Barb's Journey

Wow!! It's been a long time!

2010-10-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Why is it so easy to make excuses? Why is it so easy to say tomorrow I'll start eating healthy again? Why did I start eating not healthy again? How do I convince myself that I need to change now, not next week?

I will be honest, I have gained back about 25 lbs. I'm not too pleased with myself but I can't be too hard on myself. I still have lost a total of 70 lbs and I am very proud that I've been able to maintain that.

2 Years & 14 Weeks

2009-09-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a little while since I've update but there hasn't been much going on. As of today I am at the same weight as 14 weeks ago (95 lbs lost), at least I know how to do maintenance. However, I've still got about 50 lbs to go before I'm ready for maintenance.

On another note, I did do the 5k police challenge in September. I didn't do as good as I was hoping for but, I did it. That in itself is completely baffling to me.

My friend (surrogate cousin), Tillie ran the 10k and it only took her about 11 minutes longer than for me to do the 5k. She has run a few races and every one she has done it faster than the one before. Good job, Tillie!!

Check it out!!

2009-09-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has recorded a cd and it will be ready for purchase by October 16. Check out his myspace account to preview some of the songs.

www.myspace.com/walterschroeder

2 Years & 10 Weeks

2009-09-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

Well, this week wasn't as good as I hoped it would be but a negative number is much better than a positive number. I lost 1.8 lbs this week. I will continue to write down everything I eat as I know that is what keeps me most accountable. Here's to a new week and another good loss next week.

Update: I finally figured out my pedometer yesterday and realized that I have been doing over 5k for at least a week if not more. YAY!!

2 Years & 9 Weeks

2009-08-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been a difficult week. I haven't quite figured out why but I seem to be self-sabotaging myself lately. I have a really good intention at the beginning of the week but then life starts to happen and I end up making some really bad food choices. This week is one of the only weeks where I didn't really want to go to weigh-in but I knew that I had to. The only time I hadn't gone to weigh-in was when I was on vacation or the office was closed due to a stat holiday. So, I went in and I had actually lost .2 and spent about half an hour talking to my consultant trying to figure things out. Starting this week, I have to write everything down and bring in my food diary for my consultant to go over. So, hopefully that will spur me on to do what I need to do instead of just flowing along.

On another note, I have been continuing my training for the 5k run that I have registered for in September. I have been doing pretty good. I realized the other day that I had my pedometer set for walking, not running so I will find out on Friday how far I've actually been running. I have to admit, I am scared and excited at the same time. This is something I've never done before (especially all on my own) but I'm going to do it. Hopefully there will still be someone there at the finish line when I go across it, in other words, I don't care how long it takes, as long as I finish it.

2 Years & 7 Weeks

2009-08-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last week I didn't do so good. I gained 1.4 lbs but I made up for it this week by losing 2.2 lbs. I really didn't think that I would do that good this week as I went away for the weekend to the states to do some shopping and let's just say that the meals were not ss meals and they weren't 5 hours apart but it was for 1 weekend so that's just how it is. Then on Tuesday, I had the flu really bad so that probably facilitate the loss. Let's just hope the lack of appetite continues so that I can lose some more. My aunt has challenged me to get to my 100 lb total by the end of summer so I have 3 weigh-ins left and 6 lbs so that's only 2 lbs per week, that's doable as long as I stick to it. Here's to another good week.

2 Years & 5 Weeks

2009-07-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

So, this week's weigh-in was pretty good. I lost 1.2 lbs for a total of 93.2 lbs. On to my training - today I was able to run the 2 - 8 minute intervals. It blows me away to think that I am doing this but I am loving it.

Please remember to keep Stellan in your prayers. If you have checked out the blog, you will know that his health has improved somewhat but things are still up in the air. They are getting very frustrated with having to stay in the hospital so please pray that God will give them the strength to keep up with what the doctors need them to do.

Pray for Stellan

2009-07-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

You will notice on the right side of my blog is a picture of a sweet little boy. I have never met this family but found out about them through another blog. This baby was diagnosed with a heart problem when he was still in the womb and they didn't think that he would live long enough to be born. He is now 8 months old and in desperate need of our prayers. He has now gone for 3 full days of SVT, his heart rate is over 230 beats per minute and his little body is fighting to keep up. Please pray for baby Stellan, his parents and doctors as they try to figure out the best course of action.

2 Years & 4 Weeks

2009-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well, it hasn't been too bad but also not that great. Last week I lost 2 and this week I gained 1 so in all I am down 1 over the last 2 weeks. I have started to train to run a 5k in September, some days I think I might have gone a little insane but the next, I love it. I am following the Couch to 5k website and training schedule and I am on week 4 right now which means that I ran for 5 minutes straight yesterday. I was very proud of myself considering the fact that I did an extra week on week 3 because I could barely do the 3 minute runs. So, on to a new week with hopefully better results next week.

2 Years & 2 Weeks

2009-07-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, life has been busy. Two weeks ago I hit my 2 year anniversary. I didn't make the mini goal that I had set for myself but that's okay because this is a life journey, not just a diet. So, in 2 years, I had lost 95.6 lbs. Then life happened. Friday, June 26 was my 40th birthday and we had plans to get manicures and pedicures done for my friend, Christina's wedding. When I got to the spa I found out that she had planned a mini birthday party for me. I got 2 bouquets of balloons, cards and cake. Then I made the decision that I wasn't going to go overboard but I really wanted a really good lasagna for supper, so I did. My family went to a local Greek restaurant that makes a wonderful lasagna and it was really tasty and I enjoyed every bite of it.

On Saturday, there was a BBQ planned for all of the out of town guests for Christina's wedding. It was being held at my sister and brother-in-law's place so I was helping out as much as possible so that meant being out of the house by 9:00 am. After the BBQ was the rehearsal and dinner.

Then came the big day. If we could have placed an order for the weather, I don't think we could have done better. It was sunny but not too hot and also not too bright for pictures.

On Canada Day we went to the parade and then to my sister's place for a BBQ for my birthday with family and friends (I know we already celebrated on my birthday, but you only turn 40 once and I wanted to have friends there too). So, there were many parties during the last 2 weeks and many chances to not eat completely healthy but you know what, I had fun. So, I knew that when I went for my weigh-in today that I shouldn't expect to lose anything and that I would most likely gain some. I did, I gained 3.8 lbs, not too bad considering what I all ate in the last 2 weeks. So, now it is time to get back to basics and write down everything that I eat and bring it in for my consultant to go over.

1 Year & 51 Weeks

2009-06-17T18:42:00.001-07:00

Wow!! What an amazing week! First of all, my Grandma celebrated her 101st birthday! Yes, that is 101. She is amazing. She doesn't hear very well anymore and she uses a wheelchair most of the time but we were able to go to the home she lives in and bring birthday cake on Friday (which I didn't have any of even though it was chocolate cake with strawberry filling). Then on Sunday had the whole family to my sister's place for a BBQ to celebrate and Grandma was more than excited to be there (There was cake here also but again, I didn't have any. YAY ME!) So, I went to my weigh-in today and I lost 3.8 lbs for a total of 94.4 lbs. Now I only have 5.6 lbs to go to meet my goal of 100 lbs by next week. I guess time will tell.

1 Year & 50 Weeks

2009-06-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

So close but yet so far. This week I didn't lose anything but I didn't gain anything either. However, that's not helping me to make my 100 lb goal. Oh well, here starts a new week and another chance to lose some more pounds.

1 Year & 49 Weeks

2009-06-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to say that doing some exercise has paid off. I have gone to the gym or done some sort of exercise 8 out of the last 14 days and today when I weighed in I lost another 3.4 lbs. I have 9.4 to go to reach my 100 goal and I've got 3 weeks to do it. It's a bit of a lofty goal but what have I got to lose (except extra weight and inches).

1 Year & 48 Weeks

2009-05-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, this week didn't go quite as I had hoped, weight loss wise, but it was a fairly good week. I have a serious challenge ..... a friend has challenged me to see if I can get to 100 lbs lost by my 2 year anniversary. I have exactly 4 weeks left to lose 13 lbs. It's not necessarily going to be easy but I think it's doable. At least I hope it is. As long as I stick my mind to it, I can do it. It will definitely be a challenge as my friends' wedding is coming up (4 1/2 weeks) and we are planning a shower, stagette, other gatherings as well. I guess I just make as good a decisions as I can.

1 Year & 45 Weeks

2009-05-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

What a difference a little bit of pre-planning makes. This weekend I cooked a couple chicken breasts and made a batch of spaghetti sauce with enough vegetables in to make up 6 complete meals. It has been so nice to be able to come home and grab one, put it in the microwave and have dinner ready. So, this week I lost 3.6 lbs for a total of 90.8 lbs. I also got measured and have lost 1" for a total of 40" lost.

1 Year & 44 Weeks

2009-04-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

Well, last week I lost 3.6 lbs so I got close to reversing the effects of my vacation. This week I lost another .6 lb. It wasn't as much as it should have been but then that means that I've got to stick to proper eating. This next week, my plan is to pre-plan a bit better so that I can have a much bigger loss next week.

1 Year & 42 Weeks

2009-04-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful week last week. My friend, Jennifer and I went to Palm Springs for a week and had a wonderful, relaxing time sitting by the pool and reading.

We took one day and drove out to Disneyland. It was crazy, busy and every lineup was a minimum 45 minute wait so that meant that we didn't get to see as much as we would have like but it was still fun.

We also rented a convertible which was really fun. We had the top down pretty much the whole time, even when it was really cool and windy.

Considering the fact that I definitely wasn't eating what I should have been, I didn't think I did too bad. I only gained 4 lbs so now I have my work cut out for me this week as I work on getting rid of that plus more.

1 Year & 40 Weeks

2009-04-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

2 MORE SLEEPS UNTIL MY PALM SPRINGS VACATION!! Can you tell that I'm excited? I am really in need of some serious down time and I am about to get that. We will be doing nothing except sitting by the pool and reading, shopping and maybe spending a day at Disneyland.

This week I didn't lose anything but I also didn't gain anything. My punishment is that one day on my holidays I have to be really good. That might be hard but it is only one day. I'm going to try to make smart choices at every meal but I think it might be the "in between" that will be the problem.

1 Year & 38 Weeks

2009-03-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a month since my last entry but I've been having a hard time lately and because I hadn't gotten any comments in the last few weeks, I didn't know if anyone ever looked at my blog. I had someone mention to me last week that they had noticed that I hadn't updated lately so, here I am.
Like I said, I've been having a hard time lately with 1 week up and 1 week down. Thankfully the 1 week down has always been more than the 1 week up but it's still frustrating. Last week I had my biggest gain in a long time (3.4 lbs) and my consultant suggested that I write everything down and bring it in to her. So, that's what I did and I lost 5.4 today. I am now so close to that "90 lb lost" mark but I still feel like it's so far from my goal. I guess I just have to keep plugging along (and write down and bring in my food digest) and I will eventually get there.

1 Year & 34 Weeks

2009-02-18T14:50:00.000-08:00

Well, this seems like a repeat from a couple weeks ago. I didn't post last week because I had gained again but am willing to post this week because I lost. Last week I gained 2.6 lbs and this week I lost 2.8 lbs. Oh well, it went in the right direction. I will keep going!!

1 Year & 32 Weeks

2009-02-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well, this week wasn't as good as last week but at least there is a minus sign in front of it. I lost .2 of a lb. Hopefully next week will be better.

1 Year & 31 Weeks

2009-01-28T15:54:00.000-08:00

Well, as some of you might have noticed, I didn't post last week. I wasn't too impressed with myself as I had gained 2.6 lbs. I knew what I had done wrong (made some really dumb decisions) and I knew what I had to do to correct it. So, this week, I was really strict with myself and lost a total of 4.4 lbs bringing my total loss to 85.6 lbs. I also got measured this week and have lost another 2.5 inches for a total of 39 inches. It seems so hard to believe.

1 Year & 29 Weeks

2009-01-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

I guess having the flu this past week didn't help a whole lot but at least the scale went in the right direction. I lost .8 of a lb which is better than going up but I'd definitely like it to be much more. Oh well, this starts a new week and another chance to have it go down.

Pictures

2009-01-10T00:58:00.000-08:00

June 2006

June 2007

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2008

1 Year & 28 Weeks

2009-01-07T14:46:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I last posted. I guess with Christmas and everything, I just never thought about it. Over Christmas I ended up gaining 6 lbs but when I went in to weigh-in today, I had lost 5.4 lbs. Now I just need to stay focused so that I can get more of this weight off. I was going to add some pictures but it doesn't seem to be working right now so I'll add them later.

1 Year & 24 Weeks

2008-12-10T15:23:00.000-08:00

I was excited but somewhat disappointed because I so wanted to break another goal but I was only .1 lb short of reaching that goal. So this week, I lost 1.4 lbs to make it a total of 83.6 lbs.

1 Year & 23 Weeks

2008-12-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

Well, this week went much better than the last couple weeks. I lost another 2 lbs for a total of 82.2 lbs. I haven't had a reason to have any pictures taken so haven't done that yet, who knows, maybe soon.

1 Year & 22 Weeks

2008-11-26T14:30:00.000-08:00

This weeks' loss wasn't what I was hoping for (only 0.2 lbs) however, I guess it's better than going up. Here's hoping that I can get my butt in gear this week and actually track my food intake as that seems to be the only thing that works for me.

1 Year & 21 Weeks

2008-11-20T08:54:00.001-08:00

I was stupid again and wore jeans to weigh-in (when will I learn) so I gained 1 lb. Now I have extra work to do to make my November goal of 15 lbs. My original goal was 10 but when I lost 7 in the first week, I changed it to 15. I guess I'll just have to be happy as long as I make it to the 10. Here's to a more disciplined week.

1 Year & 20 Weeks

2008-11-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

Well, another 1.4 lbs this week and another 1.5 inches for a total of 81.4 lbs and 36.5 inches. So, it looks like I am once again going in the right direction. Hopefully I'll post some new pictures soon.

1 Year & 19 Weeks

2008-11-05T15:11:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems I got off the roller coaster at the last stop. I not only lost what I had gained last week but a couple extra as well for a total of 7 lb lost. So, I am now at a total of 80 lbs lost. I am trusting that I am on the right train this time and not a roller coaster again.

1 Year & 18 Weeks

2008-10-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

I am definitely on a very cruel roller coaster and I just want to get off. I've never liked them and I don't want to be on it anymore. Two weeks ago I gained 1 lb, last week I lost 3.5 lbs and today I gained 5. Sure, I was wearing jeans when I weighed in and I ate some salty food last night but I don't think I can say that is totally the whole problem. I know how to do this, I just need to get back to basics and do it.

1 Year & 17 Weeks

2008-10-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

This week has been the best in a while. I lost 3.4 lbs so I was pretty happy about that. When I was at the SureSlim office today to weigh-in, I was asked if I would be willing to help out at the Women's Trade Show this weekend. So, I will be there around 3:00 on Saturday for about an hour or so. I am really looking forward to being there and hopefully being able to encourage someone.

1 Year & 15 Weeks

2008-10-08T23:01:00.000-07:00

This week definitely better than last week. I lost 2.6 lbs this week. Hopefully this means that I've started on the downward trend again.

1 Year & 14 Weeks

2008-10-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

I didn't do too bad this week, I guess. I lost 1 lb. My friend, Christina and I have been going to the gym and working out for the past couple weeks so I might have gained muscle so that would be good. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

1 Year & 13 Weeks

2008-09-24T16:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to say that I am not impressed with myself. I can probably count 7 times this last week where I made inappropriate choices with what I ate. Therefore, I gained 3.6 lbs this week. I really feel like crying right now but I know that's not going to help so I need to just step up and deal with it, do what I know I need to do.

1 Year & 12 Weeks

2008-09-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

I lost another 2.2 lbs this week. I got off track a bit before I went on holidays so I have another 2 lbs to go to get back to where I was before I left. I know I have to work on it harder but that doesn't seem so easy anymore.

1 Year & 11 Weeks

2008-09-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing as good as I should be lately thus the lack of posts but this week I actually lost 3.4 lbs. However, if you notice on the sidebar, I do keep that updated. I had someone ask me today if I have reached my goal yet. That felt good to think that someone thought I was at my goal already but I look in the mirror every day and I know I'm not there yet. I know I have to keep trekking on but it's not easy lately.

Visiting Alberta

2008-08-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is just one of the MANY pictures that my niece, Taylor took while we were driving. She is an amazing photographer. Who knows, maybe one day she'll be famous. Aubrey (8 months) (Leigh-Ann & Jason's youngest) & Taylor

Abby (5 years) (Leigh-Ann & Jason's oldest) & Barb Sam (4 years) (Leigh-Ann & Jason's middle) Natalia (2 1/2 years) (Colin & Kara's oldest) Mackenzie (2 months) (Colin & Kara's youngest)
This is the view straight down from the Calgary Tower. It was an amazing sight that Taylor couldn't get near. Ever since she was at the Starfield concert where the floor fell through, she is a little more nervous.

This day we spent pretty much the whole day walking around downtown Calgary. When I say the whole day, I mean from 12:30 to 9:30 pm, only stopping to eat lunch and supper, other than that, we literally were walking. I was surprised at how well I did, my feet were sore by the time we got back but I think everyone's were.

See the full moon rising just above the trees?

On Thursday evening, we had a mini Capernwray reunion. We haven't all been together for 20 years and we had so much fun together. We had dinner together and then just sat around and chatted, before we knew it, it was 11:30. I'm sure we could have sat and talked for another couple hours.

Take notice of the lack of roofs on the two houses on the left side of the picture. Some kids were playing in the garage with gasoline and lighters. Needless to say, they destroyed 2 complete houses and partially destroyed another one.

When you go to Medicine Hat, you have to check out the ice cream shop Swirls, they have the best soft ice cream.

On the drive from Medicine Hat to Calgary, you could see it raining miles ahead of where you were.

This had to be one of the most bizarre signs we saw on our trip. Apparently there is an Indian Reservation that is on both sides of the highway and the Indians don't feel the need to use the overpass to get to the other side.

On the final day of our holiday when we left Calgary very early in the morning, this was how we saw the sun come up. It looked like we were driving to nowhere and that the mountains are floating.

One of the many shots of Shuswap Lake.

Just about home, so tired.

Nancy's Wedding - Aug 16, 2008

2008-08-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Barb and NancyBarb, Nancy and Pat
The happy couple. John and Nancy Baumgartner

1 Year & 9 Weeks

2008-08-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to add some pictures but it's not working too good right now. So I will continue to try and get them on here.
I was so scared that I had gained a lot on my two weeks holidays. I actually had a dream/nightmare the other night that I had gained 14 lbs. When I went in yesterday and weighed in, I had actually only gained 3.6 lbs. I had expected to gain some as I didn't really watch what I ate so Iwas surprised that I hadn't gained more. So, now it's time to get back to basics and get to my next goal. I will be adding pictures of the different aspects of our trip once I can get the pictures on here.

1 Year & 6 Weeks

2008-08-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this week wasn't as good as it should have been. I gained 2.4 lbs. It was a long weekend and I was house sitting for my aunt and uncle so I didn't have all the usual stuff around the house so I wasn't eating what I should have been. I have to be really good this week because starting next week I'm on holidays for a week and a half. However, I've been told that calories consumed on vacation don't count. I wish!!! I am really looking forward to my holiday because not only am I going to a ver good friends' wedding but I get to see a number of people that I went to Bible School with and haven't seen in a long time.

1 Year & 5 Weeks

2008-07-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! Can't believe that I lost another 3 lbs for a total of 77.4 lbs and 2 inches for a total of 36.5 inches. I didn't think I'd do that good this week because of some 'not so great' choices but obviously the long walks at the fireworks on Saturday night must have done some good.

1 Year & 4 Weeks

2008-07-23T15:11:00.001-07:00

I guess this week makes up for last week as I lost 3.8 lbs. I took my nephew Graham to a BC Lions Game. We had a great time except for getting to the stadium so late due to traffic.

Picture

2008-07-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

Here is one of the pictures by the professional photographer. I can't really say that I was too impressed with the pictures since I had to use my computer program to get the coloring and stuff right. However, I must say.....I look pretty good. haha

1 Year & 3 Weeks

2008-07-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

This week as I was leaving work to go and weigh in, I was praying "Lord, I really need to lose at least one pound this week." Then I got to thinking about it and realized, why am I praying about this now. It's only my fault if I gained this week. Thus.... I gained 3.5 lbs this week. I decided that I needed to go "back to basics". I did get a few copies of the pictures that were taken a few weeks ago. They're supposed to email me all of mine but their system isn't working properly so I will get them next week and post them. This starts a new week and a renewed interest in what I'm working towards.

Week 54

2008-07-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I was hoping to do a chart showing my weightloss but I can't seem to get it to work so I will continue to work on it. However, in the last 2 weeks I have lost another 2 pounds so that's good. I'm finding it harder and harder to be good but at least the weight is continuing to come off. I've now lost 74 pounds in 1 year and 2 weeks.

One Year

2008-06-26T08:49:00.001-07:00

Well, it has now been 1 full year since I started this journey. I have officially lost 72 lbs and 32.5 inches. I actually gained 1 pound this week, not quite what I planned but oh well, today starts a new week. I took the day off work today for my birthday and I'm planning to go get a pedicure, go shopping in the States with my sister and my niece and then go for dinner. The celebrations don't stop there. I'm going out with my "Pilots" friends on Friday night. Saturday night, a group of us are going to a play. Sunday, we're going to White Rock for the afternoon and out for dinner for three of us to celebrate our birthdays. Hopefully all this going out won't be too bad for my weight loss because this journey is not over.

Week 50

2008-06-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

Last week I lost .6 of a pound and then we celebrated my Grandma's 100th birthday this last weekend. Considering all of that, I think I did pretty good this week. I lost 1 pound exactly making it 73.2 lb lost. Next Wednesday is exactly 1 year since I started and I was hoping to have lost at least 80 pounds so I have my work cut out for me this week. I would really like to lose at least 2 more pounds this week to make it 75 but we'll see what happens. We had the Open House at Sureslim this past Monday and so I went in, had my hair and make-up re-touched and then photos taken. I hope that they will at least send us one and if they do, I'll make sure I put it on here.

I had a friend tell me this week that last week was a write off because they went out for dinner twice. I tried to make him see that life is full of choices and you have to learn to make good choices when it comes to eating and losing weight, otherwise as soon as you get to your goal weight and you're not being as strict with yourself you will more than likely gain back a lot of the weight you lost. Just because you're going out to a restaurant for dinner doesn't mean that you give up for that week, it just means you have to look for the best choices. Most restaurants will have a salad with grilled chicken and if they don't have it on their menu, they will more than likely be willing to do it for you if you ask.

Remember, you are doing this as a lifestyle change not just for the time that you're working on losing weight. When you get to that goal weight and you are looking absolutely gorgeous, you don't want to risk it and revert back to the old bad habits.

Week 48

2008-06-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

Well, this week didn't turn out quite as good as I was hoping but it wasn't really bad. I gained .4 of a pound so not even one half. However, I did get my measurements done and I've lost another 2 inches for a total of 32.5 inches lost. So, another week starts and I'll get right back at it hopefully next week will have better news.

Week 47

2008-05-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I had gotten my weeks mixed up. Well, it looks like I was able to get right back on track. I lost 4 lbs this week for a total of 72 lbs. I probably should have gotten measured this week but I didn't think of it. Within the next few weeks, Sureslim is doing an Open House for clients and they're hoping to have a photographer there to do pictures of everyone. So, hopefully I will have a really nice picture to post.

Prayer Request

2008-05-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

Contemporary Christian musician, Steven Curtis Chapman's 5 year old daughter was struck & killed by an SUV that was driven by her teenage brother. For more details, you can look at Travis Cottrell's blog (here). Here is a link to go to get to a website called In Memory of Maria (here).

Week 44

2008-05-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

Well, this week pretty much went as I thought it would, not that it's good but at least it was expected. I gained 5 lbs. It's amazing how fast the weight can come on but how long it takes to lose it. I guess I had a little too much fun this weekend. Oh well, right back at it. My total now is 67.8 lbs. I'm still very proud of myself but will be prouder once I get even closer to my goal.

Week 43

2008-05-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

WOW!!! What a difference it makes to write down everything you eat. There were times this week that I wanted something I shouldn't have but then remembered that I'd have to write it down so I decided that I didn't want to actually put it into writing that I'd eaten it. So, all that said..... I lost 7 lbs this week. YES, 7!!! Can you believe it? In one week? So, my total is now up to 72.8 lbs lost in 10 months.

I hope that I can keep it going though as I am going on a mini-holiday starting Thursday and coming back Monday. I'm going with my mom, sister, niece, aunt and cousin to Seattle area to go shopping and doing a whole bunch of whatever.

Week 42

2008-05-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, something needs to be done. I gained 3 lbs this week. It's very frustrating but I know that I am the only one to blame. I took one of the sheets to keep track of my food intake because I think I've been too lenient with myself. I also woke up with a cold this morning so it could have to do with that as well. Anyways, onto a new week and hopefully I'll have better news next week and actually want to put a post on here.

Success Story

2008-05-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

Check out this success story. It's no one I know personally but she has an amazing story.

http://www.weightwatchers.ca/success/art/index.aspx?SuccessStoryId=6521&sc=17

Week 43

2008-04-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I stayed the same and this week I lost 1 lb. Not much of a change but at least it's down and not up.

I saw this at Life and Times of the Olson's blog. I thought I'd take a crack at it as it's a good way to get to know some information about someone.

1. Who were you named after? No one that I know of.

2. When was the last time you cried? A week ago Sunday
3. Do you like your handwriting? Sometimes. If I'm trying to write too fast it gets messy.
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Probably ham or turkey but I don't get to eat it much right now.
5. Do you have kids? No

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with yourself? I hope so!
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Who me?! (Yeah, I think I do!)
8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes

9. Would you bungee jump? No way!

10. What is your favorite cereal? Honey Nut Cheerios
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Not if I can help it.

12. Do you think you are strong? It depends if you're talking physically or mentally/emotionally.

13. What is your favorite ice cream? Chocolate, chocolate and chocolate
14. What is the first thing you notice about people? Facial expression (smiling or not)
15. Red or pink? Red
16. What is the least favorite thing about you? My negative attitude
17. Who do you miss the most? Nancy
18. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? I'm wearing red capri's and no shoes at the moment.

19. What was the last thing you ate? Beef Stirfry
20. What are you listening to right now? TV
21. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red
22. Favorite smells? Fresh coffee

23. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Sister - Donna
24. Favorite sports to watch? Hockey
25. Hair color? Brown with a blonde highlights
26. Eye color? Hazel
27. Do you wear contacts? Nope, gotta love laser eye surgery
28. Scary movies or happy endings? Definately happy endings
29. Last movie you watched? Hairspray - went to sleep to it playing on my laptop
30. What color shirt are you wearing? Black/Brown/Red
31. Summer or winter? I've always loved the summer but not my skin gets super itchy from the sun so I prefer Spring.
32. Hugs or kisses? Hugs (at least at this point and time)
33. Favorite dessert? cheesecake
34. What is on your mouse pad? Don't have one - have a laptop
35. What did you watch on TV last night? American Idol, Dancing with the Stars
36. Favorite sound? rolling waves of the ocean
37. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles

38. What is the farthest you have been from home? East - PEI, South - Aruba
39. Where were you born? Abbotsford, BC (MSA Hospital)

If you decide to do this meme (either on your blog or via e-mail), please let me know by leaving a comment on this post so I can read yours!

Week 41

2008-04-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, it seems someone is leaving comments on my blog that are actually viruses so if you ever see.... Attention! See Please Here.....don't click on it. The first time I got one, I clicked on it and luckily my Anti-Virus program caught it and deleted it right away.

Weekly weight-loss update - I lost the 2 lbs that I gained last week. I guess as long as I don't keep going up one week and down the next we'll be doing ok. I think I need to be going down more than I go up.

Thanks to everyone who checks my blog out on a regular basis. Please feel free to leave a comment so I know who's been here.

Week 40

2008-04-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems I am in another slump. I gained 2 lbs this week. My counsellor is thinking it could be as simple as water retention but personally I think I just need to be a little more strict with myself. A new week starts right now.

Week 38

2008-03-27T23:00:00.003-07:00

Sorry it took so long to get this weeks post up but I was waiting for a picture so I could add it in. This week, I lost 4.4 lbs for a total of 67.8 lbs in 9 months. It's not quite where I was hoping to be by now but I'm definitely proud of myself for the accomplishment. I decided to put up the picture from 9 months ago so it would be easier to see the difference.

Week 37

2008-03-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

I don't really know what to say. I've been too lenient with myself and now it's beginning to show. Last week I gained 1.5 lbs and this week I stayed the same. How do I get myself re-motivated to get back into it seriously? I know what I need to do but the problem is actually doing it.

Week 35

2008-03-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Things weren't quite as good this week but my cold is still hanging on a little. However, I did lose .2 lb and I've lost another inch so now my total inches lost is 30. Now starts a new week to work at it again.

Week 34

2008-02-27T16:38:00.000-08:00

See, it was the cold that was causing my problems. My cold is almost gone and I lost 5 pounds this week. Now hopefully the cold will be completely gone shortly and I won't have to deal with that anymore.

Week 33

2008-02-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I did even worse this week. My counsellor had warned me that when you have a cold like this, your body holds onto absolutely everything you put in your mouth. So, I gained 4 lbs this week. This is the first time since I started that I actually gained anything and it really is hard to take but I know that once I get rid of this cold, I will start losing again.

Week 32

2008-02-13T14:28:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't do as good as I thought I would this week. I've been sick with a cold for the past week and have had a very small appetite so I figured I would have lost quite a bit but I only lost 1.2 lbs for a total of 63.8 lbs. My counsellor said that if I wouldn't have been sick, I would have lost more but apparently a person's body doesn't lose weight normally when sick. I did get her to measure me though and I've lost another 3.5 inches for a total of 29 inches. Hopefully now the cold will go away but the small appetite will stay around for a while.

Week 31 Update

2008-02-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

I went in yesterday and weighed in and have lost 1 more lb. It's not much but I guess every pound lost is one not gained. So, it's now a total of 62.5 lb.

Week 31

2008-02-04T19:08:00.000-08:00

The first picture was taken last May when we were at the Seattle Mariners game so that was about 6 weeks prior to starting this journey. No, the Mustang isn't mine, I rented it from my work for my birthday so that picture was taken the day before I started.

These other two pictures were taken on February 2, 2008 which is approximately 31 weeks after I started and 61.5 lbs lighter. I hope to update again later this week with the weightloss update.

Week 30

2008-01-30T23:36:00.000-08:00

Well, I have finally gotten past the big 6-0. Actually I've gotten to 61.5 this week. I've had a few weeks where not too much had changed so I didn't have much to write about. As you have probably been able to tell, I am no author but I try to get the facts out to all of my supporters. I will try to post some more pictures in the next posting.

Week 27

2008-01-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it's one week into the new year and I seem to have started out right. I lost 3.2 lbs this week for a total of 57.4. I really can't believe that I've lost this much weight in this short amount of time. Thanks for all the encouragement.

Week 26

2008-01-03T22:34:00.000-08:00

Well, I have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself. I didn't gain anything during the two weeks over Christmas. I didn't deprive myself, but I also didn't let myself eat absolutely everything.

On Christmas Eve, we had a service at church and then our family all got together at my aunt and uncle's (Doreen & Bill).

Christmas morning my immediate family got together at my sister's house to open gifts and have breakfast.

Then in the afternoon and evening, our whole family got together at my parents house for turkey dinnner.

I think that one of the nicest things about the the Christmas break was the fact that I took a few vacation days and was able to completely relax. On Friday, I went with my sister and my niece to Bellingham to go shopping and we also went to see a movie. On Saturday, I went to my nephew's hockey tournament in North Vancouver (they ended up with the silver in their division).

Week 23

2007-12-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

I lost another 1.8 lbs this week to make it a total of 53.8 lbs in 22 weeks. I also got measured and I've lost another 3.5 inches for a total of 24.5 inches. My counsellor was looking at my file and was really impressed because I haven't gained once in the past 23 weeks. I've stayed the same twice and only lost .2 of a pound one week but other than that it's been a steady loss. Needless to say, she was very encouraged.

Week 22

2007-12-05T23:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it. I made it past the big 5-0. This week at weigh-in I lost another 3.2 to make it a total of 52 lbs lost. For the last couple weeks I've been trying to get over the hump and finally have done it.

Week 20

2007-11-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

This week I lost another 2.2 lbs to bring the total to 48 lbs lost in 20 weeks (that's an average of 2.5 lbs per week). I also got measured again and lost another 5.5 inches for a total of 21 inches lost. I should have some more pictures next week.

Week 19

2007-11-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

Congratulations go out to our very close family friends, Tillie and Depak Parmar on the birth of their daughter, Natalie Channan Parmar. She was born on Monday night and weighed in at 9 lbs. Very cute with really chubby cheeks.

Natalie Channan Parmar
Monday, November 5, 2007
9 lbs 21.25 inches

This baby has many sets of grandparents in BC and these are one set of them.

As of today, I have lost another 2.4 lbs bringing my total to 45.8. Thank you to all my biggest supporters.

Week 17

2007-10-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

I lost another 2.8 lbs this week to make it 44 lbs total.

This isn't the best picture but for now, it will have to do.

Week 16

2007-10-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to find an updated picture but I can't seem to find one. I guess I'm going to have to purposely take one just for this.

As of this week, I have lost a total of 40.8 lbs and 15.5 inches. I actually had someone ask me last week if I was losing weight. This was the first person to actually ask without knowing that I was working on it. That felt really good to know that even someone who didn't know to look for it was noticing.

I will post a picture as soon as I can get one. Thank you to all my supporters (cheerleaders).

13 weeks

2007-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

At today's weigh-in I lost another 2.2 lbs. I also was measured and I have lost a total of 13 inches. We then checked my body fat and it has decreased by 5.5%.

Week 12

2007-09-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

It's now been 12 weeks and I have lost a total of 32.4 lbs. I am really starting to notice it in my clothes that are getting baggy and others are starting to notice and mention it. I had a couple rough weeks where I hardly lost anything but we figured out what I was doing wrong and the weight is coming off again.

The baby with me is my cousin Randy's daughter, Shaelyn. They came out to Abbotsford last week for our Grandpa's funeral.

This is my immediate family including my mom and dad, my sister and her family and my grandma (she's 99). It was really hard to know which camera to look at as there were 3 taking the picture at the same time.

Decision Made

2007-09-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

I finally made the decision that I needed to do something about my weight. On Saturday, Jun 16, 2007 I went to an Information Session at SureSlim. Basically before I even stepped in the door I had made the decision that this is what I needed to do. Considering the fact that my birthday was 10 days away and they needed approximately 1 week to set up my eating plan, I decided that I would start this lifestyle change on June 27, 2007. The picture with this was taken on my birthday (the day before I started).