Hi (again) from Texas!

[BiggerInTexas]

Hello! Another Prodigal Daughter returns! I've been away, but I'm back with renewed motivation and conviction! I'm so embarrassed of falling off the wagon, but you all are my accoutability team, so I know I need to stand up and 'fess, "Hello, my name is Stacey, and I'm a food-aholic..."

I lost 30 lbs pretty easily this time last year, but as we got into summer, I just got too confident. I found out that if I cheated a little here or there, I still lost weight! So cheating once in a blue moon turned into cheating all the time...ya'll know the story. So here I go again!

There are some things I learned the first time around that'll make me stronger this time:

DON'T CHEAT!
I know, that's a gimme, but it's a lesson hard learned for me.

I know I can drink water!
Sounds silly, but I was a Coke a sweet tea girl all the way! At first I hated the water - I could feel it sloshing around in my stomach, yuck. Giving up the tea and Coke was one of the hardest things I ever did, but now I can't even drink diet soda, much less the real thing! I still have a glass of tea with Splenda once in a while, but water is what I really crave! On a side note - I've discovered those new momentum drinks (not the meal replacements) and I love 'em! They definitely make getting the water requirement in easy!

Stay away from the break room!
At the doc's office where I work drug reps often bring us breakfast, lunch and snacks, which lets them get a chance to show their products to us. So the break room is a pit of temptation for me! I now go into the the break room with tunnel vision - straight to the fridge for my water or my meal, then right back out again. No lingering!

Be sure to eat every three hours, no matter what!
I've found if I go any longer, temptation is FAR harder to resist.

Don't fear the treadmill!
I HATE to sweat. No, really. REALLY! This one I'm still working on. It's a struggle every day for me to make myself exercise. But I'm hoping against hope that if I keep pushing it (like the water issue), eventually I'll get as comfortable with exercise as I am with water now.

In August I'm scheduled for a breast reduction. I talked with the plastic surgeon about also getting lipo on my stomach and booty. My booty has always been really round, even when I was thin. The policy at their office is that they don't do lipo unless the patient's BMI is less than 30, and I'm at 35 now. It'll take about 25 lbs to get me to 30. If I can make it there by August, I can get the lipo at the same time I get the reduction. I've decided to go on the assumption that it can be done - and DO it!

It's good to see you all again! Thanks for all the support!

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Stacey,
How are things going?

[Diana]

Hiya, Stacey.

Isn't it amazing how hard it is sometimes to remember and implement those lessons??

The great thing is you're BACK! Go get 'em!!

[BiggerInTexas]

Hi, Ya'll! It's good to see you all again!

I'm doing great so far! Last year I started at 230 lbs and made it to somewhere below 180. This time I'm starting at 220, and this past week I lost 6 lbs! I weighed in at 214 today! I'm headin' at the right direction!

And wouldn't you know it, but today I had to remind myself of the "No Hanging In The Breakroom" rule. A rep brought us a tray of breakfast sweets this morning, and breads and cakes are a big downfall for me. At lunch several in the office brought back Chic-Fil-A, and man, I do love me some fried chicken! I ate my MF chicken soup and pouted a little, but then I reminded myself that I have a goal to reach, and Chic-Fil-A will still be there when I'm skinny me!

So now I have TWO reasons to get the lard out! First, I need to make it to 180 or below by August to get the lipo done when I go for the breast reduction. And yesterday, my brother's fiancee asked me to be a bridesmaid in their wedding next spring! She and the other bridesmaids are skinny little things, and I refuse to be the "fat one" in all the pics this time! So after I hit 180 by August, that'll give me another 8 months or so to get to my goal!

Next up, facing my old enemy: EXERCISE. Blech.