Weight Loss

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to update on my weight loss. I am coming up on meeting my 20 pound goal...I am now, as of today, at a 18.1 total loss. So, I think I will be at the 20 mark by this time next week. The pictures in this blog reflect the stages of my weight loss...showing before weight gain, after weight gain, and my current weight.

I have to say, in the beginning I really struggled, but now, it's so much easier. My stomach has gotten adjusted to less food and therefore doesn't feel empty as much, and it doesn't take nearly as much food to feel full. That really helps. I'm eating lots more healthy too. I hardly ever drink soft drinks...when I do it's Diet Rite, I cut way back on bread, and when I do eat bread, its a low calorie bread. My favorite bread is honey oat. I drink lots more water as well. I have
cut my serving portions down probably by half...just little adjustments like that.

I started out doing WW, and I still follow that as a guide. I don't really keep track of my points too much anymore. I just kinda know what I can eat on a daily basis, and stay within those boundaries. I also take one or two days a week for cheat days. On those days, I usually eat whatever foods I want. I still don't go overboard with my portions, but I do indulge and enjoy the foods that I wouldn't eat on a daily basis.

Last night I had a cheat day. I snacked on pizza while watching some late night TV. I felt guilty since it was so late, and I was certain I would see a gain today, but I ended up seeing a loss. As one of my Facebook friends pointed out...it's good to splurge every now and then. Although it can sometimes feel a little scary - being worried all your hard work is down the drain. However, if done within reason, it actually "revs up" your metabolism to help speed up the calorie burning process.

I'm starting today to work on my exercise program stronger. I am going to really kick it up notch and get some serious toning workouts in place. I will be doing everyday, a DVD called "5 Mile Walk" and in addition to that I will be doing daily strength training with weights and using my medicine ball. I will keep you guys posted on my progress on that as well, and let you know it's going.

Many of you have followed my weight loss progress from the beginning, and others of you have joined in later. I would like to thank all of you for being so supportive. I get so many encouraging comments on my YouTube channel, on here, and on Facebook. I helps out so much knowing you have good support and friends are pulling for you. I appreciate you guys more than you know. You share in my success. Knowing you guys are keeping track with me gives me accountability, hearing your encouraging words keeps me motivated, and so it makes me want to strive to give you a good report of weight loss each week on my updates. I feel so blessed to have the good support of family and friends like you.

I wish each one of you tons of success if you are in a some kind of weight loss journey. Whether it be the the losing or the maintaining stage...it's all hard work. So make sure to reward yourself for your hard work and feel proud of your accomplishments. If you have lost weight and kept if off...you have much to be proud of. Maintaining, to me, is harder than the losing part. It's easy to get comfortable when your not trying to lose and fall back into your old eating habits, so maintaining takes lots of self-discipline. Hang in there wherever stage you are in!

Until next time...

Love and Hugs.

~twyla~