149.6

By Belinda

Yes! I broke through to the 140's today.

It was April 11th when I renewed my determination to get in shape. I weighed 158.2 that day, although the week before on one day I weighed in at 159.4. It has taken 11 loooong weeks to lose just under 9 pounds. I have 7 to go.

I've been on a vacation to England during that time, and away for two conferences and still maintained a steady, although slow weight loss.

What's working for me?

• Walking Molson my daughter's dog and my personal trainer, almost daily. He is an encouraging  companion and Brenda says she can always tell when he's been out for a walk when she comes home because he smiles! Yes, he has a happy expression on his Golden Retriever face. :) Walking daily helps keep my metabolism running efficiently and my hips and thighs more toned (only "more" because they sure don't qualify as "toned" alone.) If I can't manage a long walk I still head out for a quick walk. It is a rare day that I can't manage a minimum 20 minute walk. The main point is to keep moving.
• Majoring on vegetables. At the conference, where there was ample opportunity to overindulge, I stacked my plate with vegetables and salad, filling up with those and with meat. I focused on protein, fruit and vegetables and the desserts I thought were really worth it.
• Packing loads of food to take with me on work days. I make sure I am never hungry and I feel like I eat a lot some days but it is all good stuff. I know that if I added up the calories of the handfuls of almonds I eat when I get hungry, I would think I shouldn't lose weight, but they fill me up when I need something substantial to get me through to the next meal and I am still slowly losing.
• I've started using a teaspoon of olive oil dribbled over a piece of toast instead of margarine.
• I chopped some almonds up with my little hand chopper and have a small container of them in the cupboard ready to sprinkle on yogurt or salad.  A current favourite lunch is a tossed salad with a tablespoon of Vidalia sweet onion dressing, 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese, sprinkled with chopped almonds. It is filling and delicious.

I have more to write but will save it for another day this week. Stay encouraged. Don't give up! Stop the slide and bust the fat!