Quitters Who Won't Quit

First the business side of things....

The scale was up today;  just a little and completely expected.  How about we talk more about my weight at the end of the month?  The good news is I'm not up as much as my highest weight in May and I'm content with that. 

Our company is gone and I'm feeling ready to get back to work on my health.  I'm also noting the fact I have a hard time losing weight around other people or major events and I'll work on that.  Promise. 

Refreshingly cold watermelon balls my daughter served us
today after we returned from the gym.

As for the actual life happenings lately ...

Today I drove home from my Weight Watchers meeting thinking how much I'm coming to love this group of ladies (though I sometimes feel bad for the new people, because there's a handful of us who can take over the conversation if allowed - LOL!!) But this group is honest and forthright and well, it's therapeutic to talk about weight concerns with women who understand. 

Today we discussed our "kudos" and then jumped into rehashing the "loving yourself" topic.  

At one point a member commented about how she wanted to quit and another chimed in almost immediately with how glad she was the prior woman mentioned quitting because it was all she could do to make herself return to "class" as she calls it after a vacation gain she'd recently experienced. 

We laughed to ourselves in the back row when she leaned over to me and whispered, "We sound like a bunch of quitters."  Afterwards, as I chatted with my two WW friends, I said, "Yep!  We are the quitters who won't quit!" 

And, to me, folks THAT is why we will succeed.  

At least, it's why we CAN succeed.  

Because we refuse to give up and give in to the lie of "once overweight always overweight". 

Is it harder for us to care for our health than some?  Probably.

Do we wish we could eat whatever we want and be thin?  Usually.

But are we going to throw in the towel and let our bodies go to hell just because we're frustrated and overwhelmed sometimes by the needs we must meet to be healthy?  No.

Almost every woman in that room raised her hand when the instructor asked who had ever failed at a prior attempt at weight loss, and that was so reassuring to each of us.  And it made me proud of every one of them, because like me they will not give up trying.  

Maybe I'll make a t-shirt .... Kidding. 

 

Have a good week everyone!  Here's to getting back up just one more time!

Loving Yourself, er ... Myself

This week's Weight Watchers meeting highlighted the topic of loving your body as it is.  We took a little quiz to see where we fall on the scale self-love.  I fall in the neutral category.  There are things I wish were nicer about my figure, but parts I like as well.

To sum it up... I don't hate my body.

I don't not wear a swimsuit because I can't look "magazine perfect" in one. 

I don't not participate in activities because I'm overweight.  

Etc. Etc. 

And you know what?  I never did not do those things when I was 232 pounds either. 

Maybe it was because I have great friends and family who never treated me less because of my weight, or maybe it was because I have this great mindset that I'm not letting my weight stop me from enjoying life.  Who knows?

One thing I do know is when I saw this post by Kiki at Eat More 2 Weigh Less I thought, "Exactly!" 

Not because I have ever truly hated my body, but because I sure have hated myself for feeling like such a failure when I gained weight.  

I've always said my weight loss journey didn't really begin in May 2009 when I started changing my habits, but it truly began the summer prior when I made the mental change to love myself "if I never lost another pound".  

That change in mindset took me from feelings of failure to freedom.  I learned grace for myself.  I came to accept I have certain genes which prevent me from ever being like the petite, slim older woman I walked by yesterday who looked so smart in her summery business attire...for example.  

And when I am struggling with weight issues, while I get vexed when clothes don't fit correctly, the bigger struggle for me is the mental fight.  

For me, It's a fine balance between admonishing ones self to better self care and falling into a pit of rejection. 

So, while I encourage you to live your life to the fullest and don't wait for the smaller sizes to enjoy the life you're blessed to live, I'm going to keep working on accepting my faults and failures mentally and plow ahead to live a healthier life.

Because as always...I'm never giving up.  

Good Eats, Back to Exercise and Books

I still have company for another week, well I did as of my WW meeting on Monday when I weighed in, and I am allowing myself to be in a semi-vacation mode until I have my house completely back to ourselves.

Breakfast for dinner, Mexican style -- chilaquiles

"Ooey, Gooey Butter Cake" that we fell in love with,
and I've decided I shouldn't make too often.
It's delicious!  (of course...it's Paula Deen!)

That being said I have been back to work in the exercise department and it paid off this past week.  

I was down -2.6 pounds!  

Getting ready for my meeting I was like, "Please, Lord, I don't care if it's -0.2 or the same, please, please don't let me see another gain."  *smirk*  (Like it's all up to Him if I gain or lose weight... not.) 

It was refreshing to see that the gain I had the week before might have been lots of water or the heavy meal I had the night before.  Who knows? 

All, I know is I've been back exercising and that feels good.  

Even more fun is having this crew along with me at the YMCA every morning.  It makes my heart happy to see that they want to be healthy as well.  

Don't let my son fool you... he loves showing off muscles after a workout! ;)

Another happy I'm enjoying this summer so far is seeing my girls burying themselves in books after the post-workout shower.  I was a book worm growing up, and still immerse myself in audio books while I work on projects, and I LOVE seeing my kids reading.  

My son has to read two books this summer and do some sort of homework on them for his AP English/Literature class in the fall, so he settled for a joke book at the bookstore this week and drives us nuts with those...when we're not reading.  lol

That's all for now. I hope you're weeks are going well.  It's getting hot here in Texas and makes me grateful for air conditioning and the money to pay the bill!  :) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Where Does the Time Go?

Whew!  I do apologize!! It has been about three weeks since I last posted.  Oh my!

Where does the time go? 

We have asked ourselves that many times over the last year as our twins prepared to finish high school.  Now they are done and officially enrolled in college with schedules set up and everything. 

So, I'm a parent of college students now.  :)  Here's a little peek at what I've been up to last week.  

It's the details...that I enjoy and that take up time.  :) 

Can I leave up our neat wall for a while? It came out so nice!

My Girls!  High School is done!

My husband and I with our kids -- sporting the shirts where they will be attending college.

That's about the biggest thing that has my days going by so fast lately.  It was a whirlwind of a week and weekend with graduation party planning, actually execution of said part and entertaining guests. 

This week I've been recouperating.  I think. 

I'm trying to at least.  My mother-in-law is visiting for two weeks, so my days are still a little bit busy with extra chit chat and shopping.  We love Ross - Dress For Less.  'Nuff said.  

I can't complain because she is more than happy to cook for us as well.  As I type she is cutting up chicken to cook with some home made red chile sauce.  Yum.  

Of course, the food isn't helpful to my Weight Watchers plan, but I've decided to track it all and make sure to get exercise in and try and not gain any more.  I refuse to make and eat good refried beans without lard and home made tortillas are the best and worth every calorie/point.  

So, until basically Father's Day my plans are to continue enjoying the beginning of our summer break, continue walking and taking BodyPump and not stress about the scale.  (More on that subject later.)

Thanks for stopping by!