One Year Anniversary!

Today is my one year anniversary of the first time I stepped foot into a Weight Watchers meeting. Today feels like a birthday of sorts. A year ago I woke up with a song in my head that told me it was "time to make a change" and I did...and I stuck with it! I'm not done with this journey of mine. I still have weight to lose and things to learn so I'm looking forward to what this next year will bring.

I started this blog on that day, too. I wanted to have a place to journal about this journey so that it was all in one place. This blog has brought me so much more than I ever imagined it would. I've met some great people through it, have been inspired by those people, I've learned more about myself, too. It has become a theraputic place for me at times, a place to be serious or silly and I thank you all for reading my blog, posting comments, and giving me your support throughout this past year. I hope you'll be along for the ride as I begin a new year!

Blessings From a Fellow Blogger

A week ago one of my blog followers sent me an email. Her name is Karen. She used to blog at Heart & Soul, but doesn't blog any longer. Karen has been touched by my story and when she read my post about my reward bracelet, she decided to bless me with some charms. Her daughter works for Swarovski and they have a new line of crystal beads for pandora-style bracelets. Karen asked if she could bless me with a few beads for my bracelet to represent those who read my blog who have been inspired by it.  Today I received a package with this inside:

 

Karen sent me five charms for my bracelet and they are gorgeous! She sent Crystal, Aquamarine, Rose, Aurora Borealis (rainbow-like crystal), and Silver Shade.

Her daughter wanted to bless me as well, so she sent me this beautiful Swarovski pen. The picture doesn't do it justice, it is so pretty and pink!

The candles Karen sent smell so sweet, too!

Here is my bracelet with the new charms added on. I will continue to earn one for each ten pounds I lose and will think of the new five beads as representation of those who I've inspired and will inspire in the future.

I'm so touched by this gift. Karen wanted to bless me and I feel blessed and completely spoiled!  Karen, thank you for this blessing and thank you for wanting to represent my blog readers with this gift. I blog with the hope to touch someone out there, to inspire them to make a change in their life to be healthier. I don't post my weight out there for the world to see for selfish reasons. I don't post pictures of myself to be recognized. Sure, it feels great to be complimented and have my accomplishments recognized, but that isn't what drives this blog or my facebook page. I simply want to inspire other people to make changes in their lives to be healthy and live long, full lives. I want those who are struggling with their weight to be inspired to do something about it and to finally face the challenge. I want to be able to help other people out there to break away the chains that come along with being overweight and to find their freedom. If I can inspire ONE person through this blog, it is all worth it. I am so touched by this gift and humbled by it as well.

Are you waiting to start your journey? Now is the time! Please read this blog post I wrote as a guest on The 4th Frog Blog yesterday.

A Year From Now...

"A year from now you'll wish you had started today."

 

It is a quote that I read on someone's blog in January 2010. It spoke to me and by April I was ready to start losing weight and stick with it once and for all. April 29th, 2010 I walked into my first Weight Watcher's meeting and throughout the last year I often reflected on that quote knowing that a year later I was going to be so glad that I did start that day. Well, that day is nearly here. Yesterday I weighed in for the week and gained 2 pounds, but that number doesn't matter to me this week. I brought my size 24 jeans to my meeting yesterday and received a standing ovation for my year anniversary and accomplishment. I held back the tears and smiled through it. It felt so awesome to be celebrated! This week I'm looking at the big picture. I'm remembering where I was a year ago and am celebrating where I am today.

In the last year I've:

• Gone down from a size 24 jeans to a size 14
• Lost 75 1/2 inches from head to toe
• Exercised, on purpose, and enjoyed it
• Ran through the yard with my son and didn't get winded
• Gone up and down my stairs several times without wheezing or being out of breath
• Played with my son for hours at a time without stopping to take a break
• Wore a dress for the first time in years
• Walked my first 5K and many after that!
• Walked my first 10K
• Met every single goal that I set for myself, and learned how to set realistic goals for myself
• Lost 28% of my starting weight
• Smiled and laughed a lot more...joy from health and energy!
• Shared my journey with friends and family and have encouraged 25 other people in my life (that I'm aware of) to join Weight Watchers
• Never missed a single WW meeting, I went every week!
• Learned that it doesn't matter what number is on the scale or in the back of my pants as long as I'm feeling better along the way and am continuing towards a healthier life.

I'm so incredibly blessed to have the family and friends that I do. The friends who have supported me along the way are wonderful and I'm so so thankful for each one of them.  There are those who support me by literally cheering me on each week through this blog, Facebook, emails or phone calls. There are those who cheer me on when they see me at my MOPS meetings or play dates for our kids. I've had teachers and parents at my son's school cheer me on. There are those who I know are silently cheering me on, too. You're all blessings to me and I'm so thankful for each one of you. I'm not done with this journey, so I look forward to what the next year will bring. I have no idea what the future holds, but I know that with God ALL things are possible and He is cheering me on and giving me the strength to continue.

"A year from now you'll wish you had started today."

This week I'm starting my year once again!

What a Difference a Year Makes!

 

75 1/2 inches lost and over 80 pounds in one year!

I'll write more about my one year on Weight Watchers later this week. Today I'm celebrating my son's 5th birthday!

Weekly Weigh-in!

Finally! A loss on the scale. After a week of maintaining and then a tiny little gain, I finally had a loss this week! Phew! I was getting a little worried that I was on a plateau or something, but I'm not. I lost 2.6 pounds this week for a grand total of 83! Very cool!

In bigger (or smaller!) news today, I dropped another jean size!!! I'm wearing 14's today. I started in a size 24 almost a year ago!

Next week is my one year anniversary week with Weight Watchers. I joined April 29th, 2010! Hoping for another loss (maybe 2 pounds to reach 85?) to celebrate that anniversary. Either way, I have much to celebrate over the last year!

Long Time No Post!

Sorry I haven't written a blog post in two weeks! Oh my! I'm feeling a little discouraged with a week of maintaining followed by a tiny little gain. I know I can push beyond this and keep losing, though! I have about 50 more pounds to lose to be in the WW healthy guidelines, so I can't stop now and I certainly don't plan to! Just wanted to check in to let you all know that I'm around and am counting my points, drinking my water, and getting in lots of activity with the warm spring air we've had lately. :o)