| July 18, 2008 This month has been about getting consistent with my workouts and my eating. I feel like I have been very successful and it is starting to show on my friend the scale. I use the work “friend” loosely. 😉 I stopped using the FIRM this month in favor of a regular yoga practice. I joined a local yoga studio and went through a Beginner’s introductory series. In addition to the yoga studio I also joined a local running club. I haven’t missed a run yet in my current training rotation and I feel so great because of it. The consistency in my workouts has led to a consistency in my eating. Others are also starting to notice my improvements, which always helps! Of course it doesn’t hurt that the first place I lose weight is in my face, lol. |
| June 16, 2008 So what have I accomplished since October of 2007? I have managed to maintain my weight within 5 lbs of 195 lbs. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t put effort into weight loss, but my consistency was just off a little. I would go two weeks being great and then two weeks being bad and end up back at square 1. However in that time I have been pretty consistent with my workouts. I completed my first Full Marathon, in addition to another Half, a 5K and a 15K. I am currently already registered for 4 more Half Marathons and have a goal for being back under 168 by the time I turn 30 in November. Send me lots of OP (on plan) vibes! I am going to need them! |
| October 1, 2007 September started a little rocky with my pre-race weight gain, but by the time I made it back to meetings I only was showing a 1.4 lb gain, which I promptly lost the next week. That gave me one more half-marathon under my belt and with my final weigh-in for the month I pulled off a 4.2 lb loss. September is definitely getting chalked up as a successful month for me. Not to mention that my size 14 jeans are feeling much more comfortable at the moment. I will work on getting a new picture up to show where I am at the moment. |
| August 23, 2007 Part of maintaining this site has always been about staying honest with myself. The past year has not been pretty for my waisteline. Lots of up and down and all around. Granted it could be worse, but it also could be much much better. I started back with WW@W this week and got a shock when I stepped on the scale. I was almost out of One-derland again! Ouch! Well, with renewed motivation I am going to get myself back down and back to my goal. I will post an updated picture with my next weigh-in when I am feeling a little bit better about myself. Till then I have updated my weight chart. *cringe*     I can’t be too hard on myself though. Despite my loss of focus when it came to my eating I have accomplished A LOT since June 2006. I ran 2 half-marathons and am in the taper of my third. I appeared in the FIRM informercial for their new TransFIRMation system. All in all for being back up to 197 lbs I am still a much smaller 197 lb package than I was the last time I was at this weight. There is a lot be said for that. Now just to get what passes my lips back under control so that I can look like that girl in that June 2006 picture again! |
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June 27, 2006 I know it has been a while since I have checked in. I haven’t gone off track… well not completely. I am still working on my fitness goals and eating right most of the time. I did finish my 15K and a 7 miler and I am working on preparing for my first half-marathon. I am also still in the running for the FIRM Infomercial. I have a renewed motivation to get to goal, especially with my 10-year reunion right around the corner. |
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March 27, 2006 Talk about rough times? The past two months have been the worse. I lost a lot of motivation and went into a slight depression with the passing of my grandfather. I am starting to get back on track and make my last push towards getting myself onto the next FIRM Infomercial. Wish my luck! |
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January 28, 2006 What a difference a year makes! I am starting 2006 off on the right foot and with bigger (technically smaller 😉 ) and better goals in mind. 2006 for me will be the year I make goal and sometime in the next year I will run my first 1/2 Marathon. I think the increased running will definitely help me get rid of the last of the weight I want to lose. Especially in the stomach and upper legs. |
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December 18, 2005 This is my first holiday season since I decided to clean up my eating and I will admit it has been a rough one. Just this week I finally had that “click” again where everything made sense and the willpower was back intact. I won’t say I will regret the gains I posted because they really were learning experiences for me. I know I will go through times where I am going to eat bad and not feel so great but I will survive them. They don’t have to mean the end for me like they have in the past. I am going to make it to goal in 2006! |
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October 14, 2005 Tonight is the night before my first “official” 5K race. It has been several months in the making and at 8:30 tomorrow morning Dad and I will be at the starting line ready to go. I am posing for this progress picture in my 5K t-shirt which actually fits and I didn’t expect it to AT ALL. My weight loss has slowed considerably and even went in reverse for the week I was in Florida, but I know it is all of my own making. The race tomorrow is going to symbolize a new start for me as I up my efforts to bring my eating back into a zone that will allow me to continue on my weight loss journey at a quicker pace. |
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September 2005 September marks my month for my 15 minutes of fame. Each month the FIRM picks a club member to post on the first page including a story about them to inspire other FIRM members. This month I get to be the that club member! I have saved the webpage here for non-club members to see my story. |
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August 27, 2005 I am really seeing a change in my body from running. My hips and thighs are starting so slim down and my endurance in incredible. It has helped with my Volleyball game and even got me onto a team in a Division two higher than the team I play in on Wednesdays. I have Dad and I signed up for 3 5Ks and I am very excited about that. My weight loss has slowed some so I didn’t update for the last month. Hopefully it will pick back up and I can get back to updating bi-monthly. |
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July 30, 2005 My lifestyle changes came up against their first real test since I started making them: an injury. I fell while jogging and really hurt both of my knees. Everyone doubted I would make it through and still be working out and eating right. Heck, even I did. In the end I gained a 1.6 lbs, but I fought back. The weight I gained is gone and I am ready to post one my of my best losses since starting the program. Thanks to everyone that supported me through it. I am still not sure if I will be able to run the 5K in October, but at least I know my changes are here to stay! |
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July 9, 2005 I picked out a 5 K for Dad and I to run. We are going to do the one associated with the Baltimore Marathon in October. I am still training for that and have seen an increase in my losses. With the couch-to-5K I have also found a need to take my rest days, which I always used to skip. It hasn’t effected my losses any and I have seen an improvement in my workouts, so I will probably continue that trend until I feel like I need to pick things up a notch. |
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June 26, 2005 In the past several weeks I have posted some small losses, but those losses have taken me through an extraordinary milestone. I now weigh under 200 lbs. Coincedentally I also fit into my Senior Prom Dress. The losses have been small because of some of the decisions I have been making, so my goal for this week is to journal everything and stay within my points range. I also plan to start training in the Couch-to-5K on the 1st of July so that Dad and I can run a 5K together. |
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June 9, 2005 Last week I weighed in with an extraordinary loss which took me not only to the 50 lb mark but also to my 50% goal. That is right, I am now half way to my goal weight. I have kept my workouts going good as well as my eating. The peaks at the scale haven’t been as promising as I wanted them to be. I was hoping to make it into ONEderland next, which for you non-WW people means weighing less than 200 lbs. Fingers crossed that it will still happen. Just need to keep an eye on my eating, keep up my workouts, and drink plenty of water. |
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May 28, 2005 I had some struggles with my eating after returning to the Outer Banks. This week I finally got that under control, but then had some struggles with my workout. I have everything back in order now but for a while the weight was dropping off slowly. I have picked up pace some this week and hope to post a good loss for this week. I finally purchased a heart rate monitor so I can now really see how effective my workouts are. It has really brought a good motivator to get me to push up the intensity of my workouts. I can’t wait to weigh-in tomorrow. 50 lbs here I come! |
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May 9, 2005 Last week I spent in the Outer Banks with Joe, Ange, and the crew. I was afraid of what it was going to mean for my diet. I didn’t eat my best, but I also didn’t go too much overboard so I still posted a 1.6 lb loss. Probably could have been more if I had kept up my exercise. I jumped back into my routine right away, so hopefully I will post a good loss next week. This is the first time you are seeing me in a size 16. It is a little tight but it should fit in no time. |
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April 20, 2005 It’s been another good month. I have kept up my FIRM workouts and have improving slowly and including my 10 lb dumbells into some of my sets. I have a group of fellow FIRMies that I have joined challenges with to improve my push-ups and ab workouts. With the warmer weather I will be spending more time outside and hopefully I will get to use my Mountain Bike more. I have a challenge coming up in my trip to the Outer Banks, but I am confident I can make healthy choices and at least maintain while I am away. |
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April 3, 2005 My exercise and diet plan survived my vacation to Disney. That isn’t to say I actually did my FIRM and ate on plan while in FL (Florida not Fannie Lifter for my fellow FIRMies), but I was able to pick things right up when I got back. I got my BSS4 and some add-ons for my FIRM workout this week, so I have been trying new things out and it feels great. Also went out and picked my some 10 and 12 lb dumbells so I can up the challenge one certain moves. |
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March 19, 2005 My efforts to get up in the morning and workout have been paying off. The differences are subtle to the camera lense, but I can see the differences in my legs, thighs, stomach, butt and arms. I am more confident than I have been in a long time and if you look closely you haven’t see those jeans before in my progress pictures. |
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March 5, 2005 Another great couple of weeks of being on plan and sticking to my exercises. I can start to see some nice lean muscles developing in my arms and legs. I joined the Firm Believers Club to gain access to some video rotations to help me work the right muscle groups in the right order. My total target points for each will probably drop this week or next week, but I am actually finding myself leftover with some extra points some days, so I think I am ready for the drop. You can also tell that I am much more confident in my weight loss because I am now posting my actual weight on this website, lol. |
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February 20, 2005 I have spent February trying to steadily work exercise into my routine. Even though some days it is tight trying to squeeze the FIRM and walking the dog into the same afternoon I have been forcing myself to do it. What do I have to show for it? I am comfortably wearing a pair of jeans that I haven’t worn in months and the jeans that were getting tight in December will now fall off me if I try to wear them without a belt. I think that is great progress. Also if you look at the pictures I have almost said goodbye to my double chin completely and I am starting to develop a collar bone. YAY!!! |
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February 5, 2005 This is me just one month into the program. It is amazing how much difference 26 lbs will make on a person. The visible difference between me now and me December 4, 2004 is inspiring to even me. My main concentration for the first month has been to just work on my eating habits. I earned some Activity points here and there but that hasn’t been my main concentration. I hope for the next month to start working in a regular work out routine in addition to my already active schedule of Volleyball and walking the dog. |
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January 19, 2005 This is a picture of me at the Alton Brown signing at our local book store. I have been on WW for just 14 days but people have started telling me that they notice a difference in my face. At this point I already feel that I have more energy and my clothes are just a little looser. |
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December 11, 2004 This is a picture from the video that triggered my desire to be healthier. |
