Week 1 Weigh In 7.18.2011

I've had a few people tell me, "you picked a really tough week to start this blog." And they were right. But Katie and I didn't want to spend one more week without a plan and goal to work towards. Katie has been here in Charleston this week as our families attended a parenting conference. It was a great conference and we learned a lot. It was also all consuming for several days and it has been anything but a normal week - which included 4 house showings, too. I was only able to fit in one work out this week. It was also my 37th birthday (I'm not afraid to say it - you already know my weight) on Friday. And, we celebrated! So, as much as I wish this were going to be a dramatic loss for week one, I don't have high hopes. But, you know, this is real life and our real life journey. My husband took me to my favorite restaurant last night, Cypress, to celebrate my birthday. I made a conscious choice to eat my very favorite menu item, "Almond  Fried Brie with Cranberry Chutney". They also make the best margarita I've ever had! After dinner we walked through the market, got Ben and Jerry's ice cream and walked to waterfront park. It was a great night and I don't regret it. I enjoyed it and it was a special birthday treat. Not something I'll be doing again for a long time. This is all about lifestyle change and being characterized by eating healthy, exercising and losing weight for life. This week was out of character but everyone has weeks like that.  In the past I would have approached a week like this and said "it's hopeless to stay on track this week" and then given myself the green light to eat anything and everything I wanted without a 2nd thought. This week, I continued to try and make the best choices possible (minus the bday dinner) and I logged my food daily on MyFitnessPal and stayed within my calorie goal 6 out of the 7 days. So, even if the scale doesn't reflect much progress, that's still progress and I won't get discouraged. OK, enough stalling. I'm scared to step on the scale but it's time to weigh. Drum roll please...

Whitney's starting weight: 174.6   

Week one weigh in: 174.6

Wha-Wha. To be expected, right? On to week 2. A normal week is ahead and I see a loss in my future! ~Whitney

Hello, all! This is my first chance to say THANK YOU for following our blog and being a source of support.  We truly feel this is a battle God gave us the tools to win and we're taking the first steps in that journey.  As Whit mentioned, the first week has been anything but ordinary.  Away from home, eating out, far too many snacks available, and even the heavy heart of finding out a dear friend is in a coma.  However, even with all these excuses (which I always have readily on hand), you'd think we would have been ANGELS knowing we had people following our progress. The reality is, though, even your accountability isn't enough to overcome this lifelong battle. In high school, I was motivated at times to try to look like the cheerleaders (Amanda, Jeni, Jenny....you know who you guys are! Hee hee.)  In college, I would be motivated by the upcoming trip to the beach where I knew I would be compared to the hotties that were sunbathing beside me - a battle I would never win.  There was even a friend who had a baby and managed to sport a bikini at Club La Vela 6 weeks later and look better than I've ever looked (yes, Meredith, that's you.)  With all that being said, my motivations have shifted dramatically since then and those vain goals are no longer enough to get me to avoid the extra roll at the restaurant or motivate me to jog 10 miles.  Ok, I've never jogged 10 miles, but that's neither here or there.  My motivation now is to be free of my food addictions and to be healthy and feel good, and motivate my children to do the same, as I know my influence is crucial in their own relationship with food & exercise.  Thanks to some dear friends (Sherry and Marian), we've started reading a book called Made To Crave.  God created us to crave, but as Lysa TerKeurst says in her book, "I am made for more than a vicious cycle of eating, gaining, stressing - eating, gaining, stressing...I am made to rise up, do battle with my issues and, using the Lord's strength in me, defeat them - spiritually, physically, and mentally - to the glory of God."

Katie's starting weight:  178.6

Week One weigh in:  180.0

I made good choices and bad.  I had two workouts, but not three like I'd planned.  I hope to make some better choices this week, and will pray through my weak moments, and journal more consistently. Anyone know how to link my WW Mobile app from my iPhone to this blog?  - Katie