172.5

I told you I'd be back.

Post-retreat and a week of sensibility have me back to 172.5 this morning!

Woo-hoo!!

back on track and ready to see even LOWER numbers.

I want to maintain around 172 for a while ... I mean, I wouldn't mind losing a bit more, but lately, I've been in between 172 and 175 ... closer to 175 most days.

I want to stay in the 172 range and then see about going down another pound or two!

A retreat ...

and a weight gain

3 pounds

I was steady at 172 before I left.

and now back to 175

but, i'm back home, back to my routine, and I'll be back where i need to be soon!

Losing Week

This week was a losing week.

And that's a good thing.

Healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week.

At the beginning of this week, I weighed 174. Today, I weigh 172.

Back in August of 2005, when I was consistently weighing around 175, I set a goal of 172. And then got all the way up to 185. Finally, this year in March, I acted. Lately, I've been steady at around 175 -- the same weight I was when I thought I needed to lose a few pounds.

And then this week, a breakthrough. I'm 172. You can actually begin to see some of the definition from the weight-lifting I've been doing. Yes, the muscle has been there -- but now, you can see it.

I will continue on this path -- fairly sensible eating, aerobic exercise, and weight-lifting. I exercise in some fashion every day and lift weights 3-4 times a week.

And I feel great. Better than I have in some time. Someone told me the other day that I look younger. How great is that?

So, to those of you out there who are frustrated or struggling, I say: start slow, make sensible changes, and stick to it. Don't give up if you have a bad day or a weight gain -- stick to the plan -- slowly, surely you'll see results.

I never want to weigh 185 again. Or even 180. I want to feel at least as good as I do now -- if not better. So, that's the motivation I need for sticking with my plan.

Vacation

and I still maintained.

I had to be careful.

I did indulge in some fudge.

But I managed my diet and also did lots of walking.

And I came back and weigh 174. I weighed 174.5 when I left on Thursday.

So, I actually lost a half pound.

And today, I'm back on track. Hoping to see 172 in the coming days. I'm being patient -- and sticking with the system of fairly sensible eating combined with walking and weights.

Simple Sunday

So, here's what my Sunday consisted of ... and this morning, I weighed 175.5

Breakfast (8:30 AM) -- cup of coffee made with 8 oz of skim milk and a spoon of caramel sauce.

Lunch (Noon) -- two slices of Freschetta pizza and 6 oz of coke followed by a glass of water and a fish oil pill

Snack: 3:00 -- 1 bag of chocolate drizzled rice cakes (quaker, 90 calorie pack)

Dinner: 5:30 -- 1 4oz chicken breast, boneless/skinless/grilled with bbq sauce and 1 medium sweet potato, grilled with a small serving of brocolli

Night Snack: 8:15 -- 1 blue bunny ice cream cone

Evening walk: 2 miles

Weight Workout: 25 minutes

Stability

176 again.

not bad.

Should be able to take it down a full pound this weekend.

Another 1/2 pound

176.5 today.

the cake donuts are catching up to me.

Of course, I have a healthy lunch today -- black bean and rice taco and carrots.

and i'll snack appropriately at 10 and 2:30 to keep my metabolism up.

and pick up some weight to lose weight. I had my first "hard" workout in a week last night. My body had gotten used to the routine i was doing -- and i was out of town part of last week. Last night, I picked it up a notch.

and tonight, another notch higher.

I know that lifting weight means i'll drop some.