Doing Weight Watchers has become easier than living my life the way it was.

Weight Loss Journal
Laura's mindless ramblings about her weight loss journey.  Pull up a chair, this might take awhile!  Sorry if I whine way too much.
 

  October 2008
Gee whiz, one would think that after 6 years of losing weight, I'd be a professional at it by now.  But no, I'm STILL struggling.  Since completing the 60K walk, I've not been able to get back on track.  I felt like, "Well, I walked 60K so I deserve (insert yummy dessert here)!"  The walk was an amazing experience!  I can't believe that I was able to do it, it was HARD.  It was 15+ hours of walking over 2 days, and most of that in POURING rain.  My feet were really sore for almost 3 weeks after the walk, but other than that I came through injury free.  I didn't even get a blister!

Right now, I'm having a hard even seeing the progress I've made and not feel that my goal is still so far away, and right now it feels totally out of my grasp.  I've been struggling for the past two months to get back on program.  I can manage about 2 weeks then seem to go nuts, back tracking any progress I'd made.  I just can't get into a good routine again.  I will update my stats when I'm back to the 227 where I left off.  But I'm around 235 right now and keep bouncing up and down a range of 10 lbs. which is driving me crazy!  I'd like to be back under 200 for the New Year, but I'm not convinced that it is an attainable goal.  If you have any extra loser vibes laying around, will you please send them my way!

  March 2008
The weight loss challenge against Trisha was just what I needed to get my self back in gear.  It's over in two weeks and so far I've lost 12 lbs!  However, I have to say I am SOOOOOOO proud of Trisha.  The scale has NOT been cooperating for her during the challenge and bless her heart she is sticking with it and still working hard and hasn't given up.  It would be so easy to get discouraged and give up and she hasn't!  I'm PROUD of her! 

I think I've LOST MY MIND!  I've signed up to walk 60K in the Weekend Walk to End Breast Cancer, Aug. 15-17.  It is a GREAT cause.  But I do admit I'm partially doing it for selfish reasons.  I think I need a goal that's beyond watching what I eat and wishing for the scale to move down.  I'm hoping to reach my pre-pregnancy weight for the walk and raise money for a great cause in the process.  Click here if you'd like to donate, hint hint hint.

  January 2008
Gee, has it really been a year since I've updated this site?!  I have no idea how to catch you up on my life since I last did a journal entry, so here's just a basic overview.  After almost 15 years of marriage, I separated from Jeff in Feb of 2007.  Debbie was 6 months old, and it was the hardest decision I've made in my life so far.  I made the right decision for Debbie and I.  Life has been a bit crazy since then.  I've been dividing my time between Texas, Indiana and Nova Scotia.  So life has been a whirlwind of suitcases, car rides and airport. I found it VERY hard to remain OP and after all that traveling I'm just plain TIRED.   January I returned to Halifax, and I hope to stay here for a few months and really commit to getting this baby weight off once and forever.  My best friend Trisha and I have committed ourselves to an 8 Week Weight Loss Challenge, to get ourselves back on track and motivate each other to lose the weight.  The website should be updated more regularly now.  Wish me luck!

  December 2006
I'm still plugging away, I'm just not doing very well at it <giggle>.  We went on vacation for three weeks over Thanksgiving.  We put 5200 miles on our car traveling to Indiana, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina to visit family and friends.  It was soooo hard to eat on the road and with all that good food around family.  Even the fat jeans I took didn't fit by the end of that trip!  I was too scared to get on a scale when I got back.  I was afraid that the number would be too depressing to face.  So once my jeans felt better I did get back on the scale to just a 10 lbs gain and it did come over the course of the next two weeks.  I plan on going to the clinic and officially weighing in after the New Year on Friday's so that I have accountability to the scale.  Unofficially I'd like to be down to the 205 by Debbie's first birthday (Aug 11, 2007), that's the weight I was when I found out I was pregnant.  But the weight loss has been very slow going this time.  Since I started thyroid meds during my pregnancy I'm not sure if my thyroid meds are hampering my weight loss.  I have my blood checked again in January, then I'd like to ask the Dr. to reevaluate whether I still need to be on them.  Also since I'm no longer pregnant breast feeding, they can do further tests to find out what exactly is going on with my thyroid.  Hope you and yours have an amazing Merry Christmas and a marvelous New Year!

  October 2006
I'm hopefully back!  Mom and dad 'kidnapped' the baby and I when she was 4 weeks old and we traveled to Indiana and Texas for 3 weeks to visit most of my family and some of hubby's.  So restarting WW's for me got pushed back longer than I'd like, but I've been on program for almost a week now, and honestly I'm glad to be back!  I need the structure of the points program to keep my eating under control.  I've done pretty good this week staying on points again with out too many cravings.  I started back walking and forgot how much I enjoyed walking.  I just hope the weather stays warm enough for awhile to keep walking with the baby. Here's pictures of the baby and of our trip:  http://deborahannecombs.shutterfly.com

  May 2006
I missed updating this site and thought I'd update anyone who passes through on how my pregnancy is going... I'm 6 months along, feeling lots of baby movement, and feeling SOOOO much better.  I was so sick for the first three months and my Dr's discovered I have an Overactive Thyroid, whether it's just a symptom of the pregnancy or something I was having before we're not sure.  Once I started thyroid meds I've not been as morning sick, and my nausea has basically disappeared.  With the warmer weather I've been able to get out and walk again, though only 3 of the 6 miles that I used to walk.  I got chided by my OB at my last appointment that I'd already gained 22lbs and she only wanted me to gain 25 throughout my pregnancy.  I've been able to maintain that since my last appointment, but it sure has been hard seeing that weight come back so quickly and easily.  I'm getting ready to go home to Texas next week for 3 weeks.  I'm looking forward to visiting my family, but nervous about being home around all my favorite comfort foods.  Hopefully I'll drop in for another update before August!  http://www.beachcombs.com/babynews 

  December 2005
Just days after taking this progress picture I found out that I'm pregnant! Who knew that after 14 years of practicing we'd finally get something right!  To back track to before I found out, I'd been REALLY tired all the time and had even passed out just getting up to make me some lunch after having been out walking.  I was concerned something was wrong with my health, that I was working too hard to lose weight and was hurting myself.  I finally made a Dr's appt to talk to my her about being so lightheaded and tired all the time.  She ordered lots of lab work for me and made a follow-up appt for me later.  When leaving, I just happened to mention that I was a couple of days late for my period but that wasn't unusual and that after 14 years I really doubted that I was actually pregnant.  She mentioned that if I didn't start in a week take a home test and see for myself.  Well I couldn't wait two days later I took a test and BINGO I'm pregnant!

  September 2005
Had a frustrating summer.  Just seemed to maintain and couldn't get on a regular exercising schedule.  I yo-yo-ed the same 10 lbs. up and down all summer long.  Thought I did try out some new things that I hadn't done before like riding a jet ski .  I also played on a playground with kids that I was babysitting, and even went down the slide and sat on a swing without fearing I'd bring down the whole play set!

September brought back a regular schedule and I was able to get back to walking 5 days a week and better about journaling my food.  I finally broke the 225 lbs. barrier and reached my 4th 10% loss.  I've recently increased my walking to 6 miles 5 days a week.  I might change it to 3 days a week once volleyball is back in season.  Now I'm on my way to One-derland!

  May 2005

A friend sent me a progress picture that they put together when I was feeling frustrated with my weight loss progress.  I know the coveralls don't quite fit yet since they're just an XL but I got them on and fastened!  Still hard to think that's me on the left.

   April 2005
    Wow, I've officially lost over 100 lbs!  Kind of a weird moment 

   January 2005
     Okay the holidays hit like a brick, had a really hard time staying on program.  I didn't go nuts at parties and things.  I just had a hard time staying on program.  Fell off the exercise routine, I let other things get in the way of working out.  Didn't count my points but didn't go overboard either.  Was a little busy the beginning in January and didn't the get chance to weigh-in until the end of the month.  I was on plan for 3 weeks before I weighed in again and was rewarded with showing a 5.5 loss.  I'd gained over the holidays so it was nice to show a loss coming back.  I'm still not down to as low as I started, just 5 more pounds to go.  I'm going to NC next month for two weeks.  I hope I can stay on plan while spoiling my 'niece' rotten!

   November 2004
     I've gotten back to playing volleyball, but haven't been so consistent in my walking.  I've had a hard time keeping motivated to get out in the cold and walk this time.  Staying on plan has had it's good days and bad days, but mostly good.  Halloween candy was a real challenge and I have to say I failed miserably at that one, but kept up the exercise, so it didn't affect my weigh ins.  I'm nervous about going home to Texas for Thanksgiving and staying on plan.  And the Christmas holidays are right around the corner...sigh!

   October 2004
     Well I fell off the wagon...and I'm trying to getting my butt in gear again.  I just hope I can stick with it this time.  I know that I have no excuse for falling off the wagon but thought I owe an explanation anyway.  I'd not been feeling good since last Oct until the end of Dec until I was admitted to the hospital for gall stones.  I had to stay in the hospital for a week because a gall stone was obstructing my pancreas and got really infected.  After that I stayed on program continued to exercise and wasn't losing weight, I'd hit a huge plateau and then slowly started to fall away from the program.  By summer I was really frustrated and decided to just try to maintain over the summer, well I gained back about 20 lbs.  I went home to Texas for most of September and now I'm trying to get back on program.

   December 13, 2003
     I think I've finally kicked this stupid plateau I found myself on since September.  I do admit that I hadn't totally be OP that whole time, but I think I got a little bored of the same ole stuff all the time.  But I've buckled down and it's finally starting to come off again.  I'm still working on that 250 goal/100 lbs lost, and I'm only about 17 lbs away from it.  I'm having a lot more fun playing volleyball.  I can actually get around a lot better and even did a cartwheel :)  Next time I'll remember to tuck my shirt in.

   September 2003
     Well this hasn't exactly been a monthly journal now has it, so I changed the title of this section from My Monthly Journal to just Weight Loss Journal  
     I survived the summer and was able to maintain my weight loss through cooking for the camp and being around all my favorite foods.  I was amazed in the difference in my eating habits.  Yes, I splurged here and there.  Compared to what I would have eaten last year when I was cooking, I was impressed with myself and being able to say "no.".  I do know that the scale went up a bit, probably around 10 lbs. according to my home scale.  I was able to get myself back OP and have that gone in 2 weeks for my first weigh-in after the summer.   My official weigh-in starting "Round 2" of our weight loss journey I actually showed a loss of -1.1 from the summer. 
     I've been able to get motivated to get walking again.  I was afraid that I wouldn't be as motivated this time to do that.  I've been taking Lots-a-Dots with me, and she hasn't been dragging me down the street because I walked too slow, I've been able to keep up with her.  It's been nice walking with her actually because she does tend to set a quicker pace for me. 
     I hope that I'm not back to the plateau that I seem to have started on just before the summer crazies hit.  I've tried not to stand on the scale too much this week, but I'm anxious to see how I'll do this week since I'm trying out the new Flex-Points plan for the past week.  I'm going to give it a couple of weeks and see if it's working, if not I'll go back to "Plan A."
     I'm going home again at the end of Sept.  My brother will be 'home' for the first time since he served on the USS Lincoln in Iraq.  I've not seen him in about 2 years.  I'm wondering if he'll even notice.  The rest of my family saw me in April for my sister's wedding and I've lost about 15 lbs since then, I wonder if that amount is noticeable.   I was hoping to be under 250 by now, but such is life.  I'll just keep moving on!

   May 2003
I'm just realizing that two months have gone by since I've updated my weight loss journal.  We went home for 3 weeks to Texas for my sister's wedding.  It was SO hard to stay on program while I was there and on the road traveling to and from Texas.  We did do our exercising and tried to stay on plan with our foods, but things didn't always work out.  Oh, the Mexican food was so tempting and there were so many foods that I had no idea how many points they were. Riding in the car for four days going down and five days coming home didn't do too much for my exercise either.  I had a gain (+3.5 lbs.) when I got home, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it, I know that I can lose it again.  I also don't want to sound like I'm justifying my gain as OK for vacation, I wish I could have stayed on plan better.  I also know that if I'd not tried to stay on plan or hadn't ever started counting my points I would have made worse choices and would have gained more.  I did find it very frustrating however to know how easily my control can be broken over such a 'silly' thing as food.  My home scale says that I've repaired the damage at least, and hopefully I can kick a few more pounds to the curb before then too, just for good measure.  I'll find out at this week's weigh-in!

   March 2003
Jeff and I were just talking about how we've followed the plan for 6 months and we're still hanging in there.  We're just as surprised with ourselves sticking with it more than anything.  In the past month I hit 2 more milestones along my journey.  I made it to "Twoterville," my weight no longer starts with a 3, I don't know how long it's been since that has been the case.  I'd guess that it's been 8 years at least.  I also passed the 50 lbs mark officially, so I'm one-fourth of the way to goal.  I'm anxious about seeing my family in a month for my sister's wedding.  I sure hope they notice a difference since I was there in August '02.

   February 2003
In the last month I finally made the 10% loss I'd been waiting to get for so long!  Had a great NSV (non-scale victory) we bought a new car on Jeff's birthday, it's a Chevy Cavalier, and I can fit in the seatbelt.  Previously when I'd tried to test drive them, the seatbelt was too tight and I was going to have to order a seatbelt extender.  We were also a bit concerned about buying a Cavalier that it would be too small for us to ride comfortably together.  We've already taken our first road trip in the car, and didn't have any troubles.  Hopefully we'll find that we begin to have more and more room!

   January 2003
Happy New Year!  Just sitting here rejoicing that I made it through the holidays, and all those wonderful holiday parties without gaining.  My goal throughout December was just to maintain my weight.  Not only did I meet that goal, but continued to lose through December.  Now I'm looking on to what 2003 brings,   every year my half-hearted resolution has been to get rid of some of this weight.  This year I'm not going to make that my resolution, because I'm well on my way of doing it.  I think that it's just going to be, to be more active.  Getting that exercise in at least 5 days a week whether I feel like it or not.  Here's to being a loser in this New Year!

   November 2002
I can't believe it's been another month, and I'm still On Program (OP)!  I didn't have a gain at all during the month of November.  After all the special things that we did this month I was a little surprised that there was no gain.  We celebrated eating out at the Film Festival several times.  This week's weigh-in was even the day after American Thanksgiving and I still lost 3.7 pounds!  I'm still hanging in there and hope to reach my 10% sometime next month.  I sure wish I knew how much I weighed when I started this program, I have a feeling that I would have already met that goal.  But it's not about the numbers, as long as they just keep going DOWN!  I've found it a little harder in the bad weather to keep up with my exercise, but I'm finding that I really like the Walk Away the Pounds videos, but really miss getting outside and walking.  Now if I can just survive the December holidays!

   October 2002
Well it's been another 4 weeks and I haven't fallen off the bandwagon, I don't even think I've blown it and gone over points.  I've even had some remarkable weigh-ins in the past two weeks.  I think this is really something that's going to work!  I know I have at least another 18 months to go until it's all off and I'm okay with that.  It took me 30 years to put it on, it's not going to come off overnight.  We're still following the points and haven't felt discouraged yet.  Jeff has been really encouraging and keeps me going.  I'm still shocked to find that I enjoy walking everyday, and even wonder if I can go farther than we have been.

I can't believe my husband and I have been following the plan for a month now.  This is the longest time for me to stay be on a weight loss plan and actually STICK TO IT, or more honestly to actually DO IT.  Oh yea, before I'd think, that's easy I can do that.  Fall off the bandwagon within the first day or few days afterwards and quit.  I love the flexibility of the WW points system and have found it quite easy to stick with so far.  We're glad this is not just being on a temporary diet or a quick fix, but it's a lifestyle and eating habit change.  I honestly don't know what came over me and made me want to start loosing it.  I hadn't ever really cared before that I was overweight, it was just part of who I was.  Maybe it was being jealous over my good friend having such great success being on WW, turning 30 (gasp, did I just admit to that?), or becoming a parent for the first time.  But something clicked in my brain this time and I actually think that I can do it! I am still amazed myself at how I've gotten off my bum and actually been walking almost everyday, and how much I enjoy it!