I’ve been pretty quiet around these parts lately. There hasn’t been much to say. Yeah, I’ve been working out, but I haven’t been watching my food intake. Ok, so I’ve been watching it go in my mouth and into my belly but not much as far as self control and moderation.

Something snapped last week and I lost 3.6 lbs! Woohoo! I’m hoping to drop another 10 (preferably 12 or 13) before the half marathon May 7th. I’m 252.6 and it would be AWEEEESOME to be in the 230s by May. We’ll see what happens!

I also officially hit my 5lb weight loss with WW Online! Wooooot!

I forgot to blog about it last week, but I lost 2.8 lbs in my first week back on Weight Watchers (online program). I tracked every day and never used my activity points!

This week wasn’t as good. I didn’t track Saturday-Tuesday. I’ve been dealing with some GI issues (I won’t gross you out with the details, but if it keeps up I’ll be seeing the doctor).

So, I lost .2 lbs this week, for a total of 3 lbs since re-joining Weight Watchers.

I have a crazy weekend ahead – work holiday party – and will likely be using up a lot of my extra P+. The following weekend is the Super Bowl and my Green Bay Packers are playing in it, so I foresee that being a rough weekend as well. I will just have to plan accordingly earlier in the week and make sure to get my exercise in!

I’m gonna be honest with y’all. I don’t even know what I weigh right now. My scale is whacked out. I always weigh myself 3 times just to make sure I’m not standing on it weird or anything (I weigh myself right when I wake up so I’m a zombie).

Well, today I had to weigh myself about 10 times because I kept getting such drastically different numbers. They ranged from 250.8 to 258.6. We’re gonna go with 256 for our purposes today. Mostly because the 255-258 numbers came up most often.

So, there you have it. I’ve gained about 10 pounds since August, but only a couple of them came in December, so when you think about it, I handled the holidays pretty well.

But, it’s time to fix what I undid this fall.

I am not upset by the weight gain, but am using it as motivation to kick ass this month in training and with my 31-day vegetarian challenge.

Speaking of which, things were going swimmingly until today. Mid-day I began to CRAVE a juicy hamburger with bacon. And BBQ. And Cheddar.

OMG are you salivating?

I got through the craving and tonight I made fajitas!

Happy hump day everyone. It’s almost over.

I have been hovering around the 24-27 pounds lost mark for a few weeks. I don’t really care. I just did a freaking half marathon. Give me some time to indulge my taste buds until training starts for the next big race.

The point remains, however, that even though I’ve been on a “eat whatever I want” roll, I really haven’t gained weight.

Officially, I’m down 25 pounds and a whopping 41.5 inches. I know. I’ve basically lost a 3-year-old.

I wanted to know what I was in for when I weighed in tomorrow morning. So, tonight when I was changing into my pj’s, I stepped on the scale. Imagine my surprise when I saw something there I haven’t seen in at least a year or two (probably more).

I saw…

249.8

Say what?!?

I’m in the 240′s?! Hallelujah! Let’s take a moment to savor this moment.

I have lost a total of 24.4 pounds since I began this journey way back when (January 6, 2010).

Additionally, I have lost a total of 36.5 inches… from my neck, bust, waist, gut, thighs, hips, arms, knees, calves, you name it. (And yes, because I know you’re sick jerks, if I was a boy I would measure that too).

My goal when I started working out with John (my trainer) was to be in the 240′s by the time of my half marathon in wine country. 19 days early, I’ve hit that goal. Wonder what I can do in the next 3 weeks?

Today also brings an end to my Pound for Pound Challenge. If you signed up way back when, this is what you owe:

Since January, I’ve lost 24.4 lbs. Since March 11 (official start), I’ve lost 14 lbs. I’m doing the half marathon, which is 13.1 miles. Currently, 1 GBP = $1.51 USD.

• Heck yes £1 for each pound PLUS £1 for each mile — $40.92 USD for loss since March weight, $56.63 for loss since January
• Heck yes $1 for each pound PLUS $1 for each mile — $27.10 USD for loss since March, $37.50 for loss since January
• Heck yes £1 for each pound — $21.14 for loss since March, $36.84 for loss since January

I will be sending you all an e-mail tomorrow. Remember, you agreed to make the donation on my fundraising website by this Sunday, July 4. Click here to donate now. And heck, even if you didn’t take the challenge, it’s not too late. Get in on the fun and pick one of those wacky donation amounts above!

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, including a foot sprain, new responsibilities at work, a troublesome digestive system (TMI) and some other things going on. I’ve had so much on my mind I need to purge, so expect a multitude of blogs in the next week or two.

It’s official.

I’ve lost 20.2 lbs since starting this journey January 6, 2010. Sure, the weight hasn’t come off as quickly as I had hoped, but I’ve kept the weight off, which is a huge accomplishment. I’ve never stuck to a nutrition and exercise plan for this long in my entire life. I’m working out 6 days a week.

I am 20% of the way there to achieving my goal of losing 100 pounds. I hope the next 20 doesn’t take as long as the first, but if it does, I’ll be ok with it. My life has changed for the better.

23 weeks ago, who’d have thought I would be just a month away from completing a half marathon?

And yet, here I am, preparing for my 10-miler on Sunday, and a 12-miler the following week.

Life is good. God is good. I’m so grateful.

Two weeks ago, I started working out with my trainer John. Coincidentally, over the past 2 weeks, I’ve lost 5 pounds. I weighed in at 255.8 this morning. I’ve lost a total of 18.4 pounds since January 6 (26 weeks).

Booyah.

And that my friends, is how Amy got her groove back.

Well, weigh in Wednesday is back. I haven’t decided if it will be back every week, but I will definitely continue to weigh in at least once every four weeks, coinciding with my monthly measurements check.

I am happy to share that in the last 20 weeks, I have lost 13.4 lbs and 27 inches. That inches number continues to amaze me.

Four weeks from tonight, I have my next 5k. My goal is to run the entire 3.1 miles – no walking. I think I can do it, too.

Weight: 260.8 | Neck: 14 | Bust: 45 | Below Bust: 38.25 | R bicep: 14.75 | L bicep: 14.75 | Waist: 41.50 | Hips: 51.5 | R thigh: 27.75 | L thigh: 28| R calf: 18 | L calf: 18.25 | L knee: 16.75 | R knee: 16.75 | total -13.4 lbs | total -27 inches

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I’ve been struggling for the past 6 weeks or so. The number on the scale is not changing. I am becoming obsessed with whatever that number is. And yet, the inches continue to fall off. I’ve now lost 23 inches. That’s 23 inches in 16 weeks – an average of 1.4 inches lost PER WEEK. And while the number on the scale isn’t changing, I’m trying to focus on the number that IS changing.

So, for the next 4 weeks, I’m giving up on the scale. I will not weigh in on Wednesdays. I will not step on the scale. Ok, well I might step on the scale but I’m not going to focus on that being the goal for the week. You know I’ll be honest with y’all about what is going on. But I’m taking a break from the scale for my mental well-being. It’s been too hard to see the number stay the same or go up, despite my increasing workout regiment. I know I’m not making the BEST food choices, but I’m making BETTER food choices.

I’m going to focus on what I can control – what I do with my body and what I put into my body. I’m going to re-examine my routine. I’m going to change things up. I will get through this fork in the road.

Besides, I have that whole pound-for-pound challenge, so I need to kick my butt into gear.

Weigh-in Wednesday will return May 26. Stay tuned.

Remember, you can follow my training on DailyMile!

I’m trying to figure out how the above chart translates into a 1lb weight gain. I don’t get it. I’m really struggling today. I’ve been floating between 261-263 for 5 or 6 weeks. I’ve really been cranking up the workouts and last week I introduced biking into my routine to switch things up. I really don’t want to start journaling my food intake. I REALLY don’t. But maybe I have to.

Add that to my desire to run but inability to do so and you have a depressed Amy. I have found it difficult to manage the desire to run with the realization that if I try to push too hard, I’ll screw up all my training for the half in Napa. I have to keep telling myself that it’s ok to walk. Never in my life have I WANTED to run. So this desire to run is new for me. I am having issues dealing with it, because in my life when I want to do something and I put my mind to it, I DO it. I don’t wait around for things to happen.

I’ve also been yearning to adopt a dog. Most people my age have baby fever. I have baby doggie fever. I fell a li’l in love with a three-legged cutie at the humane society. I told myself that when he would be ready for adoption, if his adoption fee was less than $250, I would adopt him talk to my landlord and beg him to let me adopt him. I mean, look at that face. How could he say no to that face? I mean, really. Isn’t he the cutest? Well, Max went up for adoption today. His adoption fee is $450. I can’t justify spending that much to adopt a dog. I certainly wouldn’t have the extra funds to provide him the life he deserves. So you could say I’m upset. I almost started crying at work today when I heard the news (I’ve been in close contact with the humane society peeps since I found out about Max and his story).

Needless to say, I’ve had better days.

Ok, well I need to stop this pity party real quick.

Thanks for letting me vent.