ever attempted. |
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| Shot some hoops. |
March 2011:
Lost 5 lbs - Walked 5 consecutive miles for the first time!
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| Pulled the old 18's out of the drawer and put them on for the first time in YEARS! |
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| Rediscovered my old, very unique, sense of style. |
April 2011:
Lost 4 lbs
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| Started to really notice a difference in my pictures! |
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| Welcomed Kody Joe into the family! |
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| Welcomed Vladimir Loki into the family! |
May 2011:
Lost 7.5 lbs! - Opened negotiations on the new house
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| Hanging out with the family at the dog park. |
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| Reached 50 cumulative pounds lost! |
June 2011:
Lost 5.5 lbs - Finally started classes in my major
July 2011:
Lost 1 lb - And the struggles begin
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| Closed on, and started painting / moving into the new house! |
August 2011:
Gained half-a-pound :(
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| I did, however, accomplish one of my goals and got BACK on a horse for the first time in YEARS! |
September 2011:
Gained and lost 6 lbs
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| Changed my look / self-esteem |
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| Published my first book! |
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| Discovered Kayaking!!! |
October 2011:
Fluctuated but essentially ended up right where I started on weight
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| Went to the renaissance fair |
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| Went all-out for Halloween |
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| Learned how to clean carpets with Snackers |
November 2011:
Gained half-a-pound ... again
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| Went hiking in Red Rock with the doggies |
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| Turned 29 |
December 2011:
Lost 3 lbs - Walked 10.2 consecutive miles for the first time!
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| Published my second book |
So here I begin 2012 at 225.5 lbs and I've learned a few things while writing this post. First - I didn't take nearly enough pictures in December. Second, as much as I've beat myself up over the last few months, all-in-all I had a relatively productive and successful year. So I didn't lose us much weight as I thought I would when the year started out - but reviewing what I
DID accomplish has reminded me that 60 lbs is a success! Not a failure! Maybe I set my goals a little too high and then when I realized I wasn't going to reach the bar I started to get overly discouraged and adopted a defeatist mentality. I've overcome a lot of obstacles this year - from the stress of buying my first house and going back to college to the medical issues that I've been struggling with. But those things are only going to stand in my way for as long as I allow them to. Ultimately, my success (or lack thereof) rides entirely on my shoulders and what I
think I'm capable of. This time last year I thought I could do anything if I put my mind to it and somewhere along the way I stopped having that kind of essential faith in myself. THAT, above all else, was my greatest challenge but I can still overcome it. If I can lose 36 lbs in 2011 there isn't any reason that I can't lose 60 in 2012! I just have to want it bad enough and be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
So here's to a new year. May we all have an excellent one!
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| January 2011: 262.0 lbs |
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| September 2011: 226.0 lbs |
u accomplished ALOT you should b proud!
ReplyDeleteTo a successful 2012 \~/. We can do it. I am confident we will achieve our goals this year. Setbacks are only temporary.
ReplyDeleteI agree, a fantastic year!
ReplyDeleteSome ideas for 2012 that I think you should consider...
1) Try fasting 1 day per week; it cleans your system out (which increases energy and absorption-ability); it helps your body release toxins stored in your fat cells (little known fact, one of the primary reasons for fat cells is to store toxins your body isn't sure what to do with... unlike muscle cells, fat cells don't replicate in number but they do grow in size, stuffing calories and toxins into them... calories can come out when needed, but toxins can't, they only come out when the body feels it's "safe" (ie: health enough) to do so; it gives your pancreas and liver a break (strengthening them against diabetes); and it primes-the-pump for releasing more fat from your fat cells due to the fact that so much of your system is cleaner and more capable of processing that fat. Along with these benefits are a whole host of other benefits such as increased auto-immune responses. Note: a fast 24-hours or longer can/should include copious water, small amounts of warm water with lemon juice, and occasional herbal tea with nothing added.
2) Consider replacing 2 of your meals every day, or even every other day, with juiced meals. Maybe you do this one already, don't know. But make a *measured* whole-fruit juice in the morning and a (not necessarily measured) vegetable juice in the evening (think V-8: tomato, celery, broccoli, carrots, kale, etc with a bit of salt of pepper). Juice is very dense in nutrition, much easier to consume than solid food, and pre-digested, making it easier for your body to absorb the maximum amount; on the other hand, by keeping it whole-juice (ie: not straining-out the fiber/pulp) you maintain it closer to a solid food which means sugar-spikes won't be as prominent as pure juice and your colon will keep the cleansing bulk of fiber going through it. By doing veggies at night you lower your sugar intake, making it easier to burn fat while you sleep. My family started whole-juicing maybe 4 or 5 months ago and we love it! TIP: if your fruits right now aren't super-sweet and your fruit juice seems really boring, add some OJ made from frozen concentrate; just be sure to measure it.
3) Return to the exercise that was working so well for you when you first started; if I'm not mistaken, that was a lot of really long walks with tons of water. Time right now is precious, I understand that; if you are taking any classes where you actually have to study (ie: memorize stuff), one thing I used to do was create flash-cards and then take those on my walks. Another way (if you can) is get your book on audio and listen to it while walking. Another way is take your ebook on your walk in a *safe* park where cars don't pose a problem if you walk while reading. Finally, consider investing in a very cheap stationary-bike to ride slow for long periods of time while reading; similar enough to walking if you can't fit actual walking in.
4) You really owe it to yourself to visit your freaking campus a bit! Don't be one of those people who never touched campus -- even just go study at the library a few times. Your school might not have a library, but I'm sure they have some sort of study-area. The point is, keep doing what you are doing, but do it a bit differently -- brings energy to the soul! That energy translates to a healthier sense of self which in turn translates to more activity and more physical health.
I love your piper/casper blanket! I don't know how to crochet and I sure wish I DID so I could do something creative like that. You did have a successful year. I'm glad you reflected and were able to see that. So what does 2012 hold? Bring It On!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous & Prof. D: Thanks muches and right back at both of you. I'm sure everyone can reflect on their successes of 2011 instead of getting lost in the tribulations. I know that it was a very hard year for a lot of people in many ways but everyone can find something good that came of it if they really try!
ReplyDeleteBro: point-by-point
1) This is going to be tough - psychologically. I do live with the self-proclaimed "worst influence in the world" but by admitting that he's started making more of an effort. Me gaining back those 6 pounds over and over again over the last few weeks has caused him to see how precarious I've become in my will power and resolve and he's been trying to be more supportive. He's realizing how much cuter I am skinny and would be even skinnier and he now wants me to succeed as much as I once did. I have some serious mental self-ass-whooping to do because lately I've been talking the talk but not walking the walk. Snackers is, however, pushing me a little more which does help. Last night we had a bowl of leftover M&M's on the table from Christmas. He opened and started nibbling on them - they were within reach of me. I looked over, then talked myself out of it. Looked over again, then talked myself out of it. When I looked over again he reached over and dragged the bowl out of my reach but continued snacking on them himself. After several more minutes I lost the mental battle and reached over to take some, hand posed over the bowl only to realize DAH DUM, it was empty. Not so good for his own health but HOORAH for me! lol It's warming up too (It was 60 on Sunday!) so we're already talking about going hiking and kayaking this weekend. I can't wait! But a once-per-week fast is going to require some mental boot-camp I think. My self-control needs steroids (proverbial ones, not real ones).
2) Food co-op, food co-op, food co-op. Either that or someone in Vegas needs to tell me where I can find good produce at affordable prices. I KNOW Whole Foods has awesome produce but $3 for a bell pepper is just not sane. Tia! Didn't you tell me you're part of a food co-op? Can I get the digits for that please?
3) Allegedly I'm "getting" an exercise bike from Snackers for Christmas. I had originally asked for a treadmill but then decided I'd rather have a bike for some of the reasons you mentioned. I can walk around the hood without a treaddy. I cannot bike without a bike. I can sit on a bike and read/study. I'm not so good at reading while walking (I'm not very good at chewing gum while walking either).
4) This is the only one I disagree with. UofP's Henderson campus is just a glorified office building across the street from the auto-mall and UNLV is a hole in the ghetto. If Vegas had campus' like SUU or USU or even Weber State then yeah, it would be a great idea. I LOVED hanging out at SUU when I lived in Cedar. But the campuses here are the kinds of places where you feel the need to sit by a window where you can keep an eye on your car and can't fight the urge to constantly look over your shoulder wondering if someone is about to pick your pocket.
Misty: Come visit me and I'll teach you. I have a guest room now!
Wow, you did have a great year, good for you for being able to see that even though there were some setbacks, there were a lot of great things as well. You may not have lost as much weight as you wanted, but hey you lost a good amount. Really the most important thing is that you weight less, signigicantly less than you did at this time last year.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work!!