Weekly Weigh-In

It has been a busy couple of weeks with lots of traveling to Baltimore. I'm not complaining - I have gotten to spend time with my brother, sister-in-law, and nephews. It's been fun. Lots of birthday celebrations. We have one more, Luke's, birthday to celebrate this next weekend then we are done with birthdays in the family until July. Which in some ways will be nice - no more cake/birthday treat temptations for awhile. I think I'll be in town for awhile which will also be nice.

This week I was one ounce shy of losing two pounds. Next week. As long as I am losing I can't be too mad.

3.26.13 Day 186, Lost:1 Total:56, Weight: 134

More updates coming soon. Until then...

All in.

It's Official!

Several people now have told me they read my blog, look at my pictures, and follow my journey on a regular basis. Three of these people have told me they see BIG changes in the pictures, but the pictures do not do justice to what I look like in person. The first person to say this was my friend, Katie Bowling (owner and master creator at One Delightful Button). Katie, her husband, Philip, and their son, Judah, moved from VB to Boston not long before I started this journey and I saw them for the first time 3 or 4 weeks ago since starting this program. Katie told me she's been stalking my blog and that nothing beats seeing me in person. It was definitely encouraging for sure! Thanks Katie!

The second person or really people to tell me that the pictures don't do the transformation were my sweet Oregon family and dearest friends, Kory and Sara. I video skyped with them last week for the first time since I started this journey. It was so fun to see their reactions! Can't wait to go see them (hopefully) soon! The third person was my sister-in-law, Jess. I saw her yesterday and the first thing she said was "Ash! You're wasting away!" So great to have such encouragers.

Also, my story is posted on the Tidewater Bariatrics Facebook page. If you want to read it go here. They posted it March 13th.

This week I finally broke the one pound streak I was on. I lost two this week. I hit 55 on the program and 60 over all. I am officially 2/3 of the way done! Only 30 pounds more to lose!

3.19.13 Day 179, Lost:2 Total:55, Weight: 135

All in.

Another 1 Pound Weekly Weigh-In

Today is Tuesday. It is warm and rainy which means my hair is almost an afro. Here is the reality. I have gotten to the point where I am REALLY tired of eating this food and working out several hours a day. I am really tired. I use to be kinda tired with this stuff. Now I am really tired. This is also the third week in a row that I have only lost 1 pound a week. I know that it is good that I am still losing and I also know that it is natural to slow down the longer you are on this program and I do know that 1 pound a week is average for someone my weight who has been on this program this long. But that does mean I like it! If I keep up only 1 pound a week, I will be finished sometime in October. I want to be finished before October. Sigh. That is where I am at. Will you pray for this journey that I would have a renewed excitement for this program. I am almost 2/3 of the way done. I know I can do this and that I will do this. I feel like I need some joy in this process. Instead of saying “Hey I lost another pound this week! That will be one less pound I do not have to worry about losing!” I am saying “Only one pound this week?! This is gonna take forever!” Sigh. It is getting harder.

3.12.13 Day 172, Lost:1 Total:53, Weight: 137

All in.

Weekly Weigh-In

I spent most of this last week sick. Again thanks Commonwealth Region family! Just kidding. Kinda. Anyways I spent most of this last week not wanting to work out and to lay in bed and watch mindless tv. I did work out this week, but not to the intensity that I normally do. With all that being said, I lost one pound this week which is fine. I lost weight this week and that is all that matters! It has been so worth it! In three pounds I will have lost 55 lbs on this program and 60 overall. When that happens, I will be 2/3 of the way done. That is my next goal weight to reach.

3.5.13 Day 165, Lost:1 Total:52, Weight: 138

All in.

Mah Clothes - They Don't Fit!

Yeah so two weeks ago I went through like 5 shirts before I found a top that fit and was not too big to wear to church. I am not a morning person nor do I plan an outfit out the night before therefore I like to be able to grab something out of my closet, throw it on, know it atleast looks decent, and walk out the door. So after church that day, I tried on everything in my closet and put aside (or really threw it in a pile) everything that was too big. It felt SO good to get rid of stuff that was too big instead of things that were too small! Also I am officially in single digits in both my pants size (now a 6 at Old Navy) and bathing suite (8 in Nike). For those of you who are regular blog readers will know that I was originally a 14 in pants (and probably should have been in a 16) and 16 in a bathing suite. Great feelings! Got my smaller bathing suite today, in fact!

Before I share all the things that are too big, I want to give a quick shout out to my friend Lynsie McDaniel. Lynsie was a Yearlong Intern at SharpTop Cove the year before me and her now husband, Ryan, was a Yearlong Intern the same year at Washington Family Ranch. After their Yearlong years, Ryan and Lynsie got married and Ryan moved to Georgia to join Lynsie on full-time Property Staff at STC. It was a fun thought that while I was out at WFR that Ryan and I had switched camps with an overlap at STC. Anyways, I spent my whole intern year in the kitchen with Lynsie and loved my time with her making lasagnas and other kitchen craziness. Anyways, Lyns read my last blog post from Tuesday and saw my request for tshirts and being the rockstar she is, she sent me these four tops and they arrived in the mail yesterday! Thanks Lyns!

Lyns sent me two small tanks, a Virginia for lovers tshirt (both Ryan and 

Lyns are fellow Virginians) and a Young Life SharpTop Cove tshirt. Love it!

Here is the start of my collection of too big clothes collection. You will notice the clothes that were bought before or after my stint out west because they have color!

 I wish this picture did this pile justice! Holy cow he did I own this many clothes?

 14 tshirts. Two of which were my only two Yankees tshirts. 6 I got at

the WFR auctions. 1 random Windy Gap tshirt, 1 VB Wyld Life tshirt,

1 UGA shirt, 1 Team Libby shirt, 1 YL TimberWolf Lake tshirt, and 1 

Virginia Tech shirt. Sigh.

 3 Target short sleeve tops and 3 Target tops

 5 long sleeve and 1 3/4 length Target/Old Navy tops.

 3 Old Navy tops. The Yellow floral one and the one on the bottom

are still in great condition. They will make someone happy! Size Medium

if anyone interested! 

 My two Youth Leadership Forum Staff shirts. Sad. Miss the dear

YLF family!

 Work out pants and shorts. Ridiculous.

 Green vest and sweater - my PNW classics!

 The black dress on the left I bought for my friends, Rick and Kelli's

wedding. It was a smidge tight and not the most flattering then, but I

was last minute shopping and in need to not have a dress that needed to be 

hemmed (story of my life). The brown dress on the right I bought for my 

friends, Tim and Melissa's wedding. These would be great dresses - if they fit me!

 Khaki shorts and yes my pair of size 10 jeans. I am officially in 6's! 

Gah! Size 6's! Cannot believe I am in single digit pants! I do not

remember the last time I was in single digit pants!

 Walla Walla, WA sweatshirt and Rockbridge fleece. Sigh. I

love that fleece. It's my favorite color. Also in excellent condition.

Up for grabs.

 Two Medium Target skirts.

Two pair of pj's. The one on the left was a gift from my brother

and sister-in-law for Christmas - I believe it was the first Christmas

they were married which was 8 years ago.

 Remember that big rubber maid container? Yep it's full! 

 Yeah this is what is left in my closet. Half of those clothes are too 

big, but can't afford to get rid of EVERYTHING. Some of those 

things are new and fun.

 After all that, I found more clothes that were too big! The dress

on the right I wore to my brother and sister-in-law's rehearsal dinner

almost 9 years ago and then the rest of the summer I wore it to every

dress up dinner at camp on Summer Staff and camp trips. Not sure why I

kept it this long. Left it in a closet at my parents and forgot about it. The 

dress on the left is my bridesmaid dress from Mike and Amber's wedding.

Don't worry, after this pic was taken, I hung it back up and put it back in the

closet. I didn't subject it to the box.

 This was another bridesmaid dress from June 2008.

The suite on the left is the old one, suite on the right is the

one I bought today! Yay for smaller suites!

I know this is a long post, atleast for me. And probably really boring for y'all. This would probably be boring for me if this was not my own blog. But this is helpful for me. It is helpful for processing and reflecting. When I get to my goal weight, I am sure I will have times where I will struggle to maintain the weight or won't feel comfortable in my skin or...well there could be a thousand different emotions. I want to be able to document this stuff so I can see where I was and where I am going to encourage myself both now and in the future. I do not want to to go back there. I feel more comfortable in my own skin now and I'm not quite 2/3 way done yet. Imagine how I will feel when I get to my goal weight - only 34 more pounds away! I can do this! I got this!

Thanks for the encouragement everybody! Keep it coming!

All in.