I got on the scale this week to discover I finally hit the 40lb loss mark! This is a huge milestone for me! I never imagined back in April that I would reach this point so quickly. I had given myself one full year to lose about 50 lbs. Now, at the rate I'm going, I should hit my goal around Thanksgiving. WOW!
I've also lost TEN inches off my waist. I've gone from a size 18 to a 10, but 10's are actually fitting me loosely now, depending on the brand. My goal is to be in single digit clothing again, which should happen any day now.
Some have asked what my secret is. Ready? I'll say it again: Eat less and move more! YES, that's the secret. I still count calories and exercise daily. And does that mean I have to do that forever? For me, yes. I will always count calories and exercise daily. It's worth it to me in order to stay healthy for the long-term.
Although, another part of my secret is that I've finally dealt with my food addictions. I read a book called Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. First, I went through her 21 Day Devotional three times (yes, really!). Then I read the book. I discovered that I was constantly making excuses. Plus, I was resenting my family when I had to make separate food for myself. So I did something radical and changed the way we all eat. No more special "diet" food for me. We all eat healthy food: whole grains, local produce, organic as much as possible, and we cut out the processed foods! If you're thinking it's too expensive to feed your family that way, let me tell you what I spend for our family of five monthly: $500. YES......I do. I slowly replaced our food with healthier food: when the cereal ran out, we switched to yogurt and/or eggs from a local farmer; when our white flour ran out, we switched to organic whole wheat pastry flour; and when the boxed goldfish ran out, I made my own crackers from scratch!
Sometimes you need help when starting a journey like this. For me, I knew that to be successful, I needed accountability. So some local friends and I all signed up on MyFitnessPal (FREE!). We decided to meet once a week to weigh in with each other -- just like Weight Watchers, but again, free! And we try to organize time to exercise together. You shouldn't do this alone!
Feel free to "friend" me on MyFitnessPal. My username is kellybstampin. It takes that initial commitment from you, though. Are you ready to change your life?
