I did it!!

I lost that measley 0.2lbs and have officially reached my ww goal.  You know me, I cried at the meeting!  Just so very thankful for the encouragement of my family, friends, and my ww leader!  I know that just by reaching goal does NOT mean that I have completed my journey.  In fact, I think maintaining may be the hardest part yet.  But I have worked too hard to go back to how I used to be...and my new goal is to keep that from happening ;-)

I am so looking forward to 2012 and all the new things I can accomplish!  Here is to a wonderful new year with the new me!

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all had a very Merry and Blessed Christmas with your family and friends!!  

48.8 down... 0.2 to go!

It was a big day today...bigger than I figured but hey, I will take it.  Lost 3.2lbs this week, am into a new number range (which is always fun...will add that to my thankful list!), and am now just a mere 0.2 lbs away from my goal.  I joked with my leader that maybe I should have stripped down a little more or not had my morning coffee!  I am beyond excited.  And truly, still a little in disbelief that I have accomplished this much so far.  I will totally reach my goal by the end of the year...and will be ringing in 2012 with a "new Lisa" for sure.  I love Weight Watchers for giving me the gift of my health back!

Speaking of weight watchers...our leader told us today that WW will be revealing a new MALE spokesperson on Christmas...Charles Barkley!  Campaign will be called "Lose Like A Man".  I think that is so great and think it will attract more men.  It is such a great program but I think some men think it is just for women but it's not.

The thing that I love about ww the most is that nothing is off limits.  I love pizza.  I love wine.  I love cheese.  I love ice cream.  And I can still have all of those things, just in moderation.  Every friday we order pizza.  But now I plan for it.  Eat lighter during the day.  Get a workout in.  And then my pizza...I get thin crust and veggies.  And I love it just as much!  And do not feel deprived.  It works for me, and I am so happy I finally found something that does!

I still indulge.  I still have weeks that I gain.  I stil have days or weekends when I KNOW I eat way more than I should.  The difference is that now I recognize that and make sure I don't do it every day.  I am human after all, and no one can be good all the time.  Everything in moderation! :)

Anyway, good day today.  Got some other things in the works too and I am just really excited for 2012 and what all is in store!!

Thankful Tuesday

I am reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts right now for our Book Club.  I have heard nothing but great things about the book.  Her writing style challenges me, but as I am getting deeper into the book, I am following along better.  The premise of the book is about being Thankful in all that we do.  Not a blanket, "Thank you Lord for all the blessings you give to me" but rather the tiny every day moments that build into a joyful life.  I love this line in her book..."God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy."

So here are a few things I am thankful for today:
*My husband, my boys, my parents, my family...always at top of my list!
1) Listening to Christmas carols on the way to work...and loving verses that move me to tears.  Thank you, Jesus for your gifts...
2) The sound of Christmas harp music being played when I walked into my lobby this morning.
3) Possibility of new opportunities.
4) For a friend who is pregnant having a watchful doctor and knowing that she is in His hands....and her doctor's hands.
5) For a friend from high school who is undergoing surgery today for cancer and so far a successful surgery. 
6) Watching my boys enjoy the nature around us...who knew watching a bird dip his head into water and pulling out fish would entertain us for 30+ minutes!
7) Crock Pot.  Nuff said. 
8) Pinterest....for helping me find recipes for said above appliance.
9) Maria.  Who is one of the only reasons I can get to work and not worry about my boys all day.
10) Anticipation...for book club this Friday and seeing my Dallas family this weekend!
11) Grace.
12) My youngest's snorts when he laughs...seriously, it's beautiful.  He has the kind of infectious laugh that you cannot help but laugh too!
13) My oldest's sheer wonderment in everything Christmas.
14) A meal at Freebird's on Saturday night.  I can't remember the last time we went out to eat (besides after church).  And they both ate all their meals.
15)  Christmas lights. 

I could go on but I should be working..15 is a good start to 1000.  And that's just for today. 

Hope you all are enjoying this time as we approach Christmas.  I am happy to say I am about 90% finished with everything and am not going to stress about the last 10%.  The gift is most surely not in the gifts we will receive on Christmas day.  May you enjoy this most blessed time of year! 

A Prayer for December
Dearest God,
Please never let me
Crowd my life
Full to the brim.
So like the keeper of Bethlehem's Inn,
I find no room for Him.
Instead, let my heart's door
Be ever open,
Ready to welcome
The newborn King.
Let me offer the best I have
To Him
Who gives me everything.
-author unknown

weigh in

Finally made it back to ww yesterday.  My last weigh in was 11/16 which was the week before Thanksgiving.  I had missed the last 2 Wednesday meetings.  Happy to see I only gained .6lbs.  Which means 3.4lbs to go.  That is just over 1lb a week.  I have a LOT of activities coming up this month with the holidays.  But I would really like to reach my goal weight before the end of the year. 

My plan of action??  WORK IT HARD during the week...so I can enjoy the weekends!  I am really tracking again and going to try to get back into a more dedicated exercise routine again. I have been hit or miss and not in a really good schedule this last couple of weeks.  But I am going to do it.

And thinking about running a half marathon again.  After running 5 miles already...what's 8 more, right? ;-)

A year

I haven't been weight watchering for a year....but I finally found a good picture for before and after.

The company Christmas Party.

I am still not at goal.  That side ticker has not changed very much in the last month.  Same 5lbs I am struggling with (darn.you.holidays.) But old Lisa would have said, to heck with it, I give up!  I am just meant to be bigger.  And I have not done that yet.  And I will not.  Even if it takes me SIX months to lose these last few pounds, I will do it.  I do not want to go back.  On Thanksgiving morning, I got up and ran 4 miles.  Matt got up and trumped me with like 6 or something ;-)  A couple days later I ran my personal best of five miles.  FIVE MILES!  Who are these people??  I am changing!  Every day is still a struggle.  I could easily sit and eat a whole bowl of ice cream or queso (and on occasion still do so).  But the difference is I am not defined by that one bad day.  I can now shake it off and move forward.  Get back on plan.  Live this life differently.

I still do not LOVE exercise.  But here is what I DO love.  I can run after my boys (and they run.  A lot.)and not be winded.  That I could race them and probably win ;-) The fact that I can indulge some and it not be the end of the world.  That I am stronger!  To know that my body can physically do things I have never done before (like run FIVE miles!).  That is an empowering feeling. 

I posted a pic from our party this year on fb, and ya'll, was blown away by the comments.  In a good way.  I was truly touched by how many people commented, and really proud of myself for the work I have done for the last 7 months.  I think I could finally see what others have been seeing.  A transformation, as my mother has said!

And so I decided to look at a pic from last year's party.  I still see a pretty woman, but a self conscious one who was uncomfortable in her own skin.  Content with the status quo of her body and rationalizing that I was just made this way.  But this year, I see a stronger and more confident woman.  And that makes me smile.  My ww leader has been asking me for a picture for her success stories but I have hesitated because I want to be at goal when I make the book.  But I think I may have found my pictures.  What do you think? :)

 2010

2011

 
 
Every day is still a part of the journey.  I would still like to lose more.  But in the end, I am happy and proud of what all I have accomplished so far.  I will never be a size 2-4-6...but I will be happy where I am.  And not hating the body I am trapped in.  Cause it's the only one we get and it is no one else's responsibility but my own to make sure to keep it ticking! :)

Anyway, not sure where I was going with all this and it is more of a post I should be writing at goal, but hey, I am happy today.  Thank you so much to my hubby, my family, and my friends who are supporting me on this road to a healthier Lisa!  I am appreciative of the time matt has given me to exercise, to my friends and family for cheering me on (and not judging when I do eat that bowl of queso!)!  And just thank you for reading along! 

Was blogging hopping today and came across one of those little posts about yourself on It's Almost Naptime and thought it sounded kinda fun...so here we go!

On my nightstand:
Along with a bunch of odds and ends, I always have a stack of books on nightstand begging to be read!
*My Bible
*My new ipad (I won it yesterday at my Christmas party!  And it will now serve as my ereader too...which is a WHOLE OTHER list of books waiting to be read!)
*A bunch of parenting type books
*Daily Devotionals for Moms
Movies I've seen:
We never go to the theatre, but we do rent movies on-demand.  Currently I am "watching" Captain America (not by choice, hubs rented it Friday night and fell asleep so he's finishing it.)
*Super 8- this was a pretty good flick actually.  About these kids who are making a movie and the secret they uncover.  I would give it a B+.  It would have gotten an A until the end...which was just silly.  Still a good flick though!
*Bridesmaids-we are very behind on movies, clearly, but I liked it, there were some definite funny parts!

TV:
*we have our set of 30 minute comedies we love...Modern Family, The Office, Big Bang Theory, The Middle, Up All Night, Parks & Rec, Last Man Standing, Two & a Half Men...They all make me chuckle and laugh out loud.  We DVR them and fit them in when we can.  They only end up being about 20 something minutes without the commercials!  :)  Lately I am really loving Parks & Rec (it is so darn funny) and The Middle (quirky and sweet family moments that make me smile.)
*I still try and watch Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy when I can.  But they are harder to find time for!
*And some dramas we both watch together:
-Glee (I LOVED this last episode, so many great songs!)
-The Walking Dead (Yes, its a zombie show.  I am NOT a zombie kinda girl, but this show is GREAT!)
-American Horror Story (this show is super weird.  but if you can get past the first 2-3 episodes of some really freaky/scary stuff...it is kind of good.  In a weird/scary/horror kind of way!)

In My Ears:
Depends on where I am!
*In the car...I listen to my XM.  Wake Up with Taylor & Kenny in the morning (love them, I often catch myself laughing out loud while listening to them.) and Whatever with Jennifer Hutt in the afternoons.  or KSBJ for music .  Or Christmas carols.  I have a long commute...
*In the gym or out running...whatever good pop song is out.  Saturday I downloaded LMFAO's Party Rock and Sexy and I Know It, Britney's I Wanna Go, Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger, and Rhianna's We Found Love.  It was fun to have some new tunes to jam out too and I ran 4.2 miles! :)
*At Home-We have been practicing Christmas songs for Z's Christmas program! And we sing a LOT of Twinkle Twinkle, ABCs, Itsy Bitsy Spider!


In My Kitchen:
*I cook about 2-3 times a week (and then we have leftovers) so I like trying out new things so we don't get bored.  Pinterest has been AWESOME for food.  No more sending links to myself and saving them in some email folder that never gets opened.  Great to have pictures of things.  I have been doing at least one crock pot meal a week and that has been nice.  Most recently made this Balsamic Chicken and it was delish.  Think I'll go find a good soup or chili to make tomorrow...supposed to be COLD! :)
*I will be doing some holiday baking.  It may not be ww friendly, but hey, it's Christmas!  Momma needs some cookies!


Looking Forward To:
*Dinner with a good friend this week.  It has been way too long since I have seen her and I look forward to catching up!
*Christmas Book Club at my house!  Always fun to have friends together.  We do this one on a Friday so no one is rushed, ornament exchange, wine, food, and good friends.  Can't beat that!
*Taking the week off before Christmas.  I am planning to take the boys to Dallas.  I MUST meet my cousin's beautiful baby girl before she gets too big!  Really excited to spend time with family and hopefully see some of my Dallas friends too!
*And of course...all the fun and magic of this Christmas season!


Enough about Me...what's new with you?