A new low!

After several weeks of being 3 to 5 pounds off my weight loss goal, I today dropped to another new low: 118 pounds gone!  Now, a pound isn’t all that much in the scheme of things, especially because weight can fluctuate rather dramatically.  But, for me, it’s a significant accomplishment because I’ve been fighting those couple extra pounds for so long and have finally gotten back on track.  Yay!

And even more good news… after reducing his calorie intake for about three weeks, my BF has lost 9 pounds!  Bravo!!  I’m so proud of how he’s been diligently keeping track of his food, recording everything – and I do mean everything – in his PDA and modifying his choices based on how many calories he has left. 

It’s been great to be with him at the beginning of this journey, and I’m very excited for the road ahead for both of us.  He bought a Wii, and we’ve been working out with it, using the sports modules: boxing, tennis, baseball, bowling and golf.  I’ve continued to do my stairs, the Cardio X, use the pull-up bar, and do my weights workout.  We’ve also been doing yoga together.  Adding the Wii to the mix has been lots of fun for me, and he really likes it, too… which means he’ll be that much more inclined to stick with it.  He’s trying to track down a Wii Fit but hasn’t had any success yet.  He’s committed, though, so I know we’ll have one soon!

The best part is that we are sharing something fundamental with each other that will make our lives better.  I’ve always wanted to have that with my significant other, and now I do!  J

Me! An Inspiration!

I’m so excited! The assistant in my office has taken the stairs (1st floor thru 4th) twice today – twice!! – and she says it’s because of me.

Stair climbing is one of my favorite workouts. It’s free, accessible, provides great cardio, and offers options for strength training as well. I do at least 10 sets of stairs (1st thru 4th) every week day, and my co-workers are well acquainted with my obsession.  I’ll give you the details of my stair climbing workout in a future post.

Well, today, our department assistant decided she was going to skip the elevator and take the stairs. She said, “You’ve inspired me.” Whenever I hear that, I get chills. For so long, I was Fat Girl, never a role model for health and fitness. Now, people look to me for advice and inspiration when they want to eat better or incorporate exercise into their days. It’s a great feeling, and I’m honored to share what I’ve learned. J

I Am a Lucky Woman

My boyfriend and I have been going out for about a year and a half. He has not personally known Fat Me, but he has seen me drop about 15 pounds in span of our relationship. He can testify to the fact that I bring my food journal with me everywhere and am constantly writing in it. He can verify that I weigh myself every day, and he knows my struggles to maintain my discipline when others around me are eating with wild abandon. He is a big supporter of my ongoing lifestyle change.

He is also a “burly” guy. In my vernacular, that means that he’s fairly hefty. I like my men that way. Sometimes, though, that extra heft isn’t healthy, and my BF is not happy with the weight he’s put on in recent years. Consequently, we have talked a lot about diet strategies. He has learned to read food labels. An avid movie goer, he has stopped getting butter on his popcorn and now drinks Coke Zero, instead of Mr. Pibb. He is applying the “think small” philosophy I’ve mentioned in previous posts by taking baby steps toward improving his eating habits.

One of his challenges is that he travels a great deal for his business, and it’s very hard to eat healthfully on the road. He’s been implementing small changes by eating fruit at the cafeteria where he’s working and by stocking his hotel room with bottled water, nuts, and string cheese.

Even better, tonight, he sent me a pair of wonderful texts.

Text #1

“For dinner/snacks, I am having kipper snacks, reduced fat Swiss cheese, watermelon, baby carrots, heart healthy mixed nuts, and cherry cider water.”

Text #2

“You are my inspiration. Just unpacked groceries and forgot to mention bananas and Slim Fast Optima peanut butter crunch bars. Now if I can not eat it all tonight.”

My BF not only supports my efforts but is taking steps to improve himself as well. It is something we can work on together, and it shows how much he values my accomplishment. How wonderful to be told by your “significant other” that you are an inspiration! I have heard that from my girlfriends, but hearing it from my man just takes it to a whole new level. I am, indeed, a lucky woman. J