The Year in Review--2006
So, I started 2006 weighing in at 219 pounds. AAAGGH! How is it that didn't bother me more earlier than it did? In January, my middle child had fairly major surgery. We spent four days in the hospital and another two weeks vegging on the couch. None of this was really great for me, but it was just part of life.
In February, middle child went back to school and I cut red meat out of my diet after talking with many Adventist friends and research on my blood type. Immediately and over night, I lost 5 pounds and my moods stabilized. But I was still very overweight.
March drifted by. And April made its way in.
Mid-April, one day when I was home sick (a very rare thing for me to take a day off because I'm sick), I saw yet another commercial for Weight Watchers and LA Weight Loss. I had heard lots and lots about Weight Watchers, but knew NO ONE who had stuck with it. So, I decided to call LA Weight Loss and check it out. I officially started my program on April 17th. My weigh in was at 210.4 lbs.
May was okay. I was starting to really get with the program, and we started walking at the park on the weekends when the weather was nice. By Memorial Day weekend, I was down over 10 pounds and into the 100s. I was soooo excited to be back in the 100s.
By July 4th, I was down to 190. I couldn't believe it! I could buy clothes in the misses department for the first time in over six years. That was a tremendous milestone for me.
In August, I slowed down a bit, but finally hit 180 by late in the month. By the time school started for the kids in September, I had broken the 40 pounds lost mark.
In mid-September, my co-workers were astounded by my weight loss. The company agreed to match dollar for dollar our own "Biggest Loser" competition. To make it fair to everyone, we voted to do the competition based on body fat lost. I could do that! At my first measurement for the competition, I weighed in at 169 and with a body fat % of 37.0. (That's still high!)
As part of the competition, I committed to a rigorous workout program. I was in the gym 3-5 days a week, for no less than an hour per session. By November, I stepped up my workouts to 4-5 days a week, for no less than 90 minutes per session.
I made my initial weight loss goal of 155 in November, just before Thanksgiving, and quickly rebounded to 158. SIGH I didn't give up though. . .I just plugged away at the gym and kept eating right.
On December 19th, we had our final measurements for our "Biggest Loser" competition. My final weight was 154 and my ending body fat was 22.96. I lost 15 pounds and 14.04% body fat in just 12 weeks! Sadly, I didn't win the over $2000 grand prize. I came in second and received my entry fee back. But I WAS the biggest loser when you consider how far I'd come before there was money involved, and when you consider where I'm going. (In fairness, the competition was not handled well in the sense of how they used the measurements. It is my hope that next fall they will have another "Biggest Loser" competition and I can coordinate it in a way that is fair to everyone involved. My actual overall reduction in body fat was 40% and not 14.04. . .but that's a mathematical issue. . . )
So here I am today. I wear a size 10 jean. I can walk, bike, and swim. I am training to begin running, and ultimately, it is my goal to compete in a mini-triathlon and perhaps even a half-marathon (at least Bloomsday). My second goal is to quit smoking, which is an absolute must if I'm going to run long distances. My third goal is to continue working on my body fat percentage. My goal is to get down to 18% body fat, and in the process work on the problem areas of my body.
But here is what I promise myself for 2007: I will never wear a size larger than what I am today. And I will strive to become more and more healthy.
Here's to finding and keeping the best YOU in 2007!
