Well, when the paper comes out next Sunday, it will unfortunately show that I gained 3ish pounds since the last weigh in.  While that sucks, it is not actually accurate.  I probably gained over 12 pounds in the last month, but was able to take off all but 3 of it.

 

I am saying that I gained more than weight during the last month because I also gained some serious insight about the fact that I believe that I obviously have some serious issues with food.  I even admitted to some of my fellow contestants at the last weigh in that I believe that I am a binge eater and could probably benefit from some professional intervention at this point.  That was very difficult to admit, but my fellow contestants were very supportive.  Margaret shared with me that she does not deprive herself of anything because that is what she feels will cause her to binge or overeat.  I think that has possibly been my mistake all along during this contest.  I did very well after the initial weigh in, but then the real fun began.  Each month I would attend the weigh in and then do okay for the next week or so, but I would eventually binge eat and then any form of healthy eating would be lost.  I would eat everything and anything for another week or so and the 7-10 days before the next weigh in I would eat absolutely no carbs and try to get to the gym all in the hope of at least not posting a gain. Well that did not work this last month and I was busted!

 

I am going to try a new approach this month and simply try to eat sensibly and somehow increase my exercise.  (I am still struggling to find where to fit that into my 3^rd shift work schedule!)  We’ll see how that goes!

Tonight my husband and daughter are out at Chick-fil-a enjoying a special “Daddy-Daughter Date Night” together for father’s day.  So then my mother offered to take my son and me to McDonalds for dinner.  Of course my almost 13 years jumped at the chance.  Although I could get a salad, the temptation to get something else would be just too great so I decided to stay home all by myself.  I just finished my dinner which consisted of a big salad filled with assorted veggies, a little cheese and some buffalo chicken lunch meat and a diet coke.  It tasted fabulous!

 

I am having a very stressful day so far today and all I want to do is eat some yummy carbohydrate comfort food!  I am trying to hang tuff…weigh in coming soon!!! 

I recently read another contestants blog and she was saying that Monday thru Friday it was much easier to stay on track by eating right and making to the gym, but that it all kind of fell apart on the weekends.  Then she spends time during the week trying to undo what she did all weekend.  I have to say that I totally agree with that.  Weekends are the most difficult for me as well.  I make some decent progress throughout each week and then fall apart over the weekend.  It is a vicious cycle and even after all these months of trying during this contest I still cannot get control over it.  I will be lucky once again to break even at the next weigh in!

I have tried to get back on track with losing weight.  Last week was my birthday and I blew it with a few too many “celebrations” with various family and friends.  It’s funny how social food can be!  Anyway, I had actually once again put back on some of the weight that I had managed to take off for the last weigh in.  However today I am happy to report that according to my scale here at home that I am down 2 lbs from my last weight on record. I hope to keep it off and add to as the rest of this month goes by!

Okay, so according to the scale on Saturday I weighed it at exactly the same weight as last month.  So I am down a total of 9.6 lbs since the beginning of the contest.  The reality is that I have actually lost approx 28 pounds since the beginning of the contest.  I attend each weigh in and then for the next few weeks I don’t really pay too close attention to diet or exercise so I gain some (if not all or more) of the weight back.  Then about 7-10 days before the next weigh in, I am good about watching my diet and getting in a little exercise if possible.  Luckily so far I have not posted a gain, but I am not sure how long that will last if I keep this up!  I wish that I was actually down 28lbs.  That would be fabulous!  I have a lot of admiration and respect for those in the contest who have managed to take the weight off, keep it off and keep losing!  My hat is off to you!

Well, I have been hearing/reading about many of the participants taking Zumba classes, but the times/places that they were offered were not convenient for me.  Fortunately a woman in my neighborhood has organized  Zumba classes to be held at the community room in my neighborhood.  The community room is just a very short walk from my house so how could I say no?! 

 

I attended my first class tonight.  I have to tell you that I wanted to walk out the door after just the “warm up” portion.  My hips and butt do not move that way!  But I decided to stick out the entire hour (although I know that very often I looked like a complete idiot).  I am glad that I stayed.  I certainly did not get all the moves, but in the end I was sweating, burned some calories and had a good time!  The only problem is that I tend to tense up in my neck and shoulders when I do things like this so my neck is a little sore.  I’ll have to take some ibuprofen before heading off the work tonight. 

 

The class is being offered 3 times a week so I hope to go as often as possible!