This is without a doubt my favorite time if the year (right next to Christmas).  There are so many changes going on all around us and within us.  The leaves are changing, the air is crisper every morning, nature is preparing to rest and we are all changing.

Some people resist change .  Some people fight change while others embrace it completely.  During this time of year, nature is preparing to rest–the trees are becoming bare, people’s lawns are not as green as they were, the cold weather is looming and things are getting ready to prepare themselves for spring.  Aren’t we doing the same thing–getting our emotional and physical selves ready for change?  Aren’t we preparing to shed our “leaves” and spring forward with our new confidence. our new physical appearance? 

I know for some of us, this change is closer than for others.  I am still a ways from my goal but it is closer.  Some others here are far from their goals, some others have seemed to have lost some motvation while other people seemed more determined than ever.  I have read a lot of blogs last week that seemed to all have the same “where is everyone” theme.  There have been a lot of “why is this so hard” blogs as well.

CHANGES—it is at the core of all of these.  In order to lose the weight you have to make changes–hard ones.  In order to stay here and seek out support and encouragement you have to make changes.  For some, you have to “get over” some of your personal issues–for others you have to come out of your shell.  I like to come to Buddy Slim every day and read/check in with friends.  I do not comment a lot but I do seek out support from a few core people.

I have been a part of Buddy Slim for a while.  I joined, left, joined again, left again—you get the picture.  I let petty reasons keep me from coming before.  I do come her every day and there are people that I connect with daily–there are a lot of people missing.  I miss some of my old buddies, some I still e-mail and they left because they felt Buddy Slim became something different than what it is meant for–I left for that reason once too.

I love Buddy Slim and most of the people here.  There are some people here for the wrong reasons but the majority are here for the right reasons.  There are even some people who have more than one account here and who post under two different names. two different stories–but we are all here for support, no matter which user name you post under.

Changes–a wonderful part of life and part that over the past few years I have learned to embrace.  There are so many wonderful changes happening in my own life and there are a few that aren’s so wonderful.  The biggest change in my life is me.  I am changing, for the better.  I am embracing new things, new people and new realtionships.  I am shedding the old things and preparing to spring forward with renewed strength, self esteem and a healthier body!!!

What about you?  Do you embrace change or do you fight change? 

Well, this week I only managed to lose 1 pound but I did earn a red star–10 lbs down!

It has been a crazy, fast paced, emotional week.  A lot of ups and downs this week that made staying completely focused very hard.  I must admit that I was surprised for a one pound loss. 

I came to realize a lot this past week and I have spent a lot of time in prayer and devotion.  There are so many things going on around us, all of us, that we can’t control or explain.  There are people in our lives that we wonder “What purpose do they serve?  Why are they in my life?  Who thrust them into our lives?”  Through prayer I have realized that maybe they were put here to show us the way, the way to a better life, better choices and to hopefully be a beacon to them along the way.

This has led to a lot of soul searching this past week, admitting to faults and mistakes and taking a complete inventory of emotions and what purpose they serve.  With all this emotion, came the choices of staying on track or getting sidetracked.  I got sidetracked–did not work out and did not make healthy food choices.  It is okay though–I am not going to beat myself up over it.  I got something much greater out if–a sense of peace that has been a long time coming.  That is better than anything the scale had to offer me this week.

Here’s to wishing everyone else here peace and blessings!

Amy

…………….a swift kick in the rear to get up and keep moving!!!

I went out of town this past weekend for a much needed relaxing weekend.  I was very good, stuck to my plan and even worked out while I was there.  The last night I was there, I did splurge—-my friend took me out to eat at Cheesecake Factory!!!  You simply can not go to the Cheesecake Factory and not have, well, CHEESECAKE.  It is one of my top 5 weaknesses and I just could not resist!!

My friend took a lot of pictures while we were away.  I was quite proud of how I felt I looked–well put together, matching earrings, necklace,  etc. until……………………he e-mailed me the pictures–OMG!!!

I looked at the pictures and had to ask–who is this whale in the picture?  Guess what–it was me!!!   There I was, matching jewelery, hair just so and the rest of me.  I was heartbroken.  How could I be feeling so great about myself and the progress I had made (down 9 pounds) when I looked like that?  Why would someone want to be out in public with someone who looked like that?  Is it true–does the camera add 20 pounds?  No!  The truth is……………..

……………I am overweight and there is no getting around it.  I would not be here if I did not have to lose some weight.  I am also not a spring chicken any longer AND I have had 4 beautiful children.  It hit me–dwelling on these pictures and being angry and upset was not going to accomplish anything.  If anything, it is just more motivation to keep moving forward, keep dropping the weight 1 pound at a time.  There is no magic spell you can cast to make it happen–just get up and keep moving.

So, that is what I am doing–staying motivated and moving forward.  It may take 3 months, 6 months or a year to get to my desired goal weight but that is okay.  This time I am doing it for me and my kids–nobody else–and it feels good.

There was something else I noticed in the pictures my friend e-mailed me————I was smiling, happy and having a great time.

Blessings to all,

Amy

………………….. 4.5 pounds loss this week!

I decided to weigh in a day early and was very happy!!  My regular weigh in day is Sunday but I am going to a cookout tonight, complete with homemade ice cream, so I decided that today would be my day off and weigh in for the week.  I am super pumped!!!

As I mentioned earlier this has been a really great week and I have been so motivated.  What better way to end the week than with a great weigh in, cookout with great friends and family and oh yea—-GATOR FOOTBALL BABY!!!  College football starts today!

I am going to work on some very specific goals for next week and add one goal per week.  I do not want to lose all this excitement and motivation that I am feeling.  I want to be realisitic though and not set golas that will be unreachable in “my timeframe”.  The list will be short to start and will work from there. 

Well, I am off to work out, get my hair done, buy the official new gator t-shirt for the year and get pumped up for the football game.  I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe and most importantly, blessed weekend. 

Hope to see “less” of you all on Monday!

Blessings,

Amy

Well, it has been a great week so far.  I have stayed on track, stayed focused and feel great. 

I have promised myself that I will only weigh in once a week and the suspense is killing me.  My weigh in day is Sunday and it seems like an eternity away, but I will wait!

I have been so good about packing my lunch every day this week and packing extra water.  It’s strange, several people at my work just look at me and snicker—they know that I have been here before and they think it will only last a short time.  Other people at my work think that I am so serious about this and motivated this time because there may possibly be a new man in my life-HMMMMMMM, I wonder ???

I am incredibly motivated this round, for many reasons, and failure is not an option.  It is like  I have said before–get over it, move on and start living my life for me and my kids!!!!  Our happiness is all that matters!   It is time to stop carrying the weight of the world and other peoples burdens on my shoulders.

Okay,  I am going to try this once again.   I was a member of BS before but let personal issues run me off.   I let pride and other things distort my view of things.  Well, GET OVER IT!!  I still come to Buddy Slim every day and read blogs and challenges and decided that I love this site.  I love the support here and I miss my friends.

I have done a lot of growing since leaving, as a mother, friend and as a person.   My life is more settled now and I want to get the weigh off and keep it off this time.  I have been up, down, up, up…………

At my heaviest, last year, I was at 206.  I decided to lose the weight–worked hard then got side tracked.  In reading through blogs today, one in particular struck me and the voice inside my head kept saying “get over it Amy” and so here I am.  This time, no running away when someone hurts my feelings or steps on my toes.  This site is big enough for all of us and we are here for the same reason–support.  I hope that we all feel this way.  I even signed up for a challenge!

My end goal is 135 pounds.  I am currently at 183 so I have a ways to go.  I work out 5 days a week and count calories.  I do not work out on Wednesday and most assuredly not on Sunday.    My mini goal is 20 pounds–which is why I joined th 20lb challenge. 

I am looking forward to re-connecting with old friends/buddies and  going through this journey with you, all of you. 

Until then…

Blessings!

Amy