Reader Questions and Weigh Day

Amber asked: What was the breaking point for you? You know the point that you said I've got to change my life now and begin living healthier? I think motivation is an amazing thing. I am personally struggling with it right now. So, what motivates you?

I've been pretty open about the fact that the one single thing that really made me start losing weight was my wedding (click on this link to see that post).
What made me begin though, or my "rock bottom, turning point, climax of my life story" sort of events, was my engagement party. My in-laws, and pretty much all of JJ's family live in Florida. Since the wedding was at my Dad's church in Cincinnati, OH, we figured many Floridians wouldn't be able to come, so they threw us a party down there. It was such a great event, I got to meet so many of JJ's extended family and friends... however at the time, I was at my highest weight to date - 252 lbs., wearing a size 22 pants, and felt AWFUL.
The party was a blast, but the whole time I was so self conscious. It was my first time meeting many of these people, and I was my heaviest and self-proclaimed, ugliest.

Here is one of the only photos I kept from the party because I couldn't stand the way I looked in all of the others. It's not awful, but you can see all the pudge.

So that's what it took. Looking my worst, and feeling my worst, at such an important and once in a lifetime event. I had planned all along to lose wieght for the wedding, but here I was 9 months away from the wedding, and I hadn't lost a pound (and we had been engaged for 8 months already!) So as soon as we got back from Florida, I decided to get on track, and that's where the other post picks up!

To answer the other part of the question - what motivates me... There are so many things that motivate me...

-Being able to share clothes with sisters and friends.

- The magical number - 100 lbs! I'm getting so close!

- Knowing I can get up and run 6 miles, and the freedom I feel when I do.

- Having my blog out for the world to see, knowing people hold me accountable.

- The health problems I will not face because of obesity or being overweight that my Grandparents face(d)

Elizabeth asked: Just wondering how you keep from snacking during the day......I think that's my biggest problem

This isn't as hard for me during the week because I am at work and I don't keep snacks around, but I do try to eat every 2-3 hours so I don't get so hungry that I overeat or go for junk. My schedule is pretty much the same during the week, around 1500-1600 calories.
7 am - breakfast - oatmeal and coffee (200 cal)
10 am - banana (100 cal)
noon - another piece of fruit (apple, nectarine, pear, clementines) (100 cal)
3pm - yoplait light yogurt and some carrot sticks or peas (200 cal)
6pm - dinner (700 cal)
8pm - fat free pudding with fruit, frozen yogurt with fruit, or any other 200ish calorie dessert

I like to eat one big dinner though (mostly because I love to cook, but also I just love to have one big meal). I also drink a lot of water during the day.

The weekends are antoher story though, I struggle during the weekend to keep myself from grazing... however I don't keep snacks (besides fruit and veggies) in the house, so it's not as hard. Sometimes though, if I feel like I could eat a horse, I'll go for a bowl of cereal, or an additional bowl of oatmeal (around 200 calories).

And of course, sometimes we're out running errands and I'll get a real lunch - like a sub or when we go to Sams, a plain soft pretzel. I also HIGHLY recommend a bag of Newman's fat free kettle corn pop corn. I'm all about bulk and volume when I eat, so I love a giant bag of popcorn.

And Friday's results - I lost .5 lbs. I'm actually pretty happy about that because since I had 3 big weeks in a row, I was expecting to have a week or two where I didn't lose any, or just a little. This week I've had a lot of events, which meant food... so I definitely was higher on my calories than normal. Since my goal was to lose the Christmas weight before Valentine's Day, I'm still on track with 2.5 to go!