Happy Friday!

It’s a happy Friday indeed! I weighed 209 this morning, 40 pounds down since January 1st! I just have to keep this momentum and focus up! Here’s a quick shot that JC took of me this morning:



I'm having a party tomorrow at my house for JC's birthday, and I have to ensure that I have healthy choices for myself on hand. Challenge weigh-in is on Sunday!

Hope you all thoroughly enjoy your weekend! :)

Work it out!

For the first time since this journey, I actually notice a difference when I look in the mirror. I mean, I *know* there’s a difference because my clothes are baggy, but my body looked the same except maybe smaller. Last night, I was checking myself out and could finally see it. My arms are more toned, I have a long way to go, but they’re looking better. I am starting to get definition in my abs, those used to be my best feature years ago. Nowhere even close to a six pack, don’t get it twisted LOL, but more defined than before. I don’t have back rolls anymore, I used to have two rolls on my back. How embarrassing that I’m talking about this stuff, but screw it. You guys already know more about me than even my best friend does.

I credit these small changes to exercise. I do tons of fast walking, strength training with weights and cardio DVD's at home. The last time I tried losing weight a few years ago, I knocked off some pounds but didn’t tone up at all. Gained it right back. Now my muscles are getting firm underneath it all. I am excited to see how my body will look when I reach my ultimate goal. I don’t know what that ultimate goal, number on the scale or clothing size is, but I will know the closer I get to it. My aim is to be FIT, not just skinny!

Stronger

Sometimes I think of the path my life has taken this past decade, and it boggles my mind. I was a little bit chubby as a kid, but I lost all my weight in the summer of freshman year in high school. It was like a teen movie, I ended freshman year all awkward and chubby, not too many friends – then came back sophomore year a changed girl, 120 pounds, hair & makeup done, new wardrobe. I became a cheerleader, made lots of friends, had the time of my life in high school.

I started working at a gym in my teens as a receptionist, and by my early twenties I was a manager and a certified aerobics instructor. I worked out every single day, and I could run on the treadmill for an hour, no problem. I went dancing 3 nights a week. I did a 26 mile bike marathon, all 5 boroughs of NYC.

How the hell did I get from there to my highest weight of 249 in 2012?

I can’t blame it on one single thing. I went through the most tumultuous time of my life. So many HUGE life changes in one decade. Obviously I didn’t deal with it the right way, I stuffed my feelings away with food, and had little to no activity. But losing my mother at 50 years old shook me to my core, and forced me to re-evaluate what I want out of this life, and what my priorities are.

I’m starting to get a glimpse of the girl I used to be, the girl who loved to workout, the girl who enjoyed life as it is. I have grown tremendously and I will never be who I was back then, and that’s a good thing. I’m not as carefree and naïve, but I am strong. No matter what life throws my way, I can handle it. I have a confidence that I’ve never had before, you can only get that confidence by going through a shit load of stuff but coming out stronger for it. I care less what people think of me than I did back then. Maybe I didn’t “waste” a decade of my life, like I usually say.

Back to the grind!

Happy Monday! I lost three pounds last week for Allan’s challenge, currently I’m in 5th place – woot woot! It’s under my real name which is Melissa, I go by Mina on here because that’s a nickname of mine from my sister. I’ve lost 13 pounds this month for the challenge, he set my goal as 30 pounds by June 15th, but I hope to surpass that!

Hope you all had a nice weekend. Mine was pretty laid-back, yesterday was spent running errands, and I took Dylan to visit the Easter Bunny on Saturday, he loved it! Next to him is the bunny my mom got him last year, I had to incorporate her somehow since Easter Sunday was the last time she saw him, and she LOVED Easter. Here’s my little man:

My favorite shirt

See the pic below? I'm on the far left side. See that shirt I'm wearing, white, pink & black? That was my favorite shirt in 2008. That pic was taken at my Goddaughter's Christening.




Guess what shirt I'm wearing today? Yup, that one! What an awesome Friday, it's beautiful outside, and I fit into my old favorite shirt! Woot-woot! It's TOM, I'm crampy and headachey, but hyped up! (insert big cheesy grin)

Happy Friday!!!!!!

Better than any junk food

After my lunch time walk, I was so inspired to come back for one more post. Walking with my music going (Pitbull, Shakira, LMFAO, old school reggae), the sun shining on me, breathing in fresh air....coming back to my desk to eat a healthy lunch....my muscles twitching from the activity, feeling ALIVE....it's the best feeling in the world.

Hi guys, beautiful weather lately! Although there is a creepy Steven King-like fog going on, I’ll take it! Yesterday was a good day all in all. We had a pizza & cake luncheon AGAIN at my job, of course I declined. Went for my walk instead. Listened to my co-workers offering me pizza and cake the whole afternoon, went in one ear and out the other. No people, I DON’T WANT PIZZA. I DON’T WANT CAKE. Why is that so shocking?? Leave me alone! LOL

I am so glad I started losing weight in January now that spring is here, and it’s unseasonably warm. Thank God I got that jump start. While I have a long way to go, I’m closer than I was two months ago!

Weekend's almost here! :)