Rome Wasn't Built in a Day...

...and all your weight loss won't happen in the first month. Let's face it. The ability to lose weight and keep it off is not easy. If losing weight were easy the weight loss industry wouldn't be making a fortune off of weight loss challenges. Probably the number one why people fail is they do not focus on long-term strategies for success. Achieving and maintaining your ideal weight is a lifestyle choice and anyone who tries to convince you otherwise really doesn't have your best interests at heart. This is why simple dieting doesn't work for maintaining, but only works as a quick fix, sometimes. 


In the beginning of any weight loss journey, it seemed that the fat just starts to melt off. I remember my second week in Weight Watchers, I lost almost 6 lbs! The most I've lost in one week since then is around 4 lbs but that surely does not happen often. Typically, when I have a loss, I'm losing between .5 & 2.0 lbs a week, which is a perfect rate. Some weeks I gain. Some week I maintain. 


For Christmas last year (2010) I received the Weight Watchers scale. This thing is awesome! You can program up to four people in this scale and it tells you your BMI, bone density % and water weight %. The problem with this awesome, high-tech scale is that I weight myself multiple times a day when before this scale, it was once a week, at my meeting. I've notice there are two ways that people who weigh at home during the week look at the situation. If you see a loss on the scale (a) you are proud that you've lost and you "treat" yourself to something you otherwise wouldn't. Maybe you treat yourself twice because you are really excited you did so well to lose, or (b) you see the loss and it motivates you to maintain that loss or keep losing to ensure a good weigh-in. I am guilty of both situations but I tend to lean more towards situation b. Thankfully. 


There is another problem with weighing yourself throughout the week. What if you see a large gain? "...but how could I gain 3.0 lbs since yesterday!?!?" In the first week of owning my new scale, I swear to you I weighed myself 4-6 times a day. Not because I thought I'd keep losing during the day but because I wanted to see the differences. I'd weigh myself in the morning (undoubtedly the lightest you'll weigh all day), after breakfast, with clothes on, then off, after dinner and right before bed. Throughout the day my weight could fluctuate up to 4.0 lbs. 


Unless you are able to handle the kind of situation where you weigh increases or decreases, sometimes dramatically, from day to day, I recommend (a) only weighing in once a week, at a set time and day of the week or (b) if you want to weigh yourself daily, do it at the same time every day. If you weigh at breakfast today, don't weigh after dinner tomorrow.  


It's going to take a while, especially if you are at the beginning of your journey, to be where you want to be. I'm right on target to have lost 52 lbs in 52 weeks. (Fingers crossed) That breaks down to 1 lb a week for a year. There have been gains and losses throughout the year of up to around 3.5 lbs, so I like that it evens out to a pound a week, even though that doesn't seem like much. 


If you choose to weigh yourself daily, don't be upset if the numbers are not what you expect. And don't let it slow you down on your journey. Remember, it takes time! If you wanted to be at your goal in a month you would go on a strict, unhealthy diet for a short amount of time but as soon as you bring back your regular foods, you will put it all back on and probably then some because you will feel like you've denied yourself. The key to maintaining and achieving your goals is to modify the habit you have and learn healthier ways to eat. Not to take foods out. It's very unrealistic to say you will never eat a hamburger again. 

"All You See, I Owe to Spaghetti"

Thank you, Sophia Loren, for the title to my latest post. How true is that quote? "All you see, I owe to spaghetti." ...feel free to replace spaghetti with whatever you so chose. For me, I'll stick to the spaghetti. I can definitely contribute a few of my womanly curves to a few plates of spaghetti, there's no doubt about it!
I love a good macaroni night. I'll take spaghetti, linguine, penne, ...I think you've caught my drift. Just because I've been on this weight loss journey does not mean I have given up any of the foods I love, I've just modified them in some ways. I've turned my household from a strictly flour-enriched pasta home to a whole wheat pasta home. I heard rumors about how whole wheat pasta is an acquired taste but we switched quite smoothly. There is one thing I haven't made since beginning this journey. Alfredo sauce. Oh how I love that rich, smooth, creamy texture of the cheesy Alfredo sauce. Could I still eat it on my weight loss plan? Absolutely I can. There is nothing I can't eat in fact. Do I choose to disregard the Alfredo sauce? Yes. Although I may make it once in a great while (haven't yet since my journey), I will take the strides possible to modify the original Alfredo sauce to a healthier, less fat Alfredo sauce.

This is where I find a lot of people get off track. There is one thing they love so much that they absolutely refuse to modify it in any way possible. I have to say I believe that if you have the willpower to cut back on the culprit that put you in this position, then okay, no problem. Enjoy it once in a while. However, if it is still a staple in your monthly rotation of dinners, why not try to find a way to improve it? Chances are, once it's improve you could have it more often and in many cases I have found that the modified version tastes just as delicious if not more delicious!

Willpower is defined by Webster Dictionary as "control of one's impulses and actions; self-control."

I have learned throughout the past year that I have a large amount of willpower. More than I ever thought I could have. I am not saying this to gloat or to make anyone feel poorly if that is something you know you need to work on, but I'm saying it because it is something I learned about myself in the past year. I believe that it is a quality that has helped keep me on track and on continuous weight-loss for so long. I have an incredibly strong mind. That is to say, I talk to myself all the time, silently. I know that I can mentally prepare myself for things whereas before this journey, I never gave it a shot.

When there are parties to attend, dinners with friends, social events that involve food - it is so important to myself that I talk to myself before and set a goal for myself. I haven't been perfect but at least I knew that there was a goal and whether I was able to reach it or not and then next modify that goal so I can be successful. As a society, we've put food on a pedestal, haven't we? Why do most social events revolve around food? It's something we all have in common. We all need to eat. We all enjoy a nice meal out where we don't have to prepare or clean up.

In these situations, I use my willpower the most. I've learned that when I go out, my best chance at having a successful evening, is sharing a meal with someone. Usually then I can say, "Yeah, okay let's get an appetizer first, and split our meal." It's also so much cheaper! I find that I try new things this way too because it isn't just about what I want, but what my dinner partner wants as well.

My one year anniversary is approaching quickly. Looking back, I have been very successful using the tools that work for me. Most important to me, is channeling my inner willpower and using it. Maybe not with 100% accuracy - but with enough accuracy that I can enjoy my life, not feel deprived and still have a successful week of weight loss.

That's really what it's all about, right? Again, as society, we plan dinner dates, we look forward to meals all day long, we can't wait to sit around the dinner table with our families and eat and chat. You can eat what you like, you don't have to be deprived and you can still lose weight. It's all in using your willpower to know when to stop when you are content, not stuff. It's filling up on good things before a large meal. It's portion control. It's not going someplace where you might disappoint yourself with your choices, starving. I've made poor poor choices while starving, even recently - but I can own up to those mistakes and think more carefully about it the next time the situation rolls by.

Try to have a conversation with yourself. If you do it silently, no one will look at you funny, I promise. ;-)

Struggling with Self-Image

I was talking with my husband the other night, trying to explain this feeling I have. He said he understood what I was trying to express but it still seems hard to put into words.

Since I've lose weight, I've inevitably lose inches. Many inches. Going from a size 14 to a size 8, currently. I also am no longer 188 lbs, but in the middle 130's. I can wear a size small in tops, I've lost almost 2 cup sizes in my bras. That being said, I don't feel very different.

When I get dressed and go shopping, of course I feel great that I can wear these smaller sizes now. But when I talk with other people who are thin or who have lost weight, I don't put myself in the same category as them. I don't think of myself as still being "fat", but I don't think of myself as "skinny" either. Then again, I never put myself in the "fat" category to begin with. I don't have poor body image, it's quite the opposite and always has been which is probably why it took so long for me to realize I needed to lose weight. But when I talk with these other people who have lost weight, I don't picture myself as thin like them or in some cases, thinner than them. I still look at them as I did when I was heavy.

I said this was hard to explain. I haven't lied.

When I look in the mirror, I see skinny. I see healthy. But when put in a group of people who have had the same journey, I think I put myself still in the beginning stages of my journey, like they are the alumni of this club. But it doesn't make me feel badly about myself by any means. Just not an equal.

Gosh. This sounds worse than when I actually verbalized it!

Recipes - Baked Strawberries with Sweet Ricotta Cream

I made this dessert for my family over the summer and it was a big hit. It's really easy to make and super delicious!

 

Course: desserts

PointsPlus™ Value:    2

Servings:  6

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking Time:  10 min

Level of Difficulty:  Moderate

Ingredients

2 cup(s) strawberries, very sweet, hulled and sliced  

1/4 cup(s) sugar substitute, divided  

2 spray(s) cooking spray  

4 large egg white(s)  

1 tsp fresh lemon juice  

1/2 cup(s) fat-free ricotta cheese  

1/4 cup(s) fresh blueberries  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine strawberries and 3 tablespoons of sugar substitute in a blender container; puree and set aside.

Lightly coat six 8-oz soufflé dishes with cooking spray. Dust sides of soufflé dishes with 2 teaspoons of sugar substitute; set aside.

Combine egg whites and lemon juice in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; do not beat until dry. Gently fold strawberry puree into egg whites; spoon into prepared soufflé dishes. Place dishes on a baking sheet and bake until puffed and firm, about 10 minutes; remove from oven.

Stir remaining teaspoon of sugar substitute into ricotta cheese. Top each soufflé dish with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of sweetened ricotta cheese; sprinkle with blueberries and serve immediately.

Celebrate Yourself - Milestones

A key ingredient that has helped me be successful is setting small, obtainable goals for myself. It's great to say you want to lose 50, 75 or 100 lbs but what is going to help you get there? What about the first 10 lbs you lose? Isn't that a success in itself? Celebrate it! Here are my goals - some that I've achieved and some I am still working towards:

50 lbs charm I received at my meeting today

Committing to a lifestyle change: Completed Feb. 8, 2010 (188 lbs)
5% Goal: Completed Mar. 8, 2010 (178.4 lbs)
10% Goal: Completed Apr. 5, 2010 (168.8 lbs)
25 lbs lost: Completed Jun. 1, 2010 (161.0 lbs)
15% Goal: Completed Jun. 21, 2010 (157.4 lbs)
20% Goal: Completed Oct. 18, 2010 (149.8 lbs)
25% Goal: Completed Dec. 13, 2010 (140.0 lbs)
50 lbs lost: Completed Jan. 17, 2011 TODAY!! (137.2 lbs)
30% Goal: TBD - Weight needs to be 133.6 lbs
35% Goal: TBD - Weight needs to be 122.2 lbs
GOAL: TBD - Currently 116.0 lbs - Could change


The goals I've highlighted are those that Weight Watchers sets for members. I don't know about you, but I love a good celebration so I set more goals for myself so that I could celebrate more frequently! There are other goals I like to set, NSV goals. NSV = Non-Scale Victories! Those are almost more fun to celebrate than number goals. A NSV for example would be fitting into your "skinny" jeans that you saved but may have thought to yourself, "I'll never fit into these again." Another NSV might be making a good food choice while out at a restaurant when before you might have chosen the high calorie/fat food. Knowing what you know now - you can make a better informed decision about what you put into your body. Maybe you could barely walk a mile on the treadmill when you began working out, but today you ran a mile or maybe two...NSV!!! Celebrate these things, as little as they may be!

What are some NSV you have celebrated or maybe should have celebrated but you didn't think they meant much because it wasn't exactly the number you were looking for on the scale?

As you achieve your goals you've set for yourself, it's inevitable that your clothes start to become loose. I find that bittersweet. For a while I was excited that my clothes were getting loose but I still knew I had a lot of weight to lose to buying new clothes didn't seem very economical. I began feel like I looked like a bum going out in baggy clothes when really I wanted to show off my new slimming curves! I walked into a Goodwill store near my house, reluctant at first because I didn't want to admit I was looking to buy clothes from a resale shop. Now, I go to Goodwill a few times a month and buy jeans! Name brand - designer jeans for $4.99! Now I don't care if they don't fit me in a month, I just recycle them back to Goodwill and buy a new pair. It's the smartest way to keep your wardrobe updated on a budget.

Start to set small, obtainable goals for yourself. They don't even have to be weight loss related, but if you get into the habit of setting goals you will be more likely to achieve those goals and be happier with yourself.

Until next time, I'm signing off 50 lbs lighter than 47 weeks ago.

Recipes - Spicy Black Bean Soup

Spicy Black Bean Soup - This is one of my favorite recipes and I make it pretty often. It's incredibly filling. I usually will make a double batch and freeze it in smaller bags for an easy side to a meal any night of the week. Enjoy!

  

Course: soups

PlusPOINTS® Value: 4

Servings:  8

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking Time:  30 min

Level of Difficulty:  Moderate

 Ingredients

1 spray(s) cooking spray   

1 medium onion(s), finely chopped   

4 medium garlic clove(s), minced   

45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)   

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste   

1 tsp ground cumin   

14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth   

10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel Tomatoes   

11 oz canned yellow corn, drained   

Instructions

• Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
  
  
• Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot. 
  
  
• Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot. 
  
  
• Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving.

Staples to Success

There are certain foods I keep in the house that I've learned about since joining Weight Watchers that are a healthy alternative to other similar foods that are infested with sugar, artificial coloring and words you cannot even pronounce. (Rule: If you cannot pronounce an ingredient, chances are you shouldn't ingest it) These are some of my favorite things to keep around the house to ensure I make good choices.



Fruit! You can't go wrong with fruit! Since the new PointsPlus Program rolled out in November, fruit is ZERO points!! Bananas use to be 2 points, now they are 0!!! The purpose of this is to help people learn to love fruit. I admit, I was a horrible fruit eater, especially when I could grab a Fiber One Chocolate bar for 2 points, who would choose the banana for 2 points instead? But now, I am always stocked up on grapefruits, bananas or any other fruits that are in season. It's a great "grab and go" and it keeps you fuller longer.



VitaTops are a newer favorite of mine. Who needs the whole muffin? When I use to eat muffins I would eat the bottom first and save the best for last...the top! VitaTops are just the tops of the muffin. They come frozen and you can either toast it or pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Again, it's another "grab and go". VitaTops makes lots of other products, but I haven't had the opportunity to try any others because the stores don't sell all varieties, but the website does. These are stuffed with vitamins and 6 grams of fiber. Oh, how I've learned to LOVE fiber filled foods.



Weight Watchers has a plethora of dessert choices. They are all delicious! The GIANT Chocolate Fudge that is pictured really is GIANT. It's huge! Skinny Cow desserts are also a good choice and I will purchase those once in a while, but I mostly stick to Weight Watcher desserts. From chocolate to peanut butter to fruit filled, they have tons of options.



Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats are surprisingly delicious. I prefer the 7 grain over the Whole Wheat - but regardless, I use these for everything from sandwiches to using as a substitute for a bun on a hamburger! I just recently used it as a hamburger bun for the first time and wasn't sure at first, but I didn't want to waste 4 points on a whole wheat hamburger bun when this item is only 2 points. So I toasted it and piled on my regular items (lettuce, pickle, tomato) and it was delicious. I've learned that using items that have less bread product in them taste so much better! I actually can taste more of the lettuce, pickle, tomato and burger rather than it being mostly bun. These are even great as toast in the morning with a little jelly next to your eggs.



Speaking of burgers...I love Boca Burgers. I also get Bubba Turkey Burgers to switch it up. When you add all your veggie topping to your burger (lettuce, pickle, tomato, etc) you can't even tell the difference between a beef, turkey or veggie burger. Honestly. Maybe at first...but I guarantee after the second time you won't even realize it.



Walden Farms has created products that are typically high in calories, fat and carbohydrates and miraculously manipulates them into 0 cal, 0 fat, 0 carb. Unfortunately it is also 0 fiber, 0 protein and 0 other good nutrition, that being said, I keep the ranch dressing in the fridge (only product I've tried so far) because every once in a while I will get tired of the regular fat free dressing and want a nice white creamy dressing. I use to put ranch on everything. But now I can put a little of Walden Farms "ranch" dressing on my salad or use and a dip and it's guilt free. Although it doesn't taste identical to a real ranch dressing, it gets the job done. They have other products such as pancake syrup, chocolate syrup for ice cream and a variety of salad dressings. It's worth checking out but I wouldn't stock up right away without trying first. You can go to their website and find out were products are sold. Meijer sells about 4 or 5 products and it's difficult to find in the store...but it's there.



Giving up Starbucks was something I wasn't going to do and luckily Weight Watchers doesn't encourage you to give up anything you love. I found a delicious drink at Starbucks that is only 4 points for a grande. A Skinny Vanilla or Caramel Latte - only 4 points! I drink coffee at home daily, but I just enjoy my coffee black and I prefer Dunkin Donuts coffee over a regular Starbucks coffee any day, but when I'm wanting something a little sweeter and "fancy" I turn to the Skinny Vanilla Latte! Guilt-free Starbucks if you ask me!

There are many other staples I keep - but this is enough for now. These items give me the chance to eat things I typically would enjoy, but in a healthier, less calorie/fat/carb way to do so. I will try to post some delicious recipes as well that I try.

Until then, stay skinny, readers!

Details, Details, Details!!

I am such a detailed person. A list person. A Post-Its Note kinda gal. Anything that can provide structure and organization in my life I am all about. Certain times are easier than others to stay on a schedule and right now, I'm on a schedule and it feels great. Since this is a weight loss blog, I'll explain how this relates to my eating habits and aids in weight loss.

When I am in a regular school semester, although I have a strict schedule of classes which is good, the rest of the day is pretty much up in the air. Not to mention we have a  lot of freedom in school to come and go as we please if we need to grab something to eat, get something to drink, take a break, etc. Homework load varies weekly - some weeks I don't have time to brush my hair when others I have time to get caught up for the next week in school. My eating habits follow the same trend. I'm usually pretty strict during the school days because I don't eat from the school cafeteria (anymore...oh how I miss the chicken caesar salad) and when I get home it's usually homework then cook dinner, so no big deal.

During breaks (summer/winter/spring) - it's difficult. I don't have a job so I am home all day with many opportunities to eat. I can't say I'd give into temptation because "temptations" are not typically in own house but still eating too much fruit isn't a good thing. Although I maintained losing during my latest break, it is still hard. I began sleeping in until 9 or 10am because I'd get up, make coffee and Facebook for a while and by the time I was hungry I'd eat lunch, then a mid-afternoon snack and dinner. In doing that, I saved a lot of points throughout the day but consequently, missed breakfast, the well-known more important meal of the day. Luckily it's not a habit of mine to skip.

Now I'm student teaching and my days are so structured, it's amazing. I get up at 5:30am and shower. After that I let the dogs out and start the coffee. Then after I do my hair/makeup I head back downstairs for breakfast and coffee. It's great knowing I allow enough time to eat a healthy breakfast before starting my day. The bad thing with my schedule is I have lunch 4th period which is at 11am. I am definitely not use to eating that early and then not again until dinner time which is around 5:30-6pm. While eating a substantial breakfast, then lunch and dinner, I end the day with few points which is good, but I like to use more of my points later in the day rather then early. But there is no worse feeling than standing in front of a bunch of 6th, 7th or 8th graders and feeling hungry or your stomach so loud your students can hear it. So I'm learning how to pace out my allotted points throughout the day. Snacking isn't much of an option with the schedule because if I model appropriate behavior and "NO EATING IN CLASS" is a rule, then we must all abide if we are going to be a community.

A detailed schedule rocks my world. It makes life so much easier and organization is key. I can't wait until I have my own classroom/desk and can organize things in a way that is most sufficient for me. I love my kids, I love my job (pseudo-job, I guess since I don't get paid) and I love my scheduled life. Just because I'm not spontaneous doesn't mean I'm boring - it helps me keep control over things.

How do you keep tabs on things on a daily basis?

Struggles While Succeeding

Everyone struggles with something while they are attempting to reach a goal of any kind. There are always hurdles and boulders in the way that you must pass through if you want to continue your path to success. How do you cope with those struggles? What methods do you have to push though and continue without being defeated?

My biggest struggle is eating when I'm away from home. I love to cook. I prefer to eat at home because the best tasting meals to me are the ones I poured my abilities into. Especially when it's a great healthy meal that everyone loves and doesn't realize it was actually good for them too! However, you can't avoid the invitations to friends' homes or dinners out. We have become pros at eating at restaurants. We don't eat out often at restaurants because it's expensive but when we do go out we always choose sushi. We have a great all you can eat place near our home that is very decently priced. We know that we can go there and eat until we are more than content but it's not a high calorie or high fat meal.

You aren't always in control of where you go out to eat. Let's face it - not every one is a sushi lover. I always try to suggest places that have the nutrition facts available on their website. It's really the safest route if you are able to prepare ahead of time. I will look at the nutrition facts online and then choose what I'm going to have. Then I don't even have to look at the menu at the restaurant and be tempted. In the worst case scenario, when a restaurant doesn't post their nutritional information, I review the menu at home if I can and then when I get to the restaurant, I may sure that I don't order any alcoholic drink before I order. Honestly. If I'm looking at the menu while sipping on a glass of wine, my strength in willpower towards food weakens almost immediately and I make poor food decisions.

The problem lies when we are invited to a friends' home for dinner. Most of the people I know understand where I am in my weight loss journey and they will usually accommodate, not that I need special accommodation, that's the great thing about Weight Watchers, but I think knowing that I'm more conscious about what I eat might make them conscious, even if for that one evening. There are other times though when someone might not take into consideration healthy eating habits and I have to use massive amounts of self-control. One bacon wrapped weeny isn't going to make someone obese, but when I can easily eat the entire pan...that's a different story. They are just so good!

I deal with this struggle by simply asking the host of the dinner what they plan on having and if I can bring something to add. I rely heavily on mental preparation. If I can tell myself over and over in my head, "O.K., tonight there will be [insert weakness here] at this dinner party. Have one to satisfy my craving and that is all I need" It really works. I will also dramatize the food product in my head, thinking maybe they used the extra fat bacon to wrap those weenies in. Sounds silly, but I do and it's proven to work for me.

I'm lucky in that I am not an emotional eater. I would categorize myself more as a "social eater", if there is such thing. How do you deal with emotional eating if you are an emotional eater? What other down falls does one have and what remedies help?

Inspiration

According to Dictionary.com, the following is the definition of "inspiration":

–noun

1.

an inspiring or animating action or influence: I cannot write poetry without inspiration.

2.

something inspired, as an idea.

3.

a result of inspired activity.

4.

a thing or person that inspires.

5.

Theology .

a.

a divine influence directly and immediately exerted uponthe mind or soul.

b.

the divine quality of the writings or words of a person soinfluenced.

6.

the drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation.

7.

the act of inspiring; quality or state of being inspired.

Here is my story:

I met my husband when I was 17 years old, a junior in high school. Being a three season sport athlete (tennis, basketball, track & field), I was constantly working out and in the best shape of my life. It was easy to do. The more I worked out and stayed fit, the better I performed at my sport. Even after I had graduated, I stayed in a great shape, albeit, working at popular restaurant in our city, I was able to eat what I wanted and wouldn't gain an ounce. In retrospect, I wish I would have listen to my Grandma when she'd tell me, "just wait until it catches up with you." I never believed her. Foolish girl.

I became comfortable in my relationship with my husband (then boyfriend) and I began an office job where I sat behind a computer most of the day and where we celebrated individual birthday by bringing in treats multiple times a month and did company picnics and potlucks. It wasn't a great concoction for weight maintenance. I'm sure you can relate - the weight gain is so gradual that you hardly notice it. Honestly, even my favorite pair of jeans stretched with my newly growing self, so it was even more difficult to notice the increase.

I finally saw a picture of myself that someone took and posted on Facebook, while I was singing karaoke at the local pub. I saw that picture and thought, "How gross. You can see chub everywhere!" Standing in front of an audience while belting out Martina McBride, that is certainly how I didn't want to look.

Obesity runs in my family. My first excuse was, it's heredity, look at my family. That was, in fact, an excuse. Anybody can lose weight and after some of the success I've seen from others, I do not accept it when people say they just can't lose weight, they were built that way. That is not true and it is merely an excuse that hundreds of thousands of obese use. Luckily I had inspiration of my own within my family. My aunt, who lost all her weight completely on her own by changing her diet and increasing her exercise, has maintained her weight now for if not over, at least a decade. My other aunt, who didn't have much to lose, joined Weight Watchers and my uncle followed her, losing 75 lbs that year.

They would tell me that I was putting on weight and that I better catch it. I brushed it off, came up with excuses. I wasn't ready to admit and put forth the effort to lose it. But after seeing that picture, I was ready.

I joined Weight Watchers on February 8, 2010 at 24 years old weighing in for my first time as a member at 188.0 lbs. I am only 5 foot 1 inch and the healthy weight guidelines for my height are between 106 and 132 lbs. I was obese according to the charts. I was slightly fortunate that I seemed to have carried my weight well. I was very proportionate, so I don't believe I looked as heavy as I was. Regardless, 188 lbs is 188 lbs. And unacceptable.

I am now approaching my one year anniversary on Weight Watchers. As of January 3, 2011 I was down a total of 46 lbs, weighing in at 142 lbs. By February 8th, I'd like to have lost at least 50 lbs. It's absolutely an attainable goal. My June 1, 2011 I would like to be at my goal. My goal may change. 116 lbs is my goal and I chose that goal because I was 117 lbs when I met my husband. How great would it be to be one pound less? However, I am not 17 years old anymore, and I will re-assess my goal weight when I reach about 130 lbs and may move my goal weight to between 120-125 lbs.

Lately I've been told I've been an inspiration. I've also been asked if I believe I've been an inspiration. To answer that, I'd say, not intentionally. I do post about my weight loss victory and also my weight loss set backs (everybody has them). I've accepted who I am, I've accepted that I had an eating problem, I've accepted that without hard work and dedication you won't get what you want.

For those beginning your weight loss journey, I hope to provide the blog with tips, advice, success and set backs.

I'll leave you with this first bit of advice:

Dieting will not make you successful. Yes, you will lose what you want to lose but once you lose it you go back to your regular eating habits. That's a diet right? Drastically decrease your caloric intake for fast, quickly results. Successful weight loss is a lifestyle. It's becoming knowledgeable about what you put into your body. You do not have to give up anything you love. Not even chocolate. I promise.

"You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be" - David Viscott

*Photo #1 was taken in October, 2009 at the Best Buddies Halloween party, with my buddy Lenore.

*Photo #2 was taken December 31, 2010. Notice I'm wearing the SAME shirt.