Week 16, 225 lbs.

This is new. This week I showed no change on the scale.  At least the weight didn't go up - then I'd really be upset.




Tags from a current favorite outfit - jacket and pants.

Not only do I feel like I look really good when I'm wearing this, I get a kick out of the size (just an L)
 and love the motivational quotes the clothing line
includes  in its  labeling.



For some reason everything stayed put, even though I am seeing more changes in my shape.  Crystal, my diet coach, said not to get discouraged.  This just happens sometimes. 

Maybe it's hormonal.  Maybe I built some muscle through my bike riding and exercise.  Maybe I ate lunch too close to weigh-in (it was later than usual). Maybe my body just decided to be stubborn this week.  It could be anything.

This is just one week out of 16 and I have many more to go. In the grand scheme of things, this is just a small delay in my progress.  I can't let this one hiccup discourage me.

So..... instead of thinking something went wrong or beating myself up for something I should have or shouldn't have done, I am going to focus on the positives:

• I am healthier than I was 16 weeks ago and feel fantastic.
• My personal relationships have improved - not only do I feel better about myself, I have more energy to interact with my loved ones.
• I have tons of energy I didn't have before.
• There are clothes hanging in my closet that don't have an X in the size - and I am wearing them.
• I can climb stairs without knee pain or getting winded
• Wonder of wonders - I can cross my legs comfortably at the knee!
• I am sleeping comfortably through the night.
• People at work are treating me differently - in a good way.
• My house looks better than it has in years
• I am wearing jeans I haven't worn since I was in my 20s, and I feel better both mentally and physically than I did when I originally wore them.

With all that and more to consider, it's hard to be too upset about one week.  With my progress so far and the law of averages to consider, I know this week is an exception rather than the expected.

As long as I stick to the program, drink lots of water and live life to the fullest, I will keep moving toward my goal.  Right now, it is my intention to loose 83 more pounds. That goal may change as I continue forward and my shape continues to emerge from the rolls of fat I've been carrying around for far too long.  Whether it's 83 or 93 more pounds - I know I am well on my way to reaching the finish line!

Week 15, 225 lbs.

This week's message is: "Hey, Lanza!  Simmer down!"

There was some good news and bad news at the weigh in today. 

The good news was that I am down another four pounds.   I am so happy to arrive firmly into the 220s.  It won't be long before I am showing a smaller number on the scale than my husband.  This will be the first time since I married him that I will weigh less than him!

The bad news is that my fat index is up again.... by a lot.

The longer bike rides, house cleaning marathons, (low impact) exercise video and all the other active stuff I've been doing have been overtaxing my system. The low calorie Ideal Protein meals I've been eating haven't been enough to sustain my body now that it's more active. When I'm biking or getting some form of exercise my body has been consuming lean mass instead of fat mass.

The numbers don't lie. My fat index jumped up several points, so I am definitely doing something wrong.

So it's time to settle down, scale back and take it easy.  On the days when I bike to work I MUST work in an extra protein during the day and be sure that's the only exercising I do that day. 

With what feels like boundless energy, it is going to be hard to scale it back.... but I want to do this program the right way and get rid of the fat instead of lean mass (which includes bone, connective tissue, muscle, etc.... all the stuff I really need!)

And when I get really antsy and MUST find something to do with my energy, I'm going to do something like organizing and cataloging my karaoke CD collection - something that's been on my to do list for years that won't burn major calories!!

Have a wonderful week!
-Lanza

Here's Scarlett!

Scarlett on her first day of school. I love this picture!
She's 60 pounds of Awesome!

This is my beautiful, talented and incredibly bright niece, Scarlett.

Why am I posting a photo of my niece on my blog about dieting?

Yesterday, when I was to my brother (Scarlett's dad) about diets and fitness, my latest milestone came up and he told me that Scarlett just had a check up and weighed in at exactly 60 lbs.

So I have shed the equivalent of a small person - namely Scarlett - from my body!

It made my day to have something tangible to look at in relation to what I've accomplished so far!!

I have to say, I love my brother for many reasons - but he really made me glow with what he told me yesterday!!

Photo Update - 60 Pounds GONE!!

Left: My Starting Weight.       Center: 45 lbs. lighter.       Right: Taken today, 60 lbs. down!!

The scales at home are showing a new, smaller number today, so I am officially celebrating reaching the 60 lb. mark!  I told myself when I reached the big 6-0, I'd do another photo update.

Initially, you might not see much difference between the 45 lb. photo and the one I took this morning, until I tell you that the t-shirts I am wearing are the exact same style, brand and size.  I bought them on the same day.  The only difference between the two shirts is the color.  Look how snug the shirt was in the middle photo and check out the fit in today's photo!

There was a reception at work last weekend and people were finally commenting on my new shape.  Instead of perceiving a change and thinking it was a flattering outfit or my makeup, people are finally seeing the actual change.  I had to drop close to 60 lbs. for anyone to really notice - which is a testament to how huge I really was. 

Yesterday as I was walking across the galleries, one of the center's volunteers asked me about my knees.  She noticed I wasn't limping anymore and that I was walking without any trouble.  As a matter of fact, I was practically sprinting across the building to deliver a message.  She asked me what I did to cure my knees and I told her I took 60 lbs. worth of stress off them.  Her eyebrows shot up in amazement. I think she expected me to tell her about a knee surgery or pain pill I was taking.

I just can't get over how much my life has changed in the past 14 weeks.  I've gone from sedentary to active, from depressed to happy, from crippled to dancing, from just getting through the day to greeting each day with enthusiasm  .... I am a calorie burning machine!!

I still have a long way to go and several layers of fat to shed but I'm up and ready for the challenge!  I haven't felt this good since I was 19! 

If you are reading this and thinking to yourself that there's something special or unusual about me or that you could never do what I am doing, think again.  Anyone - ANYONE - can claim a healthier lifestyle or change their life for the better.  As I've said before the difference between success and stagnation is mindset.  To change your life, all you have to do is change the way you think.  The rest just falls into place.

Week 14, 229 lbs.

This week shows better progress than last week - three pounds down and a single pound away from the 60 lb. mark!

My size is changing dramatically so I am trying not to pay too much attention to the numbers on the scale right now.   And it's not just my shape that's changing ...  my activity level is crazy!!

On Sunday alone I cleaned several rooms in the house, biked 10 miles, took some time to leash train the dog, weeded part of the garden and did 20 minutes of an exercise video.... all before noon.   I just couldn't sit still.... to the point where my husband wanted to check the Ideal Protein foods in the pantry for illegal substances.  Anyone who knew me well in the past knows that this behavior is completely out of character.  What I was able to accomplish in one day this weekend would take me at least a week when I was heavier.

The combination of improved health and the cooler temperatures have me invigorated.  I have always loved the fall months and this year, I am spending more time out in the weather, savoring as much of it as I can.  I don't want to miss a moment of this beautiful, magical season.

I feel so good:  Happy, healthy and alive.   It feels good to be living life - instead of watching it pass me by.

Inspiration from an Unexpected Place

Last night my husband called me into the living room to view a clip on Yahoo's "News of the Weird."  I had no idea what to expect but was pleasantly surprised to discover a source of inspiration on my husband's monitor - and I am puzzled as to why Yahoo would call this a weird story.

Here's a link to the video (the newscaster is annoying, but it's worth it to suffer through his antics to get to the story):

http://news.yahoo.com/video/woman-credits-traffic-ticket-200lb-193000218.html

 

To summarize, a year and a half ago, a 400 lb. woman, Jeanette Colantonio, was stopped by a police officer for not wearing her seatbelt.  She was too big for her car's seat belt and receiving the ticket was the spark that ignited her determination to change her life.... and her size!  

 

Later, I read this interview and was impressed with what Mrs. Colantonio had to say about her own journey.  Here are the highlights:

 "...the battle is more mental than physical. If I had not decided that I could do this, I would not have done it. I am constantly conditioning my mind for success. I view and read success stories, I read a lot of health and fitness materials, and I continue to share my journey through my weight loss page. I believe it is vital to envision your success and to believe that it is achievable. If you believe that you can, you can. If you believe that you can’t, you are absolutely right."


"It is absolutely okay to change one unhealthy habit at a time. Sometimes when we go all in, we become overwhelmed.  Go at your own pace and remember doing something is better than doing absolutely nothing. Last but not least, bodies were made to move!! So get MOVING!!!"

Amen!  The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - so GET MOVING!!  Take a step!

We all have our battles in life to fight.  My battle was with food and alcohol - but the biggest fight was within my own head.  Your mindset is what makes or breaks you.  Whether you want to live a healthier life or find a new job, you won't get anywhere unless you change the way you see yourself.

Mrs. Colantonio never mentions what diet she's on but outlines some of what she's doing and it sounds like a different diet than Ideal Protein.  This only proves the point I am trying to make:  Whatever path you choose to reach your destination is the right one but you won't get there until you work on the way you look at yourself and your own abilities.

If Jeanette Colantonio had only felt defeated and hopeless when she received that traffic ticket, I wouldn't be talking about her today.  I can totally identify with the seatbelt issue - there was a time in my life when seatbelts wouldn't reach around me, either.  It's a degrading, painful realization when you discover you've gotten too big for seatbelts. 

I congratulate this woman on her strength and on her willingness to take a negative situation and turn it into a defining moment that changed her life.  What a victory!! I am also thankful that she shared her story for the folks out here who are looking for an inspirational boost!

Week 13, 232 lbs.

All things considered, two pounds is amazing progress.  I didn't loose any ground and the change in the scale's reading was in the right direction.

My husband's mother and sister came to visit this weekend and the house guest situation presented some challenges with my diet.

Before the company arrived I was having a great week, diet-wise:  I got into a pair of pants I wasn't able to squeeze into two weeks ago.  For the first time in a while I was shocked when I glimpsed myself in a full length mirror because my dimensions have changed dramatically.... again! 

I was sure before the weekend hit that I was going to have a five pound loss this week. 

Then the relatives arrived. We had a great visit and I enjoyed getting to know my husband's family better.  It was a wonderful weekend.

However, with eating out and playing hostess it was all but impossible to stick to the diet.  I had two days plagued with deviations from the diet that I couldn't avoid.  We took the family to the touristy-fun restaurants and, of course, many of those places didn't serve diet-friendly items.  I applied the food knowledge I've gained since starting Ideal Protein to pick the "skinniest" items on the menu.  There were also some treats offered that I didn't feel I could diplomatically turn down. All in all I am proud of myself for sticking as closely as I could to plan in spite of the difficulties.

Now that the company has departed and our lives are back to their normal rhythm, I am back 100% on Ideal Protein and moving towards a slimmer, healthier me! 

It did make me feel wonderful when my in-laws said nice things about the way I look now.  And I could have walked on air when my husband expressed how proud he was of me and gave me moral support/encouragement after the weekend was over.

This week, it is my intention to stay on track with no deviations, ride my bike, drink tons of water and reach for the maxium five pound loss!  I know I can do it!!