Celebration

Well, today marks 26 weeks of weight loss past. I got quite emotional while exercising last night, thinking of all the hard work and time (not to mention rejected invitations to dinners, happy hours, and social events!) I have put into this. It was so unbelievably worth it. I receive compliments on a daily basis still, which definitely helps keep me motivated. But the best part, as I'm sure you can imagine, is feeling comfortable in my own skin! It's such a breath of fresh air to not break a sweat every time I walk up the stairs, or to try on a bikini without sobbing uncontrollably. I'm happy to acknowledge that today really is the first day of the rest of my life! 

There was no time for full measurements before work this morning, but I at least weighed myself and wrapped the measuring tape around my waist for a quick "Huzzah!"

Here are those stats:

Starting Weight: 195.4 lbs (recorded on 1/19/2011)
Current Weight: 138.4 lbs
Total Weight Lost: 57.0 lbs (in 26 weeks)

Starting Waist Measurement: 38.5" (recorded on 1/18/2011)
Current Waist Measurement: 27.5"
Total Lost from Waist: 11.0 inches (in 26 weeks)

I think that's definitely cause for a CELEBRATION! So what's on tonight's menu? Well, probably just another salad... but I had two cups of coffee this morning, AND it's cake day at work (instead of searching for the tiniest sliver on the table, I'm going for a big fatty this time)! Next, after work I plan to knock out a long cardio session on the Stairmaster-- one of my favorite kinds of cardio-- and finish off the night with a relaxing glass of Zinfandel.

I'm guessing that the extra calories I will consume today is approximately 850. I know it sounds like a lot, and it is... but they really do add up fast (two cups of coffee with cream and sugar= about 350, 2.5" x 2.5" piece of cake= about 500). My total planned calorie count for today, including these extras, is approximately 2000--roughly 600 more than a typical day on my weight loss plan. Sticking to my workout routine the rest of the week will be crucial to make sure I still weigh less than 140 lbs. by next week!