Woah, what a morning! Our VP just came to our department, and asked to sit down with one of us to explain to him how we do our job from start to finish. I work for a huge commercial and residential real estate corporation in the insurance department, and they are trying to find ways to streamline the process because there are four of us handling the insurance for hundreds of commercial tenants and thousands of vendors for properties we own. I handle the insurance for our Newport, NJ locations. Of course, with my luck, I was chosen to be the one. Our VP is a scary man, quite frankly, so I was thrilled to say the least. I had to explain each and every thing we do, step by step for two hours and handle the barrage of questions of why we do those things. Somehow I came out unscathed, but whew – that took a lot out of me!

Thank you for the support you gave me the last couple of days…knowing you guys are rooting for me kept me going. I may not know you personally, but I love you guys!! I am back to my A-game, and happy to be there! I’m also inspired by you guys because I know you are working so hard! It helps knowing I’m in such great company! And if you ever need MY support, I will be there!

Back to the grind!

Uggghhh, I wish I could be a stay-at-home mom. I was able to spend four days with Dylan, and it sucked leaving him today. Sigh.

So Easter went really well, it was nice spending time with family and Dylan had a blast. He got seven Easter baskets including mine! Lucky kid! I was so busy yesterday that I didn’t have much time to be sad, which is good. I was back to my plan yesterday, exercised, tracked my calories, drank my water. No candy, no cake, no crap. It felt good to be back to my routine, and I woke up today feeling even better. It didn’t feel good when I wasn’t staying on course those couple of days. I love the changes I made, and I need to remember how good I feel when I follow through even if I’m having a tough time emotionally. Thank you for your supportive comments, they really did help!!

I’m considering these next three months to be Phase 2. I am committed to losing 30 pounds by July 8th, and that will make my total loss 70 pounds so far. I don’t think it will be easy, but I think I got this!

Let’s make this a great week, shall we??

Happy Easter!!

I'm sorry for being MIA for a few days. I spontaneously took off Thursday, and I had a day off already planned for Friday. I found out a few things at my job that really upset me, and I needed a break.

I have been overwhelmingly sad this weekend. I love Easter and love celebrating it with my family, but every single thing about this time and holiday is reminding me of my mom. Easter was the last holiday we all spent together, and the last time she saw Dylan. At the point, we knew she had cancer, but didn't know what type or stage, so we all were fragile that day. She was in my dreams last night, but in a sad way. I know this is a phase of grief, and it will pass until the next one, so I am just trying to ride it out. We have a fun day planned today, so hopefully it will help me keep my mind occupied.

My weigh in for the challenge was not good, I stayed the same. I know it's because I haven't been tracking on MFP, drinking all my water, and I've eaten some salty things these past three days. I'm ashamed to say my mind has not been on the challenge for Thursday, Friday or Saturday. With the thing I found out at work, dealing with my grief, and some other family stuff...it just feels like everything's hit me at once. I'm disappointed that I let myself lose my focus, extremely disappointed. I didn't go off the deep end, diet wise, but I just didn't put my all into it like I have been. I'm sorry if I've disappointed you with my post, but I wanted to be honest with you all because I can't just write about the good and not the bad.

However, I woke up a little more clear-minded, and realized that I can't let this snowball into falling off track completely. I've come too far, I've lost 40 pounds, and I have a lot more to lose. I know my mom is proud and wants me to continue to do well. I ate an apple as soon as I woke up, and poured myself a big glass of water. Despite it being Easter Sunday, I am going to do well today and get a good exercise session in. Mina is back in the game, I promise.


I hope you all have a beautiful Sunday and Easter if you celebrate! Love to you guys!!

You do you, and I'll do me!

I have to expand on the post about my co-worker earlier. We are both the same age, grew up in Brooklyn, and we have a young child, so we have a lot in common. In general, I really enjoy chatting with her, but I’m not sure what is going on with her. When I first mentioned changing my diet and losing weight, she went on and on about how she doesn’t understand dieting, and what was the point, etc. She actually tried to talk me out of it, but I didn’t listen to her. Apparently today she is the expert on “dieting”. In addition to her shipment of pills, etc, now she is preaching to me the benefits of the Daniels Diet (never heard of it), and why it is much better than the way I eat. Mind you, she hasn’t started it yet, but she knows it is better, she heard about it from someone. Going on…and on…and on about it for 10 minutes. She finally JUST stopped talking about it.

I don’t criticize her for anything, I just mind my business, but she keeps making it a point to say what I may be doing wrong. Now, if this new way works for her, that’s awesome, but it’s not for ME. I am very happy with my changes, and I don’t find it too difficult to maintain each day. Why is she trying to convince me I am wrong? I wish her the best, but I also wish she would let me be.

I love you guys **edited

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your encouraging words!!! I will get to my goal! I will enjoy that day!

I pushed myself yesterday even though I was T-I-R-E-D. I did my walk/jog during lunch for 11 laps, and I did a Biggest Loser DVD at 9pm. A total of 90 minutes of exercise for yesterday, and it felt good.

I work in Rego Park which is a predominately Russian neighborhood. I walk behind my office building, around the same 4 blocks each day. There are only huge apartment buildings, and some of the older Russian people hang outside with their walkers. I usually see the same people during the week, and also nannies walking with carriages. I guess they're starting to notice me since they've seen me every day since January. When I was finishing my last lap, one of the old men approached me and told me in his thick Russian accent and broken English that there is a gym a few blocks away with a huge swimming pool. I thought that was the cutest thing!

**Had to add one more thing. My co-worker who sits next to me just got a big box in of pills and stuff. She proudly showed me a box of colon cleanser, and maybe 4 different bottles of pills & supplements for losing weight and water pills. She said I should take them as well. Whyyyy??? She is in the 240's range, I was around the same when I started. She sees all I eat, and she knows I exercise, why whould she turn to all those cleansers, pills & supplements?? It's frustrating!

Three months left!

So, my son’s Baptism is in 3 months, on July 8th. Everything is coming into place, we booked the restaurant for the reception, ordered balloon centerpieces, found favors to make, found invitations. We also booked the same photographer that we used for Dylan’s 1st birthday party, I want her to take pictures of the ceremony at church since my sister is usually the resident picture taker, but she is Dylan’s Godmother, so she will be on stage. I am VERY anxious to lose more weight before this day. For one, the spotlight will be on us in front of the whole congregation when we have to go on stage during the ceremony…arrgghhhh this alone makes me nervous! Also, I was so unhappy when I saw myself in the party pictures from his birthday, I actually cried…I don’t want to go through that again! Plus, it is in July, so I will probably need to wear a dress…..arrgghhh!!! This day is so important to me, I want to look my best!

Okay, let me try to calm myself down. I have three months. I am going to push to lose 30 more pounds in this time frame, which is do-able. Please tell me I can do this!!!! LOL

Happy Monday!

My weigh in went well yesterday, I was at 208 so that makes 4 pounds lost for the week! I moved up to 4th place, yay!!! :)

What a weekend….the party went really well, everyone had a great time, JC loved it. I had one slice of pizza during the party, and I planned for it by eating super light earlier. I had two slices yesterday, and THAT I am not happy about. I retained some water weight from the sodium this morning, so I am going to do two workouts today to sweat it out. It was my first time eating something that I hadn’t planned to in all of this time, and I learned from it because A) it wasn’t worth it and now B) I have to work extra hard today to balance it out. Oh well, lesson learned. Back to the grind this week!

I had so much stuff to do yesterday, we woke up super early for Palm Sunday service and we had the usual errands plus getting ready for Easter. I had to make three Easter baskets, including Dylan’s Thomas & Friends themed basket. I always go a little crazy for holidays, and Easter is no exception!

Because you runners who kick ass have been inspiring me, I jogged a little on Friday during my walk. I did 11 laps around 4 blocks, I would walk 3 blocks and jog 1 block. I walked/jogged a total of 44 blocks, much more than my usual 36 during my lunch hour. Oh boy, I have a loooooooong way to go to get anywhere close to how great you runners are! My goal is to do the same each day this week to start building my endurance.

I am so happy that I’ve made these changes, that I’ve found others here who inspire me every day, that I’ve joined Allan’s challenge, that I have so much to look forward to. I am so grateful.