Weight Loss Success!

When I moved out to San Francisco, months of bad habits had ballooned my weight up to the largest number I'd ever seen on a scale with me on top of it. I had moved from three very active part-time jobs (chasing kids around, shelving books, and climbing in and out of a giant cave all day) to my first office job in which I just sat on my butt. The new job also didn't allow the time or money for anything other than McDonald's, mac n cheese, and the occasional Subway sandwich. I had been dating someone who thought going out to the pub for fried chicken sandwiches and beer, followed by a bottle or two of wine at home, was a good idea...and who refused to even take a walk around the block with me. My weekends were spent driving to and from KC, rather than out enjoying the legs God gave me, and the combination of all of this did not work well for me.

I moved here in June of 05, and up until December of 06, I had lost ten pounds. I was proud of this weight loss, but it was wayyy too slow for me. Simply walking the city would have brought me back down had I not compensated by spending those first few months drunk every night in the pubs on Clement.

In January I gave up alcohol and caffeine when my stomach started acting up. I started monitoring my portion size and trying ot make healthier choices (like grilled chicken over fried chicken patty, roast beef over pastrami, no sauce (or mustard) over thick creamy fatty sauce, etc.). I limited my chocolate consumption, and very quickly lost 12 pounds. After my surgery I lost a few more because I couldn't eat much at all. Since I've been better, though, I haven't been making the best choices all the time, and I've been drinking more...so I was a bit concerned that I might have gained some more. I LOOK like I've lost weight, I feel like I've lost weight, but I was just scared that I threw it all out the window.

However, this morning I weighed myself. And I am now 26 pounds lighter than I was in December! That's 36 pounds lighter than I was when I moved here, and only 4 pounds away from my first goal.

That is friggin awesome. I am soooo very proud. Woo hoo!

So to motivate me further, without giving any actual weight amounts, this is my goal chart, and I'll be sure to update once a month or so on how I'm doing and offer my tips for how I'm doing it without really dieting, working out at the gym, or taking any diet aids.

So, here goes:

Starting Weight (no dieting, 10lbs under my highest ever) December 2006
1st goal: SW - 15 lbs
Current Status: SW - 26 lbs
2nd goal: SW - 30 lbs
3rd goal: SW - 50 lbs
4th goal: SW - 65 lbs (I'd be happy between here and 3rd goal permanently)
5th goal: SW - 80 lbs
Final Goal: SW - 85 lbs

While these are my weight goals, as a former athlete I'm very aware that muscle weighs more than fat. Should I decide to start lifting again, then the weight goals would certainly change. Ultimate, that 3rd goal would be pretty ideal if I built up a bit of muscle to go along with it. And I just don't feel all that far from that happening.

Very very exciting!