As I continue on my weight loss journey, I am happy to report another 1.6 pound weight loss this week, for a total of 14.8 pounds lost so far. I’m so close to the 15 pound mark I can’t wait! You can read about last week’s progress here.

It helps that I’ve been running again. I ran a scenic 10-mile run early last Saturday morning. The other thing that helps is that I am committed to this goal. I realized that if I’m not committed to a healthy lifestyle, I just may have to be committed…. to an unhappy life!

I really mean that. Studies have shown that people who exercise have a better outlook on life, and they have less depression and anxiety. I recently read somewhere that it may help prevent Alzheimer’s, too (or was that quilting that helped keep your mind focused? I think it may be both!) So not only is weight-loss good for one’s physical health, it can help prevent mental health issues, too!

Here are this week’s tips on how to stay committed:

1. Realize that like quilting, exercise is cheaper than therapy. Even with the cost of new running shoes every 4-6 months, or a gym membership, the cost of good health is way cheaper than the results of not being healthy! Plus, eating fewer groceries, and skipping fast foods and processed junk is a boon for my wallet.

2. See how far I’ve come. When I first started, it seemed like my goals were a long way off; but each week that I lose weight and gain fitness, the end goal seems much more realistic!

My children were gone on vacation for over a week, but they are now back home safe and sound! Jason and I were able to get quite a few projects done around the house while they were gone…..

We cleaned and scrubbed the stove, scoured the bathrooms and mopped the entire house. (We have lots of tile so that’s a big job).

Plus, Jason was quite the handy-man. I love Honey-Do projects!

He helped me clean our work area &  install a bike rack in the garage. What a space saver!

We also hung some curtains over our large sliding glass windows. (Yes, those are stacks of Jelly Rolls and Charm Packs on the kitchen table – waiting to be bagged and labeled.)

I love these new curtains and the picture just doesn’t do them justice – there’s too much light coming in from the back window. My friend Jessica made these curtains for her house, but she and her family recently relocated out of state so she gave them to me when she moved rather than throw them out. I love these kinds of hand-me-downs!!

We made lots of plans for how we are going to accomplish our seemingly unending task list: we’ll just do a little bit each week. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day and it will certainly take longer than that to get our home clean and organized. But the joy is in the journey, especially when we are doing it together.

I am happy to say I’m down 2.2 pounds this week, for atotal of 13.2 pounds gone so far. My ultimate goal is to lose a total of 36 pounds. I’m over a third of the way there, but I still have a ways to go.

I think I am having better success this time around, not only because I’m blogging about it, but also because I’ve set some mini goals along the way.

For my first 10 pound weight loss, I bought this bathing suit. It’s super cute and I know it will look even better on me another 10 pounds from now.

When I lose a total of 20 pounds, I think I’ll go to the hair salon, and when I reach my goal weight, my mom has offered to take me clothes shopping.

Here are this week’s tips on setting mini goals to achieve success.

1. Break your goal down into smaller increments. A friend of mine once said, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” (I don’t really want to eat an elephant, but you get the picture.) Losing 5-10 pounds seems more achieveable than losing 30+ pounds so it’s easier to imagine success when it doesn’t seem like such a challenge.

2. Set reasonable expectations. It’s unreal to think I’ll lose weight quickly. There are no quick fixes when it comes to weight loss – slow and steady wins the race here! It’s best to take it one or two pounds a week rather than trying to lose too much too quickly.

3. Reward yourself. But not with food!! I used to think, “If only I could get to my goal weight I can eat whatever I want!” Not true! Now I’ve learned to reward myself in other ways, like those mentioned above. Keeping fit is for life, so it’s a life-time commitment.

Here’s to another great week! You can read about last week’s progress here.

I think it’s ok to cheat a little… on your diet that is! I’ve also cheated a little this week by pushing back my weekly weigh-in until the numbers were a little more favorable 🙂

I lost another pound this week, bringing my total to 11 pounds and still going strong. Yes, it’s hard to get up day after day and keep doing the same routine. But I know it will pay off in the long run. And a little bit of cheating goes a long way.

Here are some tips this week on how to cheat on your diet and still feel good about it 🙂

1. Load up on the Fruits and Veggies. Really, 100 calories of veggies is a ton more bulk than 100 calories worth of brownie. Yes, I’m still eating the brownie, but I eat the veggies first so I’m not quite as hungry. Summer is a great time for all sorts of sweet fruits, too – watermelon, strawberries, fresh berries, etc.

2. Go for the Frozen Fudge Bar. I found these fantastic 100 calorie frozen fudge popsicles at Sam’s Club and they are like heaven. And if I really must have 2, that’s only 200 calories! Do you know how much brownie it takes to get to 200 calories?? Not much! My next purchase will be frozen yogurt bars….

3. Weigh in After Exercising. I can sweat off a good pound or two on a long run. It may be mostly water weight, but in this summer heat, that’s a good thing! (I also weigh-in after using the restroom and when wearing thin clothing – I want to be as light as possible!!)

4. Take 1 Cheat Day (or Meal) a Week. For maximum weight loss, it really should be one cheat “meal” but it’s ok to take a break every now and then. It lets your body know you are not starving and helps prevent the crash and binge.

That’s it for now. I’m feeling energetic and ready to tackle the rest of my weekly projects! You can read about last week’s progress here.

We just sent the kids off to stay with relatives back east for a whole week. You know what Jason and I are going to do with our time now?

We should take an exotic vacation or a romantic second honeymoon. But instead, we are going to use the time to clean and organize the house while they are gone (and maybe squeeze in dinner and a movie or two!)

We’ll tackle some much needed projects like the one shown here. This load of fabric and craft supplies has been piling up  behind my couch for a few months now – leftover from when my mom cleaned out her fabric stash. It will be put to good use!

We also have a set of curtains to hang, cupboards to organize, and some major dusting to do, plus a few repairs here and there.

After we get our home into a somewhat decent order, then  we have some major business planning to do. I need to move forward on several quilt pattern ideas I’m working on and I have loads of kits that I want to start putting together.

My hope is that a clean and organized home will lead to a more creative thought process and a more peaceful and productive place to work!

I love schedules! I’m a very planned person and love to organize my life. This works very well with my weight-loss plan because it’s all about scheduling my health habits. (The reason I love routines is because then I don’t have to think so much – I just have to follow a plan!!)

Anyway, I’m so pleased to say that I’ve lost another 3 pounds this week! After a disheartening zero weight loss last week, this week’s big loss brings me to a total of 10 pounds gone with about 25 more to go.  It’s all because I stuck to my routines and DIDN’T GIVE UP. (Read more about that HERE.)

Before – 1 Month Ago

10 Pounds Gone!

Here’s an in-progress picture next to my before shot. It’s not a huge change, but the flab is starting to disappear. This is one of my favorite outfits; it will be fun to see how loose it gets!

Here are this week’s tips on How to Stay on Schedule

1. Establish a Realistic Schedule. While I cannot exercise for 4 hours a day like the contestants on The Biggest Loser do, I can get in about 45 min to an hour a day first thing in the morning. Even though I work from home, if I don’t exercise before I start my day, I get busy with other tasks and  it doesn’t happen!

2. Make Weight-loss a Priority. I love to do everything first thing in the morning: clean, work, sew, exercise. However, my number 1 goal right now is exercise so that comes first. Once I’ve lost my weight and am maintaining my fitness, I can add the other stuff back in.

3. Plan out What I’m Doing the Day Before. I know what routine I’m doing, what time to start, and who I’m working out with the day before. I set out my clothes and any equipment the night before so all I have to do is wake up and go! I also plan my meals out at the beginning of the day and I write it all down. The very act of writing down calories “magically” helps me eat less. The minute I stop recording, I start eating too much.

This last week really was a make it or break it week for me. The last few times I’ve gotten almost a month into a routine I gave up when I had a zero loss week. But now seeing it through gives me the confidence to keep going. Here’s to another great week!

This week is probably the most crucial – it’s the week where I’m tempted to give up. I’m 23 days into my routine, I’ve lost a total of 7 lbs which is awesome, but I’m a little discouraged because I didn’t lose any weight this week – even though I ate right and worked out almost every day last week.

I have made a self-discovery though. Each time I start a diet & healthy eating routine, I get about 3 weeks into it and then quit because the same thing happens – I plateau. It makes me feel like all the previous work was a waste of time and I’m never going to accomplish my goals. Then the opposite of what I want begins to happen – I start eating more, exercising less and the weight comes back on. Part of why I’m blogging is so that I can tell the world – THIS TIME I WON’T QUIT!!

So my goal for this week is to simply NOT GIVE UP! I know that by continuing to work out this week, continuing to record my calories and meals, something miraculous will happen – I will start to lose weight again next week.

Here are this week’s tips on HOW NOT TO GIVE UP!

1. Call in the reinforcements. I told my family and friends I’m a little discouraged. That let my husband know to keep cheering me on, and my running pal made me commit to a longer with her this Saturday, even if I don’t fee like it. I need that encouragement.

2. Look for other measurements of improved fitness, rather than the scale.  Several of my friends told me this week that they are starting to notice the weight loss even if the numbers didn’t reflect it.  My last run was faster and I’m tarting to feel stronger. My jeans feel a little looser, too. I actually went shopping for a bathing suit and it wasn’t too bad. Even though I’m a numbers person, it’s great to have other signs of positive feedback, too.

3. Find Inspiration to Keep Going. Right now Jason and are watching old episodes of the reality show The Biggest Loser. We started on season 1 when I began my weight loss and we watch an episode each night before bed. That really gets me excited to get up and work out the next day. The way these people have changed their lives and have become more healthy is really encouraging. If they can do it, I can, too!

You can read about last week’s weight loss HERE.

I’m down another 1 1/2 pounds this week bringing my total to just over 7 lbs so far! Whoo hoo! You can read about last week’s journey HERE.

I love exercise not only because it helps speed up my weight loss, but the mental health benefits are enormous, too! When I can get my heart-rate pumping and work up a good sweat, I feel so great afterwords and I am ready to take on the world!

It helps to workout with friends and I exercise each day with a group of gals that live close by.  We are lucky enough to have a clubhouse in our neighborhood complete with a fitness center and swimming pool. We like to start off with a bit of cardio each day (biking, running, stairmaster, etc.) and then do some strength training. By getting out first thing in the morning we can enjoy each other’s company and get ready to take on the day. It’s amazing how fast an hour can go!

Here are this week’s fitness tips that will help keep me motivated:

1. Exercise at the same time every day. By getting my body used to a routine, it’s easier to wake up at the same time each day and know what to expect. Plus, my friends all like to meet at the same time for consistency.

2. Workout 5-6 days a week. That seems like a lot, but I look forward to meeting up with my gal pals each morning. It’s productive girl-time!

3. Vary the routine so we don’t get bored. We like to run Tues/Thurs/Sat and lift weights Mon/Wed/Fri. The cross training is good for our health, and it gives us enough recovery time between hard workouts.

Here’s to another great week!