And begin...

Post number one of the new blog!  Why the new blog?  My previous blogging had to do with prolific gardening.  Apparently, I did not have green thumbs when it came to vegetable gardening this summer.  In fact, my efforts and results could be compared to the making of the Edsel.  Epic fail.  I wish I could blame it on a scourge of grasshoppers, or a drought that brought inevitable death to my garden.  Unfortunately, I can only blame myself.  That being said, I had nothing to write about except dead plants, weeds that managed to defy odds and flourish, and chickens that do the same thing day in and day out.  Boring.

So, what was successful this summer?  Losing a bunch of weight!!  Husband and I were quite successful in that area...although lately, I have managed to slip into some old and bad habits.  Maybe if I write about it all, I can get back on track.  The lure of easy (ridiculously delicious) food and using the excuse of "stupid" days at work (unavoidable in my line of work) have made me lazy and eager to put bad things in my belly again.

When I started the weight loss adventure this summer, I had tipped (broken) the scale at 173 pounds.  The only time I had even gotten close to that weight was nearly 19 years ago with the impending birth of Tyler.  No excuse for that sort of poundage now.  Other than I LOVE food!!  And calorie packed wine and other alcoholic beverages.  What finally put me over the edge was the idea that at some point this summer, I was going to have to put on a bathing suit.  Well, I wouldn't have to, but how silly would I look on a boat up at the Delta with our skinny friends wearing sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt??  Vain?  Perhaps, but also on my mind was the fact that I sounded like a freight train after I took the garbage out to the dumpster, getting up from the couch to get water from the kitchen was a chore, meals at the local fast food joint were costing as much as a nice pair of shoes, and I'm pretty sure my shin splints came from my largeness taxing my little legs.  Time for a change!!  Husband was in...he wants to be in great shape for rugby season and really, our weight just wasn't healthy for us.  

We decided to start recording the number of calories we put in our bodies.  We started with a low number to get things started...increasing calories as we reached weight goals.  Man, I was not a nice person that first week!!  Eating few calories and drinking a plethora of water makes for an uncomfortable existence when you are used to eating 3,000+ calories a day!  I could not have done it without summer school and Husband's help.  Summer school made it so that day long grazing was not an option.  Nor was going out for something fast (also known as full of empty calories).  Also, I had quick access to the staff bathroom, which made the water drinking so much easier!  Husband and I sat down and planned our meals, down to the last sprig of cilantro!  It truly is amazing how much you can eat, even with limited calories!  For example, eggs are amazing and delicious......1 whole egg, plus 3 egg whites, mixed in with various nearly calorie free vegetables,onion and cilantro for flavor,  some ham and low fat cheese, make for a large looking meal!  Drink a bottle of water with a Crystal Light packet in it and you haven't gone over 250 calories for what we felt was a satisfying meal.  Snacks were okay as long as they were fruit, veggies, or a few pretzel sticks.  Reading packages made me open my eyes as well.  Who knew that all this time, I was having 6 servings of cereal????  Cereal really is not a good "diet" food, no matter what Special K would like you to believe.  A serving of cereal and milk is really disappointing, especially when there is milk left, and my modus operandi has always been to not let that milk go to waste.  Add MORE cereal!!!!  I don't eat cereal anymore.

So, we got through the summer like that.  It's actually pretty easy to eat like that when the temperatures are close to 100 every day......too hot to eat!  By the time school was getting ready to start, Husband and I had lost a combined total weight of nearly 80 pounds!  Did we exercise like fiends?  Nope...some exercise, but really, who's out running in 100+ degree weather.  Not this girl!  I worked more on toning and strengthening my core muscles.  The really cool part of this all, was that never, ever have I enjoyed shopping.  At least not recently.  I got to go out and buy almost a whole new wardrobe!!  Yes, I made it from a size 12 to a size 8!!  I have found a whole new "like" for shopping!  My shopping habits will be addressed in a future blog, because that in itself is a post of epic proportions.

So, why a new blog?  Isn't that where I started this?  I like to write.  I have stuff other than growing dumb vegetables that I can share.  (I'm still bitter about the garden situation).  I need to keep myself accountable.  My fans (thank you Mom, Dad, Husband, and Cousin) might see some entertainment value and I don't clog up Facebook with stupid posts that no one except the aforementioned people even care about.  :)  Tomorrow, I discuss my new exercise regimen!  Or the plans I plan to make.........