Fresh Start

I'm unsure if I should go back and count the days it's been since I started or just go with day 2. Hah.

I have been totally on track this week and it feels amazing. I'm eating smaller portions, NOT BUYING FOOD (a major accomplishment), working out (if only a little).

Weigh-in tomorrow!

In essence, Day 1

So, seriously, I have been 'away' from weight loss for almost two months!

But I'm back now.

I KNOW I KNOW! I've said that three, or so, time now, but really. For the past three days I have been back on track with eating (smaller portions and more whole foods) and making a point to exercise and drink lots and lots of water! I feel so much better already!

Everything is getting better. I'm getting more done in my life like homework, house work, and organizing. I feel happy and excited to be back. I'm also starting to get back into YouTube. Hopefully tomorrow, I'll post a weigh-in on my personal channel (which I haven't done in over a month!) and I'm going to be joining a new challenge that will start on November 1, 2009.

I have yet to finish a challenge that I have started on You Tube and I'm really hoping to break that! This will be a really good challenge because it is a contest to lose the most body fat percentage. As of right now, my goal is still to be under 200 lbs. before 2010. Unofficially, I have 27 pounds to lose in a little less than 10 weeks. Yes, it is a huge challenge, but I think I'm finding the motivation. I cannot reveal that information right now, but trust me it's good!

So, hopefully weigh-in tomorrow!!! xo Megan

PS. It feels good to blog! :)

Day 135 - Sorenesssssssss

So yesterday I did my first Yoga class ever and a 15 minute Abs & Back class and I am sore! I mean really really really sore.

It feels good, but ouch! Tomorrow is weigh-in and I'm doing another class. Zumba at 8:30. I love Zumba because I love to dance, and it is really a workout.

Now some Biggest Loser and then to bed!!! I really want to catch up on sleep. :)

Day 134

So I've been really busy lately but I'm finding new outlets and new solutions.

New things I've discovered that help me balance life/work/home/weight loss/boyfriend:

• the Imogen Heap radio station on Pandora! It totally rocks and is really chill
• the Biggest Loser, Season 8. I have been downloading it from itunes and it is such a huge inspiration!!! I have it with my on my iphone and I watch it when I'm feeling like going off track or need a boost of energy to go work out. That show is amazing!
• going to bed early. I know this is a little bit silly but it is so true! I usually have to wake up around 7:00 am to get to class or work on time. That is not too early but if I don't go to bed until 1:00 am, it is really hard to enjoy my day and accomplish all I want to. I have been making a huge effort to get to sleep at a reasonable hour.
• YOGA! Today I did my first ever yoga class with two girls I work with. It wasn't exactly what I'd call fun but it was nice. The instructor had that really soothing voice and there was calm music. I discovered that I had a clear mind pretty consistently throughout the class. I was trying to concentrate on the motion, my breathing, her voice, or the music. It was really nice to just get away from my own thoughts for an hour! I hope to make that class a habit!

So, what do you do to maintain balance in your life?

Day 132 - I'm Back!!!

Okay, so I have been seriously MIA for the whole month of September, and now it's October (I cannot believe that!) and I am really ready to come back.

I've been watching the new season of the Biggest Loser and it amazes me how inspirational that show is. Every episode makes me cry and then want to go to the gym! LOL.

Yesterday, Josh and I went to the gym for the first time in almost a month (!) and then I went again today to do a class called BOSU Blast. It was really really.... really hard! But it really felt amazing. I also went for a 30 minute walk earlier this afternoon.

I cannot tell you how wonderful I felt.

Once again, I have put goals up on the refrigerator. This week they are to drink six bottles of water every day and do three workouts. It feels nice to have goals again and also to have the drive to accomplish them.

So, yes I did not post a weigh in on Thursday but I didn't do a video either and I am back!

New start! I can do this!

Hello Old Friend!

Wow, it has been almost a month since I have blogged here. My sincerest apologies!!!

So, what has been going on in the past month?

I started school again. A full schedule plus more working. It has been crazy! I have really been struggling to keep up with homework, work, organization stuff, apartment upkeep, youtube, and a boyfriend. It has been overwhelming and exhausting.

I have still been doing my YouTube weigh ins but I have nothing new to report. I have been hovering around 225 for the whole month of September. Is that good? No. But it really isn't bad either. Even though I have worked out literally less than 5 times and have not been tracking my food, I have been maintaining! When I take a step back and look at that I am really impressed. A few months ago, I would have gained at least 7-10 pounds back.

So, now I'm devising a plan to get back on track. My previously stated goal was to get under 200 lbs. before January 1, 2010. That's about 25 pounds to lose in 13 weeks. Do the math, and you get 1.9 pounds per week.

I think my approach will be a 'one week at a time' thing, but I'm not sure yet. I'll definitely let ya'll know tomorrow when I actually post my weigh-in.

xo Megan

Weigh In #14 - Changed My Mind

Okidoki, I changed my mind about changing my weigh ins. Maybe later on I will change them to a different day if things get really really busy, but now it's okay...

Okay so here are this weeks results.

Last Week:
Weight: 228.2
BMI: 41.7

This Week:
Weight: 223.4
BMI: 40.9

Result: -4.8

It is quite a relief to get back to pre-vacation weight in one week. I did exercise like a crazy woman!!! Food was not too great. I did track the whole weeks calories which is something I haven't done in a while.

I have decided for the next 2-3 weeks that I will be significantly lowering my carbohydrate intake in order to re-kick start my weight loss and detox my system. In no way, do I want to be on the Atkins Diet or the Southbeach Diet (no offense to those of you who are succeeding with these methods!) but I do want to start lowering my carb intake because I feel like right now it is significantly too high.

After these few weeks pass I will hopefully be well into the 210's and I will start reintroducing breads and pastas (in moderation) back into my diet.

Here's to a great week!!!

xo Megan

Update

Hello Everyone,

I know that this is the time in which I would report my weigh in to you, but I have decided to change my Weigh-In's to Thursday's.

Since I blog my weigh in along with my YouTube Channel and I have to do my Seven Fat Vloggers video on Tuesdays I decided to change my days to spread out the amount of stuff that needs to be done on Tuesday. Since school started I have been insanely busy and my videos probably won't get up until later anyways and usually I don't feel like doing more than one per day anyways.

This, in no way, should be considered 'stalling' because of today's number on the scales (it's actually quite good) but it's just to keep my sanity throughout the rest of the year!

See you Thursday for Weigh-In!

xo Megan

Day 97

So today was a wonderful day, and it came just in time to make me feel like this fall semester is going to be an awesome semester!

Today was filled with worship, romance, relaxation, and exercise. The whole day has been filled with amazing conversation between my boyfriend and I. It's like we really re-connected again. I'm not saying that we have been having problems, but every relationship experiences the ebb of true intimacy. We talked about everything and it felt really amazing.

Because of the church BBQ (which we forgot about until the service) we decided to scrap our original dinner plans in exchange for sandwiches in the park a few miles away from our apartment. We've only been to this park once before and that was almost exactly one year ago when we first moved to Denton. It was beautiful. The weather was flawless and we ate our dinner in the shade overlooking a cute lake. It was definitely relaxing and the evening gave me that reassuring sense of security. The rest of this year is going to be really great!

I've been realizing the importance my open relationship plays in my ability to go full force with weight loss. I feel like because he knows that I am doing this, he will help keep me accountable and being healthier is something we can both do together! My boyfriend has no weight issues and he is a relatively healthy eater, but there are certainly things he could do to improve his health. Together, we have learned to make healthy decisions in recipes, grocery shopping, and activities. I cannot tell you how much my wonderful relationship has done for me over the past ninety-seven days! It has truly made all of the difference!

As far as exercise goes, I will give you an update. I have been really kicking butt this week. Today's workout consisted of 1 hour on the Elliptical (-610 calories), another exhaustion test for the 100 Push Up Challenge for week 3 (28 consecutive), and a "Push It" Run*. I feel amazing. Sweaty, yes, but amazing!!!

I can't wait for weigh in on Tuesday!

xo Megan

PS. *What I have come to call a "Push It" Run consists of walking 1/8 mile (one lap), running for as long as I can, and then walking again until I feel cooled down. This weeks "Push It" Run resulted in 5 laps and actually running about 2 1/4 of those laps. :)

Day 95!!

Holy Moly,

I cannot believe that it is day 95. Time is seriously flying by.

School just started and work is picking up, so I am busy all of the time. Lately I've been feeling like a "grown-up". LOL. I have a lot of responsibility now with my apartment and now school and a demanding job and a boyfriend. It's all becoming very 'real', if that makes any sense.

I have been totally killing it this week with weight loss. I haven't mentioned this yet, but on Wednesday (after lots of water and a trip to the gym) I weighed in way lower than 228.6 or whatever it was on Tuesday. So, yes, most of that was bloating and artificial gain. Undoubtedly, I did still gain weight.

Since Tuesday, I have gone to the gym everyday and really pushed it. I can now run two consecutive laps around the track (equaling together 1/4 mile), I have been sticking to the 100 push up challenge (today I did 83 with the program!!!!), and I also bought a pass to go to my gym's group exercise classes. Yesterday, I did a Zumba class and I love it! I can't wait to try more.

I feel super amazing lately and I think that this semester and the rest of this year is going to be full of hard work AND success!!!

xo Megan

Weigh In #13

Good Morning,

This past week was a dismal week.

I went home to visit my family and went crazy. I ate out at least once a day, didn't drink enough water, and ate late into the night. I feel completely gross but I know that I need to fess up to what happened and work really hard to fix it.

I take comfort in the fact that I am actually writing this blog and that I am going to make my weigh in video today. It shows that I have some level of accountability and that I don't just give up when I fail.

Here are the results (Beware!!!)

Last Week:
Weight: 223.0
BMI: 40.8

This Week:
Weight: 228.2
BMI: 41.7

Result: +5.2 lbs

OUCH! That stings a little doesn't it. But you know what? I'm ready to get past it and I'm ready to never have to type a plus sign on here for a long time!!!

See, today starts the official challenge for me. I won't be seeing my family until Thanksgiving. That is over three months and my goal is to change as much as physically possible in a healthy manner. I want my family to notice my weight loss and be surprised.

Also, this is the time to restart and commit to the "Hot 4 Halloween" Challenge! I really really want to complete that challenge! So today starts it all again!

xo Megan

Weigh In #12

Good Morning!!!

Here are the results:

Last Week:
Weight: 223.0
BMI: 40.8

This Week:
Weight: 223.0
BMI: 40.8

Result: -0.0

That's right, an exact maintain! Needless to say, I'd take this over a gain any day but that doesn't mean I'm particularly happy about it.

I did not have a good weekend in terms of food. There was eating out and lots of heavy food and no where near enough water.

On the exercise front, I did fairly awesome this week. I have officially started running outside now!!! It is a little hard, but I feel amazing while doing it. I also re-started the push up challenge and have been pretty consistent with getting that done. (My arms feel like jello!)

Tomorrow I'll be leaving to visit my family and I won't return until Monday. I'm a little worried as to how I'm going to approach my diet while I'm there, but I'm also excited because I always look at vacations as a way to really focus on weight loss and being healthy.

I'll keep you guys updated!!

xo Megan

Day Eighty Something or Other

Golly, I really don't have anything specific to blog about but I felt as though I should write something.

This weekend, I have really been off plan. I have eaten a lot of chocolate and bbq and lots of other stuff! And after doing it, I felt heavy and lethargic and gross. Why do I make these choices???

I think I subconsciously make them so I can remember how crappy it feels to stuff my body with food. I think I make these decisions so I can get the spark back that tends to fade after a while in losing weight.

For example, today's food consisted of chocolate chip pancakes, left over pasta, bbq, potato salad, and some banana pudding. Needless to say, all of that heavy food did not go over well with my body. Not to mention, for the past few days I have not been drinking as much water as I usually do. After logging onto YouTube a couple of hours ago, I decided that that was not good enough and went for a run!!! This was my first run outside and it felt really really great. I also did my push-ups for the 100 Push-up Challenge today.

I still feel a bit heavy, but I feel a million times better than I did pre-workout.

It is seriously time to stop making poor choices and focus on making significant improvements in all areas of my life style change!!!

xo Megan

Day 79 - Running

So, today I went on my third run! (And when I say run I mean mostly walking and the running until I'm about to pass out and then walking again!)

I cannot tell you how good it feels to be doing something I never thought I could do. And as much as I never thought I would say this, I just have to. Running is truly an escape. If I just focus on the track in front of me or even on my feet moving, I feel really good even though I end up gasping for breath.

I am really going to give my all to seeing how far I can push myself in the field of running. I want to do this mostly to prove to myself that I am a strong woman. I really can do this. In fact, I really am doing it.

Just a quick update.

xo Megan

Weigh In #11

Good Morning! Good Morning!

It's time for weigh-in and here are the results:

Last Week:
Weight 224.2
BMI: 41.0

This Week:
Weight: 223.0
BMI: 40.8

Result: -1.2

WHOOOOO!!!! Do you know what this means??? I have OFFICIALLY hit the 20 lbs. mark for 2009. This year I have lost 20 pounds, and the year isn't over!!! I am so excited!

I had a really amazing week and I cannot wait for week twelve!!! Here we go!

xo Megan

Things are truly getting crazy!!!

First of all, this will be my second blog of the day!!! :0

Second of all, I went for ANOTHER run today. It was completely hard but totally worth it. My legs are on fire but, in a really weird way, it feels good. I know that I am working hard and changing my body!!! I also know that if I keep being consistent and run on a regular basis, the run I did today will never be this hard again! Isn't that just cool to know? It will never be as hard as it was tonight, if I keep at it!

Weigh in tomorrow and I am super excited! I think I'll be seeing some good results!!! Be sure to check it out!

Now, to go shower and collapse in bed!
xo Megan

Day 77 - Motivation

Wow! I just feel like blogging lately!!!

So after my epic 'first run' yesterday, I am happy to report that I feel completely amazing!!! I really think that this Hot 4 Halloween challenge is going to get me closer to my goal in a shorter amount of time.

I find (as I'm sure everyone does), that my inspiration and motivation ebbs a lot on my 'weight loss journey'. Some days all I want to do is eat right and go to the gym and other days not so much. How is it possible that I have kept this up for 77 DAYS now??? I, myself, am in disbelief.

After much reflection on what I have been doing in the past few months I have discovered some key things that have kept me going.

1. I realize that I will quit if I get bored, so I find things to hold my interest. YouTube, blogging, and my new iPhone definitely keep me thinking that weight loss is fun. (If I have something to track, I'm usually having fun).
2. I set lots of goals that vary in length. I have a million goals I want to hit and I find that having so many means you can hit one fairly often. What is better motivation than past accomplishment?
3. I continuously work on positive self-talk. This is one of the most important contributing factors to weight loss. I try to always be conscious of how I talk to myself and how I approach dealing with these changes in my body and habits. This is one of the hardest things to do, in my opinion. A lot of people (including myself) don't realize how mean some of the things we say to ourselves are. That sounds kind of silly but it's true. It is extremely difficult for us to recognize the good in ourselves when all we see are the flaws.
4. Last but not least, I truly try to enjoy this journey I'm on. People always paint weight loss as this time of pure suffering; something that HAS to be done. Well, what if we looked at it as some sort of adventure, as a chance to take control and change our selves for the better. I take joy in the fact that I am becoming EXACTLY who I want to be and because I'm taking the time to do it right, it will be a permanent change!!

At day 77, I am now even more sure that I can and will do this!!! I can and will get to goal!!!

xo Megan

Day 76 - Milestone!

Today, at the gym, I walked/ran 1 mile!!!!

My gym has an 1/8 mile track and after my 25 minutes on the arc trainer I went up and did a combination of walking and running (walk/run/walk/run/walk/walk/run/walk).

It was really freaking hard but it feels amazing!!!

I wanted to start running because this week end my gym will be closed for maintenance and the day it opens I will be headed home for almost a week! I am just worried that I will use 'not having a gym' as an excuse not to workout and things might get out of control. Now, I know in my mind that I can do something else!!! Who knows? I may end up liking running after all.... maybe!

Anyways, I have started the Hot 4 Halloween challenge officially and I am so totally excited. After today I think I can really kick ass and meet my goal!!!

If I haven't let you know already, my goal for this 12 week challenge is to lose 24 pounds. Now, that is a super high number, but I really think I can benefit from setting super challenging goals.

More updates later!!!

xo Megan

Day 74 - What the heck, Universe??

Do you ever feel like the universe is just screaming at you to do something?? Well right now, the universe is screaming at me to stop being a weenie and lose the freaking weight!!!!

I am not even kidding.

Today, I did not have a good day. I really over ate and what I was eating was all the wrong things. I was literally in bed feeling like my stomach was about to explode!!! And then what happens tonight??? Shanti and Greg post a challenge video announcing Hot 4 Halloween. Basically, it's just a challenge where you get as hot as possible before October 31st. In my case, this means losing pounds as opposed to focusing on toning.

So, of course I am in! Not only am I super excited because I’ll be competing with two of the most successful people in the youtube weight loss community, but I think I can really excel.

I am about to work on my goals and guidelines and as soon as I get them all figured out, I will definitely let ya’ll know!

Ya’ll do remember my goal for the rest of this year right? I’m going to get out of the 200’s and this challenge is going to help me get there!!!

xo Megan

Day 71 (?)

Hello Hello,

I just wanted to write a quick post because I have a new goal! Actually, it's a mini goal, but I want to make sure that I put it out 'there' (where ever that is) and really keep it in my mind.

I have decided that by January 1st 2010, I want to be OUT of the 200's.

By January 1st, I will be at least 199lbs if not lower. I just calculated it out and I would have to lose about 1.12 pounds per week to pull it off (there are 21 weeks until December 31st).

So far my weekly average is 1.32lbs. So, if I keep up my current average I will get there for sure, but I actually want to increase that average a little. Maybe up to 1.5?? Who knows!!!

All I know is that I have been totally kicking ASS lately. Doing everything I'm supposed to and I am completely psyched about it!

I am not giving up this time! I will get to goal!!!

xo Megan

Weigh In #10

Good Morning Everyone!

Here are the results:

Last Week:
Weight: 225.8
BMI: 41.2

This Week:
Weight 224.2
BMI: 41.0

Result: -1.2

Finally!!!! I have been waiting for a loss bigger than point something for the past two weeks! I know that a loss is a loss but it feels so amazing to see over a pound gone.

That said, I know now that my change in exercise and sudden shift into superb eating really helped me out this week.

So, here's to week 11 and being as perfect as possible!!!

xo Megan

ps. My 'Skinny Fund' (to go shopping with after goal) is growing. Why? Because I KNOW I'm going to get there!!!

Day 69 :O

So I totally didn't realize this, but I have been blogging here for over two months! Holy cow! That is totally amazing.

I just wanted to talk a little bit about how I'm feeling now. I have been changing things up in the past few days and I think it's really going to help boost my weight loss and my motivation to keep going.

Yesterday, I started working out on both the stair master and the arc trainer (?). Boy, they both totally kicked my ass, but it feels awesome. I really think that my body was so used to the Elliptical that I wasn't reaping as much benefit as possible.

I'm also becoming far more confident. I actually make the effort to dress cute and fix my hair. I don't care what people think of me because I am becoming exactly who I want to be, I'm getting healthy, and I'm happy. I have a boyfriend who loves and supports me, an awesome job, and so much opportunity around me. I am so blessed!!!

No matter what happens tomorrow (because I'm really not sure how it's going to go due to early week eating!!!), I have to remember that I am seeing changes in my self and my body, even if it's not the number on the scale!!!

Weigh-in tomorrow! See you in the morning.

xo Megan

Lazy Lazy Weekend.

Hello Everyone,

It is Sunday afternoon and I have had one of the most wonderful, lazy weekends ever. My boyfriend and I have spent a lot of time together and we have just been so happy and so close that I have a permanent smile on my face.

I have also been doing a lot of re-evaluating of my diet and my progress.

To be totally 100% honest and truthful, I have not been giving it everything and I think you can tell because of my number and my obvious absence from this blog. No, I haven't been horrible and eating everything in sight, but I don't feel as great, I have been eating crap, and I am seriously lacking that hard drive I had in the beginning. How do I get that back?

Earlier in this blog, I started writing under the title of "Things I want more than sweets". I think that I'm going to turn this into a series on my youtube channel. I really think that this will keep me inspired because the things I will talk about are things that I really really really want.

I'll let ya'll know when I start that up!!!

xo Megan

Weigh In #9

Good Morning!

Here are the results

Last Week:
Weight: 226.4
BMI: 41.3

This Week:
Weight: 225.8
BMI: 41.2

Result: -0.6

So, small loss but still a loss. Honestly I did not give it my all this week. I really want to start blogging more on a daily basis because I really think it makes me more accountable for my actions.

I need to find new motivation to keep me excited.

On the extremely plus side, this is the end of week NINE! I cannot even belive that! It's totally amazing!

Weigh In #8

Good morning!

Here are the results:

Last Week:
Weight: 227.8
BMI: 41.7

This Week:
Weight: 226.4
BMI: 41.5

Result: -1.4

Yay! Ah, I'm so happy. I had a really good week.

Things worthy of note:

• Yesterday I completed my second (ever) 65 minute workout on the elliptical burning 700 calories! I have only done that once before and even though it was a little tough, it feel amazing. The fact that it wasn't too too hard let's me know that my heart is getting healthier!!!
• The new channel I'm a part of called SevenFatVloggers is really taking off and it is making me take a closer look at what I'm actually doing in regards to my eating and exercise plan. Since I have to define those things for the viewers I actually end up learning more about it myself! I love learning!
• My blood pressure is surprisingly good! I checked this week and I can't remember the exact number but the bottom number (diastolic) was in the healthy range and the top number (systolic) was about mid range in pre-hypertension category (right above normal). So I actually feel really good about that!

One thing I really really love is tracking things other than weight. I think that's really important to do because your weight can fluctuate from day to day and the scale does not tell you how much muscle you have, how much water is in your system, and a whole bunch of other things that could affect the number you see (unless you have a super super fancy scale). So I actually track my BMI, my average calories per minute (on the elliptical to see if my endurance is getting better), my heart rate from the start to the finish of my cardio workout, and now my blood pressure.

Once you start to see all of those things move in a healthy direction, the number on the scale doesn't carry so much weight! Pardon the pun!

Day 56

I had a really awesome workout today and I have been getting a lot of stuff done. I feel like my life is just getting better all of the time! The changes I'm making are becoming permanent and I feel amazing!

xo Megan

Day 52

My back is so much better. I went to work out today and really pushed myself for the first time since last week. It felt really good. I also increased the weight of my lower body workout. I can definitely tell a difference.

I have been super busy lately but I find that I am still focused on getting healthy. It feels amazing to know that I'm actually doing it and I don't know what it is about this week but I am just going at "weight loss" full force. I feel so inspired.

My mini-goal is to have my grand total of weight loss be at or above 20 pounds before I go home to visit my family in early August. That is only about 4.8 pounds away. Let's do it!

Day 51

The fact that I have been so successful lately is just leading into more and more success.

To date, I have lost 15.2 pounds! I am organizing my life, getting healthier, and feeling so much better. But more important than anything is the fact that I don't feel like I'm doing all that I can and I WANT TO. I am so excited to do more. Though, I am cautious so as to not burn out, I still want to challenge myself every week and every day.

After hurting my back last week, I realize how much I actually like to exercise. I only missed one scheduled work out, but I felt like something was missing.

Because I had such a small loss this week (not that I am not totally thrilled about a loss in general), I am even more determined to have an awesome week and have more wonderful things to report throughout the week and next Tuesday.

I feel better in my own body and I feel like I'm achieving but I am ready to start SEEING a difference. So instead of giving up because that hasn't happened yet, I'm going to work harder.

It's that easy. The difference is just making up your mind not to quit and following through!

Why is this simple logic so hard to understand??

I miss blogging; I shall do it more often!

Weigh #7

Good Morning:

After a week of lots of stress and back pain, I am completely okay with the results!!!

Last Week:
Weight: 228.2
BMI: 41.7

This Week:
Weight: 227.8
BMI: 41.7

Result: -0.4

A loss is a loss and I'm still really happy!

Sorry I haven't been around much. I actually really miss blogging and I'm going to try really hard to start doing it again! I promise!

xo Megan

Day 45

I have been having really great days lately. Undoubtedly, I have been super busy with summer school and work, but in general I feel amazing!

I am getting a promotion at work this fall. My boss already told me about it and I couldn't be happier. It's so nice to be recognized for hard work and given more responsibility! It feels amazing!

I have also been invited to be in a joint channel on youtube called SevenFatVloggers. I'm really excited about it and we start next week!

Weigh In #6

Good Morning!

I will get straight to the results!

Last Week:
Weight: 229.4lbs
BMI: 42.0

This Week:
Weight 228.2
BMI: 41.7

Result: -1.2

I am completely and totally amazed at this result. I had this whole thing prepared for if I had a gain... but I guess that spiel can be postponed!!! yay!

Onto the next week!!!

Day 43

After falling off of the 'wagon' earlier this week, I have spent the remainder of my days up until now getting back on plan. From this experience, I have learned that it is definitely a process to getting back on plan.

Tomorrow is my weigh-in and to tell the truth, I'm worried. What if I gain? I haven't gained once yet and in the past once the scale goes up, I quit and go back into old habits. How do I not let this happen?

Tonight I will write all of the things that I have done well this week.

• I have started and completed my first full week of a workout routine (4x per week).
• I feel amazing when I'm working out.
• I have kept to my strength training routine (something I have never done).
• I have been staying hydrated.
• I have been learning about my body and what is best for me.

If I see a gain on the scale tomorrow, I will know that these awesome things have also come out of this week.

Start the Countdown...

Today is my 19th birthday.

Tomorrow will mark 365 days until my goal date!!!

I have about 60 pounds to lose. I will do it!

Weigh In #5

Last Week:
Weight: 231.6lbs
BMI: 42.4

This Week:
Weight: 229.4lbs
BMI: 42.0

Result: -2.2

Ah! This is very cool. In my head, I wanted to be under 230 before my birthday (which is tomorrow) and I wasn't quite sure if it was possible... well it is!!! Oh goodness, this is super exciting. That bring my total weight loss to:

8 pounds!!!

Day 36

Hello,

It's been another successful day.

I finally created a workout routine. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and one of the weekend days I do at least 30 minutes of cardio and alternate lower and upper body strength training each time. I'm excited about it because I will start building muscle as well as increase my heart health. So when the fat comes off, there will be muscles there already!

I am slacking off a bit with tracking my food. I haven't done it for the past few days. I usually track everything up until dinner. Since we make all of our dinners at home, I'm never sure what to enter. Basically, I'm lazy and don't feel like calculating it all out. I'm not sure if I just need to get over it and track it or if I can try to keep my day calories low enough to have a rather large bumper for evening calories. I think if I continue with stopping when I'm full, it shouldn't be too hard to keep everything under control. I think I'll try this for a week and see how it goes.

Youtube is going really super well. I'm doing two challenges right now. One is a 5 week challenge that this girl, Monica, and I created. The main goal is to lose 10 pounds in the 5 weeks and then to meet three individual mini goals. Mine were to exercise 4 times per week, drink more water, and keep calories under 1400. I really think I'm doing good so far. This challenge started on Saturday. Then, I'm doing a 6 week challenge with Greg, that deals with the 100 push up program. Basically, the jist of it is to follow the series of push ups outlined for your rank 3 days per week for 6 weeks, and at the end you'll be able to do 100 push ups. I started out with 18 consecutive girly push ups. I'm excited to see how much I improve.

Another thing that I'm doing is learning. I don't want to change my lifestyle and not know exactly why it's good for me. I have been doing research on food labels (MSG and maltodextren recently) and it's a little scary what manufacturers can put in your food.

Also, I am trying to balance out my days. The purpose of this is mostly to spend much less time on the computer and more time being productive. I tried to create some categories and my goal should be to do one thing from each everyday. Some of the categories are:

• Cleaning/Organizing
• Meditating
• Reading
• Being Creative (wedding planning, scrap booking, playing flute, etc.)
• Exercising

Just balancing out my day will probably be one of the hardest things I will have to learn to do throughout my whole 'weight-loss journey'.

My only fear is that I am piling to many things on my "plate". In the past, I think that I have failed because I have tried to do too much too quickly and when I can't I give up. I don't want to do that again. Already I think I have made significant strides. I am finally open about my weight issues with my boyfriend. After almost three years, I just couldn't discuss things like that because I thought that it would make him not love me and it helped me avoid the truth. Now we talk about what ever I've learned or my most recent weigh-in almost on a daily basis. It is truly amazing how open I feel with him now. I can now think (and truly believe) that it's okay to discuss these things (which I tried so hard to keep inside) because I'm fixing it. I am taking such huge leaps in the right direction and when I think about how amazing I feel because of them... why on earth would I ever go back?

I know this is really long, but it's been a while since I've really blogged and I putting these thought down clears my mind of all the 'clutter'.

Weigh-in tomorrow!

xo Megan

Day 32

I am having an amazing day!

I made a weight-loss buddy on youtube. Her name is Monica and we're going to start a 5 week challenge this Saturday.

The goal is to lose 10lbs by August 1st (which is exactly 5 weeks from this Saturday). I am so excited about this youtube channel you have no idea!

I also had another great summer weigh-in. But I shall not disclose this information! :)
More tomorrow.

xo Megan

Day 31!!!!!!!

OMG I am so amazed that it has been 31 days since I started!!!

31 days and 5.8 pounds! AHHH! I have this reborn enthusiasm all of a sudden. I have really long days with summer school, work, youtube, blogging, and maintaining my apartment but lately I have just been enjoying them so much! It's those 5-10 minutes when you just sit outside and eat an apple (like I did today) that makes you appreciate the fact that you are busy and well.

I break out into spontaneous grins when I think about how much progress I've made and how much progress I will continue to make in the coming months, heck even in the coming years! This is a lifestyle change, not a month long experiment. I'm in this for good!

xo Megan

A Truly Good Day...

Today I woke up at 6:30 am went to work, came home, went to school, took a history exam, and took an economics quiz. About a month ago, I bet I would have been completely exhausted and ready for nap...

But today, Day 30, was a very good day. Josh and I went to go workout. I did 35 minutes on the Elliptical (burned 345 calories) AND did my strength training... IN THE WEIGHT ROOM (thanks to my honey who told me to get over the fact that there were lots of people around). I feel amazing and maybe even a little bit thinner. Today's weigh in was really good and I am super excited to keep it going.

The second week of my summer challenge ends on Thursday. I probably will not post the weight for this because right now I'm juggling THREE weigh in dates (blogger, summer, & youtube). Even though it sounds quite confusing, it's what is keeping me going. Usually I get bored with things and leave them alone because they no longer interest me. Definitely not this time, though!

More tomorrow!
xo Megan

my youtube

Weigh In #4

Good Morning. :)

So, here are the results:

Last Week:
Weight: 234.2
BMI: 42.8

This Week:
Weight: 231.6
BMI: 42.4

Result: -2.6

Totally awesome. I am really excited about my new YouTube account and I think that this and my new channel are really going to keep me on track!

xo Megan

Big News!!!

I'm on youtube! Holy crap, fun!

Here's my channel.

Tomorrow will be 30 days and my weigh-in.

xo Megan

Another Day in the Life..

Hello Everyone,

It's day 28 and it's been a really good day. I have been drinking all of my water and I did strength training again. One thing that's different though is I actually did my lower body workout at the gym! Usually I don't go over to the weight side of the gym by myself but today I did and it felt good to do that.

One neat thing I learned today:

The liver is the organ in your body that burns stored fat, but when you are dehydrated your liver takes over for the work your kidneys can't do. So if you aren't properly hydrated your body is not burning as much fat as it could be. Don't you just want to go drink water right now?

Other than this enlightening information, nothing new is happening.

Until tomorrow,
xo Megan

Day 27 (?)

I'm pretty sure this is day 27.

But anyways, Hello Hello.

I had a really good day today. It was day one of my weekly challenge thing that I started. (I know I have so much crap going on in this blog. lol). I drank all of my water and did strength training. I also went for a 25(ish) minute walk around my neighborhood AND my calories will automatically be down because.... I slept until 2:30. I know, that's bad but it was a late night last night and I haven't been getting the best sleep during the week due to my super busy schedule.

Anyways, I have been feeling so amazing lately and I wanted to talk about this a bit because I have been noticing more and more little things that I'm doing now.

First of all, I am taking much better care of myself. I am forming better habits. I take my vitamins everyday, I moisturize, I take the time to get ready for school and actually look nice. I have been taking pride in the way I look and the positive changes my body is going through. Anybody who is/has been trying to lose weight for a long time knows the drill of hiding your body at every given point in time. You don't want other people to look at you and you sure as hell aren't going to give them the chance to judge you for being over weight. Whether or not people actually judge you is irrelevant (and from what I've learned recently, those who love you won't). But anyways, I have made positive steps in that direction.

Another thing I'm just amazed with is my new habit of reaching for good foods. Sure, I did bake a cake today, and I did eat some of the batter, but in general I have been making (and wanting) a conscious effort to eat more fresh foods. Lots of vegetables and fruit. :)

Of course, I'm still doing my affirmations and I'm trying to squeeze in some daily 'quiet time' to meditate and think about all of the good things in my life. And this leads me to the most important change I've noticed. I am so much happier. I go through the day with more authentic positivity than I have in a long time. Sure, I've always been pretty happy, but now it's like I have a whole new outlook on life. A constant flow of 'happy thoughts' and affirmations goes through my head all day. It's amazing!!!!

xo Megan

Saturday Goals

Hello Everyone,

Like I said, I'm going to start posting small weekly goals every Saturday.

This week I want to:

• Drink 100 ounces of water per day
• Do my strength training (Monday-Friday)

I'll check in occasionally and let you know how these are going.

xo Megan

Day 26 (Recap)

Technically it's early Saturday morning... but who cares.

I had a super great week and I have decided that I want to start making some weekly goals to accomplish (besides the obvious lose weight goal). My goals will be posted every Saturday.

I have found that breaking your whole weight loss journey up into much smaller chucks (like weeks) makes it go by so much faster. For my 8 week summer challenge, I made small little charts with the 7 days of the week and and a row for each thing I wanted to do on a daily basis (vitamins, stretching, food log, etc.). Already, I'm on the second chart. I can't believe how fast time is going by.

It is not such a huge, overwhelming disruption of your life when you break it down. Make little changes to follow for a week (like drinking more water) and just do it. When you have accomplished it, add another. Small changes.

Good night.
Megan

Happy Friday!

Dane Cook tonight. I am so frikking excited.

It has been a really good week and I'm ready for the next.

No real recommendations or cool sites this Friday. Maybe I'll post some tomorrow. Josh and I are about to leave for Dallas!

Happy Weekend!

xo Megan

Day 25...

Hello Everyone,

It has been a super, amazingly great day. First of all, I made a 100 on my economics exam! I am so proud of myself. Secondly, I have been on such a high from my summer weigh in this morning. I just can't believe I'm actually doing this. I know that I say that all the time and you're probably sick of it, but seriously, I have never stuck to any weight loss plan for 25 DAYS!!! I am so completely proud of myself.

One thing I want to mention, that I truly think is making a difference in my life is affirmations. Every night before I go to bed, I tell myself that I am getting skinnier, healthier, and sexier everyday. When I am at the gym I say to myself, "The fat is burning off of my body right now, because I wants to be healthier." It may sound a little crazy, but I swear it makes a difference. If you tell your brain to do something, it will do it!

I recommend that you try it out. You might feel like you're a crazy person for talking to yourself (I only say it in my head), but it will feel amazing when you suddenly realize that you are doing exactly what you want! Just go get it!

Good night! :)
xo Megan

Another 'Holy Crap' Moment...

I wasn't going to post my summer challege weigh ins because I thought it could get confusing. But this must be posted.

My 2 day stretch challenge must be frikking working.

You might recall from Weigh In #3 my weight was:
234.2

Today, end of week one summer challenge:
Weight: 231.8!
BMI 42.4

AH-MAZ-ING!

Just wanted to share the completely awesome move!
xo Megan

Happy Wednesday!

Hello Everyone,

I had a marvelous day. I think I totally kicked ass on my Economics test, I at really well, drank a lot of water, and worked out. Overall, pretty frikking good.

Mostly, I'm just really really busy. Which is good.

I also wanted to say that I think deciding do go natural/organic must be one of the most confusing things ever. In Denton, we have this cute store called The Cupboard and they sell all natural or organic foods. It's really cute, but just being in there is a trip. I have no idea where to start (well actually I already switched to natural peanut butter...). I want to get into it slowly. I am becoming more and more aware of all of the chemicals I put in my body on a daily basis! Eek!

More updates on that hopefully.

See you tomorrow!
Megan

Two Day Stretch Challenge...

Hey Everyone,

Last post for the day I promise.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this but on Friday my honey and I are going to Dallas to see Dane Cook. I am frikking excited. I love his comedy and I've never been to Dallas without chaperons.

Anyways, the thought occurred to me that this weekend is going to be fabulous and, hell, I want to look fabulous too. So I'm instating a 2 day Stretch Challenge (def. stretching what you're already doing a little bit more as long as it's healthy). For Wednesday and Thursday and I am going to:

• Substitute one meal for a meal replacement (I have slim fasts stocked up in the refrigerator from my last diet attempt and quite frankly I need to get rid of them anyways).
• Drink 5 full bottles of water per day. (I have one green bottle that I drink out of all the time and I'm not quite sure how much it holds... probably 20ish ounces).
• Workout for 30 minutes everyday. (It will probably end up being basketball, walking, or a trip to the rec center).
• AND lastly, Do my complete strength training routines for each day. (Wednesday: arms and abs & Thursday: Legs and abs)

So, there you have it folks. My two day stretch challenge. It is quite a lot but it is only two days and damn it I can do this!

Check in for daily updates!!!

xo Megan

Diary Day 23

Hello Everyone...

Man, I have been on a high all day because of this mornings weigh-in. I am totally amazed.

That brings my total up to 3.2 pounds lost in 3 weeks and 8.8lbs lost since around March. Not dramatic, but you know what? Most times dramatic changes do nothing. How many times have I done something dramatic with my diet and/or workout routine in order to "lose as much asap" and totally fail 2 days in??? A LOT!

Not this time, I'm getting healthy, skinny, yes, but mostly healthy. When I reach my goal (and I will) I will already know how to maintain what I've accomplished. I will have been feeling healthy and looking better for a long time. I just have to remember that the best things are worth waiting for!

So, what inspires you???

xo Megan

ps. I kind of realized today that my post with the picture of the wedding dress may have implied that I'm engaged... but I'm not. I just know that I will hopefully be getting married within the next few years and I will look amazing by then!

Weigh In #3... Holy Crap!

Goooood Morning Everyone!

Okay, I'm just going to go straight for the results....

Last Week:
Weight: 235.8
BMI: 43.1


THIS WEEK:
Weight: 234.2
BMI: 42.8

Result: -1.6 LBS.

AHHHHH!!! How awesome is that??? I cannot believe. All I'll say is that my summer challenge is definitely working. It's making me kick butt! I have a weekly chart up on the refrigerator in my apartment where I check off the things I'm supposed to do daily and I'm doing them!!!!

I am so frikking amazed that it is already weigh-in number 3. I don't think I could properly explain this to you, but I have NEVER STUCK WITH ANY WEIGHT LOSS PLAN for more than a few days, let alone 3 whole weeks!

So here's to week #4!

Later guys!
xo Megan

Things I Want More Than Sweets...

No Words Needed:

Day 22

Hello Everyone,

No real news except that I met my new neighbors and it looks like my boyfriend and I have new friends! Yay. They are a really nice newlywed couple.

Secondly, I got my wedding planning certification materials in the mail today! Also exciting! I don't know if I mentioned this, but after I graduate I really want to be a wedding planner and most likely start my own business.

And, now on to weight loss:

I did okay today. Josh and I went out for sushi with the new neighbors and from what I have researched on my caloriecount page, sushi is not that horrible for you. So... yay.

Tomorrow is the weigh in. Be sure to check in.

xo Megan

Positivity

Okay,

The title this blog started out with was "Blerg", which was meant to convey my disappointment in myself... but, no. I refuse to go back to that self-loathing person who falls off plan once and then completely gives up!

So yes, last night I couldn't sleep, turned on my computer and ate a shitload of Chex Mix while watching YouTube videos. And yes, today I had two cupcakes after baking my new neighbors something to welcome them. But in retrospect, I have been totally awesome this week. I have tracked my calories, worked about at least 4 times, and have been feeling really good about what I am doing.

Falling off plan once in 21 days is nothing. It is complete proof that I can do this!

I am getting skinnier, healthier, and sexier everyday!

xo Megan

Working out...

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to check in about working out. My boyfriend and I went to the Rec Center on campus for the first time in a very long time.

So I did my 30 minutes on the Elliptical with a 5 minute cool down and it felt really good. Afterwards, my honey and I went to the basketball court and shot hoops for about 30 minutes. All in all a pretty extensive workout but, seriously, the last 30 minutes of basketball felt more like fun and not like exercise (I'm actually getting pretty good at shooting baskets!)

Total I burned over 500 calories! Awesome!

See you tomorrow!
Megan

DAY 20...

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to say very quickly that... HOLY CRAP! IT'S DAY 20. This is so amazing you guys. I already feel so much better than I have (and by better I mean sore as hell. LOL).

Anyways, I hope you all are having a great Saturday.

I'll probably check in later tonight.

xo Megan

Happy Friday

Hello Everyone. I hope you're weekend is off to a great start.

I am currently following Shanti on her new youtube channel called antishayreads. Here, she just reads aloud books that she loves and feels others should know about. Currently she is reading In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. Right now I'm just listening when I can, and from what I've heard so far, this book is awesome. In it, Michael Pollan talks about how what most of us consume and consider 'food' is not really food. I'm not sure if I will buy it, but I will definitely listen to it.

So check out those two things if you're interested.

xo Megan

My Uncle

Good Morning Everyone,

I just wanted to talk a little bit about my Uncle Scott. He has been my hero every since I was a little girl. He is a fighter pilot for the Navy and just recently he was sent off to Afghanistan. I am scared to death for him but I know he'll come back fine because he has too.

My uncle has never ever said anything about my weight. I see him so infrequently that I'm sure it's not something he wants to bring up. But he is a health 'freak'. He loves to work out and snowboard and do a lot of rather extreme sports. I know that he has worried about my health and I do not want to do that anymore.

He will be coming back from duty next August... and when I see him I am going to be healthy. That is more than a year from now, so it is totally possible for me to get my ass in gear and become a healthier me. I know he will be so proud and that's all I want to do... make him proud.

I hope you all can find powerful inspiration like this. It is often the best kind!

Ouch.

Hello Everyone,

I'm guessing that you can assume from the title that I worked out today, and oh yes I did.

I played basketball with my honey for about an hour, stretched, and did my leg and ab exercises (for Thursday).

All in all, I feel super amazing (except for the soreness I will feel tomorrow). :)

I did want to talk a little about something unexpected I realized in my Economics class this afternoon. My teacher was talking about unemployment and how the rate varies from group to group (women, men, white, Hispanic, etc.). Anyways, he mentioned a study done by the University of Texas called "Beauty and the Beast" where the researcher discovered that despite discrimination prevention a lot of hirer's look at physical attractiveness (perhaps unconsciously, perhaps not) when talking to potential candidates. I sat there and thought, "Wow, I DO NOT want to be someone who is turned down from a job because I am over weight." I can, in fact, understand how being over weight could be interpreted badly in a job setting. Obviously if you can't take care of you're own body and healthy, you won't be able to take a lot of responsibility within the company. It doesn't matter if you are the most qualified person for the job. New employers don't know that and they won't care.

This honestly scares me. I refuse to be one of those people. When I get out into the job market, I want people to see my personality and my skill sets and NOT my weight.

Yet, another reason why this weight loss journey I'm on right now is for real. There is no turning back. I've already gotten further than I have in the past and I'm sticking to it!

What I tell myself every night:

I am getting skinnier, healthier, and sexier everyday!

Now, if I can do this, you can too! So get out there, get motivated and do it!!!!

xo Megan

Day 17

Not much to report. I am super excited about my summer challenge, so check it out and join me if you want to!!! Today was pretty much the same as yesterday... busy, busy, busy.

Summer Challenge starts tomorrow!

I think I'm just going to start with the weight from this past Tuesday. I only want to have one weigh in per week to keep it interesting. Turns out that that is a big challenge for me. I am once again, getting addicted to the scale. But I am trying hard to not be.

There is no point in getting stressed out about weight loss. It doesn't help you! So calm down and kick some ass!!!! :)

xo Megan

Summer Weight Loss Challenge

Hey All,

Here are the details of my own personal summer challege. Eight weeks long. Let's see if I can do this!!!

Summer Weight Loss
Start: June 11, 2009 End: August 6, 2009
8 WEEKS – GOAL: 20LBS

Food:

• Minimal coffee and soda
• More fresh foods
• Lots of water
• Keep calories under 1800
• Track calories daily on caloriecount.com
• STOP EATING WHEN FULL

Exercise:

Weeks 1-2

• Workout 3x per week, at least 30 minutes each
• Stretch everyday
• 3 sets of 10 for strength training

Weeks 3-5

• Workout 4x per week, at least 30 minutes each
• At least 1 class per week
• Stretch everyday
• 3 sets of 15 for strength training

Weeks 6-8

• Workout 4x per week, at least 30 minutes each
• At least 1 class per week
• At least 1 swimming workout per week
• Stretch everyday
• 3 sets of 20 for strength training

Strength Training:

• Arms (MWF): pushups and free weights
• Legs (TR): squats, lunges
• Abs (MTWRF): crunches, v-ups, reverse crunches
• Butt (MWF): squats, butt lifts

"I am getting skinnier, healthier, and sexier everyday"

"I will kick ass this summer"

Ehhhhh... Day 16

Hello Everyone,

I had a really good day today. The reason my title is so 'blah' is because, today I got the first glimpse of how busy my summer will be. I have class from 10-2 (with no breaks) and then Tuesday through Thursday I work from 2:30-5:00, and then I come home, cook dinner, and do homework. All in all, I will definitely not be bored.

So, I eat lunch on the way to my second class. I think that this is a good thing, because it definitely stops me from over-eating. All I really bring is a sandwich and I eat it while walking. I also bring some natural granola to snack on in the afternoon. I've been drinking a lot of water, and not a lot of coffee. I even managed to squeeze in a walk this evening with my honey. I am doing really well!!!

Right now, I'm working on a 'Summer Makeover' plan. Since I'm living in Denton now, I won't be seeing my family until August, maybe. Wouldn't it be totally amazing if I showed up to the family vacation 20lbs lighter???? Uh, the answer is yes!

I'm working on the details. I'm not sure if it will be a week by week thing or a monthly thing, but we'll see. Hopefully, I'll get to post all of the details tomorrow.

xo Megan

PS. I now have my 'progress log' at the very bottom of the page, I'll update it at each weigh in!

Weigh In #2

Good Morning Everyone!

Good news... Even though I went home this weekend, and ate everything in sight I still LOST! How Amazing is that?

Last Week:
Weight: 236.8
BMI: 43.3

This Week:
Weight: 235.8
BMI: 43.1

Wow. I cannot believe I lost a pound this week. I am completely blown away. So now... onto the next week. I think I'm just going to keep following the same 4 'new habits' as last week as I didn't exactly do them everyday...

Stretching, moisturizing, blogging, and taking vitamins.

Have a good Tuesday!
xo Megan

Day 15... again...

I know, I know... I already named my earlier post "Day 15"... but I just cannot believe that I have actually done something for 15 days! That is totally amazing.

I've been doing pretty good with all of my 'new habits'. Stretching and moisturizing every night, drinking lots of water, and taking my vitamins every morning.

Tonight, my boyfriend and I went to the park nearby and played basketball for about an hour. Now that is fun. I am not good at basketball at all, but it sure is fun. I definitely got my workout today.

Now that I'm beginning the THIRD week of my life change I will start establishing my workout plan. It will take a while to get one that I really love and do not get bored with but, have no fear, because I will!!!

Anyways, stay tuned for the weigh-in tomorrow.

Goodnight all,
Megan

Day 15!!!

Hello Everyone!

It's Monday, and I just got out of summer school. Now, I might be crazy for saying this... but I actually like going to class. Sure, it's going to be tough because I'm cramming two 15 week courses into 5 weeks but it gives me a lot of stuff to do. I am in super-productive mode right now.

I'm hoping that this new pound productivity will serve as an outlet for excess energy and dreaded boredom. The more stuff I have to do, the less I get bored and want to eat.

I am definitely recovering from my vacation mindset of 'Eat EVERYTHING in Sight'. Blech....

More later,

xo Megan

No Hot Water.... AHHH

Ugh, so I just got back to my apartment from a very long and 'traffic-full' 6 1/2 hour drive and... yup that's right.... no hot water. Blech....

So anyways, hello everyone.

I am back and now will be able to, hopefully, blog a little bit more regularly like I had been doing. I did completely awful this weekend. Lots of cookies, chocolate, and restaurants. I can definitely feel it too. But tomorrow is a new day and I will start again like I've been eating healthy my whole life. I'm not expecting great things on Tuesday for my weigh in, but like I said earlier, the key for me right now is to keep being focused on doing something. If I can get over this past weekend and the weigh-in (whatever it may be) and keep going, it will be so much further than I have gone in the past.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Maybe I'll blog some more later, but if not. Have an amazing Monday....

xo Megan

My little sister: Isn't she adorable? I miss her already...

Happy Friday: Recs and Discount Tire

Hello Everyone,

Sorry this is so late. I have been super busy with family and my sister's graduation. So, sorry.

I wanted to make one recommendation. Natalie is part of the weight loss losers group and she is really funny, clever, and someone you just want to listen to.

She has lots of funny anecdotes about losing weight and her whole journey (which she is still on). So, check her out.

Also, I wanted to add one fun 'tidbit'. I don't know about you, but I totally love going to Discount Tire Company all dressed up. Of course there are plenty of adorable guys to stare at, but if you just dress up and flirt a little you see how they think you know nothing. Not just about tires, but nothing at all. I just find it funny that guys can be like that and I also kind of like the attention. It's fun and you should try it! lol

Good night all.

xo Megan

Amazing Video...

I know, I know... it is super late.

But this video is so amazing. In it, Shanti addresses positive self talk. It is amazing and it makes so much sense. If you are feeling uninspired of wondering why you are not taking the proper actions to get healthy (like I often do) WATCH IT.

xo Megan

Ps. to myself: I am getting healthier everyday and making healthy choices.

Pss. to you: watch the video to get my first ps.

I'm Home...

Well kind of... I'm back in my parents house after a long 6 hour drive. Blech... I am so tired.. but yet I am up at almost 1:00am.

Anyways, I wanted to say that I had an okay day. I now that I did eat more than I should have but tomorrow my sister, Tabetha, and I are going to a Zumba class to workout. Yay.

So I'll keep this short because it's so late.

xo Megan

Technically it's Wednesday morning... but...

I wanted to add some new habits to my list....

So far I have added taking vitamins everyday, moisturizing everyday, and (obviously) blogging daily. This week I want to add just one: stretching every night.

I used to be super flexible and now I feel really stiff when I wake up. So from now on, I will stretch on a daily basis.

Just wanted to add that. Now seriously... good night.

xo Megan

Tuesday...

So after today's weigh in I feel like I need to find some new inspiration. Part of the reason I think I have failed so much in the past is because I get 'bored' easily. I don't get what I want immediately and I give up because I'd rather have food.

Well, not this time. I don't need food to be happy... I need to love myself to be happy and I can't do that when I am this overweight. How do I stay inspired??

Well for one, this blog has already gotten my farther than I have in the past. I look forward to writing everyday. I like talking about my problems without being judged and pitied because I've let my weight problem get this far. Also, I don't have anyone telling me what I should be doing. My family is really bad about that. The truth is that I already know what I should be doing, I just need to do it. I don't need the constant reminder.

I know that this is going to take a while. Quick weight loss never or rarely works and some things are even better when you have to work hard everyday for a long time to get them. If I work as hard as I can everyday (without killing myself of course) on being a better me then the ultimate pay off will be ten million times better. I am looking forward to my 20th birthday (my goal date) next year and feeling like I have accomplished something.

In addition to the great rewards I will feel later on, I would like to add the inspiration that vanity will provide. It may be awful to say, but it is completely true. I cannot wait to feel sexy, go shopping, and love the way I look in clothes. I want to be confident and feel good in my body. It's the only one I'm going to get and I DESERVE to feel amazing.

I hope you find your own inspiration! Tell me what inspires you!

xo Megan

Weigh In #1

Hello Everyone.

It's Tuesday morning and it's weigh in number one:

Last Week:
Weight: 237.4

This Week:
Height: 5'2''
Weight: 236.8
BMI: 43.3

Okidoki, so not a big loss but that's okay because I did lose. I did go off plan yesterday and I haven't exercised at all for the past couple of days so I'd say that a lose of .6lbs is still good.

I would like to add, however, that since I started 'kind of' losing weight on my own in January I have lost 6.2lbs. Now, that's kick ass.

Also, I am super happy to report that I have blogged, taken my vitamins, and moisturized every day. (Those are the new habits I started last week.) So that is super amazing.

Tomorrow, I will be going home for my sister's graduation. Hopefully I will be able to work out at the YMCA there. More later today.

xo Megan

Monday...

Hello Everyone,

All is well here. I went a little off plan today. I didn't eat a whole bunch but I definitely didn't listen to my bodies signals. And boy, did I feel gross. I felt like I couldn't move and I just wanted to go to sleep.

I need to remember what that feels like. It is utterly pointless to overeat and it just sucks after you're done. Why feel like crap if you don't have to?

Weigh-in tomorrow. Be sure to check in.

xo Megan

Things I want more than sweets...

So I'm at work right now. I went into the Union and wanted coffee so badly. But no, I opted for a fresh fruit smoothie containing only 133 calories for the whole thing. Yummm.

Here are somethings that I want more than sweets:

• To shock my Uncle Scott when he comes back from Afghanistan next year.
• To never feel the sluggishness that comes from over-eating at every meal.
• To enjoy summer clothes AND actually wear them in public because I like the way they look on me.
• To be truly confident.

This time will be different.

xo Megan

New Day... Day 7?

Hey Everyone. Happy Sunday.

Just wanted to give a quick update. I'm feeling good today, but I'm also getting a little bit concerned because this is about the time where I have given up in the past. Each and every time I 'tried to make a change', it ended up as a failure. What makes this time different? How do I stay inspired, motivated, and driven?

I want to give a little background as to way I KNOW that this time will be different.

A few days before I started this blog, I found a kind of journal entry that my boyfriend had written. In it he detailed how he loved thinking about other girls in lustful ways. And he wrote that he wished I had a better body, so that maybe his desires would not be so strong. Needless to say I was devastated. I love him so much, and I always knew that he felt something like this, but seeing it in his handwriting was the most awful thing. I hated myself for a few days and I was just as furious with myself and I was with him. Eventually I told him and he apologized profusely. A few days later I told him that I had forgiven him but that I couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't feel super self conscious around him. I still do feel awkward now, but I know that he loves me. I'm not going to let something that I could absolutely fix get in the way of us being happy together.

So this is why I know that I can do this. I need too. I need to love myself enough to change my body for the better and I know that he will love me no matter what. Sometimes there is nothing better to inspire you than a hard slap in the face. Sometimes, it is necessary for your well being.

I hope you all are having a great weekend and that I can encourage you to be healthy and do something for yourself! You deserve it.

xo Megan

Eating Out

Hello Everyone.

I just wanted to talk a little bit about going out to eat. Today my boyfriend and I decided it would be fun to go downtown and walk around and then go out to Chili's for dinner. I decided that I would order what I wanted but follow the 'intuitive eating' rules. And guess what??? I DID. I stopped eating when I was full and left about half of my whole meal on the plate. I think that is so awesome.

So often in the past I would be saying, in my head, how I should put the fork down because I wasn't hungry but still shoveled more food in my mouth. But not today! I told myself that I didn't need it, and that I could have that again if I wanted, so there was no need to shovel in what my body, physically, didn't want.

So yeah, I just wanted to quickly share that snippet of success with you guys!

xo Megan

To Weigh or Not to Weigh... Like I could help it.

So, I think one of the hardest things to do while losing weight, is not getting on the scale every 5 minutes. I tried my hardest to leave it alone, but I ended up weighing myself this morning.... Good news, but I won't share until tuesday. (More inspiration not to mess it up in the next 3 days).

Have an awesome Saturday...

xoMegan

Day 5... Discoveries...

Hello Everyone.

I made an amazing discovery. Brushing your teeth.... takes away sweet cravings. I'm sure that's no big deal and the idea has been around forever, but IT WORKS. I didn't have dessert after dinner because my boyfriend and I were going grocery shopping but I really wanted ice cream or somthing... brushed my teeth and saw chocolate in the freezer and had no desire to eat it. Amazing, huh? lol.

Anyways, it's the end of day five and I still feel pretty good. Got a lot of exercise this morning with the tour and all. My feet are killing me. I decided that today, I would actually use the food log on the caloriecount website... I ended up eating almost exactly 1600 calories today. It was a little more than I expected, but not horrible.

I'm going to put one more link up today... even though hopefully I'll get better about posting all of my favorite links in the 'Happy Friday' part of my blog. Eh, I'm a beginnner, forgive me.

So, this group on youtube is really funny and gives a lot of great advice about weight loss and what not. Check out the weightlosslosers.

xo Megan

Happy Friday

Hello Everyone.

I think I'm going to make "Happy Friday" a weekly thing and I'll post some links that I really love or reccommend some people who I think are really awesome.

First of all, last night, I downloaded the calorie-count tool bar and it is AWESOME. I love it. There are buttons to go to you food, weight, and activity logs. It keeps track of the food you enter (Eat Meter) and displays your food 'grade' AND my favorite part is that it displays your 'pounds lost'. It is really fun, and it serves as a visual reminder of my goal.

So be sure to check it out. IT'S FREE.

Also, I want to repost the link for Shanti's youtube channel, because, yes, she is that awesome.

xo Megan

Starting Weigh-In (#0)

Last post for the day, I promise!

I actually weighed myself on Tuesday, but since I started blogging today, I'm putting everything online. So from now on, my weigh-ins will be on Tuesdays.

The only thing I think I'm going to signify on weigh-ins will be weight and maybe changes in pant size. I may end up posting pictures and measurements, but I'm not sure.

(as of 5-26-09)
Start Weight: 237.4 lbs
Pant Size: 18

One website I use to track my progress in weight loss is http://caloriecount.about.com/. It's pretty cool to see the line move down, so I like it. They also have activity and food logs. So go ahead and use it, because it's free!

Okidoki. Have a good night, ya'll.

xo Megan

Day 4

5-28-08...



And yet, another great day. I followed all the 'rules' and went another 30 minute walk around the neighborhood with my honey. I do have to admit that I'm getting a little bored with walking which signifies the immeadiate need for another form of exercise... stat!



Tomorrow at work I'll be giving a tour of the campus in the morning, so I know I will for sure get some exercise. If we go grocery shopping, I'll buy a basketball or somthing for when I go to the park with my boyfriend this weekend. We were already planning on some sort of picnic so that will be fun.



I'd like to give recognition to someone I've been watching on youtube for a while. She is a super huge inspiration and I have taken a lot of her advice in the past and plan to do the same. Her name is Shanti and she is really cool, so check her out and subscribe to her videos!



I also want to talk about my plan a little bit. The first thing I need to fix is my food. I just moved out of my dorm room, and consequently, off my meal plan at school. When I had to start cooking for myself, I realized how much I would eat everyday in a buffet style environment. So, what I'm doing now is called intuitive eating. I encourage you to check out the link and read the principles of the concept. It is pretty much commen sense when you think about it. "Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full." AH ROCKET SCIENCE. hah. Later on, I would like to transition into an organic diet and move away from most processed foods. But for the initial start of my 'lifestyle change', I will be 'intuitively' eating.

xo Megan

ps. AH... I was ready to publish this post and my internet connection messed up... but luckily blogger.com automatically saves drafts. whew.

5-27-09

Another good day. I completed all of my daily goals and went on an almost 30 min. walk.

Now, I want to talk about staying on track because in the past I always give up when my whole focus is on food and dieting and then I don't see results immeadiately. How can I keep myself from doing that this time??

• remind myself daily that this is not a diet, but a healthy life style change
• fill my days with other meaninful and healthy activites.

So from now on, I will work on completing my open-ended list of things I like/would like to do. They are all mentally stimulating, rewarding, and will fill my thinking instead of me focusing so much on losing the weight.

xo Megan

5-26-09

I did super good today. I stopped when I was full and reminded myself how unnecessary it is to eat more than that. As far as working out... I think I'll count sex as my exercise. :) I will add, however, that I felt incredibly self conscious and I know that sex will be so much more amazing when I am thinner and I can concentrate on the good stuff rather than how huge I feel. I also drank a ton of water and obviously I am journaling so this is day one complete with new goals.

Habits I am now integrating:

• take vitamins everyday
• moisturizing everyday

xo Megan

5-25-09

This is how I'm going to fix this huge problem. I am going to get over being angry at him and myself and fix the problem. I am overweight by more than I will ever care to admit but I'm going to change. I am going to change how I view food, how I take care of my body, and how I feel about myself. I need to remember that I am worth taking care of. People love and care about me and I should too.

Loving myself will come from: not beating my self up, taking care of my body through nutrition and exercise, and organizing my life.

My Long Term Goals:
By July 1, 2010, my 20th birthday, I will:

1. have gotten to my goal weight of 165lbs.
2. have changed my mindset about food (by eating when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm full (aka. intuitive eating))
3. have established an exercise routine
4. have established focus in school
5. I'm sure there will be more....

Since the rec center on campus is closed to me until June 8th, I will start the first two weeks concentrating on food and establishing new habits. I don't think I've ever done anythign for two weeks straight so this will be a true test.

From 5-25 to 6-8 I will:

• work on stopping when I'm full
• drink lots of water
• journal (now blog) everyday

Exercise will soon become a very important part of this plan but for the next two weeks I will only "work out" when I feel like it and strive to be more active on a daily basis through other means (chores etc.)

xo Megan

one

Hello Everyone!

My name is Megan and I am a sophomore Hospitality Management major at the University of North Texas. Right now is when I'm supposed to be figuring out who I am and what I want to do with the rest of my life and I have come to realize that being over-weight is definitely not a part of that.

This blog will serve as as outlet for my thoughts/discoveries about losing weight along with other things that may cross my mind.

I hope you all enjoy. Please feel free to email me at anytime.

xo Megan