Don't put that in your mouth!

Don't put that in your mouth! You're back up to 199 pounds!

2010-09-22T17:34:00.001-04:00

Well, hello there! Yes, it has been over a year since my last post here. And guess what? In that year I've let myself get back up to 198 pounds. It's a sad, sorry story, filled with stress, too much Miller Lite, and the inability to resist multiple helpings at dinner. So here I am again, getting ready to meet with my doc tomorrow and see if she'll give me, yet again, more drugs to help me control my appetite and increase my metabolism.

Of course I need to do my share by eating a hell of a lot better, by finding a different way to deal with my stress than popping a Miller Lite, and by making the time to exercise at least 30 minutes every day.

If I'm going to make changes, they have to be now and they have to be permanent--time is against me since I'm only 358 days away from being 40.


Me and the boys at Magical Kingdom

I don't like being this fat person. I'm NOT this fat person. And I refuse to stay this fat person. Now is the time to start getting rid of this fat person.

199 today,

Melissa

Don't put that in your mouth unless you want to weigh 198 pounds again!

2009-07-20T08:06:00.006-04:00

Holy shit, has it really been 6 months since my last update? Time flies when you're having fun, eh? Well, 6 months later and I'm still down from my "starting" weight of 198, however, I have let a few pounds creep back on. As of this morning I'm at 176 pounds which is still 22 lighter than a year ago, so that's something.

It's not enough of something, however. I am disappointed in myself and my complete lack of willpower. Granted, I think 5 or so of these creepy pounds came back a month ago in Vegas where I ate anything and everything, and I enjoyed my share of libations 'round the clock. Hey, it was my 10-year anniversary and I was in Vegas for heaven's sake. That aside, I'm not going to shed any more pounds unless I become a hell of a lot more proactive about it. So, I'm starting again. :) Let's see what I can accomplish when I actually have to do more than just pop a pill.

No, I haven't given up on drugs. ;) I'm off the Adipex and am now going to try something else. But this time I'm going to combine pharmaceutical assistance with exercise. And I have to get back to portion control and paying attention to what I put in my mouth. I also need to hold myself accountable--so watch for a flurry of "Don't put that in your mouth!" activity.

Here I am not quite a month ago. Not too bad, if I do say so myself. Just think of how hot I'll be 30 pounds from now!

Here's to attempting the first 10 pounds!

176 today,

Melissa

Don't put that in your mouth! You're not really hungry!

2009-01-13T07:47:00.013-05:00

I'm back! Of course, I don't think anyone is reading anymore, and who can blame them. America said it best:

"I've been one poor correspondent, and I been too, too hard to find, but it doesn't mean you ain't been on my mind."

It's a new year, but I won't bore you with any resolutions I've made—I didn't make any! Why set myself up for failure? I still have the same goals I had at the end of 2008: be kinder, gentler, and thinner! I did take a wee step backwards on that last one and have gained a few pounds since I stopped taking the Adipex back in October. I figured the body needed a break. The good news is, I can still fit into all of the clothes I did three months ago (if a little tighter). The bad news is, some pounds have definitely crept back on. Since I don't own a scale (crazy, I know) I don't know exactly how many pounds, but I will be weighing myself when I drop The Bear at school. Results to follow. :)

This is me, just last week:

I wish 1) my husband new how to use my camera ;) and 2) the shoes showed up better—they're HOT!

I have made the resolution decision to NEVER go back to 198 pounds (or even 188 pounds, etc.) My first time on Adipex I changed some of my eating habits for the better, and those changes have stuck with me (like portion control). As of this morning, I'm back on the Adipex and will be making it work even more for me. I have a finish line, after all. I want to lose 40 more pounds before I celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary (yes, John Rykert, that means 10 years!) in Las Vegas!

To do this, I need more than drugs and portion control. I need exercise. I know, I know, you've heard it all before, LOL. But dammit, this time I mean it. So, dear readers, post your comments and help keep me going! I have 164 days to drop 40 pounds. Crap, I'd better get moving!

UPDATE: I weighed myself and am not too disappointed—7 pounds are back, but they will soon be history!

170 today,

Melissa

Don't put that in your mouth! Doughnuts are not a food group!

2008-11-19T17:11:00.006-05:00

I had a doughnut today. Silly thing to have when you're trying to lose weight, I know. But since I haven't had one in probably six months (I don't really like doughnuts that much), I figured what the hell! It didn't taste half bad.

Two weeks drug-free, and I still feel good. Somehow I'm managing to keep my energy level up in the afternoons, even without the Adipex. Maybe it's the missing weight. It was literally dragging me down! I haven't weighed myself since my last post so I don't know if pounds have crept back on (or mysteriously disappeared), but the clothes I was wearing two weeks ago still feel the same (some loose, in fact) so I'll take that as a good sign.

I'm actually going to the grocery store tonight, so I'll weigh myself and check back in. THANK YOU to all of you who have continued to read this blog and follow my journey. I may not post as frequently as I would like, but all of your comments and well-wishes really encourage me!

163 today,

Melissa

Don't put that in your mouth! You're off your meds!

2008-11-03T08:24:00.011-05:00

Ok, I know. It's been over a month since my last post, and I'm sure noone is reading this anymore. But just in case there are still readers out there, here's my update. I'm down to 163, which is 35 pounds. Which is pretty great. I'm waffling between a size 14-16 (depends on the designer), and I'm now able to wear clothes in L instead of XL (again depends on the designer). These are 2 huge milestones for me. That's the good news.

Here's me now:

Check out what a difference 6 months makes:

Now the bad news. I finished the last round of Adipex that Ivonne gave me last week, which means I'm now in charge of my weight destiny by myself (until I go back in for more drugs, hee hee). This also means I really have to get my butt in gear. I've been doing some heavy duty "exercising" on Sunday nights but 1 day a week isn't going to cut it. Yeah, you've heard it all before. :) Every new day is a chance to make a new decision. Today I decide to eat bon-bons. Kidding. Depending on how my day shapes up, today I decide to start rollerblading again, so my Sunday night "exercise" doesn't kill me, like it almost did last night.

Wish me luck!

163 today,

Melissa

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-08T22:43:00.002-04:00

Don't put that in your mouth! Emeril says "kick it up a notch!"

2008-10-03T09:31:00.004-04:00

Things are a little slow-going right now, but the Adipex still appears to be working (just not as dramatic as in the beginning). I went in to see Ivonne last week, and she's pleased with my progress. Not ecstatic—I could be doing more to help my weight loss along—but still pleased. She did prescribe me another month, so let's see what October brings me.

Halloween won't be a big deal since I'm really not much of a candy eater anyway. I'll leave that to the boys. Now that the weather is starting to be more temperate (it's a wonderful 71 right now), the thought of going outside for a power walk is definitely appealing.

I weighed myself at the store Tuesday. Down 2 more pounds!! I'm going to try and challenge myself to 2 more pounds by Monday. Let's see if I can "kick it up a notch" as Emeril would say. Hmm, quoting a chef...maybe not the wisest move...

166 today,

Melissa

Don't put that in your mouth! You still have 38 pounds to go!

2008-09-18T22:29:00.003-04:00

Wow, has it really been 13 days since my last post? Life has been pretty crazy here. Mom relocating, work gearing up, kids in school. Time does fly.

Needless to say, the plan I created on the 5th didn't go quite as scripted. Sure, I fit in more water. I did take a 30-minute walk. But I still had some McDonalds, My portion size, while not the size of a small nation, still could be smaller.

In the past week, however, 2 obstacles have been eliminated--less stress and Jonah in daycare full time. I'm hoping this will free up some time to fit in some sweat.

I met with Ivonne on Tuesday. BTW, I made the 30-pound mark! Yay. Only 38 pounds to go! :)

168 today,

Melissa

Don't put that in your mouth! You need to save the calories for beer!

2008-09-05T14:03:00.006-04:00

Forgive me, Weight Watchers, for I have sinned. It's been 10 days since my last salad. I drink too much beer, don't exercise enough (ok, at all), and still expect the weight to come off...

It appears that I am in a holding pattern—holding at 169. The fault, really, is my own. I do drink too much beer (the stress level around here has been pretty high the last couple of weeks). I don't exercise (unless you count picking up countless toys and doing laundry day and night). And it's been a hell of a lot longer than 10 days since I've had a salad!

This is going to make it increasingly difficult to reach the goal I just set for myself—lose 10 pounds by my birthday. "P-shaw!" you say. How hard can that be? Well, since it's in 10 days, it might be more difficult than just popping an Adipex and hoping for the best. So, to try and keep myself on track, here's a do's and dont's checklist for myself:

You've probably noticed that "Don't drink beer" is not on the list. Everyone needs a vice. At least I'm not chain-smoking on the corner, waiting for my dealer. ;-P

Yikes, it's the end of the day and I still have 8 glasses of water to drink and 30 minutes of exercise to fit in! Maybe I'll shoot for 9 pounds...

praying hands image © photoseyetook

need for technorati

2008-09-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

I need this so technorati can confirm who I am. :)

Technorati Profile

Another new (kind of) pair of pants!

2008-08-28T00:56:00.002-04:00

Today I was able to fit into another pair of pants my mother-in-law bought for me over two years ago. Yep, just pulled the tags off 'em today! :)

Down 1 more pound, too. Yay me!

Thanks to all who have commented...it really does help!

169 today (only 1 more pound to the next milestone--30!!),

Melissa

Still losing?

2008-08-26T08:36:00.003-04:00

Ok, it's been awhile since 1) my last post, and 2) I weighed myself.

I still feel like I'm losing weight—my clothes are still loosening. I don't, however, know that I've dropped any actual pounds recently. My own fault, I know. Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. This needs to be my mantra.

??? today,

Melissa

Checking things off the list

2008-08-17T09:19:00.008-04:00

Three months ago I posted a few reasons why I wanted to lose weight (the obvious reasons were ommitted—be healthy, look better, feel better, etc.). Three months later, let's revisit this list and see where I'm at:

I want my weight to match what's on my driver's license.
This is still a work in progress.

I want to stop air-drying all of my pants for fear they will shrink and I won't be able to fit into them anymore.
This is also in progress—I've started putting some clothes in the dryer, but not all of them yet.

I want to be able to clean the house and not have my feet and ankles ache at the end of the day.

I want to be able to buy bras at Victoria's Secret (ok, not really since they discriminate against larger chests—but if I WANTED to, I would be able to find a bra in my size).
Yep, still in progress. I have been able to send my 40DDs to the Goodwill :) and now my 40Ds are getting lose in the cup size. There will be some bra shopping in my near future!

I don't want my son to tell me I'm pretty, but fat.

I want to be able to wear all the great clothes (sized 16 through 12) that are hiding in Zachary's closet.
The clothes have been moved to my closet. All 18s have been donated and I'm now fitting into the 16s, which are starting to be a little loose. I even fit in to a wonderful pair of pants that I've had for 2 years, with the tags still on them!

I want to be able to shave my bikini line without being a contortionist.

All in all, I'm pleased with the progress of my list. I've also thought of some more things to add:

I want towels to fit around me when I'm getting out of the shower—not beach towels, bath towels.

I want to be able to wear a fun, trendy bathing suit (even if it still has to be a 1-piece), instead of the frumpy, grandma suits I wear now (no offense Mary :) I know all of my suits have come from you, but you are a grandma!)

I'll add more items as they come to me—this list is far from complete.

How about you? What's on your "I don't want to be fat because..." list? Comment below:

Name change

2008-08-12T09:34:00.004-04:00

Ok, I've become addicted to blog directories. :) So far I've spent more of my time off surfing through these than cleaning and exercising (2 things I wanted to accomplish this week).

As I'm surfing, I've realized that the blogs I click on have fun, clever names. That got me thinking. "My Weight Loss Journey" is a really B-O-R-I-N-G blog title. I mean, blech! So I decided to change it, and voilá, "Don't put that in your mouth!" was born. This is a more appropriate title anyway. After all, if people would have yelled "Don't put that in your mouth!" every time I was overeating, eating something stupid, drinking yet another Pepsi, etc., I wouldn't need to lose 63 pounds!

170 today,

Melissa

Almost to 30!

2008-08-10T11:32:00.002-04:00

I'm almost at another milestone. :) I weighed myself yesterday and have dropped 2 more pounds, for a total of 28 pounds. Let's see if I can get to 30 pounds by next Sunday! That means I need to mix in a lot more activity, which is doable since I'm on vacation. There will be some walking on the beach, some heavy-duty housecleaning (which is always a workout!), some chasing after Jonah, etc. Yep, I think 30 pounds by the end of the week is a possibility.

I'll keep you "posted" (pun intended).

170 today,

Melissa

2 more pounds and new pants (kind of)

2008-08-05T13:37:00.004-04:00

Well, I am down 2 more pounds. Even better than that, yesterday I fit into a wonderfully cute pair of pants that were bought for me 2 years ago—they still had the tags on them because at the time they didn't fit! Woo hoo!
172 today,

Melissa

Still losing, yay!

2008-07-24T08:21:00.005-04:00

Well, it's been 11 weeks and I've lost 24 pounds. That comes to 2 pounds a week (+ 2)—not too shabby for a desk potato like myself. I'm still struggling to make time to exercise, regardless of the determination I showed in my last post. Nike says "Just Do It!" Yeah, right.

The Adipex is still working. I have good, steady energy through the day, I'm not hungry, and some pounds are coming off. I need to really make the most of this pill, though, and MAKE the time for some kind of workout. If I could incorporate exercise, I'd lose more weight, faster. I'll try to start (again) today. Maybe a nice, brisk walk before dinner.

I'll keep you posted!

174 today,

Melissa

First setback

2008-07-15T09:37:00.002-04:00

Well, I weighed myself this morning at Winn-Dixie, and I'm ashamed to report that since my last post (14 days ago), I've only lost 1 more pound. While that's a total of 21 pounds, that's not nearly as much as it should be. I really only have myself to blame. Adipex has given me a great jump start and a chance to make some serious changes, and I haven't taken full advantage. I haven't worked out since coming back home from my Denver trip, I'm still drinking more beer than I should (there's been a lot of stress lately), and I'm not always making the right food choices.

So, if I ever want to fit back into the 14's and 12's I have in my closet, I'd better get my ass in gear (literally). Today is day 1 of workout blast! My goal is to exercise a minimum of 30 minutes every day. Walking, jumping rope, rollerblading, the Total Gym—these are all things at my disposal. Add to that a treadmill at Mary's house and a swimming pool down the road, and there's NO EXCUSE. I meet with Ivonne again in a week, and while it is a week earlier that it should be since she's out of the office, I still need to show more than a 1-pound loss since my last visit.

Ok, off I go—let's see if I can shed at least 3 more pounds before next week. That would mean about 4 pounds, which Ivonne will tell me is not nearly enough, but if I can show that I've re-committed myself, hopefully she'll renew my prescription.

Wish me luck!

177 today,

Melissa

First Milestone

2008-07-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

Well, I have hit my first milestone. I weighed myself Saturday morning and have dropped 20 pounds! Yay! I have to say I was a little surprised when the scale said 178. My self-image has been waning the last week or so (especially after hanging out at Dave and Ivonne's on Friday night, with all the skinny-minnies in their bikinis). So, it was especially nice to see the scale showing a 20 pound loss. It couldn't come at a better time. Especially since Chris and I went out Sat. night for our 9th anniversary--The Blue Man Group, and then dinner.

Hopefully, Ivonne's scale (the official doctor scale) will show the same results when I go in for my checkup on Wednesday. I took this pic yesterday, and have to say that I don't see much of a difference between this one and the one on the 18th (below), and I think I look better on the 18th. But, that could be because it's outside and I have my hair done, not wearing a baseball cap. The next picture will NOT be taken in the boy's messy room!

I have 5 more days of Adipex left. Since it seems to be working, hopefully Ivonne will renew my prescription. We'll know tomorrow.

178 today,

Melissa

Down 14 pounds

2008-06-18T18:04:00.002-04:00

Well, I had to get weighed yesterday when I went in to see Ivonne at the doctor because I had done something to my eye Monday night. I was pretty happy that the scale said 184—which means I've lost 14 pounds so far. I know I should be thrilled at that number since I haven't been working out, but you know how it is. We always want more!

I am happy with how my clothes have been fitting. They're getting looser and looser and I think I look much trimmer. Now I need to kick things up a notch, as Emeril would say, and get back into the exercise mode I was in before I went to Denver. Then I think I'd start seeing even better results. Next week I'll post a pic and you can be the judge!

184 today,

Melissa

1 Month

2008-06-03T20:35:00.005-04:00

Hello all! I'm sorry I've been out of touch lately. Things have been very crazy-busy here, and while I'm still taking Adipex and working on my weight loss, I just haven't had the time to tell you all about it! Since my last post, I traveled to Denver for a week for work (and fun), went through a little family stress, and have been coming to the end of a very long work project, with some deadlines looming. This will be a short post as I have to go buy a birthday present, but I wanted to catch you all up.

First things first--it seems that people at higher altitude weigh less. According to the scale at my hotel in Denver, on May 22 I was down 17 pounds. You can imagine how surprised I was to have my 1-month checkup yesterday, in which my official weight loss is only 11 pounds. While I'm very disappointed, my doctor says that's very good and she's not discouraged. (Of course she's not--she weighs about 90 pounds soaking wet!) I'm sure my time in Denver didn't help my progress. While I still ate very infrequently, I did eat more than I would have had I been home. I also went out more with friends. I did try to walk as much as possible. Guess I'd better start walking faster/harder!

There is good news, however. I can definitely see a change in my body, and in the way my clothes fit. While I may not be down as many pounds as I would like, I have lost almost a full dress size (almost). That's just as important to me. I still have a long way to go, but now I'm back home and more determined than ever!

Thanks to everyone for their support!

187 today,

Melissa

Days 12 and 13

2008-05-20T11:58:00.004-04:00

It has been a few days since my last post, as I have had quite a bit going on, with my trip to Denver and all. Thursday and Friday of last week went by like normal: Adipex in the a.m., light snack in the afternoon if I was hungry, and proper portions at dinner. No Pepsi (I miss Pepsi), no sugar, no bread, no white pasta--yay!

Saturday morning and it's off to the airport. Had my Adipex, some water, and some coffee on the way. We stopped at Winn-Dixie so I could get some Airborne and weigh myself. Discovered I was down 10 pounds!!!

When I got off the plane in Denver I was a little light-headed, so I went to Quizno's and had one of their new flatbread "sammies." It was the perfect size and only 200 calories. I also downed some water, since dehydration was probably what was wrong with me.

I spent Saturday with Niamh. We had a great time at Nallen's, then dinner at Elway's. We shared an 8-oz steak with au gratin potatoes and cauliflower. I only ate a spoonful of the potatoes and 1 serving of cauliflower. Not only was it a fairly healthy meal, it was one of the best steaks I've ever had! I did have too many beers for the "diet," but I knew that was going to happen a few days during my trip. I'm trying to fit in some walking to counteract my beer calories.

Sunday was a nice, relaxing day. I went downtown to walk around 16th street mall. I stopped and had lunch at Ship's Tavern in the Brown Palace (I love that place!). I had shrimp cocktail (3 1/2 pieces of large shrimp) and water. In the evening I went to my friend Anna's house. She grilled us a wonderful tenderloin, made a great salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and we started with edamame. YUM! Drank some red wine--I'll have to work that off, too. :-)

Stay tuned for more dining adventures in Denver!

188 today,

Melissa

Day Nine

2008-05-14T23:29:00.004-04:00

Nothing special to report today. Still holding steady at a 7-pound loss. No change in appetite (gone) or energy (good).

Today's menu:

Adipex
1/2 order Mexican shrimp cocktail (5 small shrimp, not much sauce)
2 slices mozzarella cheese w/a serving of honey ham deli slices
1/2 chicken breast with 1/4 cup stuffing, prepared with low-fat COM soup

(not all at once, of course).

Now that I'm on this mission, every time I do something I think about how losing weight will affect me. Here are some of my additional thoughts on why I want to lose weight:

I want my weight to match what's on my driver's license.
I want to stop air-drying all of my pants for fear they will shrink and I won't be able to fit into them anymore.
I want to be able to buy bras at Victoria's Secret (ok, not really since they discriminate against larger chests--but if I WANTED to, I would be able to find a bra in my size).
I don't want my son to tell me I'm pretty, but fat.
I want to be able to wear all the great clothes that are hiding in Zachary's closet.
I want to be able to shave my bikini line without being a contortionist.

Day Eight

2008-05-13T09:43:00.002-04:00

Week 1 is over. 7 days, 7 pounds. Not too shabby! ;-P

8:15 Adipex and water (a little late today).

12:00 the rest of my Campbell's soup.

7:00 a ceviche tostada with some guacamole. Yum!

Worked out on the Total Gym for 30 minutes. Once I have a better idea of what I'm doing on the damn thing and can move from exercise to exercise faster, I'll get a much better full-body workout. Right now, it's great for my upper body.

An update on jumping rope: my calves are about as tight as banjo strings right now! I definitely can "feel the burn"!

191 today,

Melissa

Day Seven

2008-05-12T13:54:00.004-04:00

One week in and I think I'm doing ok. I still need to exercise more--that's one area I'm not excelling in right now.

7:45 Adipex and 32 oz of water.

12:00 lunch with Jonah. I had 1.25 servings (half the can) of Campbell's vegetable beef soup. Before starting this program, I would have eaten the entire can, with a turkey or ham sandwich. I felt just right after finishing. Not full, not hungry. :-) I'll enjoy the other half of the can tomorrow for lunch.

4:45 had a light snack. 2 slices of mozzarella cheese and a serving of thin-sliced turkey breast. Yum.

7:00 dinner was 5 oz of ham, 1 serving of scalloped potatoes, and 1 serving of brussel sprouts.

Did get my exercise today, too. 30 minutes of jumping rope. You might think that's not much, but it burns 480 calories, and I was sweating my butt off! (Hopefully!)

191 today,

Melissa

Day Six

2008-05-12T08:05:00.005-04:00

Day six fell on Mother's Day. I did cheat a little (I ate two small meals, had a mimosa at lunch, and half a baked potato with butter only at dinner), but I still kept my two meals very small and pretty healthy. Watching my portion control and what I put in my mouth has almost become an obsession!

8:15 Adipex and some water.

9:45 1/4 serving Quaker Weight Control oatmeal. (I needed a few bites of something to tide me over, and this is a pretty healthy choice.)

12:30 a wonderful lunch, on the way to the beach, at a restaurant called Two Blondes and a Shrimp. Instead of having the shrimp alfredo, which was calling my name, I had the shrimp cocktail (8 medium sized shrimp) and a nice mixed greens (no iceberg lettuce) salad (of which I only ate half).

A little nutritional side-note on shrimp. While high in cholesterol content, shrimp are

low in fat
high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-12 and Niacin
mineral rich with iron, zinc and copper

Shrimp has actually been shown to lower triglyceride levels (mine are high), while NOT increasing cholesterol levels. Great news for me--I love shrimp!

6:45 dinner at a little place in New Smyrna on the way back home. With all the sun, sand, and water, I was actually pretty hungry. I talked my mom into splitting the surf and turf with me so I had 4 oz of steak and 2 grilled shrimp. I did have a baked potato with butter, but I ate only half of it and I made myself eat the skin, where a lot of the vitamins and nutrients are. After a little research, the baked potato (by itself, of course) is not all that bad for you either. Of course, being high in carbs and having to be accompanied by butter means it's not a food choice I will/can make very often. :-)

That was Mother's Day, day six. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but I think all-in-all I made some pretty food good choices. What do you think? Take my poll on the left and let me know! :-)

191 today,

Melissa

Day Five

2008-05-10T10:16:00.005-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers I know.

It's a scorcher here in FLA. 9:45 a.m. and it's already 80 degrees. Woo hoo! I was doing a little surfing on SparkPeople before getting ready for my busy day, and I came across a great comment:

"I want to weigh what my driver's license says I weigh."

Amen!

Well, here goes:

8:10 Adipex and some water (not my usual 32-oz, but that's ok, I'll get there).

9:00 Chris tried to tempt me with his yummy eggs and hashbrowns, but I wasn't hungry (even though they smelled delicious), so I didn't eat. Now it's time to get ready for a busy day.

2:30 Zachary's t-ball party. I finished Jonah's hamburger (1/2, meat only, not cheese no condiments), had a 1/2 cup of potato salad, a slice of tomato, and 2 apple slices. Not bad! I have to confess I did have three Miller Lites while chillin' by the pool. Since my caloric intake is still under 1000 (even with this transgression) I don't think it will affect my weight loss. In general, my goal is to plan ahead. If I'm going to be in a situation where I will have a beer, I need to have earned that beer by working out beforehand. This was an exception. ;-)

6:00 back at home. The good news is I didn't snack on a single thing at the pool party, even though I was tempted. There were some cheese cubes calling my name, along with a hotdog and a cupcake. I wasn't really hungry, but psychologically I really wanted to nibble more. But I didn't.

7:30 had a SBD frozen entree. This one only had 210 calories and it wasn't bad. (I liked the meatloaf better.)

Adipex is still working its magic--the Winn-Dixie scale says I've lost another pound!

191 today,

Melissa

Day Four

2008-05-09T12:09:00.004-04:00

Slept pretty good last night. :-)

Day four has started like the others.

7:45 Adipex and 32-oz of water. Still feeling energy, not crazed.

12:15 feeling a little grumbly, so I snacked on a mild cheddar cheese stick and a few slices of turkey breast lunchmeat.

7:30 had dinner. (There wasn't really much to report between noon and now.) Dinner was HH stroganoff, a side of cauliflower and a glass of milk. I learned two things tonight during dinner:

HH is actually healthier than you think, as long as you use lowfat milk and lean hamburger (or even ground turkey). Can you believe one serving has only 310 calories and 10% or more of the RDV of 6 vitamins and minerals?! I'm not advocating eating it every meal--it's still a little high in carbs and saturated fat, but as far as quick meals go, it's a lot better than a pepperoni pizza.
A serving of milk is 1 cup, or 8 oz. A normal pint glass is 12 oz. If you fill a pint glass up with milk, you are getting 1 1/2 servings at a time. That means that for years I've been drinking 60 extra calories almost every night with dinner. That adds up. :-p

9:15 boys are in bed, time to workout. Did some strength training with the Total Gym for 30 minutes. Fumbled through it since I'm not used to the equipment, but that's ok. I'll be a pro in no time.

So that was day four. Thanks to everyone who has checked in on my progress, and especially to those who have commented. I even received some encouragement from a really nice person in Michigan who is taking Adipex as well. We're now sharing our stories back and forth! I've also met two other people here in FLA who are committed to making healthier choices. We are communicating back and forth with words of encouragement and moral support. Love to you all!

192 today,

Melissa

Day Three

2008-05-08T08:09:00.003-04:00

Day three has started off just like the first two. Adipex pill, 32-oz of water, and straight to work!

10:30 the irritability is back. I think it's more an effect of Jonah-the-stinker, as opposed to the drugs. :-P

12:00 took Jonah out for a little rollerblading. Got my 30 minutes in, YAY! Plus 10 minutes of brisk walking to cool down. Oh my, I'm a sweaty mess! At least Jonah was chill--he loves watching the birds, squirrels and lizards.

1:30 lunchtime. After rollerblading we came in and had some lunch. While I watched the little piggy eat, I had a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (protein is good after exercising) and a diet Pepsi.

5:30 does struggling through the grocery store with two kids count as exercise? It should. By the time I got to the checkout with my full cart, I was actually sweating so much the cashier for the lane next to mine gave me some paper towels! That must be my metabolism in overdrive!

During my fun-filled trip to the grocery store, Ivonne called me with my blood results from Monday. On some levels I'm pretty healthy. Unfortunately, my cholesterol is high (shocked!), my triglycerides are high (really??), and I'm a wee anemic (never heard that one before). This is confirmation that it's time for a change!

7:30 dinnertime. I had a SBD frozen entree, weighing in at 210 calories, and a 1/2 glass of milk. The meatloaf was actually pretty tasty (either that or I'm starved and delirious).

10:00 day three is over. Let's see what day four brings me.

Oh, BTW, when I weighed myself at Winn-Dixie, the scale said that I've lost 6 pounds. Just thought I'd mention it. ;-)

192 today,

Melissa

Day Two

2008-05-07T08:48:00.005-04:00

Good morning! One of the side effects I was warned about with Adipex was insomnia. Maybe that kicks in later, because I slept like a baby last night! :-P

Here's the day two timeline:

7:54 Adipex with a 32-oz glass of water, and cup of coffee (not decaf, not yet)

9:00 one hour later and I don't feel near the "rushy," manic way I felt yesterday after the first hour, but I definitely feel a lot more energized!

11:00 haven't eaten yet, haven't felt hungry. Ivonne said "Only eat when you're hungry!" I like her method better than what I was originally told of "don't eat at all for the first 3-6 days." :-)

2:00 still not feeling hungry. I've had 64 ounces of water, and I'm drinking my first diet Pepsi of the day.

3:30 finally a little hungry, so I had some cottage cheese while I fed Jonah. It hit the spot!

6:00 went to grandma's pool. It was heavenly, since the high was 86 today! I Actually managed my 30 minutes of exercise by doing laps. I thought my heart was going to burst!! Chris brought KFC to eat outside by the pool. I had not quite 1/2 of a white meat breast with no skin, a small portion of green beans and three bites of mashed potatoes, not gravy. (I counted--three bites.)

8:45 the boys are in bed and I'm tired! I've got some work to do, then I'm hitting the hay!

198 today,

Melissa

Day One

2008-05-06T10:01:00.010-04:00

Day One started at 7:39 a.m. when I took my first Adipex-P pill. Literally one hour later I was feeling the effects. Speed, anyone. ;-)

I can't say it was jitters, or racing heart—just a "rushed" feeling and a little irritability (sorry Chris). I've gone from typing 75 WPM to about 175! ;-P

No hunger, even though I haven't eaten since dinner last night. I have had 2 cups of coffee, reaching for my third here in a few minutes. Like I said in a previous post, I may have to switch to decaf! (Sorry again, Chris!) Here's the timeline for day one:

7:39 took the first "magic" pill

8:45 very energetic, almost manic. :-P, a little irritable (though that was probably caused by a needy toddler)

11:15 not so manic, but definitely very energized. I feel like I could do about a zillion things at once right now and my typing has never been so fast. Don't feel hungry at all, but I have had 3 cups of coffee and about 40+ ounces of water.

12:15 ok, now I'm feeling a rumbly in my tumbly. Grrr... Maybe the appetite suppressant portion of Adipex takes longer to kick in?

3:30 the growling tummy has been intermittent. Not to bad, just a little irksome. I'm now having my first diet Pepsi of the day. I don't feel edgy, jittery, or too wired. Still have some good energy, however.

5:45 more irritability. It's hard to know if it's the Adipex, the kids, or both! Either way, I'm a little grumpy right now. :-( Still haven't eaten, though, and I haven't found that 30 minutes to work out. With a t-ball game to go to, dinner to be had, etc., it's not looking good for today. I have, however, had 3, 32-ounce glasses of water (which means I've peed a lot).

8:00 after Zachary's t-ball game, went to dinner. Did end up eating, after talking to Ivonne. I had 1/2 of a ceviche tostada, minus the tostada. Basically I had some fish, cilantro, lime and tomato, with a 1/2 tsp of guacamole. And I only ate half of it. Pretty darn good! Ok, I did have a margarita. Not so good. But I still managed to go through the day with

no snacking
no sugar soda
over 90 oz of water
only healthy food at 1 meal (margaritas are not a food :-p )

9:30 ready for bed. One of the side effects of Adipex is supposed to be insomnia. We'll see...I'm feeling pretty tired. I wonder if they tested this stuff on parents with small children!

198 today,

Melissa

The 198-pound Weakling

2008-05-06T08:19:00.000-04:00

Well, it's time to stop being that cliché—overweight mother-of-two. Sedentary, overeats, etc., etc., etc.

Today is day one on my journey to lose 68 pounds. Anyone who knows me and reading this is going to say "68 pounds???" Yep, that's right. My 5'5" frame is 68 pounds overweight. I currently weigh 198 pounds, with a BMI of 33. YUCK! That's me to the right. All 198 pounds of me. How embarrassing. That's why it's rare to see me in family photos anymore. I can't stand it. And it's not just seeing myself in photos. Cleaning the house makes me ache for a day afterwards. Granted, there's a lot to do in a 1636 sq. foot house to keep it clean, however, there's no reason to need 3 Aleve the next day.

I can't keep up with my kids—I'm too embarrassed to run. Who wants to see that fat in action?? I know I wouldn't.

Zachary comments that "mommy, you're pretty, but you're fat." OUCH! That one hurts. So, time to get in gear!!!

How did I get here?

That's a really good question. Fortunately, I know the answer, which is the first step to solving the problem. These are the steps to my "fatness":

Two kids
Change from fairly active lifestyle (some light exercise, waiting tables 3-4 time a week), to a completely sedentary lifestle (no exercise, work at a desk all day)
Poor eating habits (no breakfast, high-calorie, high-carb lunches, too much time between meals, portion sizes)
Drinking habits (maybe too much beer :-) and not enough water)

I'm sure there's more, but I think the list above spells out the worst of it.

What do I actually do right?

Let's take a break from the negative and talk about something positive:

I do like water, for some reason, I don't reach for it enough
I don't eat a lot of suger (I don't really like candy, chocolate, doughnuts, etc.)
I don't like breakfast cake foods (waffles, pancakes, doughnuts, etc.)
I don't really like potato chips, french fries, or most fried foods
I love red meat, milk, cheese, vegetables, and fruit
I actually enjoy working out (if I had the time)

So, remove the negative and enhance the positive. Easy, right?

Right, I'm laughing too. If only all of the positives were so easy. There's just not enough hours in a day to cut up fruits and vegetables, exercise, work 40+ hours, make awesome SBD meals every night, and take care of two kids—one who is with me all day. We'll discuss the plan to change this in a minute. First, let's see where I came from, which is where I hope to be again. ;-)

Ok, so this is my junior year of high school :-)
The glory days, right?

Can you pick me out from this picture? Not
only am I skinny, but boy am I tan!

Life after high school (ok, I'm 19 here).
This is too skinny for me now, but this
pic does help give me some incentive.

Fast forward 13 years, a little overweight,
but all-in-all, not too bad. I'd be happy
getting down to this weight (which is
about 150 or so, if I remember correctly).

My goal, actually, is a healthy 130. That's where I look the best, and what is healthy for my body.

The Plan

Having a BMI of 33 qualifies me for a prescription medication called Adipex-P. It's an appetite suppressant/metabolic increaser (those are both technical terms!). I think it's basically supposed to "eat me from the inside" :-P which means really no eating, or eating very little. The drug helps make up for the lack of food intake by giving you more energy than a toddler. (Trust me, toddlers have LOTS of energy!) This is a short-term, jump start for my body to start losing some weight. According to Ivonne (my wonder doc/sister-in-law) I should see some pretty good results quickly.

Along with the medication, I'm MAKING the time to exercise. If that means at night, when it's dark, and the mosquitoes are looking for dinner, so be it. 30+ minutes a day is my goal. Also, meals will be much different. For the first 3-6 days, there really are no meals. Water, water, water, water. I can't give up coffee (but I use sugar-free cream and Splenda already, so no problem there). I may have to switch to decaf, however. (We'll talk about that later!) After the first 3-6 days, it's one small meal a day, which will be dinner. Man I'm going to miss Habeñeros this month!

Support. Of course some of the family is aware that I'm on this medication and on this journey. I'm going to let in a few friends too. Being that I'm very embarrassed about my weight and how I've "let myself go" I think it will be awhile before I'm ready to go full-share! ;-P But if I've sent this to you, I need your support!

I'm blogging this for two reasons:

To write about my experience. I'm hoping this helps me stay on-track, and I want to document the journey.
Support. I hope that posting my progress and getting positive feedback also helps keep me on-track. I'm going to have some challenges along the way (my trip to Denver being the biggest), but I know I can do this!!

So, that's the story. This post will be followed with "Day One" which is already underway. One hour after taking Adipex I'm already feeling the effects. Go, fat, go!

198 today,

Melissa