Tag Archives: jeans

23_

23.  These are the first two numbers I would like to see on the scale very soon.  I don’t even care what the third number is, or the number after the decimal.  All I want is a two, followed by a three.

I have been stuck in the 240s for what feels like eons.  I finally broke into the low 240s on my short-lived experience with MyFitFoods, and the weight has stayed off.  But, I’m ready for a new 10-pound range.  For reals.

So, I’ve been mindful (somewhat).  Ugh, I know, “somewhat.”  I have been, um, 90% good and 10% bad.  That aint bad, right?  I mindlessly had a candy bar.  Well, I knew what I was doing at the time, but when i came across the wrapper in my purse, I thought “when in the world did I last have a Twix?”

“Um, two days ago.  You bought it at Home Depot.”

“Oh.  Right.”

STILL, 23.  I’m like 241 and change right now and I cannot wait to see that little 3 peek at me from between my toes.  It may not happen for my Friday update, but I’m really, really hoping for it by next week.  I have been working out like a fiend (well, with unexpected time from work off, that is).  And, I’ve been eating less; I’m sure of it.  With the financial cuts to my budget, I’ve been very careful to plow through my cupboard, and only buy things at the store that supplement that (for instance, my cupboard has uncooked pasta, so buying the stuff for sauce, and by “stuff,” I mean a jar of sauce, is allowed).  I can also get fruits, veggies and milk.  Instead of the $1 per day Greek yogurt, I’m now having regular stuff to appease that sweet tooth I get around 8pm.  And, I’m finally eating the jello I bought I don’t know how long ago (well, I do, but I don’t wanna say!).

And by the way, cupboard is a weird word.  I may only be saying so because I didn’t know how to spell it until just now, and therefore may be biased.

Two thirties.  I recall being exactly 230 lbs the day I moved to Los Angeles in September 2005.  I lost a bunch of weight while in LA (South Beach), but I remember seeing that number and being shocked.  SHOCKED. at how much I weighed.  By the time I left, I was closer to 210, but then quickly entered a relationship that ended badly, and with a 40 (yes 40) pound gain that I’m still trying to lose 6 years later.

I have post-its up at the office, and intentions to put up little messages around my apartment to encourage me.  I chant in my head every five minutes “two-three-oh, two-three-oh” (ok, this part is a lie).

In my head, 230s mean that I’m past the 240s (duh), but on my way to the 220s, and I think size 16.  I’ll have to think long and hard about the last time I was a size 16.  Hrm…..

Send prayers or good vibes or whatever you belief system does my way, if you don’t mind.  I would greatly appreciate it!

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Progress

I have a few favorite articles of clothing in my closet – clothes that have lasted through the years, at any weight.  One of these happens to be my Chicago Bears t-shirt.  I probably bought it in 2008 or 2009 – an impulse buy at Old Navy, back in Chicago.  When i threw it on this morning to take my dog out, and caught myself in the mirror, I immediately remembered some old pictures of myself wearing it and how icky I looked in it.  I think it’s because it has traditionally been my “trying to look like I’m not trying” t-shirt.

Well, here are three progressive images of me wearing this very shirt, including today.  Not only can you see that I’m not filling it out in the way I once did, but I’m also trying more on my appearance in general, including skin and hair.

2009

This is me, in Chicago, with the Stanley Cup

2010

In Corpus, celebrating a friend’s birthday.

2012

Taken today! I have not felt so cute in a t-shirt and jeans since probably high school!

 

 

 

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A Shift

There has been a shift, ya’ll.  I don’t know if it was the compliments I received earlier this week, or something inside of me, but I feel very different about the enormous task in front of me (i.e., losing weight).

Right now, there is not an ounce of doubt in me.  I know it will happen.  And, this isn’t just me talking myself up, encouraging myself (which I have been known to do).  This is a known truth that I don’t know I’ve had in me.

And today at work, a coworker said I looked slimmer.  I told her I’ve now lost 26 lbs and am down two sizes.  She got a tear in her eye, ya’ll.  A tear!  It COULD have been the awful fumes from another office’s floor refinishing, but I like to think I have touched her heart ;)

Right now, in this moment, in this week, I feel PUMPED.  I’m excited to join a gym, try new classes, meet new people.  I am ready to shed this weight and dare I cliche-it? get on with my life.  This weight has held me back and I’m sick of it and sick from it.

Can you believe I worked out three times today?  THREE!  I did boot camp this morning, then did some time on the treadmill this afternoon, then did Zumba.  I am just feeling so inspired by myself lately and could go again right now if needed (though it’s not).

Cannot wait to get into size 16s very soon!

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Friday Update

In one week….

Weight: down 2.6 lbs this week, 23 lbs so far
Neck: down .25″ (this bumps around a one inch range)
Waist: up .5″
Hips: up .25″

2.8 pounds to go on my 6-pound sprint.  I would love to head to Chicago (my upcoming vacation) as a size 18.  It may be a stretch, but Imma gonna try.  Not too worried about the waist and hips gain, as I think this could be measurement error.  It’s pretty difficult to measure yourself consistently, and so long as there is not a 1.5″+ difference, I’m fine seeing these bump around.

I FEEL skinnier, though.  The jeans I’m wearing today were SNUG on New Years Day.  I recall a road drip to San Antonio being incredibly uncomfortable, and at some point, I unbuttoned the top button and folded the band in, and was still uncomfortable.  I know there is some give to jeans, and they can stretch out over time, but these even fit better right out of the wash (when they are their tightest).

I just have to remind myself of my avoidance:

Soda (gave that up January 1st)
Processed food
Canned soup
“Diet” anything
Salt
Sweets
Fatty Food
Fried food
Eating out

Tennis practice last night and tonight, tennis match Saturday afternoon with my new partner Kathleen.  Go team Kick Ace!

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An Act of Spanx

I bought some white jeans in a size 20 ages ago.  Like, quite possibly before I moved to Austin last June.  I’m not typically one to purchase jeans I don’t currently fit into, but these were $.97, and white, and a flattering style (provided I fit in them).

However, even when I reached size 20 in my Style & Co brand jeans, these Old Navys did not fit.  I could barely reach my hip (much like the post from a few days ago).

Today however, I gave them another go.  It did take my off-brand Spanx (what’s the non-branded word for these things – shape wear?), but I think I look pretty good! (:

Photo Credit: Sheri

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Not There Yet

image

I thought I’d give Gap denim a chance in a size 18.  Massive fail as this is as far up as I could get them.  Still trucking, along I suppose…

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Encouragement

Yesterday at boot camp, we did this partner activity I rather like.  We ran a lap and were given a number 1 through 16 (there were 16 of us).  Then, person 1 pairs with 16, 2 with 15, 3 with 14, etc.  The idea is that all 8 pairs have roughly the same average ability level.  I was number 16.  I could have made 15, but I did want this one woman, new to boot camp this month, to be the last so I held back (honestly!).  Meaning, I’m now paired with the fastest dude in the class.

So what you do in pairs for this type of approach can vary greatly.  On this particular Friday, one partner would run across a parking lot to a cone, do the exercise assigned to that cone, in the quantity specified, then run back to the mats.  You tag your partner and do mat exercises while they do the cone exercises you just completed.  Once both people in a pair have done the first cone, then the second cone starts.  The process continues for 10 cones, each increasing in both quantity and difficulty.  For instance cone 1 was something like 2 squat jumps; cone 10 was a burpee with a push-up with a sexy spider with a star jump.  Oh, and while you’re running between cones and the mats, you run with dumb bells straight up in the air.  Love it.  The idea is to get all 10 cones done as fast as possible (and beat the other teams).

So yeah, I was paired with Fastest Dude.  A little intimidating and yet motivating.  I know he must be competitive because in the lap where he earned a ‘1’ (and I earned a ‘16’), he was in an all-out sprint to beat this other girl who ultimately got a ‘2.’  Yikes.  But.  But but BUT. Fastest dude PUSHED me to do my best.  He didn’t assume that because I was the slowest runner that I was slow at everything.  He assumed we had it in us to WIN (which we did!). I was determined not to let him down.

When I would come out of an exercise, I would generally be very loopy.  Like, blood doesn’t know where to rush because I was up and then down and then up and then down in the exercise (something called a scissor push-up, for example).  I’d  be walking back to the mats and I’d hear Fastest Dude yell, ‘Come on Katie, pick up the pace, I know you can do it!”  And, he was RIGHT.  I could.  I’d throw those stupid dumb bells in the air and find my inner jog.  At one point, he informed me we were in first place and that only spurred me on.  We ultimately won, and “earned” a victory lap, though I had some shin splintage going on so I stretched and drank water.

See, the lesson from this, or at least one lesson, is competitive spirit with a partner really works for me.  I think this is why I like Tennis so much.  I play a lot of doubles tennis, and I need to channel so much of what happened that day at boot camp.  For one, I need to encourage my partners more (note: I don’t have one consistent partner yet).  Two, I need to help them (perhaps?) recognize why they missed the shot.  Three, I need to encourage them to encourage me – especially when they’ve seen better from me in the past.  I also think I need to get to know my partner more.  For an upcoming match I’m partnered with Lawyer Chick, who is maybe 40+ with a couple of kids.  She’s fun, athletic, good at tennis – I just don’t have camaraderie with her yet.  In our last match, however, she and I won the only match for my team, which we were pretty proud of :)

Boot camp is on almost-hiatus now.  We have one Super Bowl themed two-hour event today, which I understand will be lots of flag football and tailgating games.  I’ve invited several girls from the office to join, and I think two plan to come, plus their friends/significant others.

One week break from boot camp, then it starts up again mid-February.

Scale update: though Friday’s are my designated day, I do step on the scale daily (despite much scrutiny from others).  The scale reflected a couple-pound gain from yesterday, which I GUESS is to be expected, since I had a couple of beers last night, and a heavy dinner.  It’s one day, and I don’t fret about it.  I just like the reminder of my progress yesterday and use it as a guide to do well today.  Also, I noticed that my jeans (which typically last a few washes), were big on me after one day of wearing them.  Size 18 soon??  I hope so!

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Recognize.

I bought these size 20 jeans around Christmas.  They were a little higher waisted than I usually go for – hitting me about 1.5 inches above the belly button, but they were a color I was drawn to.  When I tried them on, they were snug, but only when I inhaled.   When I sat down for the first time, holy moly help me Jesus!  It felt like I was wearing a 1” belt and cinching it much like cartoon characters that haven’t eaten in months (Sylvester the cat comes to mind).

I would unbutton the top button and literally fold the top inch of the jeans in, so I’d have extra room, but really this just created bulk.  Sigh…

I stopped wearing them for a week or two, but today I just needed a clean pair of pants (know what I mean!?).  It was awesome.  They behaved like a pair of jeans I’d been wearing for a few days without washing – all stretched out and comfy.  In fact, I had to ask myself if they were in fact fresh-washed, or if I’d just thrown them on the hanger (I’m not embarrassed to admit I do that).  (Well, maybe a little).

But no, no, no.  I’m skinnier.  I FEEL skinnier.  Shirts fit me better.  The muffin top is more like mini muffin top (remember mini muffins?  My friend Bryn used to sing a song about them that went to the tune of Pretty Woman – “Mini muffins…. Walking down the street… the kind I like to eat… but I digress…).

I am thinner.  For reals.  Recognize.

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Feeling better and BIG goals

My gosh, it’s amazing what 7 hours of decent sleep can do for the body!  I feel so much better just for having more sleep.  I’m still incredibly busy and stressed and all that, but the week is coming to an end, the stuff I’m working it is kinda, sorta coming to a close, and the office holiday party is tomorrow!  Oh, and I went to the doctor today and have a little virus, which explains so much!

But, the big news today… the big big news… I hit 17 lbs lost this morning!  I even told the nurse he had to weigh me today (you know, for their records).  Not sure he wrote it down – he probably thought I was doing it for my own information.  Still!  It’s big.

Also, I have a big goal.  Big.  Big big big.  A goal to get small.  Small small small.  50lbs by June 1st.  It’s going to be tough.  I will be tempted to procrastinate.  I was just so motivated today – for all the things I listed above – but also because a coworker told me she could see the changes in my face.  And, of my three pairs of jeans, the ones that fit “medium” (not my tightest pair, not my largest pair) were sliding down my hips.  And so, I vocalized my new (and 1st) 6-month goal: 50 lbs by June 1st. Eeeek!

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