Blogging my weight loss journey - Month 7

Since I have been talking so much about my size 16 jeans, I thought I had better take this month's photo with them on! (Thanks Amanda for taking my picture!)

The word of the month was definitely TURNAROUND! I feel really good about how things went this month! I exercised a LOT more this month! (Again -- LOVE Turbo Jam! I am especially enjoying my Turbo Jam LIVE! workouts!) I can really tell that all my exercising is improving my metabolism! I also got my portion sizes back down to where they need to be. AND, I started writing down the foods that I am eating again. I HATE doing that, but I really needed to make sure that I writing down what I was eating so that I would be accountable for my food choices.

I honestly did not think that I would have lost that much weight this month, although I hoped to reach my goal of passing 178 lbs, which is the halfway mark, but I know that I have lost inches. With all the exercise and strength training this month I know that I am building up muscle, which weighs more than fat, so even though I am losing inches, my muscle mass is balancing out the fat loss.

I am sloping down in my hips where I used to bump out. When I lie down on my back, my stomach doesn't fold over onto my legs. This is all very exciting!

For the first time I am seeing photos of myself and I am not thinking, "look how fat I still am." Especially when I see photos of me from around Christmas time. I can really see the difference then! It is easier to tell when you have that type of comparison!

So, to recap my goals:

*140 lbs by the time I turn 40
*to get below 200 lbs COMPLETED!
*to get back below last years 32 lbs. lost COMPLETED!
*fit into size 16 jeans COMPLETED!
*pass 178, the halfway mark COMPLETED!
*my stomach no longer touches any other part of my body

I have added three more goals:

*waist measurement less than 32.5"
*body fat less than 30%
*change my eating behavior for good!

(Back in 2004 I had my body mass measured, and it was a depressing 47.6% fat. That is nearly half my body mass in fat, AND, at the time I only weighed 198 lbs. So, when I started this year, I had another 20 lbs. on top of that.)

I feel that I have set realistic goals and I am pleased with my progress.

So, for this month:

weight loss this month: 4 lbs.
inches lost this month: 12"

TOTAL weight loss: 41 lbs!
TOTAL inches lost: 57.25"

Awesome!!!