Okay, so maybe I was a little premature in saying "tomorrow is a new day" in my last entry - it would appear that we fell into the "it's the holidays, we can eat whatever we want!" cycle. We completely ignored our new scale following our "moment of truth" until the first of the year. On that day we once again stepped up to see where we would be starting at in 2006. I will not lie to you, I was horrified to learn that I was up to 170!!! Granted, we had just eaten out for both lunch and dinner (lunch being a buffet!) so I was carrying even more than usual, but I can't blame it all on the food! Ugh. Russ was also up, though not as much as me - 205.2lbs. Starting January 2nd I was officially back on the diet, counting religiously and making healthy meals AT HOME. We also started working out in the mornings again, and will be participating in an online journaling program set up by our friend David Hemenway called Body Revolution. It is a 12 week program aimed at helping people work together to achieve workout and weight loss goals. I'll include a link to the site once it is up and running - today is day one of the 12 weeks. We decided that Sunday nights will be our weigh in night, so last night we once again stepped on the dreaded scale. After a week of being back on the diet and working out I am THRILLED to report that I was down to 164.2!!! Woo-hoo!!! Hot DAMN this Weight Watchers thing WORKS! The working out doesn't hurt either. ;-) Russ was also down, he weighed in at 202.4. Yeah baby! Thanks for checking in - talk at you later!

Alright cats and kittens - we have our digital scale and we are ready to start giving this WW at Home thing a try. We had our moment of truth tonight and stepped on our new scale for the first time. I have to admit I was really nervous because I have NOT been watching what I eat nor have I been working out - my pants starting to feel a little tighter and I started to imagine I could even see myself looking chubbier! Stepped up and...165.6. So YES I have put some weight back on, but I am still 22.8 down from where I was when I first stepped up on the scale at Weight Watchers! Russell also stepped up, and he is at 203 - still 13.4 down from when he first weighed in at WW! Tomorrow is a new day my friends.

Okay Weight Watchers fans.  Here is the deal.  We are poor.  Okay, we’re not actually poor (“on a budget” might be a better way of putting it), but we have come to the realization that we can’t really afford to shell out $100 each month ($23.90 each week for the two of us) to find out how fat we are!  So here is the new plan (and we may eventually return to WW when we have more fundage, but for now we have had to say our goodbyes).  I am going to purchase a digital scale that includes the decimal, and we are going to take our good base knowledge of “point counting” that we have learned from WW thus far, and we are going to do our own homemade version of the plan.  I don’t know if it will work or not, but when I think about it I realize that going to the meetings each week had become more for the weighing in than anything else – yes, it helped keep me motivated (kind-of) and on track with the plan (sort-of) but lately it was just sucking money out of our bank account more than anything else!  So we will now have the ability to check our weight once each week and keep track that way.  Here is to homemade weight watching – wish us luck! 

It is sad when you learn you just can't have the foods you once used to put away like there was no tomorrow. Those of you who visit often will have noticed that I did not post last week. It was not a good week! The weekend before the meeting I gave in to my cheese curd craving (and, uh, some other stuff too...) and it showed on the scale! I was UP 2.8 pounds. I was VERY bummed and my poor hubby got to deal with a mopey wife for the evening. We also slacked off on running all of last week because I had one of my world class headaches and was actually even out of work for a day and a half! Well, I got myself back on track with the diet thankfully, and we also got back into running starting on Sunday. I am happy to report that this week I got rid of all but .2 of that stupid 2.8 - in other words I was down 2.6 this week, making my total weight loss just under that 27 pound mark again! As for the hubby - he got another star for his bookmark this week!!! He was down 1 pound exactly this week, making his total weight loss 20.8 pounds. The big poop only has 12 pounds left till he hits goal! I am very proud of him and I must say he is looking MIGHTY fine if you ask for my humble opinion. ;-) As for my goal, I have been wondering if it is a little too lofty since I am already getting pretty close to the "shape" I feel I should be, so I spoke with the leader today. She told me that no, my goal was NOT very realistic (she also said I wear my weight very well because she thought I had to be near my goal already - that made me feel good!) and so we set a new one together of 145 (it was 135 before). Once I hit that we will re-evaluate and see where I'm at to decide if I should keep going or maintain that. That means that I only have 16.6 pounds to go until I hit goal! Wow, I feel like I can hit that in no time! Well, there I just went and jinxed myself, so I guess we'll wait and see HA HA. Thanks for checking in. Have a great week, and we'll hopefully have more good news next week! :-) 

Hello again! I know, I know - I am ACTUALLY writing again! Can you believe it?! :-) Another great week - down 1.8 this week. Total weight loss is 27 pounds!!! A new exciting factoid to share - I have now lost more than I have left to lose! I have 26.4 to go until I reach my goal weight - yee-haw! Hubby is also doing well - he is just 0.4 pounds away from a total of 20 lost! Keep cheering us on! :-) 

Okay - so I lied about writing again soon. There is a reason. After my joyous last entry I was looking forward to continued success the following week and I actually ended up being UP 0.2! I was totally bummed, but I know part of it was that I worked out a LOT that week and was probably retaining water in my muscles (among other things). So I was sad but still on track - or so I thought. Last week I was up ANOTHER 1.8! UGH!!! I didn't even stay for the meeting I was so frustrated and upset and just - to put it bluntly - PISSED OFF! Well, I continued to buckle down, and the hubby has me running for 1/2 hour with him each day now, and today I was really hoping for good results. Honestly, I was bracing myself for more bad news! Well, I am THRILLED to report that I got a very cute little magnet today, that says the following number on it: 25!!!!! That's right, I am down a total of 25.2 pounds! YEAH!!!!!!!!!! Everyone please celebrate with me in whatever way you see fit and come on back next week for another update! :-) 

Why hello there! Long time no talk!!! Sorry that the hubby and I have been so bad about keeping up with our writing - summer is, after all, the time to be outside! It is time for an update on the infamous Weight Watchers progress - it has been slow going, especially with summer vacations (beer and munchies...mmmmm), but this week brought some good results! My total weight loss at this point is 23.6 - leaving 29.8 or as I like to say LESS than 30 pounds to go until I reach my goal!!! I am excited by the progress and am looking forward to having the downward trend continue finally! The hubby is gone for his 2 weeks of annual training for Guard right now, so the apartment is a lonely place. I have Gabriel to keep me company, but you know how cats are - it has to be on his terms, and when he is done with you he is DONE with you! It is nice to have him snuggling me every night though :-) Hope all is well, and I hope to write again soon. 

I don't know why I titled this that way, I just got tired of using the week number as the title of my entries!!! Down 1 pound this week - total loss 22 POUNDS! Awesome! Russ and I are YET AGAIN back on the motivation train - are we sensing a pattern here? All is well in WW land - peace out! :-) 

Well the hubby certainly could have given you my results as well because they weren't stellar - I was down a whole 0.2 pounds!!! HA HA HA at least I wasn't up! :-)

This past week was a busy one for me - Monday night after work I went up to St. Cloud to attend a recital given by the SAI Chapter there. You may have read in earlier entries that I am a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity for Women and the Province Officer for Epsilon B Province which is MN and most of WI. The recital was wonderful and I was very proud of all of my girls up there!

Tuesday was the night we attended the WW meeting, and we may go to this one again next Tuesday because it seemed more educational than the one we have been attending AND there was no loud, obnoxious person at the Tuesday meeting - you know what I mean; there is one in almost every group, and there sure is one in the Wednesday group!!!

Wednesday I was at the U of M for Pre-Petition Visit - there used to be a Chapter of SAI at the U, however it has been inactive for quite some time. The Alumnae Chapter has been working to foster an interest among the current students in re-starting the Chapter and it appears that it may actually happen finally! I made a presentation about SAI and checked on their progress - they are well on their way and I am very excited about this group!

Thursday night hubby surprised me with a candlelit dinner after he picked me up from work, after which we went and saw the movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - very funny, very weird!

Yesterday I was off from work and it was a very nice, relaxing day spent with the man I love. :-) I had an appointment at the chiropractor - yes, hubby finally got me to go to seek help for my stupid headaches (thankfully I was told they are probably NOT migraines which run in the family), and apparently my muscles are WAY too tense. In fact as she was checking them she actually said WOW - hubby is feeling very vindicated.

They took some x-rays and I have a return appointment next Wednesday to go over them - she didn't want to do an adjustment without going over them closely because I told her about my neck injury from high school. Have you ever heard of the trampoline game "crack the egg?" I was playing that with my older brother and both of our significant others at the time and my brother accidentally jumped a little too close to me. To avoid landing ON me when he came back down he attempted to jump OVER me and his knee hit my head, flipping me over and causing me to land on my neck and head, pushing my head down to my chest - I heard it crack the whole way down and was sure I was paralyzed! Luckily I was able to move just fine, but it was very sore and a few days later I went to have it checked out. I was severely scolded for having waited to come in and was told there was "some slippage" and I was thrown into a neck brace for about two months! So, to make a long story a little longer ;-) the adjustment will wait in case there are any leftover issues from the original injury. It is funny because I don't really even think about it, and in fact my first answer to her question about whether I had ever sustained a head injury was "Nope. Oh, wait..."

ANYWAY - after that we went and picked out a new kitchen table which will arrive next week, then it was out for lunch and shopping (I bought pants that fit me, and one of them is a size TWELVE!!!). We grilled for supper and spent a nice quiet evening at home. It was wonderful! So...now that I have bored you with the details of my week I will set you free again. Thanks for stopping by, and talk to you next week - where hopefully I will have more exciting weight loss news! :-) 

Hello again you crazy cats! I forgot to mention last week that I received another award - in addition to my award for hitting 10% - for having been on the program for 16 weeks. :-) I am counting one week behind, because they call the very first meeting you go to "week one," and you don't actually weigh in until "week two." I thought that was kinda silly, thus the difference in my own counting. Anyway, it is a little charm with clapping hands and the number 16 - fun! The 10% award is a key chain indicating 10% - I put the charm on the key chain, so it is my own little celebration every time I look at my keys! Not that I spend a lot of time looking at my keys, but ANYWAY...

On to the news from this week - I was down another 1.8, making my total amount lost TWENTY-ONE POUNDS!!! I am absolutely thrilled, and I got another star for an additional multiple of five. YAY!!! :-) Skinny days are on their way!

Hubby maintained the same weight, which is very common at about week 5-6 (which is where he is at). When I got to that point my leader actually warned me not to be surprised or discouraged when the weight loss slowed down - it is about that time when your body starts to get used to the new routine and diet. I think he was a little disappointed, but he is doing a GREAT job and it is wonderful that we are doing this together!

So...that's it for this week. At some point I'm thinking I'll have to write blog entries about something other than weight loss, since this can tend to be a little boring unless you're really into following my progress - and a family member most likely! (Hi Mom!) Take it easy, and chat with you in a week or so! 

Shout it from the roof tops! Break out the champagne! Tonight I was down THREE pounds making my total weight loss 19.2 pounds and I hit my 10% weight loss goal! WOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOO!!! When you join Weight Watchers the first goal they set for you is 10% of your starting weight - so if you do the math that means I was right around 190 when I first joined. Now that may not sound that bad, but when it is placed on my 5'4" used-to-be-a-cheerleader body it ain't pretty! I am hoping to lose about 35 more, so I have quite a ways to go, but as I said a couple of weeks ago - slow and steady wins the race! :-)

The Mister (doesn't have quite the ring of The Missus does it?) had yet another great week, losing 1.6 and earning a star for losing his second five pounds - 10.4 total! All aboard the weight loss train! 

So there is this magical time once per month, almost exactly one week before this OTHER magical time once per month (ladies, you know the one), where I get extremely bloated and retain water. It is during that time that I have gone up in weight each month - I have just recently realized this, so it helps me not be so bummed when I am up. There is more of a reason that me being bad!!! That's not to say I can blame it all on the magical time (the chocolate is certainly a factor HA HA), but it helps to soften the blow!

That having been said, I was up exactly 1 pound this week. And that's okay! I will be down by even more next week because that has been the trend, so don't cry for me argentina! :-)

The hubby had another fabulous week and is on his way to his second 5 pound marker - he was down another 2.6 this week, making his total weight loss 8.8 already! I told him that if he surpasses me I will be upset! (but I was just kidding...sort of...) Take care and chat at you next week! 

Down another 0.8 - slow and steady wins the race (though I certainly wouldn't complain if it went faster!). Total weight loss is 17.2 - my next multiple of 5 is now looming...come on 20!!! I am also very proud of my hubby - he was down another 2.6 and received his award for losing his first 5 pounds! Keep on truckin' :-)