Monday, March 21, 2011

Graduation!

Well, I am very happy and excited to report that I am officially finished with all of my schoolwork and finals! I will be graduating on Thursday evening with honors!! I can’t believe I am done already and finally have my Bachelors degree! Now comes the hard part – finding a job in my chosen field. I have already applied for multiple Human Resource positions. Now I just have to keep looking and hope that someone can see what I have to offer.

I have been taking advantage of the nice weather we’ve been having. Bella and I have been exploring our neighborhood by walking as much as we can. Every time we go out, I take a different path and change up the walk a bit to keep it interesting. Our walks have each been right around a mile and there are days that we’ve gone out twice! I love walking and sure hope this short cold front/snow that is coming is as short as they are predicting. I really need spring to stick around so I can feel as great as I have this past week!

Now that I am finished with school, I am looking forward to reading more! I have a book that I have been reading for a few weeks. I only read one chapter or less a night and it is taking me forever to finish. It’s a great book and now I can devote a little more time to getting it read! I then have a book that my friend Jen loaned to me and she says it’s a great one so I am looking forward to reading that as well.

My journey is going great and I can honestly say that I have not been this happy and content with my life in a very long time. It’s funny how everything had to go wrong in my life for me to get on the right track. I am so excited about my future and can’t wait to see what God has in store for me! I really feel like good things are brewing.

Have a Healthy Day!!
Heidi

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Not Quite...

I did not make my 20 pound milestone as I'd hoped. I came close - losing 1.6 pounds this past week but missed it by 0.4 pounds! No sweat though because I know I will likely make it next week! I am simply happy that the scale continues to go in the right direction - DOWN! I can't be disappointed with that!

Have a Healthy Day and a great weekend!
~Heidi

Friday, March 18, 2011

My Newest Goal

I have been looking forward to certain milestones - 5%, 25 pound, 10% and so on until of course I reach my ultimate goal. Along the way, Weight Watchers says to give yourself small goals in which you will allow yourself non-food rewards. I finally picked a goal and reward that is feasible and will make me work hard to reach it. I have decided that when I am out of the 300's - I am going to get myself a bike! I have not been on a bike in ages and I miss it. I have found that many bikes are able to withstand about 300 pounds max so that is my next goal and I have less than 20 pounds to go to get there!! I have already found a few that I am considering. Here is one that I think is cute and it has Ipod speakers on it!!

Tomorrow is weigh-in and I am really hoping for 2 pounds so I can officially have lost 20 pounds since starting WW. I will be happy with any loss though. Especially since I have allowed myself to use most of my extra weekly "indulgence" points this week!

Until tomorrow - Have a Healthy Day!
~Heidi 

Saturday, March 12, 2011

5% Goal!!

Today I am proud to report that I have reached my initial 5% goal! I have lost a total of 18 pounds since starting Weight Watchers. I am choosing to set small goals along the way in order to make my journey seem a little more attainable. My next goal will be my 10% goal and I am only 15 pounds away from that goal!! My ultimate goal is 150 pounds and it is getting closer every day!

The plan is so easy it seems crazy that I haven't been able to do this sooner. I guess it's true what people say - you can't achieve anything until you want to and believe you can. That is the difference this time. I am not only ready for the change, I also believe with all my heart that I can do it! I will work for however long it takes to reach my goal. After reaching my goal, I will then have to work for the rest of my life to maintain it. It is a life long choice, not a diet.

Yesterday was my nephew Gunnar's 7th birthday. Today is his party and our parties always include lots of food! I will go to the party prepared. I will bring my own baked chips and have only one sloppy joe. I also plan on bringing some fruit with me and Weight Watchers snack in case I am hungry or tempted by all the good food. I will allow myself a small piece of cake and I will enjoy every bite of it! That is the part of Weight Watchers that makes it easy - there is no food that is off limits. In fact in my meetings, the leader encourages each of us to "treat" ourselves every week by having something that we enjoy and use our extra points to have it. When no food is "off limits" you find that you don't want the bad stuff as much.

So my life continues down this path, slow and steady. But you know what they say, "slow and steady wins the race!" My graduation is approaching and I will soon (I hope) be re-entering the working world. It feels like I was given a fresh start. I've been given a chance to wipe my slate clean and my life is whatever I chose to make it. What a refreshing feeling! I look forward to my future, whatever it may bring.

Have a Healthy Day!
~Heidi

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Rebounding Nicely

So far this has been a good week. According to my scale at home, I have achieved my 5% goal! By the time I make weigh-in on Saturday, I may even hit my 20 pounds lost mark! I feel great this week and can see the correlation between eating and how I feel. I think that my change in habits is really making me better overall.

I had been having horrible nightmares and awful, violent dreams. My sleep suffered for a few weeks and I started to think about things I was doing that may have affected my sleep and dreams. I realized that the vampire books I was reading had a lot to do with my nightmares. I stopped reading them and the violence was gone from my dreams immediately. I decided to start reading Christian based books and they have helped to lift my soul and lighten my dreams. I am feeling good mentally and physically and that feels great!

Today is Ash Wednesday and I will be attending service with my nephew. It is a part of his confirmation program and he has chosen me as his mentor again this year. I will attend services with him every Wednesday through Lent and after services, we talk about the sermon and how it affects our lives. I have done this for my older nephew and it’s been a really great experience.

I am so happy that today’s snow storm missed us and I loved seeing the sun yesterday. I am enjoying the warmer temps and sure hoping that it keeps up. I am actually looking forward to getting out, walking the dog and being physically active. That is definitely a first for me and again – it feels good.

I am started to job hunt and that is one of the only stressers in my life at the moment. School is done in two weeks and I will have my Bachelors degree! I still can’t believe that. It was always on my list of things I’d like to do but never thought I’d get around to. That is why I have to believe that my life will work out just the way it is meant to. It has so far and God hasn’t let me done yet. That is why I am choosing to trust him and believe that there is something out there for me. I just have to pray for the patience it will take to wait for that something to come along!

Well, back to Hot in Cleveland. Thank you Netflix for turning me onto this hilarious sitcom. I can’t believe I haven’t seen it until now. It is pretty funny and makes me laugh!

Have a Healthy Day!

~Heidi

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Quick update...

Didn't make my 5% this week but I know I will hit it next week! I did lose so that is great! I lost 0.2 pounds! I only needed to lose 0.5 so I was really close but hey, it's a loss and I'll take it!! My mom's party was awesome and I was able to see and chat with a lot of family and friends (some I haven't seen in quite a while)! I did great with the food around and after putting everything I ate in my tracker (even the cake that I allowed myself to have), I still have 17 points left to use today! So I guess I did better than okay - I did great! Now I've got to get to work on my schoold papers!

Have a Healthy Day!!
~Heidi

Friday, March 4, 2011

Weigh-In Tomorrow....

So tomorrow is weigh-in and I have no idea what to expect. As of last week, I was still up from vacation. As I said in my last post, I had a pretty bad weekend so I am not expecting a huge number. I would be thrilled with a ½ pound! That is because it would put me at my 5% goal  If I am a ½ lighter than I was at my last official weigh-in (right before my vacation), I will have lost 5% of my body weight!! That would be awesome! So here’s hoping…

This has been a busy week! I have been getting ready for my mom’s 70th birthday party tomorrow! I have also been getting some school work done as I only have 3 weeks left!! I also have 4 papers to write in those 3 weeks! Actually, make that 3 because I finished one today!

I don’t have a whole lot to say today. Just thought I’d check in and let you know I am on track and have stayed with in my points since Monday! I haven’t been very good about exercise and I really need to get on that but I am on track with my eating and feeling better about life in general!

I will post tomorrow after weigh-in but it will probably be pretty short because I have a party to set up for!!

Have a Healthy Day!