How Do You Measure Weight Loss Success?

I had a loss on the scale this week!  I was pleasantly surprised as I did not come back strong after <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/04/bloooower.html">last week's weigh in</a>.<br /><br />Still, even though I had a numeric loss on the scale, I want to keep focusing on other accomplishments I've had in my health <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/04/drawing-inspiration-from-places-other.html">since I started going back to the gym consistently</a>.  Ironically I came across <a href="http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=10_signs_you_are_getting_healthier_even_if_the_scale_doesnt_move">this article</a> last week that put my actions into words perfectly.  The article is titled <a href="http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=10_signs_you_are_getting_healthier_even_if_the_scale_doesnt_move">10 Signs You are Getting Healthier Even if the Scale Doesn't Move</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_j39zIkspxWY/TJlJvCclkdI/AAAAAAAAAOs/ezQUTU0H69E/s320/success_and_happiness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_j39zIkspxWY/TJlJvCclkdI/AAAAAAAAAOs/ezQUTU0H69E/s320/success_and_happiness.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />I wanted to highlight some of the points that I feel apply to me and my journey:<br /><br /><ol><li> You feel like taking on something new. That’s a great sign that you are getting healthier. It shows a heightened <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: relative;">energy </span><span class="kLink" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: relative;">level</span></span> and more active mentality. You are obviously ready for new challenges that you weren’t ready for before you became fitter.  - <i>This has definitely been true for me - hence all the 5K's I've signed up for!</i><br /><br /></li><li>You start taking that one extra step. Usually the saying is to “Go the extra mile.” I say “Go the extra step.” A mile is a long way, but if you even find yourself having the energy to take that extra step, congratulate yourself. You are building on something. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.  -<i> I recently increased my cardio workout an extra 5 minutes/day for a total of 35 minutes, 5 days a week.  I also find myself looking for new ways to incorporate exercise other than the standard gym equipment - like bike riding!</i><br /><br /></li><li>You feel more positive and energetic. That is a natural by product of getting healthier. The body starts working better and when it does, it releases feel good chemicals in the brain, delivers energy to the cells more efficiently, and you feel better day by day.<i> - I find that I'm not always SO focused on my hate for living in this city, my surroundings, and just an overall negativity toward my life.</i></li></ol>How do you measure success other than on the scale?

Inspiration Loss Success How Do You Measure Weight Loss Success?

I had a loss on the scale this week!  I was pleasantly surprised as I did not come back strong after last week's weigh in . Still, even ...

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Staying Busy...

I recently started reading this <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/fordieters/devotional-for-dieters-4-or-20-553008.html">Daily Devotional for Dieters</a>.  What I like about this devotional is that it's short, sweet and to the point.  I also like the "Today's Thought".  I know that the only way this weight is going to come off once and for all is if I put my <i>full </i>faith in God.  Obviously relying on just myself and my own "know-it-all" mentality has gotten me no where, so really Hilary, let's try something different for a change.  <br /><br />Today's thought was this: <i>"The busier I keep myself, the thinner I get!"</i><br /><br />I don't know about you, but I've definitely found myself eating on more than SEVERAL occasions simply out of boredom!  And I don't mean just grazing the food cabinets here and there.  I mean "Hey, I've got nothing goin' on - let's go out to lunch/dinner!".  <i>(If Joel finds himself reading this particular post, I'm sure you would agree with me!)</i> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZoVYu5HZyDui2RTriTpO5EJh98rN9bPG5C9l96r8yN9o3Hscf_WRXNxXhCbEgROmXNQkzZJflAirURcxc5zH2DAqox3y2KoHCszGA5V7wHO0A_EbvGVGOqLF3YdrTWqZwBEKj61OFso/s1600/garfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZoVYu5HZyDui2RTriTpO5EJh98rN9bPG5C9l96r8yN9o3Hscf_WRXNxXhCbEgROmXNQkzZJflAirURcxc5zH2DAqox3y2KoHCszGA5V7wHO0A_EbvGVGOqLF3YdrTWqZwBEKj61OFso/s1600/garfield.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lizrios.com/photos/i_dont_have_time_to_be_this_busy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lizrios.com/2005/04/&usg=__Vc6VAGrw0T1XWjn1z0ELDZViykA=&h=338&w=450&sz=26&hl=en&start=30&sig2=pjL27Fd-JGDSo6DTtUwbXw&zoom=1&tbnid=_gXzfW5PCj9oCM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&ei=LgevTaqeGubs0gGb14GfCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbusy%2Bpeople%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1680%26bih%3D847%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch0%2C342&itbs=1&biw=1680&bih=847">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This same idea rings true for me at work.  I don't often have a lot going on from day to day, and as a result, I find myself eating when I'm not really hungry.  It has not been an uncommon practice for me to have eaten nearly all of my PointsPlus values before I even leave work for the day!  Which then probably begs the question, "how is that even possible?"  I tend to bring probably WAY more snacks than what I really need to get me through the work day.  But that's another issue for another time :).<br /><br />On the, sadly, more <i>rare </i>occasion that I do have a busy work day, I find that I can go almost until lunchtime before I've ever even taken a bite of food!  I wake up at 5 AM people - that's a LONG time without eating!  And this <i>has </i>happened to me before, not as often as the situation described above, but it has happened several times.  It's an amazing feeling to discover that "Hey - it's now 12 PM and I haven't eaten a single thing all day."  And, what has happened in the past, and not always but it has been known to happen, is that I will go hog wild and think that I can start shoveling food in my face to make up for the lack of eating in the morning.  Even if I'm not starving to begin with.  Even IF I was starving by noon, but ate a sensible lunch and felt satisfied - hey, I still have all those PointsPlus from the morning that I haven't yet consumed - I need to make up for it!  Nevermind the fact that I could actually listen to my body and ask myself "Are you actually still hungry? Do you need more fuel?"  This is why it's good for me to eat breakfast everyday, I'd venture to say, even if I'm NOT hungry.  That way foolishness doesn't take place later!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzqKuDgZNiAi5wdXThSYnsRc02I81CR2mLjjmU4fNSeSAh3E9xjgY7KZdq3SnjK18zFaUrNBLOr5Yliz4FA2h2XuWziEsUNoAMBvTeQu-x_BYvDebR1rLNYRJkhlMj6ZQQCyzC4PUyv4/s1600/fishing+boredom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzqKuDgZNiAi5wdXThSYnsRc02I81CR2mLjjmU4fNSeSAh3E9xjgY7KZdq3SnjK18zFaUrNBLOr5Yliz4FA2h2XuWziEsUNoAMBvTeQu-x_BYvDebR1rLNYRJkhlMj6ZQQCyzC4PUyv4/s320/fishing+boredom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an inside joke, but still fitting.  Courtesy of <a href="http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/archives/2003/Aug/">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>The bottom line is this - I don't like feeling 'hungry'... I don't like that uncomfortable, stomach rumbling feeling.  I panic at the mere thought of it.  Why?  Because I'm afraid what might happen if I'm struck with those hunger pains and I have no 'good' snack options around. Then I just might decide to say "screw it" and find the nearest fast food joint.  <br /><br />Also, this very "thought" was what inspired me to sign up for <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/search/label/5K">so many 5K's</a>.  It has given me something to focus on both leading up to the event and the day of the event.  It keeps me busy and it keeps me focused on the Goal. Otherwise, I'd be sitting in my bedroom on the weekends, most likely eating, wasting energy, and wrestling with the thoughts of: how much I hate living in this town, how much I wish that nursing school could be over and I could start working as an RN, how much I wish I could lose this weight, and how much I just want to find the perfect place to live, with the perfect house and yard and husband (aka Joel), etc etc etc.  You know, the American Dream.    <br /><br />I hate long posts and I just exceeded my limit!  Share your thoughts with me...

Inspiration Staying Busy...

I recently started reading this Daily Devotional for Dieters .  What I like about this devotional is that it's short, sweet and to the p...

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Drawing Inspiration From Places Other Than the Scale

With the <a href="http://www.kittanningpaper.com/2010/11/09/obit-clara-mabel-clawson-shelocta/12010">death of my grandmother last November</a>, it became very apparent to me that life is so short, and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle is absolutely essential to a long <b>AND</b> happy life. <br /><br />My grandmother suffered from many illnesses, including diabetes, Parkinson's, and ultimately cancer.  She was on countless medications.  Aside from all of the illnesses she dealt with, obesity was probably the single disease that she could have controlled on her own that may have helped eliminate some of her other medical issues, but we will never know.  I can remember as a child and into my adult years always having the 'weight' conversation with my grandma.  I think I had a special connection with her because of it.  I'm the youngest of her only three granddaughters, and the only one who has dealt with being overweight.  She, too, seemed to struggled with it for most of her life.  There was a period of time where she joined <a href="http://www.tops.org/default.aspx">TOPS - Take Off Pounds Sensibly</a>.  Grandma seemed rather successful with this, though I currently do not have the photos to share of her moments of triumph, receiving awards and trophies for reaching her weight loss goals.  Still, like so many of us do, life and food got the best of her, and she put that weight back on.   <br /><br />After spending the last few days of her life by her side in the hospital, I knew that I had to stop going down the self-sabotaging road I was headed.  While there are days when I think otherwise, I'm still a young woman at a fresh 27 years of age, and I still have time to change my life for the better. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvclhriP3EUoWKtkI30FNDiKKfIg4bYgSxd_Nxj36hKjlmrumDtMKH6K1y8sAkBRXf99ras-vy-JtbPW_avtDApNCWRWEI35YFq5mfNTTD8Nt72D1TeNRZF5XLQaziY68wXheTre_TKE/s1600/exercise-busy-schedule.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvclhriP3EUoWKtkI30FNDiKKfIg4bYgSxd_Nxj36hKjlmrumDtMKH6K1y8sAkBRXf99ras-vy-JtbPW_avtDApNCWRWEI35YFq5mfNTTD8Nt72D1TeNRZF5XLQaziY68wXheTre_TKE/s320/exercise-busy-schedule.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://promotehealth.info/?p=277">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />After my final visit with Grandma, I made the drive back from Pittsburgh with a heavy heart, but knowing that it was finally time to change my life.  That week, I signed up for a membership at the local gym.  I am proud to say that I have been going to that gym every single week for at least 4 days/week since I signed up.   And while my progress isn't showing on the scale, it's important to count successes elsewhere.<br /><br />Though despite all I shared above, that's not to say that I still do not have days like these:  <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY1_zS7lJOpUdSgKIqnnv4MbsDIRIeLE-qIasrMh4WH8ZR8cAkoXPO2CuH69by769MDoC2XfbKETATT6jvbmjxjkiW1ic5Bpjui7d7BN33yISEVIbEv3FL6__Q-q4AgC8c1d2D56bVuw/s1600/exercise-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY1_zS7lJOpUdSgKIqnnv4MbsDIRIeLE-qIasrMh4WH8ZR8cAkoXPO2CuH69by769MDoC2XfbKETATT6jvbmjxjkiW1ic5Bpjui7d7BN33yISEVIbEv3FL6__Q-q4AgC8c1d2D56bVuw/s320/exercise-cartoon.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://carharttsandcoachbags.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/there-are-lots-of-cartoons-in-this-post-because-exercising-is-funny-to-me/">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>Still, we must keep on keepin' on... because as they say: <span class="messageBody"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><blockquote><i><span class="messageBody">"When it is darkest, you can see the stars....."</span></i></blockquote></blockquote></div>

Inspiration Success Drawing Inspiration From Places Other Than the Scale

With the death of my grandmother last November , it became very apparent to me that life is so short, and the importance of living a healthy...

Read more »