FRIDAY!!!!

Friday, the end of the week and the beginning of the weekend.  Bring it on!

Today, as with any other day, I am thinking about the changes that I need to make to continue my healthy lifestyle.  I have been horrible lately about my exercise regimen and desperately need to get back in the gym ASAP.  I am losing muscle mass and looking bony.  Bony, by my opinion, is not attractive and looks unhealthy.

For those that have followed my journey know that when I began the weight loss portion of this journey, I weighed 293 pounds and wore a woman's size 28 clothing.  I believe I am the smallest I have ever been (maybe I was smaller at some point when I was a kid, but that doesn't count).  I currently weigh 156 pounds and I wear a various range of sizes depending on the cut of the clothing.  I wear some 8, some 10, some 12's in misses sizes.   I wear some 11 & 13's in junior sizes which really blows my mind.  This is not something I ever imagined and can cause tears (for those that know me) when I stop to think about it.

Anyway, back to the lifestyle changes.  A healthy lifestyle is one that includes eating right, portion control and exercise.  It takes all the components to you keep you healthy, not just one or two pieces.  With that being said, it's into the pool I go for a few laps and back to the gym for some weights, squats (I'm never going to have a real butt...lol) and all the other wonderful exercises that I used to think of as torture but have come to enjoy now.

Keep your heads up, the smiles on your faces, those let fortunate in your hearts and prayers and continue to the battle for the skinny person inside that is dying to get out.

And the journey continues...

Fell Off the Earth

You all must have thought I truly did fall off of the earth.  I cannot believe it has been so long since my last blog post.

A lot has happened since my last post.  I told you all that I was freezing and I am very much a warm weather/beach girl that needed to find a new place of residence...  well, I did.

Early in 2015 my amazing hubby told his boss that he needed to find a position near a beach or his wife was going to move without him.  In February of last year, his boss called him and told him that he was being transferred to south Florida.  YAY!!!  In April of last year the hubs left me and the boys in Tulsa and headed to south Florida to start our new adventure.  This left the boys and I the duties of working, finishing school, baseball season, selling our house, packing and preparing for the move as soon as the boys got out of school.

On June 3, 2015, the boys, our dog, my friend Holly and I set out on a 1,300 mile journey from Tulsa, OK to our new home in Jupiter, FL.  We decided to take a few days and a little bit of a scenic route.  We wound up in New Orleans, we stopped for yummy BBQ in Mississippi, hit the beach in Destin, FL and continued on to our final stop.  We arrived in Jupiter on Saturday, June the 6th.  It was a long trip and one that I do not hope to have to make again anytime soon (via car).  We have been back a few times via airplane and have had multiple friends/family here as well.  That support system remains even at this distance.

I have continued on my weight loss journey through all the craziness and I have continued to share my accomplishments with many new people along the way.  I am very fortunate that all of the changes and stress of the move did not set me back in regard to my weight loss.  I have been able to maintain and along the way I have finally made some of the body modifications that I was wanting.  I am not done with everything that I plan to have done but I working toward those goals and WILL be there eventually.

In August of 2015, I had my first body modification surgery.  I had bilateral brachioplasty (arm lift) to get rid of the horrible bat wings and breast augmentation.  When you lose 130 pounds, your breasts tend to disappear or at least mine did.  I had surgery on Thursday morning and was back working on Monday morning.  One of the best things I have done since weight loss.



I know I talked about making changes that make you feel better about yourself during your weight loss journey.  Well, moving to Florida motivated me to make a change in my hair color too.



So, here it is September 2016 and I am still working every day to maintain my weight loss and to be the healthiest person that I can be.  I currently weigh 158 pounds.  I am finally in the normal weight range in regard to my BMI (body mass index) and I feel great (most days).  I'm still working on that "muscle mass" in the buttock region but let's be honest...  I've never had a butt even when I was a big girl.

I will try to be a better blogger now.  This blog is really therapeutic for me and if it helps one other individual then it makes me happy.

And the journey continues...

Monday Motivation

The weather here is going to be nice today.  Get up, get out and get moving.  Grab your tennis shoes, take a walk, go for a jog, get on your bike but get moving...

And the journey continues...

Monday Motivation

Here's some Monday Motivation.... Get out and get active. Whatever activity you enjoy doing, set a goal and start working toward it. No matter how slow you move or how long it takes you to accomlpish that goal, you are moving faster than the person sitting on the couch!!!

My boys (14 & 11) have decided that they want to exercise and get healthier with their Mom. I'm all for it. So, I just signed the three of us up for the Tulsa Color Run 5K. Time to get out and get moving. The run date is April 11th.

And the journey continues...

Positive Outlook

For the longest time I haven't really realized the fruits of my labor. I have changed my eating habits, exercised, developed a healthier lifestyle and lost weight but still saw the "fat girl" in the mirror. Well, things are changing and I have a much more positive outlook on things. I have finally realized that I do look better and that I can set and obtain goals in regard to my weight and the "skinny me."

I actually took another step on my journey this week and am in the process of moving forward with additional goals. I have now seen what my final outcome will be once the weight goal is reached and the body modifications are complete. I am excited and nervous at the same time. My wonderful, loving husband keeps telling me that all of these changes keeps bringing a bigger smile to my face and he loves seeing me smile.

If you had asked me three years ago where I would be in regard to all of these changes, my answer would have been different, I'm sure. As I have said before, you have to be on the journey both mentally and physically to succeed. The mental part has to come first and it's hard. Unfortunately for most of us, we hit a major low in our lives before the mental part clicks. I am happy to say that my new positive outlook is a major breath of fresh air and I cannot wait to see where my journey leads me.

And the journey continues...

Inspiration

Some days it's just one thing that gives you inspiration.  I came across this today and it really touched me and felt it might be good for someone else as well.  

And the journey continues...

Freezing Cold

For those that know me, I am not a cold weather girl. I am a tropical, beach girl that really needs to find a new place to take up residence. Any temperature below 65 degrees is too cold for me and on days like today (temperature 15 degrees Fahrenheit and a windchill of 9 degrees) I do not want to be out in the freezing cold to exercise. There lies my problem, here lies my solution. My elliptical is calling my name (although, my wonderful husband decided he didn't like it in the bedroom and moved it to the garage) and so is my "Rocking Body" dance DVD. I will rely on these and my kettle bell exercises for the remainder of the winter months. I so look forward to the first warm signs of spring. I'm looking forward to getting out on my bicycle and yes, even a little jogging. It's been awhile and I'm ready to get back into it. So, shake off those winter blues and find an alternative to outdoor exercise. Motivation!!! Let's do this.

And the journey continues...