Karen's journey to a better, healthier, slimmer and fitter me!! All support welcome!

[Danauk]

OK, so I have known for a long time now that I need to loose weight, but always had an excuse; it's nearly my birthday and I will be eating out more, it's nearly Christmas, I'll start next week when I feel better about myself. New Years eve I realised that I had to stop with the excuses. So what finally made me get to grips with things? Well, after going out for the day with friends and finding it hard to keep up with them walking I knew I had to do something. We had gone out to a local castle, somewhere I am taking my class of 8 year olds on a field trip later this year. We were looking around and climbed the tower, all 350 steps of it and it was almost the end of me! It was then I realised that as I am coming back to this place in 7 months time with a class full of 8 year olds I really need to be fit enough to climb the stairs and still have my whits about me when we reach the top!!

So what am I going to do?
1st step this morning I bit the bullet and weighed myself; 226lbs I'm 5ft 4 in and I have never been that heavy before.

2nd step, take stock of what I need to do - I decided to join Weight Watchers on line. I have used Weight Watchers before so I know it works for me, I decided to do the on line version this time as I enjoy using my laptop for various things so thought that this would work better.

3rd step, think about realistic goals. I know my overall wish is to loose 100lbs and I would like to reach this before our next planned trip to WDW for Christmas 2010, so 2 years is a managable time frame. But I also know that setting huge goals just sets yourself up for failure, so my 1st goal is to loose 5% of my weight - to reach 214.7lbs

4th step, realise I need to stop sitting on the couch on an evening! I know realistically I don't have time to go to the gym. I tried that last year and it failed as it takes too long to get there and back after work when I am hungry anyway. So I am going to do things at home instead. I have a wii fit and wii family trainer so that will be a start, I have also ordered wii my fitness coach. I figured if I have a variety of things to use I won't get bored as easily. Then once the weather is warmer and the grass not as wet I can use the field next to my house to walk around. Also in a few months a new swimming pool is opening in our town, so once that is open I plan on using that as I love swimming.

5th step, think of ways to stay motivated. I have joined the Biggest Looser 7 here on the WISH board so hopefully that will help, plus hopefully reading back through this journal will help as well. I also think photos might help, so I plan to take pics as I reach each mini goal so I have visuals to look back on (I know the 1st ones are not going to be pretty )

6th step, track everything. I know when I was successful at loosing weight it was when I was tracking what I ate and planning ahead. I am also going to give up alcohol. I was initially thinking of allowing myself a drink if we had friends over for dinner, or were going out for a meal. But I think I might allow that now once I am back on track and settled with my new healthy eating plan.

7th step, measure myself as well as weighing. Seeing the inches fall off will help me feel better too.

OK, so that is the plan. If I am starting today I guess I should go and find my camera to take my before picture. Plus I need to find a tape measure to measure myself too.

Wish me luck, I have a feeling I am going to need it!!

 

[Danauk]

So I measured myself, it was even worse than I had feared, but never mind! I also took a front and side picture. I'm not going to post them, but might do when I have lost some and there is a difference to see!

I have set mini goals where I will retake the pictures and re measure myself too. Hopefully by looking back at pictures it will keep me motivated to stay on track.

Now looking back at my 1st post I was so into getting my plan down I forgot to introcuce myself! I'm Karen and I'm 32 years old. I have been married for 10 years but don't have any kids. I have followed weight watchers in the past, when I followed it 6 years ago I lost 65lbs and 5 years ago I was 5lbs off my goal weight of 126lbs when for whatever reason I stopped writing things down and slowly the weight crept back on.

But I guess, new year, new motivation and this time I am determined not to fail and to stick to things!!

 

[Danauk]

So yesterday and today have been OK, I ate sensbily and did not snack. I have decided I am not going to start counting the points until Monday when I am back at work, I just find it easier to start a diet when I am getting back into my normal daily routine. But tomorrow I will plan and point out all my meals for the week and decide what excercise I am going to do and when.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Karen, welcome to Wish! I think having the concrete image of how hard it was to get up the steps of that castle is going to be very helpful! Think of how good you will feel when you go back with your class and get up those steps with no trouble! I had a similar experience getting up to one of the big slides at Typhoon Lagoon in October, it was awful, I thought I would die then and there! I am also doing WW, its a good plan. I think your overall plan sounds great and that you are going to see major success in 2009! I look forward to taking this journey with you, we can do it!

 

[Danauk]

So today was the 1st day back at work and I am proud that I did really well. 3 times I was offered some cake and I declined, I also resisted the box of chocolates that were in the staff room. I also have loads of spare points left and I dont feel hungry at all. I really must do some excersise though, so I guess I had better get the wii fit out.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Good job Karen. It takes a lot of will power and motivation to resist cake so well done!

 

[Danauk]

So 4 days into the weight loss and things are going OK. I have stuck to my weight watchers points every day and I have cut out any drink other than water. I need to concentrate more on excercise though, but getting into work at 7am and then leaving at 5:30pm and having to do another hour or so when I get home is making it hard.

 

[traceycooper]

So today was the 1st day back at work and I am proud that I did really well. 3 times I was offered some cake and I declined, I also resisted the box of chocolates that were in the staff room. I also have loads of spare points left and I dont feel hungry at all. I really must do some excersise though, so I guess I had better get the wii fit out.

so you should be proud of yourself
I work in a school too & i'm afraid i didnt have your will power in the staff room
You've made a great start - well done

 

[goldcupmom]

Welcome to WISH, Karen! It sounds like you are off to a GREAT start!

I'm a WW too!!

 

[Danauk]

I weighed in and lost 2lb yesterday. I had hoped for more, but I guess it is better than nothing.

 

[lovinaz]

Congrats on the 2lb loss!!! You are doing great with your food and staying within your points.

I'm sure you can figure out some way to get the exercise in. Have you thought of waking up a little earlier and doing it before work? It stinks to wake up early, but you will get used to it pretty quickly and be glad to have it out of the way for the day.

Keep it up!

Amy

 

[traceycooper]

congrats on the loss, they say to lose & keep it off its better to lose no more than a couple of lb's per week

 

[Danauk]

Thanks for the support guys. As for the excercise I m going to try to do some every evening. I am not a morning person and am in work at 7am every day so the thought of having to get up earlier than what I do is a big no no!! But if I limit the amount of work I do at home in the evening and set aside some me time I can get my excersise done then.

Yesterday I had a good look at the weight watchers on line site which gave me some great easy breakfast ideas. I'm not very good with breakfast, I usually just grab a cereal bar and head out to work and am then hungry mid morning. So I added a few things to my food shopping order that will arrive today so I can have better breakfasts. The good thing about the school that I work in is that we are a healthy school and so have fruit bowls in our classroom for snack time, so if I do get hungry during the day at least I have something healthy to eat.