Photos... Week 40... Where did the time go?

It is hard to believe that I've been on this journey for 9 months now.  When I started, I had to constantly tell myself to stop thinking long term... just focus on the first goal... and after reaching the first goal, THEN think about the next goal.  Those negative thoughts in my head kept telling me it was going to take too long... it would be too hard... HOWEVER, I embraced this process and had to be honest with myself... SERIOUSLY... I didn't put all this weight on overnight... I didn't lose my self confidence overnight... and a long term change would only work if it happened... LONG... TERM.   


199.0 pounds



197.6 pounds







 

One choice at a time...

...One day at a time...

... and be happy, ALL the time!

(Yes, Dad... I went up 1.4 pounds...but it will be back down next week!)

(...and Mom, I REALLY need to be blonde again...)

(...Sweetheart, I'll see you tonight... )

Thinking about my sweet husband...

"If I had to choose between breathing
and
loving you,
I would use
my last breath to tell you
I love you..." author unknown

Photos... FINALLY, a big loss... but at a price?

Let's be honest here...

I've now lost a total of 52.4 pounds (3.4 pounds THIS WEEK!!!)... but struggle with constant plateaus...

... is it because I've lost so much weight my body is constantly "re-adjusting" to losing more and more weight...?

... or is it that I'm living a more "normal" life and not concentrating so much on my calories, water intake, etc...?

... OR, is it a combination of both?
 

197.6 pounds



201 pounds

 























I know this journey is about learning to live my life, eat right, and not GIVING UP on the good stuff... but I've also lost a bunch of weight.  At the end of the day, I think I am RIGHT ON TRACK and where I should be.  Could I lose more weight... and faster than I am right now.  YEP!  Do I want to "live on a diet?"  NO!  Slow weight loss... living my life... and getting stronger through my workouts is EXACTLY what I need to be doing!  SERIOUSLY... do you think that Jeff would rather have a "girlfriend" that is gaining confidence and looking great, slowly, week by week, OR a crabby girlfriend that is starving and strict and miserable...?  I think the answer is pretty obvious!!!

I... AM... ONE... SLOW LOSING... HAPPY... GAL!!!  Make it a FANTASTIC week!!!

Photos... they speak volumes!

Some photos speak louder than words!

No change in weight this week... but I have a special weekly photo...

201 pounds - and FIRST PLACE!

As my friend Jane said about my race 

(who checked up on me while on vacation in Rome!),

"You've set the bar pretty high, and I look forward to watching you sail right over it!"

The sky is the limit, Jane, the sky is the limit!!!

SET YOUR BAR, everyone...

AND FLY!!!

Make it a FANTASTIC day!

1st PLACE - Mission Bay Triathlon... Who said Big Girls CAN'T Race/WIN...?

HOLY COW!  I've hit another milestone that I knew would come someday... I just didn't realize that the day was NOW!  All of us are trying to better ourselves... improve our self confidence... get the spring back in our step... and with all that personal betterment, bring the smile... the special glance... the sexy back to our marriages. 



My journey is "Full Monty," right... I guess that
includes this photo in my wetsuit... Jessica and
Anna with me since 4:15 AM!

I have been obesly overweight, so my plan for the past 2 years was to lose weight by training for a few races each year... once a race was over, I would sign up for the next one.  As long as our hard earned money was committed to a race, I HAD to get up and get to the gym.  The training was great for my weight loss and helped me work toward a HUGE goal of mine... to SOMEDAY podium at a race!

I entered the Mission Bay Triathlon in the Athena category... reserved for those female competitors that weigh 160 pounds and above.  When I registered for the race, I was well above 200 pounds, so I figured this was the group for me, but I was still racing against gals that had a HUGE weight advantage on me... but it seems it didn't matter...

... I... TOOK... 1ST... PLACE... IN... MY... CATEGORY... AND , overall fastest Athena as the winner of the younger Athena category was 2 minutes behind me...

... I'll let the photos of the day tell the rest of the story...



Start of the race... I am right in the center of the photo... one of my legs kicking high in the water... and I'm
stretching long like Coach Elizabeth told me to... WHAT A WAY to start the day... sun rising on San Diego...



SERIOUSLY... I'M IN THE FRONT OF THE PACK!???  That's me...
in the front with my right arm taking the stroke...

Running to the 1st transition... rip off swim cap/goggles...
start stripping off wetsuit as you run...
Hummm... I don't look so bad from the back...

I'm soaked from the swim and getting ready for
the bike race... strip off the rest of the wetsuit... socks on...
clip shoes on... helmet and glasses on... BREATHE... grab
the bike and RUN... this is T1...

Almost to the line where I can get on my bike... WOOO HOOOO!

End of the bike... thinking about the next transition "T2"... take off helmet...
change to running shoes... R...U...N!!!

I...LOVE... THIS... PHOTO!  The start of the run...
behind me in the red tank, Paula... one of my YMCA Weight Loss
Challenge teammates... NOW A YMCA TRAINER... and Laura,
my original Weight Loss Coach... she has ALWAYS believed in me...
PUSHED me... and was now RUNNING WITH ME holding the
YMCA sign... I LOVE MY Palomar YMCA Tri Club and FAMILY!!!

 I'm curious... WHAT GYM has their trainers and Directors come to a race location
to support their members... THE PALOMAR YMCA!!!  That's who! 
Paula and me... REPRESENTING with our "Y" tattos!

Yes, I did a little silly dance when I received my FIRST PLACE MEDAL! 
Anna couldn't hold back... she ran up to be with me!

There is more to tell of this story... tomorrow with my weigh in photos! 

No matter WHAT YOUR GOAL...

YOU... CAN... DO... ANYTHING...

YOU... SET... YOUR... MIND... TO!