That is a grade schooler!

I've lost 300 sticks of butter y'all. THREE ZERO ZERO. That is 75 pounds! Shut the freaking front door! Actually 75.2 to be exact. It is amazing. I got more bling for my weight watchers key chain (you get something new for each 25 pounds) and feel amazing. It has been a pretty big week for me all around. I announced to my team at work that I will be transitioning to a new position. I took a lateral move to another claims department- which I am beyond excited for! One of current co-workers became engaged over the weekend and because I soon won't be able to see her every day I added as a friend on Facebook, if you know me I barely use my Facebook, I almost never post anything myself, often other people just tag me when we are together. Well she said my profile picture looked nothing like me and I needed to update. So yesterday after my momentous 75 pounds I took a couple of new pictures. I am against selfies in general but my roommate was out of town and desperate times call for desperate measures. The best part of the whole thing? Facebook's facial recognition program couldn't guess that the update profile picture was me. I had changed so much that it wasn't able to identify me!!! Take that Facebook! Hahaha. I was able to spot that my niece Emily should be tagged as my sister, and that my nephews should be tagged as Chelsey but didn't have any suggestions so me. Plus I have been getting a lot of love in the form of likes and comments, which is amazing. Not why I posted an updated picture but I don't tire of hearing how good I look. One my friends even texted me to say how I amazing I looked. I was feeling the love to the max. It has been amazing. But I need someone to help with some more pictures, if you want to come to Des Moines to do a photo shoot let me know I will pay you in love and beer or wine!

6/29/2013 75 pounds gone!

Another milestone for the books...

Back in March when I signed up for the Klompen Classic I imagined the weather for May 1st-3rd was going to be amazing and gorgeous in the high 60's to 70's sunny and amazing. Much like the weather last weekend. What did I end up with? SNOW, it's freaking May Iowa, why is it still snowing? Has anyone seen the internet memes that picture and a copy machine saying something super crazy and it is like: Go Home copy machine, you are drunk. That is exactly what I want to say to the Spring. Go Home Spring, you're drunk.

Anyway back to the original point, when I signed up for this race, I also took the next two days off work planning on attending Tulip Time in all the amazing weather we were to be having. Except, we didn't, have amazing weather I mean. I have seen tulip time before so I just skipped the whole thing and drove home Thursday morning. Thursday's are normally my weigh in days for weight watchers but because I weigh in at work, and I wasn't at work I decided to give myself one more day to recover from the Taco Johns I felt I had earned after my race. Really I did earn it and I think between my daily points and activity points I stayed within my allotment. But it was a lot more sodium than I try to intake prior to weigh in so I wanted to give my body another day to recover. Instead I picked out the earliest meeting available on Friday, morning meetings are the best because it is similar to when my normal weigh in is, and I don't necessary have to eat prior=better weigh in. I had attending this particular meeting before, in December right after I had moved and once again had missed my normal weigh in do to vacation. Ironically enough it snowed on that day too.

This meeting was totally unlike my usual meetings, I showed up about 10 minutes early and the line for weigh in was almost to the door. This meeting was hopping. Weigh in went well, I lost 1.2 pounds- for a total of 65.2 pounds. Shut the front door! 65.2, that is 260 sticks of butter y'all. They  asked if I wanted to stay and celebrate and I said yes. It was great hearing from different people about their success and struggles. And I was so, so pleased to share my celebration with the group. It might have been because no one knew me, or because the leader made such a big deal, but I could not stop smiling, I was so proud of the that 65.2 pounds. Plus the applause is amazing for the ego. When you are in the middle of it, it is easy to lose sight oh how amazing that loss is, but this group made me really feel how awesome it truly was. After the meeting several people stopped me to congratulate me personally and ask me how long I had been on WW. It was great. We have a pretty small core at work group, which I like, I feel like I really can get to know others, but I worry sometimes that I contribute to much. I have never been a person who can handle awkward silences, when our leader asks questions I feel like I have to speak up and rescue her so we aren't just sitting in silence for 30 minutes. It was a nice change of pace to just be able to sit back and enjoy what everyone else was saying.

My experience was very uplifting today. Happy Friday y'all!

It's working and also all I ever talk about...

I realize that all of my posts lately have been boring updates about me losing weight. But deal with it, its a big deal and you get to hear all about it. I am excited to announce I have lost (never ever to find again) 55.6 pounds. Last Thursday was also my six month anniversary with WW. I am super pleased with my progress. I also feel like I have learned so much about eating better and listening to my body when it comes to hunger.

Running updates:
Red Flannel Run 2/16/13: 38.06
Gene Van Wyk Memorial Run 3/30/13: 35.46

I cut over 2 minutes off my time! It rained the entire time, especially hard at both the beginning and the end. I know I had improved some but I was very pleased with how much faster I went. Not all of the events I have signed up for are timed, but I still hope that over the next few months I will continue to be able to get faster and faster. I also was able to run the first 1.25 miles without walking. For some that might not be such a big deal, but it is the first time I can ever remember doing that. With me I think of lot of what stops me is mental. Fortunately I seem to respond really well to goals. And before this race I checked out the course map and knew approximately where the one mile mark was (it also happened to be labeled on the course). This time I just told myself I wasn't stopping before I jogged past that one mile mark. I just kept going and it worked! I am going to continue to push myself to run further and further each time until I can eventually run the whole time.

Pre Race (my hair actually looks cute)

Pushing it at the finish line (one of the reasons I know I can push myself more is that I also have the energy left to sprint to the finish)

Post race. The rain completely destroyed my look, but it felt so good to have an improved finish.

200 sticks of Butter

I did it! Hit it right on the nose even. As of 3/7/13 I lost 50 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!

It was all so exciting and then I had to go back to work.

I am working on getting some before and after pictures up so everyone can be amazed at my progress. So keep checking back.

Leave some love!
-Lynne

192.8 Sticks of Butter

Since starting my weight loss journey in October I've lost (and by lost I mean said goodbye and never plan on finding again) 192.8 sticks of butter. For people who don't naturally picture losses in sticks of butter like me that is 48.2 pounds. I am pretty sure that might be my Johnson nephew's put together. Can you imagine losing a Charley and Drew?

I feel a lot better, the difference is pretty evident to people who haven't seen me in a while, and people who didn't even know I was trying to loss weight have noticed.

One of the perks and drawbacks are my clothes. I have lost 4 sizes in my pants. Which means everything that I used to wear last fall looks pretty sad now. Because I am apparently a border line hoarder I had some smaller sizes still in my closet but I am down to 2 pairs of jeans (which were new purchases) I'm willing to wear outside my place. And work clothes are tricky because most of my pants don't have belt loops, it will become necessary to hold my pants up soon. Last month I traveled to Oskaloosa and my lovely Mother tailored a giant pile of my clothes. Where I was able to squeeze another week or two out of them it soon became evident I was fighting a losing battle with sag, and all of those pants save one pair were donated to goodwill last week. At this point I am praying for warm weather, I have dresses and skirts in my closet that I am hopeful will be able to get me through spring with the right placement of a belt or cardigan.

I have a biometric screening scheduled for March 11th. My goal is to have crossed the 50 pound loss mark by then. I know they are going to tell me I need to lose weight, but at least I will be able to tell them that I am 50 pounds in better shape than 6 months ago.

Self Restraint thy name is Lynne

I guess for the first Monday of every month my gym gives out Pizza. This is probably something I would have figured out a lot sooner if I regularly went to the gym at all over the last year. I started using my gym membership again once I started WW in late September. My whole mindset is since I have quite the journey until my ultimate goal weight I might as well get running (lets be honest here, slowly jogging) toward it. However tonight right as I show up to my gym so do piping hot Papa John's pizzas, like tons of them. This should be illegal right? AM I RIGHT? How does a gym get off giving out pizza??? I showed some amazing restraint, if I must say so myself, by simply checking in with the front desk and proceeding to complete my workout. I even avoided the pizza once again on my way out, double restraint! The good news appears to be that I won't have to face that particular challenge again for a least a month.

68 sticks of butter

I like to equate my weight loss in terms of sticks of  butter. It seems all the more impressive that way. As of 10:45 this morning I had lost 68 sticks of butter (17 pounds!). This really went above and beyond my expectations. I am truly amazed I managed to loose during the week of my vacation and the week following. Which really is a huge testament to the amazing and healthy food Aunt Cheryl was making me. Thanks again!!!! This week I passed two major goals, my 5% weight loss goal, and the 15 pound weight loss mark. My next goal is 25 by Christmas, it will definitely be a challenge but I want that motivation to get me through the holiday meals.

Progress

As of 10/25 I have lost a total of 8.2 pounds. To put that into a completely odd and unnecessary comparison that is 32 sticks of butter. Practically 33 sticks! Everyone can think of me and the 32 sticks less of butter I am carrying around when they start their holiday baking.

Goals and Going for it

The last week of September I joined weight watchers. I had considered it a couple of time before but had never taken the plunge. This time a couple of women I work with wanted to join as well. One of the perks of my new job is being back at the Jordan Creek campus and having the chance to go to weight watchers at work meetings. Now I have a picture of Jennifer Hudson hanging up in my office and two other people to talk about challenges and food plans with. This is just my second week, but last week I lost 3.2 pounds! I have done a good job of getting rid of the not great for me food in my apartment and replacing it with fruits and veggies. Now when I want to snack I am grabbing something healthy. I also plan to eliminate fast food, I did this for lent this year, so I know I can do it. I am hoping for the bonus of also saving some money. My biggest challenge so far has been planning meal for the week prior to shopping on Sundays. I am still looking for easy to do, low point recipes so I don't end up eating salad every day of the week.