Small Success #6

I'm totally out of control.

Let me correct that...I've totally been out of control lately, but hopefully I'm back in control. Otherwise, my bank account is really going to suffer.

Ever since I bought new clothes at the beginning of the month, I've wanted to buy more clothes. The smaller jeans are what killed me. After getting a taste of how it feels to wear clothes that fit (it feels GREAT, by the way), it was really hard to wear clothes that were too big. And, my work clothes were really, really big on me. I'd wear these cute, smaller tops then big baggy pants or skirts. It looked funny.

This past weekend, I traveled to Vegas for a cousins weekend. Had a really good time with my cousins. And, highly unusual for us, we did a bit of shopping. I really wanted to buy a couple new skirts and maybe a pair of dress pants, but I couldn't find any that were my style, so I bought a couple tops and two bras instead. *smile*

However, on the way home from Vegas, I stopped at Dress Barn and found exactly the kind of skirts I wanted! Woohoo! I tried on a size 20 and it fit. I was thrilled! My previous skirts were size 26s. However, I hadn't realized that one of the fun skirts I had grabbed (not really the style I want for work, but it was way cute) was actually a size 18. I tried it on anyway, just to see how close I was. It fit perfectly! Lots better than the 20. It didn't pinch anywhere, I could move/sit/walk/stand/bend comfortably, and it looked good (if I do say so myself). So, I tried on 18s for the two skirts I wanted for work and they fit perfectly too! Woohoo!

That's not all. When I went out to pick up the size 18s, I noticed the clearance rack. I decided to look for black dress pants. The only ones I liked in 18s were black with a fairly thick white pinstripe. I decided to try them on anyway. They hung on me! I ended up finding and buying two pairs of all-black dress pants in a size 16!!! They are so comfortable - not at all a tight fit. I almost started to cry in the dressing room. I haven't worn a size 16 since high school. At my heaviest, I couldn't wear my size 26 dress pants, they were too small. Oh, and my new pants were only $6 a piece! Woohoo!

To top it off, I bought new shoes. The skirts especially needed cute shoes - they aren't straight, boring skirts like my old ones. My favorite skirt is gray with a bit of a flair at the bottom. My old, scuffed up, flat Mary Janes are great for administering hearing tests, but they would totally kill the cute buzz created by the skirt! How's that for rationalization? *smile* Oh, and my new shoes are two sizes smaller than what I wore at my heaviest! Who knew that even my feet would get skinnier?

To summarize, because I know I tend to babble: 1) size 18 skirts, 2) size 16 pants, and 3) size 8 shoes.

I think I'm done buying clothes for a bit. It's been expensive (don't ask how much I spent on the bras!), but I feel great wearing my new clothes. And, I'm getting a lot more compliments about how I look. My old, huge clothes hid how much my body has changed.

And, I'm worth the splurge.

*smile*

90 Gone...Still Losing

Yesterday morning, I hit the 90-lb mark!

It feels almost beyond belief that I've lost that much weight. If my clothes didn't fit so poorly (even my new pants and shorts are too big), I'm not sure I'd believe that I weigh 90 lbs less than I did five months ago. Except for the fact that I feel tons better than I did 5 months ago, too.

I keep discovering things I can do again after not being able to for many, many years. Case in point, I can now bend my knee and hold my ankle so my foot is near my bum. It used to be one of my favorite stretches but I haven't been able to do it for years. Last weekend, I did a cartwheel. Michelle, the only witness to this event, would laugh at my liberal use of the word, but it was a cartwheel! Not the most graceful of cartwheels, but a cartwheel nonetheless. My body's reaction: Holy cow! You haven't moved me like this for 20+ years! I know, body, I know.

My coworker asked me today what I'm doing to celebrate 90 lbs. I told her "Nothing since I spent so much money on 70, 75, and 80", but I realized that's a bit of an untruth. Tomorrow, I'm getting my highlights touched up and sometime this weekend, I'm going to try to buy jeans that don't fall to my ankles when I take a step. (Woohoo for jeans that have become too too large!!) So, I guess those can count as my rewards for 90 lbs. Really, though, I'm saving my energy for the big celebration hopefully coming up in the next few weeks - 100 lbs!!!!

Crazy.

Finally!

I finally hit 70 lbs! Even if I would have only lost 1 lb when I weighed myself this morning, I'd be thrilled to finally get off the 68 plateau on which I've been residing for two weeks, but it feels great to hit another benchmark.

Here are the flowers I bought myself this morning:















When I hit 80 lbs, I'm buying tulips even if I have to order them online! I couldn't find them anywhere. Sigh.

I bought this bouquet because it contained daisies (love 'em!) and pretty yellow flowers (love yellow!) and because the vase is square. I don't own any square vases, so it was a big selling point. I'm going to have quite the vase collection if I don't start remembering to take one of my vases with me when I buy flowers!

I pat myself on the back for thinking of flowers as a reward for losing weight; they don't add to my hips, they're pretty, they smell nice, and they make my office feel cheery - perfect!

61 Pounds Lighter!

I have lost 61 lbs! Woohoo!

I actually hit 61 lbs last Thursday but didn't count it because the day before had been the hellish Red zone day and I'd abnormally lost 5 lbs. I left for Wyoming Thursday night and haven't had a chance to weigh myself until this morning. Needless to say, I'm thrilled that I have reached that goal - even after being on the road all weekend!

As promised, I bought myself flowers this morning as a reward for losing another 10 lbs. Here's a picture of the bouquet I bought:

I really wanted a vase full of white daisies, but Albertson's only had mixed flowers. They're pretty, pleasantly fragrant, and certainly liven up my office. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE getting flowers? Even when I get them for myself, I love it! They are cheery and Spring-y. Tucked away in my little office, without a window, I can fool myself into thinking it's Spring and not threatening to snow outside.

Speaking of being on the road - a BIG thank you to everyone who suggested Go-gurts! I took a couple boxes with me - in a cooler - and they were perfect! I ate them for breakfasts, for snacks, and for desserts. I especially enjoy them frozen! Mmmm. My favorite was Strawberry Milkshake.

Speaking of rewards, I've decided what I'll do as a reward when I hit 75 lbs - I'm going blond! I can't remember how long it's been since I've been blond, a couple years at least. I'm planning on going back to my current hair color in the Fall because I really like it, but it'll be fun to have a change for a few months. Once I have it done, I'll post a picture, of course, so stay tuned!

5 - 0

As of this morning, I have lost 50 lbs!

It feels great to have lost that much weight. I feel wonderful. I feel lighter. I have more energy and want to be more active.

My clothes fit great, mostly. I've had most of my clothes for a long time and wore them even though they were getting tighter as I gained weight. Now, they fit the way they were meant to, though even some of the clothes I've had for years are beginning to be too loose. For example, on Monday I wore a pair of black pants that I haven't been able to wear comfortably for over a year. Not only do they fit comfortably now, they're bordering on being too baggy - especially in the legs. Woohoo! Some of my more recent clothes purchases are too big - sob - my favorite blue shirt! I still wear them but probably not for much longer.

At my support group last week, one of the things mentioned was finding non-food ways to reward ourselves for doing well. I've been thinking about ways and have decided that to celebrate losing 50 lbs, I'm going to buy myself jewelry. A necklace, specifically. Maybe this weekend my cousins won't mind going shopping with me to pick something out! I'm not thinking something terribly expensive, but not really something you'd get at Walmart, either. I'm excited! I've discovered that I quite like jewelry, particularly necklaces, and I wear one almost every day.

After this, I'm going to buy myself flowers for every 10 lbs I lose. Just a little arrangement from Albertson's to put on my kitchen table or in my office. I like flowers even more than necklaces. They are so cheerful.

When I've lost another 25 lbs, I'm going to get a manicure/pedicure. I'm still not sure I'll like a pedicure, but I'm willing to give it a try.

I'm still working out the details for when I've lost 100 lbs and for when I've reached my "goal weight". Maybe more jewelry or a party or something. Fortunately, I don't have to know right away.

Thank you, everyone, for being so supportive! It has really been helpful to know that there are people who care about me and want me to be healthy and happy. You guys rock!


P.S. I had planned on posting a picture of me at this point, but it'll have to wait a bit. I don't have a picture of me! I'll work on getting a current picture to post a.s.a.p.