Post-Thanksgiving Weigh-In...Here It Comes...

So here it is...the result of my Thanksgiving week...


Weigh-In Day

Starting Weight: 466.6
SP SW: 416.2
Last Week: 339.4
Goal this Week: 337.2
Actual Weight: 335.8
Loss/Gain: -3.6 pounds!!

Take that Thanksgiving turkey nonsense!!

And for those keeping track -
SP Total Loss: 80.4
Total Loss: 130.8

That's right...I've lost 80 pounds this year alone. Since April 18th I've changed my body, my attitude, my outlook, and certainly my fitness level!

80 pounds ago walking was difficult. I was slow. I needed breaks.
80 pounds ago my breathing was labored when I did anything.
80 pounds ago I was depressed with myself and just generally sad.
80 pounds ago I didn't think I could ever be thin, or fit, or worth it.
80 pounds ago I made a decision to try, but I didn't know how far it would go.
80 pounds ago I felt like the butt of every fat joke.

And now?

Now I can run. Short bursts, yes. But I love it, and I'm getting better!
Now walking is a breeze. I can make the mile trek to the market and back without a second thought in my mind.
Now I am proud of this still fat body of mine.
Now I know that I can have whatever body I choose to have, if I put the work in. And I know I'm worth the work it takes.
Now I know I made the right decision. Something led me to Spark, and it has been a catalyst for a new life.
Now I hear fat jokes, and they make me sad, because I realize that being fat doesn't necessarily mean that a person eats too much, or is extremely lazy. They could very well be like me, a person working on themselves whose body doesn't match the work she is doing, who goes beyond the expectations of what a person who looks like me SHOULD be able to do or handle. Weight is not important - heart, health, and mind are!

My plan for Thanksgiving was set. Start the morning with C25k W1D2, so I didn't feel so awfully guilty about indulging in a few family favorites - like the horrible for me cheesy potatoes and not-something-you-should-eat-t
oo-much-of stuffing. As I went through the buffet line our family had arranged, I kept putting things back. I got a serving of something, thought I wanted more, added more to my plate, and then reconsidered and put some back. What I had left on my plate was - about 3-4 oz of mostly white meat turkey, about 1/2 a cup of stuffing, a serving of those cheesy potatoes, about 1/2 a cup of mashed potatoes, a couple tablespoons of low-fat, low-cal gravy, and a roll. I immediately handed over 1/2 my roll to Hubs, and then proceeded to eat about half of everything. Before long, I realized I was completely full. I felt a little guilty...there was still so much on my plate. But I had to push it away and let the guilt go. This was about me and what my body needed. I wasn't going to stuff myself silly just because there were starving people in wherever that might like my couple bites left of cheesy potatoes! I did have some of my aunt's famous tea (with real sugar in it), but I drank so much water that day too! And after lunch I tried to walk, but the rain was cold and pelting and I headed back in, defeated.

Some things I heard Thanksgiving day made my heart light. I actually had a full conversation with my sister, who has completed 2 half-marathons, and my cousin, who just completed his first 5k with an awesome time! Put me against them and I'm a nobody in the race world. But I didn't care. I walked most of my races, but I put just as much work into training for them. We talked about running, which I could now comment on because I ran part of 2 races this year and have started the C25K program - and love it! We talked about heart rate monitors and Garmins and how competing against yourself is the only thing that matters. My cousin wants to do a tri or a marathon someday, he thinks. My sister thinks a half is her limit. As for me? The board is wide open! I've still got so far to go, and so much to build on - and here is where that is a blessing. Who knows where I'll be this time next year? Who knows what my body will be able to handle? I keep thinking - how many 300+ pound people you know can say they run 3 times a week? How many have completed 5ks and 10ks? I'm doing great things already, so there's no telling where I might end up!

Other things I heard, the good and the bad that stuck with me.

My aunt, who I look up to as far as fitness is concerned: "I'm so mad that I'm full!"
*lol* She was saying what I was thinking as I'm glaring at my half-finished plate. And she gave me the permission, in a way, to be okay with not finishing it.

My sister: "So how much weight have you lost now?"
Me: "Well, I weighed in at 337 yesterday, so just shy of 80 pounds."
Her: "That's it?"
Me: "Uhm, that's 80 pounds since April 18th. That's a lot to lose in a little time!"
*sigh* We don't always get along. I'm trying to reason with myself that she meant it positively instead of how I felt it come across. I explained that I had lost about 125 since my highest weight, and she just nodded...but...*shrug* We don't communicate very well.

Oh, and my mom, when she saw me in my workout gear before my C25k run that morning: "I don't want this to sound bad, but I think you're losing all your weight in your boobs!"
Me: *laugh* "Mom, I have on 2 sports bras, so they're kinda shoved in right now." *lol*

So, now Thanksgiving is over and done with. I indulged in sweets that evening, I ate way too much food for dinner (I was famished after Hubs and I took a shopping trip around 4pm and didn't get back until almost 7pm!), and I felt awful the next day. I stayed pretty well on task. No workout Friday, but there wasn't a lot of time what with shopping, packing, and driving the 3 hours home.

Yesterday I got up and went to the gym and finished C25K on the treadmill. I felt like a champion! I generally set my running segments to a speed of 4.5 or so. I pushed a little here and there to 4.7, and laid back on one to a 4.3, but the last running segment I wanted to try a 5.0...so I did...and it felt alright...and that made me feel very good! I wanted to go home after, but I didn't. I did my 45 modified push-ups, 2 planks, and 100 crunches, then did a full round of ST on the machines. I kept talking myself into things, and I love it when that happens at the gym!

Oh, one more note about Thanksgiving - Hubs and I discovered that Old Navy had a few stores open Thanksgiving with everything in the store on sale. We found one about 30 minutes away and drove there together. It was the most pleasant shopping trip I've had in a long time! I just threw a bunch of stuff in the cart and then headed to the dressing rooms to try it all on. Walked out with 2 XL long tanks, an XXL sweater that is beautiful!, an XXL long T-shirt, and a grey cover thing that looks amazing on me (XXL). I could have bought XLs in some other things, but I wanted stuff that looked nice NOW, not later. The XLs fit, but were tight and showed a little more pudge than I like (but the XL tanks look great on me!). Hubs got a pair of nice khaki type pants, a button-down shirt, and a sherpa-lined hoodie. And we got the boys each a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. (Logan's says: "Addicted to Homework" and Ethan's says: "I'm not trying to be difficult, it just comes naturally." *lol*) Oh, and we got Ethan a winter coat, snowboarder style with a fur liner on the hood. We saved almost as much as we saved! (We spent about 158, we saved 145!) I'd say that was a pretty good trip! I caught the last of their online deals yesterday and got a new pair (smaller) of yoga pants and a thermal tee.

So, I feel proud of my Thanksgiving. I lost almost 4 pounds in the biggest food-driven holiday weeks! (Of course, 2 of that was likely from sodium flush from last week.) I accomplished most of my goals and let myself just be happy with myself. I'm getting to like parts of my body...even my legs, which are shaping up even better with the running!

This week:
* C25K Week 2 (M/W/F, probably)
* Eat within my, now lowered, ranges
* Still burn 2200 calories this week
* Drink 10 cups of water a day
* Plan and pack for D.C.
* Check in with the PT on Tuesday night
* The return of Zumba! *lol*
* Make a meal-list for the week and get shopping (today)
* Work on Christmas shopping

I hope you all had an equally successful Thanksgiving week!!