Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts
By Alyce Wilson
December 6, 2004 - Sixty Down!
Me in my new exercise gear
It's celebration time: I've reached my weight loss goal for the year! When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was down to 160, which achieves my goal for the year of 25 pounds lost.
I didn't
used to own a scale but finally got one because The Gryphon is also starting
a weight loss plan, and I thought it would be helpful for us both to have
ready access to a scale. I'd been using the scale at the gym once a week,
but some weeks I don't make it to the gym. This way, I can still keep
tabs on my progress.
Plus, you can weigh yourself wearing a whole lot less than you can at the gym! I will note, however, that I weighed 160 while wearing the usual exercise combo of exercise pants, an exercise top and sneakers.
This is a really exciting achievement, reaching this goal with a couple
of weeks to spare. My goal for next year will be slightly more ambitious:
30 pounds, which will take me to my final goal of 130 pounds, down from
a starting position of 220 in January 2000. I need to lose 15 of that
before my sister's wedding in June so that I can reach my goal of being
a size 10 for her wedding.
Now that I'm on the Weight Watchers plan, I think that goal will be much easier to achieve. The plan is easy to follow. You just need to keep track of your points for the day. Points are based on a calculation that includes calories, fiber and fat. An item might have more calories, but if it has a lot of fiber and not much fat, then it's not worth as many points as something with high fat content.
Here's a before and after picture, showing me from May 2001, contrasted to this morning.
I knew I'd hit my goal soon, and I'd been waiting until I hit my goal to use my gift cards my family gave me for my birthday. On Saturday, before I'd bought the scale, I went to Target, because I needed new exercise clothes. The Gryphon was busy with an Otakon board of directors' meeting.
I got two pairs of exercise pants (size medium, down from a top size of XL!) and three matching exercise tops. I also wanted a new winter hat, because now that I had a new scarf, the hat I had last year didn't really work. It took me awhile, looking through the hats. Most of them were just knit caps, which combined with my black pea coat made me look like a fisherman. Not the look I was going for.
I settled on a newspaper boy's hat in black angora, which looks better than it sounds. I also got myself a black purse that goes with my coat better than the brown one I'd been using.
When the bill came in, it was a little heftier than I expected, but I still have some money left on my Dad's gift card. I also still have a gift card from my sister, also to Target, and one from my brother and his wife, to JCPenney. I'll go in a couple weeks, when I have a little more time.
So now I can officially tell people I've lost 60 pounds, although I admit I've been rounding up for a little while. Making this goal feels like a great accomplishment. Finally, the end if within sight, and I know I can make it. That seemed a far off goal 60 pounds ago, I'll tell you.
Other weight loss milestones:
April 18, 2003 - Incredible Shrinking Woman
Moral:
Goals are achievable, one step at a time.
Copyright
2004 by Alyce Wilson
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