I Cooked?!

Background: I don't cook. Seriously, I don't. In 1991, DH started cooking and has done all the cooking since. He is very good and loves to try some new things. Seriously, he even makes my L&G for me. He is incredible!

On to my point--I cooked today! I have been reading about the different ways others on Medifast are preparing the foods and started thinking that maybe I would try it sometime. For lunch today I cooked my MF scrambled eggs on the stovetop with a few fresh mushrooms, Smart Balance and Cajun seasonings. Wow! It was great. I already liked the eggs, but this was even better. I may never cook again, but today it was fun!

Angel's Rest

I thought I would post about something other than weight loss for once! For those of you waiting--the slide shows of our trip to DC are coming. We had a great time and enjoyed the break!

This last Thursday we headed back out to one of my very favorite place to hike in the Columbia Gorge--Angel's Rest. It is 2.3 miles to the top with a 1,500 foot elevation gain. It is steep, but the view from the top is so worth the effort. The clouds hadn't cleared when we started up, but when we broke through the trees the sky was clear blue. It was wonderful to just sit quietly and enjoy God's creation.

Above: Jeff looking over the Columbia river with I84 in the down below.

Below: Juanita standing on a rock formation just before the end of the trail.

I have tears in my eyes!

I am so excited and humbled and amazed. Why was I nervous? I rocked this week. I stayed OP and exercised and drank tons of water. And it payed off. 5.2 pounds in my 6th week! I am so happy for MF. Nothing prepared me for how well it would work. Nothing has worked like this.

However, even MF wouldn't work if I weren't ready to really commit to staying the course. God has wrought so many changes in me during the course of this. I am so grateful to Him and humbled by His grace!

Day 42

I really can't believe that it is already this far into it. Tomorrow is my weigh in and I am nervous for the first time. I am so close to the 160s and I want to get there this week. I know that I will get there eventually, but for some reason this really means a lot to me this week. I will be disappointed if I don't, but I won't give up either. After all, it will take 4.1 pounds to get there. I do sneak a peek during the week, but nothing is "official" until Wednesday morning.

During the last 42 days, my attitude about food has changed. I am beginning to see food as fuel not a reward. I enjoyed the bbq with family and the conversation without focusing on the chips and strawberry shortcake. I actually enjoy the smell of a cake baking without considering eating it. I have come to realize that it won't be worth it in the long run.

Some of the temptations are different with our business. I cannot clear my house of high calorie foods. DH & I care for 4 seniors with Alzheimer's disease in our home. I have to work to keep them from losing weight so we serve high calorie foods and desserts. I sit at the table during dinner and feed two of our residents ice cream and cake. It makes for interesting thought processing about what I will eat when they finish and the choices I make.

I am tooting my horn because I am really proud of how I am sticking with the plan. I have never stuck with any diet this long. And I don't want to quit. Yes, I do have days where I want to cheat "just a little bit." But I don't and that is the best thing I know to do.

Way Back When...

All the way back in high school (22 years ago), I thought I was so fat. I was surrounded by super skinny friends. I played sports and walked a lot on our family's 32 acres. I had a really hard time getting clothes to fit since I had a tiny waist and big hips. Mom made nearly all my clothes and I wan't into fashion much. I'd rather be reading or outside. The point of this is that I weighed only 130 pounds then. But my perspective of myself was distorted. I placed all my worth on what I thought others thought of me.

Over the years, I wasn't able to change that perception. I was a perfectionist who would not be satisfied with anything I did unless it was exactly the way I believed it should be. And with that, my weight continued to rise. After all, if I could not get it all off and look exactly like the "perfect" body type, why should I even try. I knew I would fail. And by knowing that, I would have set myself up for failure.

Before I started MF or any other diet program, I had to change my view of myself. I needed to see that the way others perceive me means nothing. Only God's perception of me made any difference. He was the only one that I need to please. And He doesn't care if something is perfect. He just wants me to use every talent and skill that he gave me to do what is right. So, here I am, on MF and losing weight. I am not doing this for anyone else or even for myself. I am doing it for God simply because it is right and He wants only the very best for me.

We're Back!

We arrived back home about 2:00 this morning after a 2 hour delay due to storms in the midwest. We had a great time in DC. I have always been very patriotic and amazed by the sacrifices of our founding fathers. To view the places where so many of them walked brought home the truth that it really happened. Our hotel was a mile from the mall and we walke there daily. I am going to check our daily mileage on Map My Run, but I think we walked about 4-7 miles daily not including time spent in the museums. When I think about the most moving things we viewed, I would have to put Arlington National Cemetary near the top. However, one of the last things were saw were the Declaration of Independence, the Consitution and the Bill of Rights. It was so incredible to actually read part of the Constitution in the rotunda. We were able to see everything we wanted within DC and several things twice.

As for the diet... Actually it didn't go too bad. I wasn't able to stay entirely on plan, but I made good choices most of the time. I ended up lossing .2 pound, but I lost 2 inches. The one thing I think would have made the most difference was eating more often and drinking more water. All in all, a learning experience. And I think the first time I actually lost weight on a vacation!

YIPPEE!!!!!

3.5 pounds this week! WOW! I lost a total of 19.8 pounds in only 4 weeks! This exhilaration is amazing! I was hoping to lose up to 15 pounds, but I smashed that goal! Today’s weight of 174.2 means so many things.

1. My BMI is 29.9. I am no longer obese!
2. I weigh less than my driver’s license says!
3. I weigh less than my DH who weighs just a bit more than when we were married 20 years ago!

I am sooooo loving this feeling. I know there will be days that I don’t feel this great ad the scale doesn’t seem to move. But for now, I am going to celebrate every singe ounce of joy I feel!!!

28 Days!

I really thought that after 28 days I would really want to stop doing this. I thought that I would be sick of dieting and want to get back to whatever I was doing before. I thought I would be so sick of lettuce and chicken that I wouldn't want to see either again for months.

But I'm not any of that. I am excited to start my next four weeks. I am excited to keep going and losing this baggage I carry on my body. I look forward to my L&G of chicken and lettuce every day. I can't wait to step on the scale each week. I love the fact that I am losing weight!

I will NOT feel guilty!

I won't. I decided when I started this diet that occasionally I would have a treat. I decided that I would not justify it by saying I deserved it for working out more or for being stressed or for any reason. And I had my first treat today. DH & I have Mondays off and we went out to a late lunch. We were given a giftcard for the Cheesecake Factory when one of our residents died in January. (I am sure you know where I am going now...) Well, I ordered the grilled chicken medallions with vegetables and without the rice. I didn't touch the bread! However, for dessert, DH ordered a cheesecake which I had decided I would try. I had 4 small bites of the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. It was very good and I savored each bite. Then I quit. I didn't eat more. I stayed within my personal boundaries. I will not feel guilty.

Just Sittin'

Just a sittin' here sipping on my strawberry creme shake. As I finished a bunch of paperwork for my staff, I realized I was getting a little hungry (Which is why I knew it was time for another meal.) And I realized how unhungry I am. I get the munchies sometimes, but I don't really get hungry. That is the difference with MF as opposed to other things I have tried. Well, that and that MF actually works...

I am scared about getting to my goal weight and going off MF. After all, I put it on once, it can certainly happen again. But this time I am different. I spent a lot of time working through some issues before I started. I realize I eat out of boredom and stress. I realize I have used my weight as insulation from the world. This time I am confident that my mind can keep up with my body.

Another Day

It is 11:00 pm and it is time to close out for another day. It was a good day. Got things done that needed doing, ate OP and walked 3 miles this evening. That is all I can ask of each day. One step forward. I have been thinking about my mom a lot lately. I really miss her. She has been gone nearly 4 years, but I think about her everyday. She had become my best friend. I know she would be proud of me for doing this and for staying on track. I guess, in some sense, I am doing this for her.

Shopping for Clothes

I went shoping for new clothes today. We are going on vacation next week and I need a couple of tee shirts and shorts. It was honestly the best time I have had clothes shopping in years! I walked out of the dressing room chanting, "They're too big! They're too big!" I actually bought a pair of size 12 jeans. The only problem is the waist is too big. I always had that problem growing up. My hips fit one size while my waist was another. It is nice to have that "problem" again!

Unreasonable Disappointment

So, I was a little disappointed that I only lost 2.2 pounds this week. (My head knows that is unreasonable, but my heart wants to get to my goal.) After all, if I look at this in perspective, there are several great things about 2.2 pounds lost.

1. I have never had a diet that consistently helped me lose weight week after week. Usually it is one pound this week then none for 3 weeks.

2. I am not even considering quitting! Usually when I get 2-3 weeks into a diet, I get bored and think just one little cheat is okay. Then I have "cheated" and it isn't worth the effort anymore.

3. 2.2 pounds is more than 7,000 calories. I burned that many more calories than I ate. That is truly amazing!

So, I will not let a little disappointment get me down. After all, This week was very stressful and I still worked through the diet and ate great. One gelato with my family doesn't end the world! And, on top of all that, I have lost 16.3 pounds in just 3 weeks. That is truly something to celebrate! Now to celebrate with a manicure or something other than food!!!!

A Diet

I started Medifast on May 13th. So far it has been a great experience. The food is good--okay, most of it has been good. My husband is really supportive. That is so helpful since he does the cooking for the household. When we have a day off and we go out to eat, he always asks me what I would like and if I can get what I need there. I am really hopeful and see a light at the end of the weight loss tunnel!