Celebrating 25 Pounds

On Tuesday of this week, I went to my Weight Watchers meeting, stood on the scale, and weighed in at 180.6 pounds. During the meeting, I recieved my keychain charm for 25 pounds lost. I know a lot of you are wondering why you haven't heard from me before now, but quite honestly, I was just enjoying a few quiet moments of absolute disbelief. If you would have told me at the New Year, that Easter weekend, I would be experiencing this kind of success and shopping off the size 16 rack, I would have laughed you out of town. It's Biblical you know, for Sarah to laugh . . .

I'm laughing now, because for the first time since college, I feel free from the cycle of food and failure that's kept me in bondage for all of these years. Finally! I don't HOPE to lose weight, or hope I MIGHT be able to lose a few more pounds; I look forward to the day when I WILL meet my weight loss goals.

Now that I'm this far down the road, I am so glad now I decided to write it all down. To all of you who have been reading and commenting along the way, I thank you for choosing to make yourselves a part of this success. I appreciate you all so much!

So, where do I go from here? Why on to the next pound, of course, and then onto the pound after that. When it comes to where I would actually like this journey to end up, I still find myself vascillating. Some days, I feel I would be perfectly happy just to make it to BMI 25--around 146 pounds; while other days, I feel peaked and primed to meet the advanced challenge of a mid-level BMI 22--around 129 pounds. As I have mentioned previously, there is something quite thrilling about the idea of weighing less than my husband! Anyway, I still have some time to decide.

In the meantime, I am taking my week of Rest and Re-evaluation a week early, as despite my victory on the scale Tuesday, I started into this week feeling rather worn out. Consequently, I opted out of aerobics until Saturday morning and got some yardwork done instead. Besides, there won't be time for rest next week as I'm starting into the Weight Watchers 5k walking challenge with my friend Darcey.

I've also been giving my weekly commitments a lot of thought. What do I like about a system of commitments, and what could I do to make them more permenent and effective? What I like, is that a weekly commitment keeps me constantly aware of what I'm doing to stay on track to reach my goals for health. What I would like to see improve, is the level at which I resolve to recall and revisit my commitments as the weeks pass.

Consequently, next week, I will be starting over at Commitment One and cycling back through 17 weeks of commitments. This time, I will strive to make each commitment a more naturally flowing part of my days. Another words, rather than keeping a commitmebnt so I can then check it off of my to-do list at the end of the day, I want to get to the end of the day and realize that I have kept my commitment because it is becoming part of who I am and what I do.

With this new approach, will I be busy and challenged for a lifetime? Probably. But that's o.k., because Weight Watchers is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Now, just so I'm clear with where I am heading in the next 17 weeks, here's the run down from Commitment 1 to Commitment 17. When I get to 17, I'll start over again, and with 17 weeks, I can repeat the cycle 3 times in a year with a week to spare. Close enough!

Week 1: Take my multivitamin every night before bed.
Week 2: Drink water--at least 6 glasses a day
Week 3: Evaluate activity--already doing pretty good?
Amp it up this week for variety and challenge
Week 4: Blog challenge, write a couple extra entries to stay directed
Week 5: The kitchen--try a couple new foods to keep it interesting at the table
Week 6: Rest and Re-evaluation
Week 7: Positivity through laughter--re-vist the Big, Fat Greek Weddings and
Wake Up Ned Divine!
Week 8: Bad habit/good habit week--get rid of a negative & replace it with a positive
Week 9: Evaluate activity--do I need to change it up soon? Am I bored? Push a little!
Week 10: Blog challenge--Face the demons, get whining out of my system
Week 11: The kitchen--Control environment, what temptations need to disappear?
Week 12: Rest and Re-evaluation
Week 13: Positivity through gratitude, make this the week to say thanks
to friends and family who help keep me successful and sane
Week 14: Evaluate activity--Change up strenth training. Don't get predictable!
Week 15: Blog challenge--plan the Week 16 push and blog to get ready!
Week 16: The PUSH. Psyche out that plateau. Plan extra activities, fast from unnecessary flex points, and push hard to have a special victory on the scale! You can do anything once every four months. =)
Week 17: Rest, re-evaluate, and CELEBRATE successs!

So come on with me! Victory dances are always more fun when the party is well attended!