Raw Food Boot Camp®RFBC Rawk Starz!Free Spirit

Wooo-Hooo! I did it!

2012-03-01T07:56:00.002-08:00

I did it, I did it, holy cow, I did it! I lost 100 pounds in 7 months!! Actually, 100.4! LOL :)
Im pretty excited if you cant already tell. My husband is giveing me a "free" day to do whatever I want, without kids. I told him, well I'll probably just go shopping the clearance racks, maybe go have a salad, oh and I dont know, drive to Florida, get a pedicure! Hahaha I wish! We talked about going to Florida yesterday. It would be so wonderful to be able to go on a vacation. We never have, other than Graceland and the Memphis Zoo. Im dying to see the ocean!! Yesterday I looked at bathing suits. It will be wonderful to not have to wear a dress anymore!

I am so grateful to RFBC, the ladies there, and Carlene, for all the support they have given me. I truly could not have done this without them. I still have 38lbs to get to my goal, but I dont have any doubts about getting there, not with having RFBC behind me. What a blessing its been these last 7 months.

And I have to say, that the time just flew by after that first month. It was so hard that month that I wasnt sure if I would go all the way with this. But I did, and I still am. I have had slip ups, lots of them, but getting back on track immediately is the key.

Im off to celebrate my day! Yippeeee!!

Almost there!

2012-02-26T16:55:00.003-08:00

1.8lbs to go to 100 gone. I have 4 weigh ins left! Not sure if I will make it, but Im trying like hell! Ive been pushing hard the last couple of weeks and its paid off. I hope I make it, but in case I dont, I am ok with that. I was freaking about it there for awhile, but finally realized I had to let go, and get past the fact that I may not make it. So what if its 7 months and a few days, or even a week! Its not really a big deal in the whole scheme of things. Yes, it will be nice if it does happen though.
All that lingerie my hubby bought me back in December is almost too big now! I think I will hold off on buying more until Im at goal. Its so much fun to shop for smaller clothes. Sometimes when I hold them up, I dont believe they will fit until I try them on. I sometimes still reach for 2X shirts when Im shopping!

Lately I havent been feeling 100%. I think it was due to not having my hemp protein every day like I did in the beginning. I started back with the full serving today and already seem to feel a bit better. I think the trick is having my smoothie in the mornings. If youre looking for a nutrient packed smoothie, try this:

1 serving hemp protein + fiber
1 cup almond milk
3-4 cups baby spinach
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen raspberries
3-4 frozen strawberries
1 dropper of stevia natural sweetener

You may have to add a bit of water or more almond milk if its too thick, but this is very healthy and tastes great! I havent tried many other frozen fruits, but there are lots of others, like mango chunks, peaches and blackberries.

Im eating lots of fruit this week, trying to hold off on anymore salads until after my goal on the 1st. Im sooo excited! New pics coming this week!

Working hard!

2012-02-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

I have just about 4lbs to lose by March 1st to make the 100lbs in 7 month challenge. Im not sitting around looking pretty! My legs are sore, even though Im not doing much extra walking. Ive almost maxed out the incline on my treadmill and wow, can I feel it! Im excited and hope that I make the goal.

As I lay in bed last night, I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that I weigh what I do. I have a hard time believing it sometimes. I dont know if its because it has happened so fast, or the fact that I never believed I would be here again. I wonder what its going to feel like at 150. I havent weighed that since 7th grade!!

Life is good.

100lbs in 7 month challenge

2012-02-16T06:42:00.000-08:00

Carlene and I decided to hold off on my new pics until March 1st. We want to see if Im going to make it to 100lbs gone by then. That is my 7 month anniversary at camp. I have 6.8lbs to get there. Unfortunatley I started PMS yesterday and that always slows me down for several days. So, it is going to take quite an effort to lose that in 14 days, but it is doable.
So for the next 2 weeks Im going to work my butt off! Sometimes I think about all the times I went off program and I bet if I had been perfect the whole time, I would have lost 100lbs in 6 months. Oh well, you live and learn. 7 months is very good though. I would be proud to lose 100lbs in 7 months. Who wouldnt? And if I can do it, anyone can do it!It just all comes down to, how bad do you want it.

So, how bad do you want it? Bad enough yet? If so, come join us! Im off to walk!

Have a wonderful day!

Loving the 190's!

2012-02-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

Its great being under 200. I dont know what it was, but something changed inside me when I got to 199. I just felt new again, and in celebration got a new hair style and color. It was really fun after wearing my hair the same for 20 years. I think my kids were a little freaked out. My 4 yr old told me I looked like Lady Ga-Ga! LOL! I dont know how he even knows about her!

I went to visit my mom today and my brother and his family were there visiting, too. They were all surprised to see the changes in me, but later, my brother told me I was about at the point that I needed to stop losing weight! Well, that sort of blew me away! Im still almost 200lbs for goodness sakes!
I wonder if its just the fact that its hard to accept seeing someone change so drastically in such a short time. Maybe theyre worried that you wont be the same person. Im not sure. I had the same thing happen about 10 years ago, except it was my sister(who happens to be very thin) telling me to stop losing weight (and I was 195lbs!). It didnt take long for me to start gaining the weight back.
At any rate, I am not going to listen to any of that this time. I know what my body looks like without clothes and it is not a pretty picture, yet! LOL

Im eating pretty much only fruit for the time being. Its the best thing to do for fast weight loss. Im pretty happy eating this way, especially now that the grocery stores are carrying whole watermelons! Im a watermelon freak!

Pictures coming soon! have a wonderful weekend! :)

I made it!

2012-02-08T08:35:00.001-08:00

I made it to "onederland"! I weighed in at 199 yesterday morning. It is a great feeling and I cant even explain how good it feels. I feel like Im "normal" now. I feel like a new woman. I even cut my hair last night! Myself! I have an appointment friday, but I just couldnt wait. I wanted a change now. I will have the beautician do it right, but I must say that I did a darn good job! It is much shorter and I put layers in it.
My husband really gave me special treatment all day yesterday and last night. As he was feeling me up, he was finding bones! Overall, I think he's very pleased with my weight loss! LOL

So, in celebration, we went out to eat. As we were pulling in the parking lot, I realized what Carlene would say about it, so I said, "we are celebrating by eating. We really need to find other ways to celebrate." He suddenly realized how ridiculous it was and said, "yep, we're celebrating weight loss with food. What is wrong with this picture?" And it just hit us both that it was really a crazy thing to do, but there we were in the parking lot, in a town 20 minutes away from home(closest place to get a good salad bar), and the kids were hungry, so we went in. Next big milestone I hit, there will be no celebrating with food.

So at camp this week, there are a few more ladies almost at "onederland"! What a great week this is to be there. Im so glad to have their support. And I love supporting them on their weight loss endeavors.

BMI

2012-02-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

I started camp with a BMI of over 42. Now its 29.9 and Im finally out of the "Obese" category and am now classified as only "Overweight"! That feels really great, to no longer be considered obese. Wow. That is so freaking awesome.

I finally hit the 202's this morning. It feels like Im going in slooooow motion with trying to get to 199! I know it will happen. Im not worried, but I feel a bit impatient and anxious. I never ever want to go back into the 200's again. Its been 10years since Ive been under 200! And that didnt last very long unfortunately. I quit losing when I got to 198, and slowly started going up again. Dumb.

There are several new rawk starz at camp (those doing 100% raw, low fat, low sodium, 2hrs walking per day), and I must say, they are doing fabulously! One lost 24lbs her first month, which is what I lost too, and another lost 20! One other lady has lost more in the past 3 weeks than she lost all of last year in the regular side of camp! Jess, our bootcamp queen, is almost at her goal weight and will be going into maintenance soon, along with Pat, who has lost 50lbs as of today!
These ladies at camp are awesome, and they each motivate and encourage me every single day to keep going, and not stop. They are my rock right now!!

Good things...

2012-01-30T10:13:00.000-08:00

I know that Im not as strong as some others in RFBC as far as never wavering from my food and exercise plan, but what I do have is determination and persistance to get this done, even when Im in the midst of breaking my program. What gets me back on track is knowing that I cannot quit. I would never be happy to stop now. I would be miserable in fact. Ive worked too damn hard to stop now. All the past work Ive done would be in vain if I quit. A year from now, I want to look back and see that I succeeded and lost all the weight. I dont want to look back and see that I quit. (and have regained weight!)

I love this program, and I love having this support. To give all that up, I would be the biggest fool ever. This is my golden opportunity.
Im ready to get this over with and live my life as a thin, healthy woman, for the rest of my life.

Just the little things right now are enough to keep me going. My husband looks at me with different eyes, Im able to keep up with my 4 yr old finally and get down in the floor and wrestle with him, and run after him and he loves it! Yesterday I was able to carry about two dozen, big arm fulls of wood to the truck after my husband cut it, (we use wood heat) and I was tired, but felt great! So, these little things that used to would have wiped me out are no big deal now. I remember when I would drive to the grocery store, and get out to walk in the store, I would have to limp because I was so stiff and achy, and by the time I was finished grocery shopping, I was wiped out for the rest of the day! Now, its no big deal! I love it!

RIght now I feel like I am stuck. I have been in the 203's for 4 days now. I know that really is no big deal in the realm of things, but I really want to be under 200.
I know it will happen, probably by next week for sure. Seems like its taking forever!

Back on track!

2012-01-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I gained 3 lbs. I ate some cooked food over the weekend. I totally messed up, and screwed up my January goal of getting under 200lbs. But, I did not quit. I was going through some funk that women tend to go through sometimes, and went off program. But, I came out of it, and am back strong. Of course Im more easily tempted now, but that will pass in a day or so. Ive come too far to stop now, how awful it would be to gain all this weight back. A nightmare actually.
Its funny how you can feel so hopeless and depressed when youre not in control over what youre eating. But once you gain back the control, youre a whole new person. I feel alive again and so very happy.

I was excited to find many new members in the rawk starz group! Its pretty exciting and I can hardly wait to feel their enthusiasm and determination. Its great to be at raw food boot camp right now!

This morning after I dropped my son off at pre-school, my husband surprized me with perfume that he bought for me. Needless to say, it was a great morning! ;-)

Feeling blah

2012-01-20T19:23:00.000-08:00

I began feeling physically weak today and just not myself. Now tonight I don't have the weak feeling anymore, but am just down in the dumps. I haven't felt depressed in quite some time and I don't like it. I hate this feeling of hopelessness. Am I really going to get to my weight goal? I have never weighed what I should, why do I think Im going to get there now? Am I playing games with myself or can I really make this happen? Sometimes it feels so damn hard
and I want to quit, but then I know I will become really depressed.

And will I be able to keep the weight off? That's the real test. What if all this is for nothing? And the weight comesback! Can a person ever be cured from emotional eating? Or food addictions? Or lack of self-control??

Come on Onederland!!

2012-01-17T15:47:00.000-08:00

At this poing, I can only focus on getting under 200lbs. That is a huge milestone for me. But it seems like my weight is stalled at 206. Im being very careful about what Im eating, making sure to get plenty of fiber and keeping the sodium and fat at the right levels. I guess my body just wanted to stop and rest, maybe working internally on something, who knows. I know I will get there, just have to be persistant and not give up the fight. Sometimes I wish I could just eat something fried and fatty from the closest fast food restaurant. How satisfying it would be while its in my mouth, mmmm! Then I just reach down and grab hold of my belly and give her a good shake, and that usually keeps the temptations at bay!

All in all, my belly/hip area has shrunk 10". I will have to take my other measurements later this week. Even with 10 inches gone, its still the biggest part of my body. I still need to lose another 10" to be close to normal in that area. I dont know how I got this huge gut. My mother says it started from slouching. I dont know if I believe that. I do know that the last time I was this weight (many, many years ago!), my belly was smaller than it is now. Everytime I gain and lose, my belly doesnt go back to the same size!

I have the tools I need now to keep the weight off forever. This diet works extremely well for me. I am loving it, and Im really enjoying getting smaller. Its wonderful, I cant even describe how this feels. Thank you raw foods!

80 down, 48 to go!

2012-01-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

It pays off to ignore those cravings, it passed, and my weight finally moved again after about a 5-day stall. Not much of a stall you say? It feels like forever when you stand on the scale every single morning and are working really hard! Once I get to goal and maintain for awhile, Im only going to weigh 1-2 times a week.

Im happy to have 80lbs gone, but Im even more excited to get under 200. Almost there, gotta keep on chugging along.

The best thing I have experienced for weight loss is fruit, just plain and simple fruit, and lots of it! I like it well enough, but sometimes I would love to have steamed veggies. When I get to maintenance I can have that stuff. It stalls weight loss and I dont need that right now.

I bought a beautiful little sundress on clearance the other day. Its a size 10, but was only tight around my breasts and back. I cant wait until summer when I can wear it! Its so feminine, and it will feel so great to feel pretty again. I have just felt like a monstrous blob for a long time.
Im not even sure what my correct body weight is. How do I know when to stop losing? I guess its sometime before my bones start sticking out! LOL
But, maybe its just when I feel good about how I look. What if I never feel good about how I look though? Its just all very confusing to think about. I guess things will work themselves out.

Cravings

2012-01-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

The last 2 days Ive experienced horrible cravings for something sweet, salty and/or fattening. I havent had this problem in forever, so I dont know what was going on. I found myself looking in the cabinets and fridge over and over and just couldnt figure out what it was that I was wanting. Yesterday I stood in the grocery store looking at candy bars!!! Not to worry, I did not buy one! I knew if I did, there would be no taking 1 bite, I would have ended up eating the whole thing, and that would not have been good.
Anyhow, last night was better, and today Im feeling better with no cravings(yet), so Im hoping it has passed. It only hits me after 4pm seems like.
Im going to push through it and not give in. Especially not this month. With the challenge going on and onederland on the horizon, now is not the time to give in to cravings.

Have a wonderful day!

Challenge

2012-01-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

I have just under 10lbs left to get under 200. The closer I get, the more excited I am. The challenge were having at raw food boot camp was just what I needed to start my year off right. Everyone is losing weight, even the ones who had been stalled for a while! My weight is dropping off fast since Ive started walking 2 hours and eating low sodium, low fat raw. I always eat raw, but Ive had several days where if my sodium was high, or my fat was too high, the weight loss was less. So Im keeping it simple by keeping my sodium under 500g, and my fat around 10-15%. It really works, and it works very well for super fast weight loss!

I will have lost around 90lbs by the end of this month. That is 90lbs in 6 months! I started August 1st. I think that is about as fast as weight loss surgery, if not faster!

I will say, the hardest thing about this diet is getting started, making the change. But once you get used to your new habits, its no big deal. I still cook for my family and have temptations, but when I feel weak, I just decide what I want more, this food which always leads to wanting more, (which leads to obesity) or being thin and healthy. Being thin is better than anything. Better than chocolate, and might I say, better than sex! Of course everyone knows that sex is better when you're thin! So its win, win!~;-)

Come join us at raw food boot camp in 2012! Youll be so happy you did. The support is unlike any Ive ever found for weight loss. You'll love it!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T12:17:00.000-08:00

Im feeling relieved that December is over. Right after Christmas, my elderly father in law came to stay with us for a week and he is very high maintenance. The stress of it threw me off for a day or two, but I came to the realization that I couldnt let stress derail me any longer from my diet.

I had a talk with myself about how there would always be stress in my life. I have 3 children, and a overgrown child for a husband, so stress is just going to be with me. Its up to me to find other ways to deal with it besides turning to food.

Otherwise I will remain obese for the rest of my life!

So, I only lost 5lbs in December, but thats better than Ive ever done before around the holidays! It feels great to be strong again and back on plan. The weight is falling off again and boy that feels awesome. Im ready to get to my goal of 160lbs before summer! That gives me about 52 more pounds to lose by May.

The girls and I in the rawk starz group have a little challenge going to lose 15lbs by Feb 1st. This will put some at their goal weight (or very close) and me in onederland. Im excited about it. Theres something about January that makes me feel very motivated. New year, new goals to accomplish! Can I just say it again, SO HAPPY DECEMBER IS OVER! Its the most difficult month to diet!

The past 2 days I ate only fruit and it really makes the weight come off faster. But some days I like to have my large veggie salad. But theres something about those fruity days! Its not always easy to eat 1200 calories in fruit, but you are eating all day thats for sure!

New beginnings

2011-12-26T13:51:00.000-08:00

So, Christmas is past. I did gain 2lbs yesterday. I was not perfect to my plan. But, its past, and Im moving forward with my diet and exercise. I have no desire to keep eating off my plan, and I certainly have no desire to go back to where I came from! How crazy would that be, to gain all this weight back!
Ive got one more family gathering, and that is this friday. Thankfully it isnt at my house, so it will be easy for me to bring my food. I wont be tempted by food because they are having a food that I dont even like! That is so great! :-)
2012 is going to be my year to become thin, to be at my goal weight for the first time in my life! And a raw food diet and walking daily is the key to my success. Im so excited to still be on this journey. Im so excited to have found the answer to health and weight loss.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

I cant believe Christmas is here! I am facing alot of different desserts and foods this weekend and I somehow have to get through it without gaining. I dont mind if I dont lose weight, I just dont want to pack on 5-10 pounds like I used to do all the past holiday seasons! Im actually more excited for Christmas to be over so I can get back to my normal life of raw and exercising.
I was doubtful that I would keep dieting after Christmas came because I figured Id be tired of it by now and would want a break. But Im having the opposite effect. I just want to keep on rolling along and get more weight off! I actually have this crazy fear that I will stop dieting and stop losing weight, or worse, gain it all back!!
I did have a glass of whiskey and diet coke last night when I was with my friend. I was glad I didnt drink more! Luckily I ate all watermelon yesterday and had a nice loss this morning.
I have missed alot of exercise this past week. I will be glad to get things back to normal.
My husband, for the first time ever, bought a wonderful present for me of sexy lingerie, fishnet stockings and stillettos! I tried them all on and it was fun seeing his eyes light up! They were all just a bit snug, but I know they will fit great within a month or so. He thought they looked good enough! It was a fun gift. Its something I will think about if I want to go off my food plan!

Anyhow, Merry Christmas to you! Follow your dreams, live them in 2012! I am!

70lbs gone in 4.5 months!

2011-12-14T19:50:00.000-08:00

I will have been at RFBC for 20 weeks this coming Saturday, and I have already lost 70lbs. I havent been completely perfect in the last several months, but Ive been consistent, and always get right back to my plan. And thats what has to happen if you have goals. You have to keep fighting for them. SOmetimes the fight makes me weary, and I feel like quitting, but then I think about where I would be in a year if I quit. I would be right back where I started, and that, my friend, just cannot and will not happen.
Do I get tired of raw food? Hell yes, sometimes I do! But I also got tired of cooked food. I actually got tired of fast food and it got to the point where nothing made me happy because I ate it so often. So, tired of raw foods or not, I will continue to eat them, for fast weight loss and for health. My hair is shinier, my complexion is not as dry and red. I just have an overall healthier feeling. Its great.
My next goal is to lose 100lbs in 7 months. That will be the end of Febuary. That means I will need to lose 6 more pounds this month, then 12 pounds in Jan and Feb. That is very doable! Im going to do it! Im so excited!
My food today was:
1 brazil nut
3 oranges
1 banana
2 pears
1 whole pineapple
Xtra Large veggie salad with avocado, tomato, onion, cucumber, bell peppers
Prunes

Repercussions of Sugar Addiction

2011-12-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

I used to love soda. Ive drank it since I can remember, with my mother giving me diet coke or sprite when I felt "sick" to my stomach. It escaladed as a teen, although mostly diet drinks, which are really not any better than non-diet.
There is a picture of me in the hospital bed, right after I gave birth to my 1st son, (who is almost 17 now), with a caffeine-free pepsi in my lap, while I held him.
As Ive gotten older, I found a love of Sonic Drive-In and their "special" ice and loved the styrofoam cups. Their soda was fabulous (in my mind). I have drank a large, or route 44, (xtra large) for the last 6-7 yrs of diet or regular coke, depending on whether or not I was trying to do good with my diet. I saw a dentist pretty regularly during the first few years, and never had any problems.
Last year, during a very stressful summer of moving, I found Sun-drop again. We didnt have it where we used to live. I would drink a large one from Sonic almost every single day for a little over a year. I loved them. About 6 months in, I noticed tooth decay starting on my bottom left teeth, near the gum line. I couldnt figure out why at first. I guess I already had a little decay from all the soda, but the sun-drop accelerated it. I later found out that Sun-drop has a higher sugar and caffeine level than all other sodas.
So, this all brings me to today. I finally found a way to afford dental care, which will be on a credit card, but husband and I agreed it was a debt that was okay (we hate debt!), being that gum disease is very serious. So off I went this morning, knowing it was going to be bad, but I never imagined it would be as bad as it is.
Ive done $12,000+ in damage. Unbelievable. Ive always, always taken care of my teeth, brushing and flossing daily. My mother put braces on me when I was 11yrs old and would have it no other way. Im pretty devestated. We are a one-income family and $12,000 is alot of money to us right now. So, after comparing prices with several other dentists, and seeing that mine is average, I will go ahead and have the worst taken care of, which will be $3500. Dentist wants to do all this within a year. I wont be able to afford to do it all that fast. Im thinking that by not drinking soda anymore, and eating raw, that the decay will slow down. Or Im praying that it
will.

If there is one thing a person could do for their health and their teeth, that is to stop the high sugar consumption. Whether that be in soda, as mine was, or sweets. All that soda I used to enjoy was not worth one dime of the $12,000 I now have to rake out to fix my teeth. Its absolutely ridiculous and outrageous that Ive done this to myself. Im totally disgusted.

I would shout it to all the young people out there who have to have their soda to stop before they are in the same boat as me. I would if I thought any would listen. And now I watch my eldest son consume Mountain Dew on a daily basis. What have I created, someone just like me. Who wont listen to reason when it comes to his soda. I guess he will have to learn in his own time, just as I did.

Anyhow, Im still on plan, still on my raw food diet, and still losing weight at an incredible rate. Im feeling bones again! Yay!

Rolling along...

2011-11-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

So Thanksgiving came and went, and I didnt do as well as I hoped. I ended up having a tablespoon of everything, which actually filled up the plate because there was so many different foods, and then I decided to eat a tiny bit of a couple different desserts. The damage was 2lbs added back to my weight. Luckily I jumped right back on board the next morning and that weight, plus extra, is gone. Im so happy that TG comes just once a year!
I felt like I had eaten a brick because I was full all the day after TG too. The cooked food sat so heavily in me and made me feel sick to my stomach. I didnt even enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I was actually excited to get back to my raw foods the next day.

So now that Ive taken everything out of my closet that is way too big, Im almost down to nothing, other than a few pairs of jeans that I held onto from years ago. So yesterday morning, I decided to see if I could fit into my 16yr old sons sweatshirt hoodie and although it was tight, it fit! I was so excited because ive been looking forward to the day that I can wear his shirts! He didnt seem very thrilled by it though!

I sort of dread the christmas holiday coming up. Around here its always been about another big feast with lots of homemade desserts as the 25th draws closer. Im really going to have to be on guard. I dont want to have another gain, or have my weight loss stall due to going off plan. I have very specific goals that I want to reach. I want to hit 198 by the end of January so that I can say goodbye to the 200's once and for all!

60lbs gone!

2011-11-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

60lbs gone this morning. Its great to see my once massive belly starting to diminish. At the start of camp, I measured 62 inches around at my hips. Can you believe that?? This morning I was 54" at the hips, so Ive lost 8 inches!! Ive gone from a tight stretch 26 to a loose, regular fit 22. Im almost in regular (non-stretch) size 20. I have some jeans that I saved from many years ago. Tried them on yesterday, and in another 10lbs I should fit into them. Im so excited that it wont be long before I get to shop in the regular sizes where the clothes are so much cuter.

Wow, who knew that in less than 4 months I would have 60lbs gone, just from a raw food diet and exercise. Its pretty effortless, I just do what is supposed to be done, and I dont have to think about it. The weight loss just happens with raw foods. I am going to shoot for the 100 pound challenge in 7 months. I can do it. All I have to do is to eat raw and exercise. No big deal! This diet works for fast weight loss!!

Day 109

2011-11-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

I thought our photos were due on the 1st of every month. Oh well, I will at least have 60 gone by pic date. ALthough I did have a small gain today. I didnt get all my exercise in and ate too much avocado yesterday. I admit to putting the house before myself, so Id better get focused again. I have to be first, even if that means the house isnt quite where I want it to be before my crowd gets here on Thanksgiving. I still have alot to do before next week. And thats not even considering outside. I will have to make the family pitch in.

I sat down this morning and made the meal plan for TG day and I tell ya, its not going to be easy getting through it. I'll just have to keep remembering that the December pics and weigh in is just right around the corner. I want to have 70+ lbs gone. Im still excited to think about hitting onederland. I can hardly believe I will be there sometime in January! Wow. I never, ever want to go back over 200lbs again. I got on the treadmill last night and walked for 92 minutes at 3mph and an incline of 7 (the treadmill only goes to 10) and after about 45 minutes felt super tired and almost got off. I decided to push through it. After an hour, I got that high that Ive heard about and felt awesome. I even started using hand weights. It was great to see that I can walk almost 5 miles at that speed without stopping. Now thats what I never thought would be possible!

The hubby reached over the other night and was rubbing my back and says, there isnt near as much of you to rub anymore! I was like, and thats a good thing right?? LOL I feel the muscles in my much smaller tooshie and back of my thighs now. I love it!!

Excitement is in the air!

2011-11-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

There are so many hitting milestones at camp. Several have hit 30lbs gone, some about to hit 50lbs gone, and not long from now, Ill be hitting 70lbs gone! Wow, its so exciting to be losing weight. Its so much better than any food out there. There are days where its hard, but then some days its super easy!
I dont really have anything exciting other than that. I dream about when I will hit what goal, and at the end of January I should finally be in the 100's or onederland, as we call it at camp. I think I will hit my goal of 160-165 somewhere at the end of April of first part of May. Thank goodness I will be thin for the hot summer that we will have. I look forward to getting out on the lawnmower with a tank top and shorts on! Last summer I wore a tank top with a shirt hanging open over it. I was always so hot from trying to cover up my fat. God, how I never want to go back to that. And my underwear was always rolling down because of my huge stomach. That was so aggravating! I dont have to deal with that anymore! yay!

Have a wonderful day!

Mental Shift

2011-11-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

So last night my husband mentioned going out to eat. Then he said, "oh we cant, mom is on a diet." I piped in, "no, Im not on a diet, this is for the rest of my life. And we CAN go out to eat, just so long as we go where there is a salad bar." Then he says, "well, we cant afford to go to an expensive restaurant!" So I say "well, you go, and take the kids. Y'all enjoy." Finally a bit later, he says, "alright, we can go somewhere with a salad bar." LOL! I thought to myself, wow! I cant believe I said this was for the rest of my life! It was just automatic! This is not a diet! This is something I will be doing forever, it is a part of me, I know now that food is no longer that important to me. All that food out there in the restuarants no longer calls to me. I automatically think about what it does to my health and it is just not worth it! I know that after I hit goal I will have some cooked food here and there, but it wont be junk. I will be watching my weight and eating for health instead of taste. THATS a first! Feeling good is so much better than any food! Im just so happy I dont have to live with obesity for the rest of my life and Im happy this obesity nightmare is almost over. Thank God for raw, healing foods!

November!

2011-11-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

So, I lost 50lbs in 3 months! now I hope to get 70lbs gone by Dec 17th, which will be my 4 1/2 month finish date. THEN, my next goal will be to lose 100lbs in 7 months! Im not stopping there though. Im going to stay at camp and finish this. Im going to keep on butt-kicking until Im at my goal which should be around my birthday in April. What a great present to give myself.

Now for November. This month is going to be awesome for many of us. There is renewed excitement, like day 1 at camp again! No more trips for me, and no more going off plan like last month! I know how I get the week before PMS, so Im prepared this time. And, my walking will be more consistent. I missed several days last month. I also need to drink more water.

There are days that I feel cold, so I bought several different kinds of herbal tea. I cant wait to try it all. It should keep my coffee cravings at bay.
What do I eat, you ask? Here is a typical day:

Breakfast:
Huge fruit smoothie with frozen raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, almond milk, spinach and hemp protein powder. Sometimes I might add a touch of liquid stevia if Im not very interested in it. Sometimes I add a banana. It takes me over an hour to drink this monster!
1 brazil nut (for selenium).
Lunch:
Large salad with alot of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, purple onion, green peppers, avocado, spices.
1 large Grapefruit, and several prunes.
Supper:
4 apples chopped fine in a food processor with pumpkin pie spice sprinkled on top (YUM!)
2-3 oranges.
1 mango.

So, Im eating all day long, and sometimes I get so full that I think I cant eat another bite, but if I dont eat at least 1100 calories a day, I wont lose weight! Or it slows down.
Anyhow, thats it for today! Thanks for reading my blog!

Day 89~

2011-10-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

49lbs gone. Gosh, it seems like its taking forever to hit the 50lb mark, but Im still hangin' in there!
I thought it was just a load of bologna when I kept seeing everyone stall right before a big milestone. I thought that wouldnt be me! But here I am, stalled. I do believe I will make it before Monday which is my 3-month anniversary and picture day. Carlene is letting me wait on the new pics until then.
This week at camp, we are working on becoming tighter knit as a group. I admit that I havent put forth enough effort on connecting with the others and I will be working harder on that come November. Which is going to be a great month. October wasnt a great month weight loss wise due to going off plan a couple of times. Im not going to dwell on what could have been when the future is so bright!

Another little success!

2011-10-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

Went to my moms over the weekend where there was all sorts of foods that I used to have went crazy over. I brought my large bowl of melon and pineapple and was content! I got lots of compliments for the weight loss and that was enough to keep me away from the old food favorites there.
The weight is steadily coming off at 1/2lb per day. Sometimes I will go 2-3 days at the same weight, then all of a sudden I will lose 1 1/2lbs overnight! This is awesome. Im over 1/3 of the way to my goal weight.
Went clothes shopping for the first time the other day to find something nice to wear to my moms on saturday. It was great because I wasnt in the largest size the store carried this time. I had alot more choices and found several blouses that looked nice, even though they are still polyester.

its a great day to be losing weight!!

Day 80~ Motivated!

2011-10-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Im feeling new motivation!! Ready to get this weight off! Last night on the treadmill, I invisioned myself in all sorts of different clothes Im gonna get to wear that I havent been able to wear since age 19. It was really cool. Then I had this vision of going into a family gathering where everyone was already there, and I come in with a huge overcoat on, and when everyone looks at me, I take it off and spin around and they all just stare in disbelief! Because they have never seen me so thin in all my life! LOL! Oh it was too funny. I was laughing on the treadmill. I want to pull an Oprah! Remember when she did something like that way back when she actually got thin? (and then got fat again a month later! That WILL NOT be me!)
I really am most interested in my mom seeing me thin before she leaves this world. I know it would be a dream come true for her. Sooo many times has she seen me try and fail to lose this weight. I wont disappoint her this time.

I am almost at the 50lbs lost mark. That will be 50lbs gone in 3 months! I am mad about the times that I have cheated, and I cant help but think about how much weight I would have gone if I hadnt, but Im moving forward. I cant dwell on the past.
Losing weight is making life exciting. I cant even imagine going back to where I was. I am excited for my future for the first time in a long time. I am excited to see my husband looking me up and down for the first time in years and hear him brag about me to his friends.. I cant help but wonder how he will react when Im thinner than hes ever seen me! I hope it motivates him to lose weight too.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!!

New start

2011-10-16T21:39:00.001-07:00

Well, I fell off the wagon in a MAJOR way while I was gone. And I have been struggling to get back to my raw foods diet and exercise. I was almost at the point of giving up friday. I had to go to camp and face Carlene with a 4lb gain! I did exactly what I feared I would do. Gain weight.
The first day of our trip was great, I had all my foods with me and I ate raw. Then after the zoo, we decided to stay another night and it went downhill from there. I ate, and I ate plenty. I think part of me just tired of the struggle watching the family eat stuff I used to eat with them, and my resistance weakened. At some point, I decided to eat whatever I wanted. And I payed for it! I have never felt so bad, physically and emotionally. And wow, has it been hard to get back my motivation.
This morning I woke up with new determination and just felt back to my normal self I guess. I have lost almost all of the 4lbs, but am still struggling to be 100% raw. I have craved chocolate and meat! But after some serious soul searching, It came down to a decision I had to make.
Eat what I want and live obese and miserable, or limit my food and live thin, beautiful, healthy & happy. Jeez, the choice is easy. I dont want to live obese. Its miserable. It isnt fun being almost 300lbs. It is super hard! Harder than this diet and definitely harder than the exercise!
So, with the decision made to continue on with my journey, I have eaten almost 100% raw today. I know that tomorrow will even be better. I know what I have to do, and I am gonna keep on with it!
If I can do this, anyone can do it. I never believed that when I would read it from other people, but it is a choice that we have to make. After so many years of choosing obesity, I finally made the choice to be thin and healthy. I told Carlene that I would finish this, and stay commited, and so I am. For once in my life, I am going to finish something, and love myself enough to get healthy and thin. I deserve this. Everyone does! Noone deserves to suffer with their obesity! But it is all up to us. Noone makes us eat and noone can control what we eat but ourselves.

Going on a mini-vacation

2011-10-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we leave to head to Memphis to the zoo. I won some tickets at a silent auction last month and got tickets at a great deal so were heading out tomorrow. The kids are out of school on their fall break, and my husband has a few days off.
BUT, I am nervous. Anytime we have ever went anywhere, that was more than a 2 hour drive, we always stop to get fast food, or snacks and soda. The snacks wont bother me much, but Im afraid the soda will get to me. I havent had one in so long and it was always our thing, to stop and get a drink on the trip. Ive got my case of bottled water to keep in the hotel room. Im taking cut up fruit, and when we eat out, I will be requesting subway, where I can get a salad, or we will have to go somewhere with a salad bar.
Still, Im nervous. Maybe its all in my head, maybe not. I will have to keep myself in check at all times.
I do not, do not, DO NOT want to come back with a weight gain! So I have to figure out how to get my walking in. Walking around the zoo will not be good enough, so maybe I can walk somewhere outside like around the parking lot or something. We will see.

I will let you know how I do! My plan is to be 100% raw! I plan to exercise! So all should be ok!

Have a great day!

Measurements make me happy!

2011-10-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my weight loss has stalled, probably due to all the different meds Im taking for the sinus infection and cold Ive had for the last 6 weeks, and possibly because Im ovulating? I can always feel it every month. Its how I had my 2nd and 3rd child. BUT, I am one happy camper tonight because my measurements were great. Here goes:

NECK- lost 1/2 inch
BICEP-same
CHEST-lost 3 inches!! (Bye-bye bra extenders!!)
WAIST- lost 2 inches
HIPS-lost 3 inches! (WooHoo! Down from a tight size 26 stretch denim pants to a snug 24!)
THIGH- lost 2.5 inches (all that walking!)
CALF-lost 1/2 inch

So even though the scale is stalled (temporarily) I am feeling happy. I know the raw food diet is working. I know the walking is working. What is there to feel down about just because I stall for a few days? Im not stressing. From now on, Im gonna look at the positive. Theres a lady at camp who is so positive about everything in life and I want to be like that. Ive been so negative towards myself for my whole life. Not anymore!

End of month!

2011-09-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks Cheyenne!!

Tomorrow is the beginning of the 3rd month! Im down 39lbs as of today, hope to have 40 gone tomorrow, which will be 40lbs lost in 2 months! The healthy way! Can you believe it?? Im still in disbelief. I have lost as much weight as my almost 4 year old weighs! Yippee!!

I have been sick for nearly 6 weeks now, some weeks worse than others, thinking it would go away. I finally went to a clinic this morning and I have a bad sinus infection on top of the cold! Note to self, when sickness lasts longer than 2 weeks, GO SEE A DOCTOR! Duh.

I havent measured myself again yet, but will be doing that tomorrow morning. It will be exciting to see how many inches Ive lost here and there. I know my bra's are all looser and my pants are all really baggy, so I hope to see some good numbers. Stay tuned, I will post it here!

Carlene told me to not wear a big and baggy shirt for next months pictures. I laughed at this, because I had thought that shirt was just starting to fit good! I could barely get it stretched over my stomach for the first picture! I guess I will go find a shirt that sticks to my body so y'all can see EVERYTHING! Thanks Carlene, LOL.

Have a wonderful day!

Inspiration

2011-09-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

Cheyenne,
Sorry for leving this post here, but for some reason I wasnt able to leave you a comment the other way.
Congrats on giving raw foods a go! I also researched it for several years before finally taking this plunge. I had tried here and there and always kept going back to my old habits. Its when I finally got desperate did I take my health seriously. Thank you so much for being encouraged by me! And no, its not putting pressure on me at all! It makes me want to keep going. On those weak days when I want to quit or go eat something off plan, I will think about you and my teammates and be motivated to keep going!
Oh about those pictures, there isnt much change in my body this time I dont think, maybe just in my face. I was a bit disappointed, but I know next months will have a bigger difference.
Im so proud to have you following along! I hope to keep inspiring you. You have definitely inspired me. Let me know how youre doing and if I can help in any way! Raw foods are so healing, so when detox hits, push through it best as you can! You will be so happy you did!

Tracy

Day 57

2011-09-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

Almost 2 months has gone by. I will have almost 40lbs gone! Or I might just! I still have a few days left this month, and Im gonna push for it.

Thanks SkylineRanchDesigns for the comment! It really made my day. And thank you for following my blog.

Unbelievably. I am sick again. I wasnt even quite over my cough from the last sickness. I guess the kids are bringing germs home from school. I doubt its more detox, but who knows! Anyhow, Im going to push through it and keep on keeping on. I want 50lbs gone by the end of october. That will be 3 months for 50lbs gone! How cool that will be!

So now, my size 26 denim stretch pants are too big, as I can pull them up and down without unbuttoning them and I have to keep pulling them up throughout the day.
My regular size 26 pants(non-stretch) fit great. Ive moved down from a 4x shirt to a 3x and some 2x. I can button up my 26/28 blouses that I used to have to let hang open over a tank top 2 months ago. Its fun to grab something out of the closet that used to not fit and now fits!! Im loving that! I look forward to the day where I can shop in regular size stores and find really cute outfits. Im so sick of this polyester that Ive been wearing for years! I long to wear jeans and a t-shirt again!
By the time my birthday gets here, I will be at my goal of 170 or pretty darn close. I will be 39. I can start living my life finally. The 2nd half of my life will not be spent being morbidly obese. I am so happy that it is finally happening.

It can happen for anyone! You just have to want it bad enough. Our brains tell us that we cant do it, that it will be too hard, that we have too far to go. But I promise, if you push through that, and force yourself to do it, it will get easier. Each day it gets easier, still! I couldnt do it on my own. Thats why I joined rawfoodbootcamp. The support is phenomenal. The accountability is awesome. The ladies really do care about each other. Its a team effort. And if we falter, Carlene is there to stand us back up, talk sense to us and help us get right back on track. I feel so blessed to have found Carlene and her raw food boot camp!!

Day 52

2011-09-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Today I am feeling better about life. I think I sometimes go through emotional detox which feels like a roller coaster of sorts. In time, Im hoping that a raw food diet will even out my emotions. Im sure that it will. Its only been less than 2 months, so I cant expect everything to be perfect yet. My husband said to me a week or so ago, when I got sick for the 2nd time, "I didnt think you'd get sick with all this healthy food youre eating!" Well hello, it had only been a month that I started eating healthy! Its funny how people think youre supposed to be healthy immediately. It takes time. I was reading an article last night on how our bodies completely restore themselves in 6 months! Completely regenerates! Organs, tissues and skin! That there is enough to keep me going. I can hardly wait to have clear, non-red skin on my face. Its already come a super long way. The rosacea is almost gone. Hallelujah. I noticed last night, the fat on my inner thighs is getting saggy and droopy and dimply. Wonder if a thighmaster would help.

I changed my weight loss goal from 170 to 160. I did this because if I stop at 170, I will still be in the overweight category. I also weighed 160 at my thinnest point in my adult life, so to get back there would be a real accomplishment.
More than that though, I want to get as far away from 200 as I possibly can, because I never, ever want to get close to it again.

Ups and downs...

2011-09-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Total loss with Carlene: 33.1
Total Sept Loss: 8.7
Loss since last Monday: 1.9
Loss since Friday: .1

Shew, Ive had a slow weight loss week. PMS and other problems set me back nearly a whole week! I doubt if there will be much difference in my new photos next week which will be disappointing. What I need for motivation is just to keep having the support Im getting at camp, cheering on, etc. I am at the stage where by now, I would have normally quit a diet. I can feel it too. I guess Im not really burned out yet, but maybe just too relaxed about it all. Ive got to step up my game, and get those 2 hours in daily. Im pretty close.

Its hard to not feel so behind everyone else. Im still heavier than where most everyone else started! I guess that makes me feel a bit hopeless at times, it just seems I have so far to go. I still dont feel healthy yet, (although I do feel better that I did at 288lbs!) and will be glad when the day comes where I am feeling good, and light. I liked what someone said the other day in their log, that she felt a "lightness" in her step. I want to feel that too!! All that said, I dont plan on giving up my weight loss goals. But I do feel like I need some extra motivation right now. I guess Im feeling bummed today. Actually the past week Ive felt down. Ive been taking my B-12. I guess it isnt working, lol.

I guess one of the real reasons I feel down is because my husband and I just arent too close right now. We hardly talk to each other about anything other that the kids or his music/work. There has been alot of contention between us, sarcasm and the like. Its just we dont get any time together, and he shows no interest in spending time with me. Ive talked to him about getting a sitter once in a while so we can go out, but he doesnt act interested. Or he will say we dont have the money.
He's obsessed with his music and recording and spends a huge amount of time doing that. I think Im feeling really lonely right now. Isnt this just the way that it goes? Dont all marriages have their ups and downs? Seems like weve been more down than up for a super long time. I dont feel loved or appreciated. In the past, these feelings would have led me to food. Now what do I do since I cant turn to food for my companion and my comfort? Stay depressed? It really sucks being in the place where I am right now. I have to find something to do to make me feel happy. Another weakness is shopping. It always seems to make me feel happier for just a little while. But when you dont have lots of money, that can be a dangerous thing to fall into as well.

Sooo, what left to do but put on my sneakers, lace em up and go get on the treadmill and sweat my butt off. Here I goooo!!

Walking, walking, & more walking...

2011-09-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hello blog reader!

Walking is working for the weight loss. But getting 2 hours a day in is more challenging than the actual walking. For the last couple of days I went to the greenway here in town and walked with a friend. Oh the soreness! My ankles, feet and legs hurt. I guess from changing up my walking from the treadmill to actual pavement. Anyhow, it was great and much more enjoyable to walk with a friend.
Some nights when Im on the treadmill I just hate it. I will be so tired when I start that I think there is no way I will make it the entire time, that I may have to cut it short. But by about 20 minutes in, Im ok. So I go through the music on my Mp3 player trying to find some upbeat music. Its hilarious because when a good song starts playing that has a great beat, my walking improves, I pump my arms, I push harder! I actually ENJOY it! Who knew that music could help so much?? Good ole rock and roll, Madonna, MJ, 50's, Joan Jett, just a few of the ones that motivate. MUSIC MATTERS! Try it!

This weekend will be challenging. My oldest son will be home, so I will have all 3 boys. He lives with his grandparents during the school year so that he can go to a better school.
When we are all together, I usually take them out to eat. It is something we can all do together that we actually enjoy. I cannot do this. I have to find something else we can do. I will tell them the truth, that mom just cant handle going to a restaurant unless it has a great salad bar. If I start feeling tempted though, I plan on using the S.O.S. board in the forum for help. The ladies at camp are so great and so positive and always brighten my mood.

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Day 45- 32.4lbs gone!

2011-09-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Things are going well! At camp this week we are talking about the "I Dont Care" attitude that can happen to us at times. There have been a couple of times in the past 45 days that I have been through this. Its usually when I am experiencing problems or feeling alone and depressed. I will grab some junk food and shove it in as fast as I can go! Telling myself that I just do not care at that moment. Dont care about what exactly? Life, others, myself mainly. That is such a lie though. I always care, but it temporarily disappears when I experience intense emotion. Learning how to deal with stress and emotion is going to take alot of practice for me.

I had a friend notice that I am losing weight. She was really happy for me. Ive had friends in the past who used to try to sabotage me when I was losing weight. I will stay away from those people! Ive also had people tell me I needed to stop losing weight when I got to 195! Even my sister! I guess like Carlene said, people get used to you being a certain way and they have a hard time seeing you different. I wonder how my husband will take it once I get to goal. Hes never seen me below 218 pounds! Needless to say, our love life has been almost non-existant since before my son was born almost 4 years ago. To he** with that! Im ready to get some nookie! And when all this weight is off, that significant other of mine had better be ready to put out, or he's not gonna be so significant anymore!! LOL

All jokes aside, isnt it awful how obesity can affect a persons love life, which in return affects the marriage so poorly?? He and I both agreed that if we were both healthy and fit, we would diminish most of our marital problems! Well I decided to make a change. I sure hope he is able to keep up once I am feeling and looking great!

Sick again!

2011-09-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yep, sick again. Surely cant be more detox. My son was sick last weekend, so maybe I picked it up from him? It started about 2-3 days after he got it. So, I havent exercised for the last 2 days due to congestion, wheezing and such. Today, I decided that I didnt care how bad I felt, I was determined to get on that treadmill, and I did. I couldnt walk quite as fast as usual, but I still got my heart rate up there in the fat burn zone.

I tripped up with my diet on friday. I woke up that morning feeling bad, and got on the scale and had over a pound gain. I was pretty upset because I had just gotten to the 30lb gone mark! I started feeling stressed because Carlene had just announced to everyone about my hitting the 30lb mark. I didnt want to let the girls down at camp! Then my mother was put in the hospital, with not so good news. I think I just flipped. And I ate junk that I should not have ate, purely out of stress and disappointment in myself. How stupid really, because it wasnt like I even enjoyed it. I couldnt taste anything with this cold!
Anyhow, that put another 1 pound back on for about a 2lb gain in all.

Looking back, that 1+ pound gain that I had should not have made me lose my focus. That will happen with weight loss. The night before I didnt sleep hardly at all, and didnt get a chance to exercise and was constipated the day before. Of course I had a gain! Duh!
Today I am back where I was. It came back off that fast with eating right! Raw foods never fail me. Back when I was doing weight watchers, and had a gain, it would take me a week to get 2 lbs back off! With raw, it takes a day, maybe 2. I tell ya, raw just works wonders for the obese woman!

I measured around my belly this morning, the largest part of my body, and was 2 inches smaller! Woohoo! I know it isnt alot, but my pants are really loose now. That feels great.

RR, I tried to respond to your message but it wouldnt let me.
I sure miss you too. Bunches! I hope you are keeping on with your diet and exercise. Dont give up! Ive been sick again, but hopefully will feel good again soon. I would love to chat with you sometime, but cant post my # here. Maybe we will find a way.
WE love ya! XOXO
T

30lbs gone!!

2011-09-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

30 pounds gone in 39 days. Cant beat that! It was great to see the scale this morning. I have new motivation and am looking forward to 40 then 50lbs gone! I tried on some clothes I havent worn in a long while, and they fit, although I had some "muffin top" when I sat down! OK, alot of muffin top, but they fit great while I was standing! If I never had to sit down, Id be in business with about 3 pair of jeans! Maybe after another 10-15lbs they will be loose enough to not have that problem.
Im sure missing our pal at camp who quit last week. It isnt the same without her, but I know the rest of us will grow close and lose this weight together. I couldnt do this without the support of these ladies. They're pretty awesome!

Negativity

2011-09-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

All is going pretty well. The weight is continuously coming off at about 1/2lb per day. Some days more, some less, but always averages out to 1/2lb per day.
Lately Ive been hearing the negative talk in my head, telling me Im not going to make it to my goal. Ive lost weight twice in my life, once getting to around 215 only to stop and go back to my old habits. The time before that I got to 198 and hung there for about a year, then slowly started gaining it back. This time I dont want to gain it back, dont want to ever have to lose this weight again. Yet, the negative talk says I'll never make it to 170. That I will quit, get tired of dieting, burn out and go back to old familiar habits.
So for now, instead of looking toward my goal of getting to 170lbs, Im just going to focus on getting to December 17th, the end of this program. Carlene said I will be able to continue if I choose to after Dec. 17, so I plan on it. Im not even sure what Im supposed to weigh, but once I get to 170, I will figure that out.
So, all I am going to focus on is this day, this week, and this month. Not beyond September. I just cant. The negative talk starts coming into my head when I try to go beyond that. I dont want to quit, I couldnt stand myself if I did that again. This time Ive got to keep going. I decided I couldnt live obese any longer, and I truly cant. When the negativity starts pulling me down again, Im just going to focus on this day, not beyond that.

Brand new month!!

2011-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

I cant believe its September. I cant believe I have lost 24.4lbs! I cant believe I stuck it out and made it this far!! WOOHOOO!
Im feeling pretty darn happy this morning. Over 24lbs in a month. I know Septembers loss wont be that much, because at least 10 of that was water weight. But I do expect to have another 12-15lbs gone this month with alot of walking and eating right. By the end of September I will be at the weight that I was right after I had my son. I will also have alot more clothes in my closet that I will be able to wear again! That in itselt will be so worth all the sweating!

What has losing 24.4 lbs done for me this month? Well, I no longer have sleep apnea, I no longer snore, my rosacea has nearly went away, as well as the flaky, irritated skin on my face, I dont have skin boils anymore, Im able to walk almost 5 miles a day at an incline of 4-5, my hair is shinier, my nail arent as brittle, Im regular in the bathroom(LOL), my blood pressure is in the normal range for the first time in a long time and gosh, I cant think of what else!

I had a craving for a cigarette yesterday while I was at the grocery store in the check out line. I almost bought a pack, just to have one I said to myself. Noone would know. I could smoke it on the way home and hide the rest. Oh my god, how I wanted one. But I didnt do it. I kept thinking about all the coughing and spitting up phlegm I did for 2 weeks straight and how my lungs are cleaner now than theyve been in a long time, and I just couldnt buy them. I walked out of the store and got over it! Thank god I didnt do it! Yay!

Im off to begin my day, and its going to be another hot, humid day here in Tennessee!! Next week is supposed to be in the 80's and I am looking forward to walking outside!

Day 31

2011-08-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

Well its been 1 month! How exciting! I knew that if I made it a month, that from there on out, this diet/exercise would not be a problem. But it was just getting through that 1st month!
As of today, Ive lost 23.8lbs. Im hoping for tomorrows weight in I have lose at leat 24lbs.

Didnt get to exercise last night, first time Ive missed in several weeks. My right knee was hurting and I decided to give it a rest. Luckily it did feel better this morning, so I really worked out hard on the treamill. Im up to a 5 incline at 3mph. I really cant believe it! I never thought Id get over a 2 incline, ever!

So for the diet, I mostly drink a large smoothie in the morning still, followed by fruit, usually watermelon, then a salad at dinner with more fruit afterwards. Its really difficult for me to get over 1000 calories in. I have to eat all day long!

I still have tempting moments where I just want to take a bite of this or a bite of that, but it seems to get easier. If Im gonna cheat, Id rather plan it and go have something good, instead of bites of insignificant foods that arent even worthwhile. I dont even think about it right now, but I know a day will come where I will have to figure out how to balance a few cooked things into my life. I dont know though, with the way my skin has improved, and my hair even seems shinier, and how much better I feel, why even go back to cooked food at all? Its never done me any good. I hope to get to that place where I can control myself and if I decide to have something cooked that I will be able to have it and stop.

Im off to start my day! Have a great day!

Day 26!

2011-08-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

Almost a month now! 22lbs gone! I sure have nothing to complain about!!
The physcial detox has just about ended and yesterday I guess must have been emotional detox. Talk about having the blues. I just laid in the bed as much as I could (when my 3 year old would let me) and cried. I had no desire to get out. I rehashed almost every bad thing that has ever happened to me, relived the hurt, the shame, the embarrassment, the anger. I was trying to figure out if I should leave my husband and when. I felt lonely and very depressed all day. By 4pm I was ready to cheat on my diet, and just go eat a huge plate (or two) of fried, fatty foods at the nearest restaurant I could get to. But I didnt.

My husband works at night pretty frequently and getting on the treadmill can be a task. I usually have to get my 3 year old occupied for the time I am on there. So I bought him a new movie at Goodwill. Put it in for him, got on the treadmill, and here he comes telling me he doesnt like it! So I couldnt finish my walk. The treadmill is in another room of the house where I cant see him and what he's getting into (which is usually everything). I wish I could put it in the main part of the house, but there is no place, and its pretty noisy. Maybe I need to pick out better movies next time! :)

On a good note, I got up this morning and got my walk in earlier than usual. That felt good. But for some reason, Im noticing I dont have as much oomph while Im walking. I feel tired more. I hope my energy level picks back up. I might need to add something to my diet. I will have to talk to Carlene. I also think I need to get to bed by 10pm. The 2 times I have done that recently, I felt great the next morning.

Ok, Im off to get my smoothie made and get some household work done around here! Ive let the laundry pile up and the kitchen floor needs mopping! Ta Ta!!

Day 24

2011-08-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a day! I didnt think I would make it through my 2nd walk for today! I am pretty exhausted, and my feet hurt oh so badly! Today was my sons birthday and I had alot of running around and baking to do. I guess I didnt sit down and relax since I got out of bed this morning! This fat girl aint used to that!
Anyhow, I had to put out an S.O.S. at camp. Luckily I had enough wit about me to do it before I was in the midst of it all. I baked a chocolate cake with chocolate icing for him. Normally I wouldve been all over that, licking this, licking that, scraping every last bit of mix out of that bowl! I knew what was coming, so I went to the forum. Everyone jumped in and helped, and were such an inspiration! Long story short, it was difficult to not eat the cake, it was even more difficult to not eat the pizza! But I did it. I DID IT.
We thought we were losing another member last night. The rest of us rallied around her and showed what a team is made of. Im so thankful she decided to stay. There are roadblocks for many of us, and many more to come, but I know that as long as we are all sticking in this together, we can make it through anything!!

Day 23!

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!
I weighed in this morning, and am down 20lbs! Yay! This feels so awesome! Im really going to push it this week and try to get a few more pounds off. Ive increased my walking to 45 minutes in the morning and in the evening, but I sure feel it in my ankles. Im hoping they get used to the extra walking and get broken in quickly. I dont have time for aches and pains!

Im finally over the sickness/detox, just a lingering cough every now and then where I am able to get more phlem up. Now my face is broke out! My body must have really been a highly toxic place for all this to be happening. One big reason Im doing raw, other than the obvious (loosing weight quickly), if for nice skin. Ive always had redness/rosacea and pimply break outs. When I was a kid, everyone always told me I had a beautiful complexion. I sure hope that smooth, clear skin comes back!

Eating raw is a habit for me now. I really love trying new fruits, but my all time favorite is my watermelon, still! Not sure what Im gonna replace that with once they are out of season. Cherries are also fantastic right now!

Thanks for reading my blog! Have a great day!!

Day 19

2011-08-19T21:05:00.001-07:00

So I was going along pretty darn well with my diet and exercise, and wham! I lost it yesterday and went temporarily off my diet. Ive been suffering with some sort of detox/cold symptoms, and coughing nonstop. Then in the middle of that, I started PMS and the cramps were bad for 2 days! Also, my marriage has been really rocky lately. I dont feel like I have my husbands support right now. I think I just need a good cry! Everything finally got to me and I comforted myself with cooked food. Something Ive always done. Its going to be quite a transition to learn how to comfort myself with something other than food.
Today has finally been more tolerable! Im still coughing, and sound like a woman who has smoked for 40 years, but Im getting through it. I hope it is my lungs cleaning out from all the years of off and on again smoking.

Anyhow, Im back on track today! Its a new day, and Im feeling more like myself. I didnt lose any weight today of course, but at least I didnt gain either.
Being in bootcamp with the other ladies is a tremendous help to me. If it werent for their (and Carlene's) support, I would not have come through this! They are a great group of women. We all understand what each other is going through, and that alone is so important. I sure couldnt talk about these issues with my mother or husband. They think the diet is too extreme (especially my mother). But she doesnt understand what this diet could do for her. I am so very thankful that I learned about raw foods many years ago and that I have an open mind toward it. So many dont realize what it can do!

Day 17

2011-08-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

My son and DH are going out for breakfast this morning At first I was mad, wanted them to wait until lunch time when we could go to a salad bar, but my little one specifically asked to be taken to breakfast (he doesnt ask very often). I was frustrated that I couldnt go, still am a little. I know my limitations, and going out and seeing all my old favorite breakfast foods would not be good. I dont need that temptation this morning!Still, Im aggravated at the moment!Anyhow, when they leave, Im getting on the treamill. Hope that makes me feel better!

Some good things happening to me with 18+lbs gone? I tried on a blouse yesterday that I havent been able to wear since last year and it actually fit alot better. It was too snug back in the spring! A pair of jeans that have been too snug since 2010 also loosely! All my clothes are getting alot looser!
My sleep apnea is gone! And I dont snore loudly anymore! Yay!
My under arm odor is not nearly as bad! LOL! Gross I know!
My ankles are no longer swollen! The dry, flaky skin on my face is hardly there anymore (just a couple of places now).
I can get up off the floor alot easier!
Havent had a painful skin boil since I started raw! Woohooo!!!
Listing all that makes me glad Im not going out to breakfast with them. I will have to enjoy their company in a different way today.
Drinking my green fruit smoothie this morning makes me feel super happy!

Day 15

2011-08-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

15.6lbs gone since August 1st!! WOOOHOOOO!!!
Today is 2 weeks I have been eating a 100% raw food diet and exercising! Unfortunately I am still sick, very weak and just miserable. Could it be detox? I used to smoke before starting raw food boot camp. I was an on again, off again smoker for years, usually only having 1-3 per day. Well, I wonder if my lungs are trying to clean themselves or what. I have a cough, stuffy nose and aches. I had forgotten to mention the smoking when I started. Heck, I guess I didnt think it was a big deal with just smoking so little.
Today I am eating a whole, yes a whole entire, large watermelon. Its so sweet and delicious. This morning I had my fruit and spinach smoothie and it was deleicious too! I guess Im able to taste my foods again and they are wonderful.
Exercise has been great. Im up to 37 minutes twice a day on the treadmill and I listen to my mp3 player to help pass the time. Im feeling a little bit stronger as each day passes.

Now, just to get over this detox/cold and I will be ecstatic!!

Day 13

2011-08-13T14:48:00.001-07:00

I have now lost 15.6lbs. This diet is amazing. I have (until today) felt amazing and so much more energetic. WOke up this morning with allergy/cold symptoms and have felt horrible all day! I hope it passes soon.
Im still walking on a treadmill, and wish I could walk outdoors sometimes, but its just too hot right now! Having some tenderness in my ankles, but Im doing great other than that. Im soooo ready to have this weight off of me. Being obese is like living in a nightmare. And I know that once I get thin, looking back at my obesity will be like a nightmare. I think even a bigger nightmare would be to lose all this weight, and then put it back on. Nope, that is not going to happen to me, ever again.
So a days food goes something like this: Smoothie for breakfast (almondmilk, frozen strawberries and blueberries, spinach, hemp protein powder, 1 tsp stevia-delicious!!), watermelon for lunch (usually 1/2 of a large), large salad for dinner, or more fruit. And that adds up to 1000-1200 calories!
TTFN!

Day 9

2011-08-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Raw food diet is the best out there for losing weight. At times it can be difficult, but the health benefits paired with fast weight loss is like nothing else I have ever done to lose weight. Im getting used to exercising, having a bit of soreness in my ankles, but not bad. Im comfortably settling in to eating raw foods. It is getting easier as time goes on.
It is difficult to get all my daily calories in if I dont eat a whole lot of watermelon, so Im not sure what I will replace it with this winter when there are no more watermelons :( Waaaaa!!!
Yesterday morning, I decided to walk outdoors by walking around the perimeter of our property. 6 laps was 30 minutes. I enjoyed it. Until the itching started. I am chewed up on both my upper thighs! Something apparently got into my capri pants and just chewed away! Anyhow, I guess I will wait until its cool enough for the bugs to go back into their hidey holes before I try that again! Or maybe when it cools some, wear some jeans and tuck them into my socks.
SO, for weight loss, week 1 was right at 10.6lbs. Wouldve been more had I not cheated friday night! Grrr! But I had a loss this morning of 1.2lbs, so its all coming off again.
I think my sleep apnea is gone! Hubby says my loud snoring has been replaced with a low, normal sounding snore. Hahaha. Isnt that amazing after only 1 week of eating raw foods! I thought it was completely gone, but maybe after a few more weeks of being raw and exercising.
So Im up to 70 minutes of walking. I do 35 minutes in the am and 35 minutes in the pm.
My plan is to increase my time by 5 minutes per week until I am at the 2 hours per day Carlene wants us at. Wow, my calves are gonna bulge at the end of this 4.5 months!! Cant wait!!

Raw food diet -Day 6

2011-08-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well, as of yesterday mornings (friday)weigh in I lost 10.6lbs! In 4 days! Then I went and had Chinese with my son last night!!! OK, so not all is lost. Im back on the wagon today, but what was I thinking?? I gained a little over 1/2 lb back. I just delayed my weight loss. Plus the chinese food gave me a tummy ache and diarrhea. Just crazy, I know. I think it was the mind game thing. The weekend was here, I wanted to have something to enjoy, but today I am frustrated about it. Cheating just isnt worth it. I wish it were. But it isnt. Nothing tastes as good as loosing weight feels! Nothing.
So anyhow, Im still almost 10lbs down since last monday. My ankles are no longer swollen and I can sleep on my back for part of the night. Im not sure if Im still snoring, will have to ask the DH tonight.
Thats one thing Ive been stressed about this weekend, that he has been gone most of yesterday and all of today. My 3 year old has been driving me crazy today and I havent had alot of time to get on the computer for blogging and posting, and I finally squeezed in 30 minutes on the treadmill. I just need a girls night out. But, no alcohol for these 3 days, so what is my outlet going to be?? Hmm. I'll get back to you on that one.

Day 3

2011-08-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Here I am at day 3 already. Ive lost 7lbs since Monday! I can see my ankles and my toes arent pudgy anymore! I know its water, but hey, its still a loss! And there is already a signicant difference in how I am feeling physically!
NO headache this morning and awoke feeling better than I usually do. Im not as sleepy all day and that is a huge improvement for me. I know the exercise and eating lighter is helping me. I felt so good at one point today that I almost told my husband to not let me quit what I am doing, because I feel too good! So Im telling myself now DONT QUIT! YOU FEEL TOO GOOD TO QUIT!!!
I would be lying if I said I didnt have strong temptations at dinner time. Oh, the smells! Something I took for granted most of the time before! I mean, no wonder cooked food is sooo addictive! I found myself looking in the fridge today, excited, wanting to grab something delightful to eat, then remembered that I couldnt do that anymore. Then I looked at the oranges on the table, and gosh, they just didnt get me as excited. Sigh. I hope this will pass. I want to get excited about fruits and veggies the way I get excited over chocolate or pizza or cookies! SO what if it tastes good, the pleasure is only for a few moments, but the damage to my body is so much worse. It just is not worth it.

Raw Journey~Day 2

2011-08-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, I lost almost 5lbs since yesterday! I know it is water weight due to getting up 3 times to pee in the middle of the night, but still! Its nice to see my ankle bones sticking out this morning!
I woke up feeling like I had a hangover this morning though. I know its just my body going thru detox and Im happy for that actually. Means it healing itself!
As for food, yesterday was great. I felt great all day, and only got really hungry one time. I ended up eating half of a large watermelon and afterwards felt like I was watermelon drunk! LOL
Took all my measurements, and It was pretty bad. Especially around the midsection. Well, just gotta keep working at it! I have a goal, and that is to get to 200 by Christmas. I know thats alot of weight to lose between now and then, like 82 more pounds, but I think its possible. And Im going to be healthy while losing it. Hopefully my family and friends wont assume Im on drugs! LOL
Hopefully this headache will go away today. Im feeling thirsty this morning, so Im drinking a bottle of water and will be making me a large fruit smoothie with spinach for breakfast. YUM!

Introduction

2011-07-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
Im so excited to be here and working hard beside all of you for the next several months. My plan is to keep at it even when the Butt Kickers program is over (ha! dont ya just love the name Carlene gave this program?)
I have tried raw many times before in the past and just loved the way I felt, the way my skin cleared up and all the extra energy, but for one reason or another, I would just let myself go back to the cooked and SAD world. It was always my mind playing games with me, saying that I would only have a little of this, or a little of that, only to end up binging on cooked food once again.
Well, Im a bit sick of the mind games. I know what I have to do. I know raw works amazingly for me. Im going to be set free of this fat. And this time, Im going all the way. It will be hard, I will have days I want to quit, there will be days when I dont want to exercise and I acknowledge that. I am going to remember how I feel at almost 300lbs and then decide what Id rather do, exercise and eat right, or go back to being morbidly obese and being even MORE miserable.
From the RFBC Butt Kickers program I expect to lose alot of weight. Im aiming high. I expect to see an amazing difference in my health.
What do I fear about doing this program? Absolutely nothing. It can only get better from here!

Looking forward to getting to know y'all!
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