The Big Scary I Don't Want To Say It Out Loud Goal.

gulp. I'm going say my goal out loud. gulp.

I have felt fear to say it out loud. I'm afraid I'll feel more pressure to finish aka feel more stress to finish aka feel more negative if I don't make it. The thing I remind myself, when the fear threatens to keep me from saying it, is that in the end, I will reach my goal. I will finish losing the weight. Period. Today I'm just going to say out loud a pretty ambitious goal for when I would like to have lost the last of it.

I will work to lose the last pound by the end of lent this year. That's April 4. Easter Sunday.

33 pounds. 12 Sundays. 6 weeks (at least) traveling.

I decided to change my life at the beginning of lent 2008 and think it's fitting to end it on Easter. It's not a goal I can reach coasting by...exercising as I wish instead of as I need, eating "treats" with regularity. It will be reached through discipline, determination and the belief I know have in myself. It will be reached because of the belief you have in me.

And if April 4 rolls around and 139.8 doesn't appear on the scale than I will step off knowing it will happen...just not that day. But between now and April 4 the only thing I will think is "Get It Done!"

Still Moving Along.

It's funny sometimes to feel like I'm not doing enough to lose weight and then I step on the scale and it's still moving down down down.

I realized today that maybe it doesn't feel like I'm doing much because I'm doing what is habit. People wonder how long it's taken me to lose the weight. I used to feel ashamed, in a way, to say it's been 23 months (or however long it had been at that point). Ashamed, because they might wonder what took so long. I've always known, though, that I'm taking the time I need to change. Change not just my weight, but my eating habits, my physical strength, my vision of my body and my thought processes. So today as I stood on the scale, feeling like I could have done more this week, I realized that I didn't need to do more because I did what was right.

This week's weigh-in? 173.5 pounds. That's 106.3 down and just 33.7 between me and my goal.

Bring in the New Year, Throw out the Clothes!

I've been anticipating the New Year for one main reason: PURGE!

With my mom ready to fold the clothes into piles, I attacked the closet and dresser to rid myself of more than 3 trash bags of clothing and have some fun snapping photos as we went.

The piles of fun!

We made sure to try on the bridesmaid's dress from Carrie's wedding in August.
Lots of space down there!

My "Gallo Girls" t-shirt from learning tour in Guatemala.
With pillow underneath...

Without pillow underneath!

My phys ed t-shirt from middle school. This DID NOT go in the purge pile!

And now for some fun before and afters...
The skirt I got for Alyssa's bridal shower in April.

My "skinny" jeans that I bought in April. My new skinny jeans are two sizes smaller.


A niece and I over the holidays for the last three years.


And an old picture I didn't know existed that just surface. I don't know the girl on the left but the girl on the right is looking forward to an amazing 2010. And the serious party she is going to throw herself when she gets to insert an "after" into the current slot.

Reading Material Galore

With my new computer, my blogging strike has ended. Reading material galore, just in time for your new year.

New Year, More of the New Me.

I made a mantra and goal board for 2009 and it was a marvelous year so I'm doing the same for 2010.

I share with you my mantra for 2010.

Feet to the pavement with eyes on my goals, this year I'll be running to reach so much more.
Reciepes, struggles, traveling the world, stories that into a book will be twirled.
Entering new decades and reaching old dreams, with more in my heart that I wish to achieve.
Debt, fat and worry won't be in my way as I celebrate 30 & let love in each day.