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Goal pics! Enjoy!
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Tara's Journey
The finer points of Tara's long, long journey.
17 May 2008 @ 03:00 pm
17 May 2008 @ 08:59 am
....today shall be known as GOAL DAY!!!! YAHOO!!
I have finally decided and arrived at my GOAL weight/date/size! I've done a ton of adjusting my goal weight/size/date and everything has seemed to fall into alignment and TODAY IS THE DAY!!
So, here's a breakdown of everything I've kept track of!
Start date: 4/28/07 - 55 Weeks ago - 385 days of being on plan! (Yep! Never a day off plan!)
Total Loss, pounds: 133 - 312.5 to 179.5 :eek:
Total Loss, Inches: 102.75 :eek:
Breakdown:
•Neck -2.5
•Left Upper Arm -7
•Right Upper Arm -6
•Wrist -1.75
•Chest -18
•Waist -16.5
•Naval -15
•Hips -15.25
•Thighs -8.5 off each
•Calf -3.75
Starting Jeans size: 24/26 - Current: solid 12
Starting T-shirt size: 20/22 - Current: M/L
Starting Dress size: 22 - Current: 12/M
I want to thank everyone for the continuous support, encouragement and love. This has been an amazing ride and I couldn't have ever done it without y'all.
Thank you so very much! <3 Pictures will come, SOON! :)
08 May 2008 @ 01:51 pm
It’s been (what seems like) forever since I’ve updated, so here’s a rundown!
Life in general: Things have been going well on the Life front! Husband has significantly reduced the amount of hours he works, so that has been a huge stress reliever and he’s doing well. Otis is good; lazy as ever, but still surprisingly chipper (and bitchy) for such an old cat! Work has been great; we’re headed into our busy season, so lots of preparing and things to do! Chris, Kelly and Madi are coming in June so I’m elated about that! We’re going to see the Cure at the end of the month, so that will be awesome. Other than those things, we’re pretty darn boring. I jumped back into the raiding fray again. Although I’m slightly ashamed to admit it; I’ve missed raiding in EQ greatly. I’m trying to stay as grounded and level-headed about this round of gaming, as possible, to ensure I maintain balance…this time! ;)
On the weight front: Lots has happened since my last update! I hit my 1 year anniversary! Yahoo! I survived my first plateau! Yahoo! I passed the 110, 120 and even the 130 pound loss mark! Yahoo!! Right after my 1st anniversary (4/28/08); I made a commitment to stick with the 5&1 plan until May 24th. So, as of today, I have 16 days left of the 5&1 plan then it’s on to CARROTS and PEAS I mean…transition! Yahoo! As for actual loss; I’ve lost a total of 131.5 pounds with 6 more to hit my loose weight goal of 175! (For current progress, scroll all the way to the bottom for my cute little ticker!) Although I’m not deadest on the goal of175, it seems great for now. My original goal for MediFast was to get me under 200; weighing 199. Then I lowered it to 190/180 and finally 175. I’m feeling pretty good even at 181, so I’m not sure 6 pounds is even going to do anything, thus the goal date.
The 5&1 plan has been fantastic to me, all things considered. I’ve steadily lost weight for the last 53 weeks and have been very satisfied with my results! However, I feel that I’m ready to move on to a healthy, well rounded diet. I know transition (for those of you who aren’t hip to the MF jive; Transition is the next “phase” of the diet where you slowly up your calories and reintroduce healthy foods such as all veggies [phase 1], fruit [phase 2], dairy [phase 3] and finally grains [phase 4].) will be challenging, but I’m really starting to get antsy with moving forward to a healthy lifestyle.
Well, I need to get going so I’ll leave it at that. If you’d like to ask me something or if you’d like to know more about anything, really, feel free to email me, anytime.
Take care, everyone! I’ll try to remember to post some pictures, soon.
-Tara
07 March 2008 @ 08:45 pm
I'll actually post an update tomorrow, until then, here's some pictures from tonight in my new jeans! :)
Note that I've updated the collage pics, down on the last (first) post, too!
23 January 2008 @ 06:58 pm
I found this fantastic article/story on the MyMediFast boards. I think anyone interested/committed to losing weight should read it. :) Enjoy!
The Wt. Loss Minute By Linda Spangle, RN, MA
Author: 100 Days of Weight Loss
www.WeightLossJoy.com
"What is wrong with me?" Carol slammed her hand down on the table. "I'm so frustrated with myself! Every morning, I tell myself that today will be different. I'm going to stay on my diet the way I should, and NOT fall off by the middle of the afternoon."
"Have you been having trouble with this?" I asked. "You wouldn't believe it," she sighed. "I've done everything you've said. I plan out my meals, set out my exercise clothes, buy healthy foods, and write down what I eat.
"But every afternoon, it's like this monster comes over me and I lose my determination." Tears began sliding down her cheeks as she continued, "It feels too hard! I've had a lot of challenges and disappointment lately, and I always end up reaching for a glass of wine or a few cookies to help me cope. Then I get upset because I've messed up my diet again."
I handed her a box of tissues, then responded, "Carol, there's nothing wrong with you at all. What you're doing is extremely common and normal. I think the real issue is how you're coping with your life struggles."
Then I asked, "How badly do you want to lose weight? How important is it to you?" Carol wiped her eyes, then responded. "I want it VERY badly. I can't stand how I look and feel right now. I would give ANYTHING to be able to lose weight."
"Anything?' I asked. 'Does that mean you're willing to give up having wine or cookies when you get upset or feel challenged?" Carol thought for a minute. "Are you saying I can't ever have a glass of wine after a bad day??
"Not necessarily," I replied. "Being successful isn't about setting rigid rules or feeling deprived. It's about making choices based on what you truly want in your life."
It sounds great to say 'I really want to lose weight' but making this happen takes effort. If you tend to routinely fall off your diet plan, you may want to look at the difference between being nterested and being committed.
When you're 'interested' in losing weight, you say all the right words, but it doesn't take much to get you off track. A hard day, another disappointment, and you're back to food being your best friend.
In contrast, when you're 'committed' to your weight-loss plan, you stick with it no matter what. You don't blame circumstances or
other people for your slip ups. On days when you get worn down or don't "feel" like dieting, you stay on the plan anyway.
Here's a summary of the two directions.
If you're "interested" in losing weight...
* You stick with it only until something better comes along (such as doughnuts)
* How you feel determines your outcome. If you don't 'feel like it,' you stop your efforts.
* You need to see results. When the scale doesn't move, you lose your motivation.
* You blame everything else (people, travel, circumstances) for your struggles with staying on your diet.
* Whenever you face challenges in life, you give up and plan you'll start your diet again tomorrow.
If you're "committed" to losing weight...
* Nothing stops your efforts. You stick with your diet, "no matter what."
* Emotions don't control your actions. You stay on track even when you don't feel like it.
* Your motivation isn't linked to the scale. You assume that if you stay motivated and work hard, you'll eventually see results.
* You don't depend on other people for your success. You know it's up to you, not them.
* A bad day or a lot of challenges don't affect your efforts. You keep going in spite of it.
At this point, Carol nodded. "I thought I was really determined to lose weight, she said. "But I've been acting like I was only
interested in it. Starting today, I'm going to change my approach and live in ways that show I'm truly committed to my
goals."
The Wt. Loss Minute By Linda Spangle, RN, MA
Author: 100 Days of Weight Loss
www.WeightLossJoy.com
"What is wrong with me?" Carol slammed her hand down on the table. "I'm so frustrated with myself! Every morning, I tell myself that today will be different. I'm going to stay on my diet the way I should, and NOT fall off by the middle of the afternoon."
"Have you been having trouble with this?" I asked. "You wouldn't believe it," she sighed. "I've done everything you've said. I plan out my meals, set out my exercise clothes, buy healthy foods, and write down what I eat.
"But every afternoon, it's like this monster comes over me and I lose my determination." Tears began sliding down her cheeks as she continued, "It feels too hard! I've had a lot of challenges and disappointment lately, and I always end up reaching for a glass of wine or a few cookies to help me cope. Then I get upset because I've messed up my diet again."
I handed her a box of tissues, then responded, "Carol, there's nothing wrong with you at all. What you're doing is extremely common and normal. I think the real issue is how you're coping with your life struggles."
Then I asked, "How badly do you want to lose weight? How important is it to you?" Carol wiped her eyes, then responded. "I want it VERY badly. I can't stand how I look and feel right now. I would give ANYTHING to be able to lose weight."
"Anything?' I asked. 'Does that mean you're willing to give up having wine or cookies when you get upset or feel challenged?" Carol thought for a minute. "Are you saying I can't ever have a glass of wine after a bad day??
"Not necessarily," I replied. "Being successful isn't about setting rigid rules or feeling deprived. It's about making choices based on what you truly want in your life."
It sounds great to say 'I really want to lose weight' but making this happen takes effort. If you tend to routinely fall off your diet plan, you may want to look at the difference between being nterested and being committed.
When you're 'interested' in losing weight, you say all the right words, but it doesn't take much to get you off track. A hard day, another disappointment, and you're back to food being your best friend.
In contrast, when you're 'committed' to your weight-loss plan, you stick with it no matter what. You don't blame circumstances or
other people for your slip ups. On days when you get worn down or don't "feel" like dieting, you stay on the plan anyway.
Here's a summary of the two directions.
If you're "interested" in losing weight...
* You stick with it only until something better comes along (such as doughnuts)
* How you feel determines your outcome. If you don't 'feel like it,' you stop your efforts.
* You need to see results. When the scale doesn't move, you lose your motivation.
* You blame everything else (people, travel, circumstances) for your struggles with staying on your diet.
* Whenever you face challenges in life, you give up and plan you'll start your diet again tomorrow.
If you're "committed" to losing weight...
* Nothing stops your efforts. You stick with your diet, "no matter what."
* Emotions don't control your actions. You stay on track even when you don't feel like it.
* Your motivation isn't linked to the scale. You assume that if you stay motivated and work hard, you'll eventually see results.
* You don't depend on other people for your success. You know it's up to you, not them.
* A bad day or a lot of challenges don't affect your efforts. You keep going in spite of it.
At this point, Carol nodded. "I thought I was really determined to lose weight, she said. "But I've been acting like I was only
interested in it. Starting today, I'm going to change my approach and live in ways that show I'm truly committed to my
goals."
01 January 2008 @ 09:02 pm
As promised, here's my progress photos for 2007. The first set is from 5/11/07 the second were taken today. Seven and a half months. WOW!
29 December 2007 @ 09:54 am
As the last weekend of 2007 is here, it’s only suitable that I do a big, long entry to record my happiness. I’m ecstatic with 2007. This year has been absolutely awesome for me and I’m so excited about the things to come in 2008. I’ll break out my topics because I have a lot to say. Feel free to read what you want and skip what you don’t. J
2007 – Reflection
A few weeks ago, one of the awesome posters at MyMedifast reminded everyone to reflect on this year. I must have forgotten to do this, so far, so here’s my list of my very proud achievements for 2007:
- I’ve stuck to my debt-repayment plan, all year. It could have been more, but I could have tossed it out the window. I’m happy to report that my debt is moving along in the right direction.
- Husband and I finally set a date, location and committed to starting our traveling. We should be booking our first trip in January! WooooHoooo!
- I started my plan to hit my “Lose weight by 30 goal” and have been wildly successful with it! Not only that, but I’ve STUCK with the plan and have lost 107 pounds in 2007.
- I’ve successfully spoiled the ever-living crap out of our feline child and have enjoyed every day of it.
- I traveled by airplane again. Not once but 4 times! The only hesitation I had was weight related. I’m happy to report, that’s no longer an issue!
- I’ve stuck to an exercise plan for more than 3 weeks. That, in itself, is a miracle.
- I’ve met most of my financial goals at work and got an amazing review.
- I’ve done some amazing projects at work that leave me with a huge sense of pride.
- I’ve made up my mind about quite a few personal decisions with regards to religion, friends and family. This is HUGE for me.
- I finally broke my online gaming habit (EQ and WoW).
- I’ve become much more financially sound and responsible.
- I’ve set dates and have a plan in place to quit smoking.
- I’ve spent some awesome time with my Grandparents. I’ve enjoyed this oh-so-much.
- I no longer have the guilt of “You need to lose weight” at the top of my list.
So those are my big accomplishments for 2007. It’s been a big self-realization year for me and I’d like to think it’s made me a better person!
2008 – Goals
- My number one goal in 2008 is to finish what I started in 2007 with regards to weight, finances and smoking.
- To travel around Europe and have some great rest and relaxation time while traveling.
- To remain healthy, active and most importantly, happy with my life.
- To treat my Husband and Otis with as much love and care as I possibly can.
- To remember to be kind to others.
- To keep kicking ass at work and progressing with my career.
MediFast Update
Things over in diet land have been amazing. I had an awesome final weigh in for 2007 and that’s made me even more excited to write today. I’ve completed my 7th month on MF. Can you believe that *I* have successfully stuck to any plan for more than 1 month?!? Wow! So yeah, 35 weeks on the plan. 107 pounds lost. Over 7 feet worth of inches lost. From 22/24W jeans to 16 Regular. Life on the MF front is GOOD. SO GOOD. I’m very proud of myself for sticking to it. Now, to continue to do so as I close in/refine my goals. I get to start 2008 as just an overweight person, rather than an obese one. How cool is that?
MediFast Success Tips
There’s a thread over on MyMedifast which was discussing the tips and tricks of the MF plan that have worked for you. I thought I’d post them here, too, in the event they’re useful to you. If you’re not on the MF plan, feel free to skip this section. :) For extra credit, go read this amazing article.
- I stay in the 1000-1200 cals range and 90-93 carbs range. I met with my doc a few times when I first started and was her STRONG recommendation for me. I usually have 2 shakes, 1 soup, 1 bar and a pudding each day. I add 2oz of pan-roasted (no sugar/carbs) deli-sliced turkey. Chicken/Beef for Lean. 3cup salad for green. Sometimes I add low fat cheese to the salad to taste/add cals.
- I get my exercise in first thing in the morning. I consume 16-20 cups (128-160 oz) of water a day. These items added up have helped keep me on plan with my goals in sight.
- As for sticking to the plan rather than straying, if there's something I have just GOT to have (example: Gramma's famous potato salad on Xmas) I have roughly 1T of it. I savor it and make that 1T last the entire meal. Obviously, I would be better off without having any, but from time to time, this has saved me from scarfing down my usual (pre-MF) 1cup portion.
- I still say that committing to the plan and the lifestyle change has been one of the largest factors of my success on MF. I get excited thinking about healthy lunches/dinners my Husband and I will have once I'm done with transition. I can't wait for yummy fruits and carrots! These are things that still blow me away that *I* am thinking. ME. Former-Fast-Food Queen. Carrots?!? Yep, that's the change I love about MF.
- On days where I’m really craving something different I’ll add 2T of PB2 to my pudding or a dab of Cool Whip to a shake/pudding, things like that to give a different taste. I haven’t been the perfect MFer, but that’s not my goal. My goal is to make healthy, lifetime, changes. So far, all of these things seem to be helping me stick to the program.
Well, that about wraps it up for today. As you can tell, I’m quite happy and excited about what 2007 brought. I can only hope that 2008 will be just as good for me and my family. I wish each one of you a wonderful New Year. Best wishes to you and yours for an abundance of peace, success, happiness and joy throughout 2008.
Love,
Tara
PS: Pictures will come within the next weekend! :)
15 December 2007 @ 10:25 am
So, as many of you know, I've actually reached (and exceeded) the 100 pound loss mark!! Today, the loss stuck (my weight fluctuates constantly) and I came in at -100.5!! YAHOOO! Just a few more pounds and I'll finally be just "Overweight"!!
I'll post some more pictures soon. I just wanted to shout the news from the rooftops and do a little happy dance!!
In other news, if you celebrate the holidays, have a fantastic one! If you don't; hang in there, they're almost over! ;)
Happy December! :D
-Tara
17 November 2007 @ 09:38 am
Geeze, where in the world has time gone?
Looking back on my previous entries, it's a little weird at how fast time has passed. This makes me so thankful that I started MF when I did. Sure, it could have been 5-10 years sooner, but I'm just glad I have started! And now...here I am. 6 1/2 months into the MF plan and I've (officially) lost 92 pounds! Holy shit! Wrapping my head around this has been a challenge. I still feel like I need to lose 100 pounds. It's quite strange! Anyway, enough babbling. Here's my update!
MediFast: This plan continues to be amazingly awesome. I admit that I'm starting to miss fruit more and more, but oh how it's been awesome. I've perfected my routine and have stayed committed to my plan for 6 1/2 months. I'm still very proud of myself...but I can't take too much credit. ;) The plan is awesomely simple and straight forward. Carbs low, MF meals yummy, awesome dinners every night! I'm so thankful that I found this plan before I progressed further with WLS. Understanding that everyone is different, I have a feeling I would have been a great WLS patient, however, I don't think I would have learned the LONG TERM lessons that MF has taught me. I've mentioned them in other posts, but mainly the biggest lesson is retraining my thinking to want/accept/crave REAL foods. Not fast foods. This has probably been (and will continue to be) the #1 facet of me keeping the weight off. Only time will tell, but I can say that things are looking positive!
Life: Life has really been fantastic. Since my last update (in September) I've gone to visit my lovely, lovely girls in Texas. It was a short trip, but I had a wonderful time. Kelly (my cousin) is awesome and wonderful and I love her to death! Madi (Kelly's 3 year old daughter) is amazingly cute, fun and totally adorable. Even though it was a whirlwind weekend, I really enjoy spending any time that I can, with them.
After Texas (late October) I received an amazing review from my super-awesome boss at work. I continue to be so impressed by the people I work with, it's almost weird! I've not worked for people I ADMIRED and RESPECTED for a very long time. The guys I work for are just freakin awesome. I love them to bits! Then they give me a totally amazing review and awesome goals to reach for next year and helped me achieve my financial goals for this year!! Can you say triple score!?! Wooooooo! You may know this about me, but if not....I LOVE my job. I'd venture to say that this is my dream job. It's short in only one category (pay haha!) but I love coming in to work every day, kicking some serious ass and leaving (90% of the time) feeling like I accomplished good things! I'm so lucky to be where I am. :) Yay for Wheel Fun Rentals!!
So after my review and discussing it with my wonderful Husband, we really committed to starting our travel. We both really want to visit other countries. There's a possibility that we may even try one on to live, but that's WAY down the road. We've decided that we're going to book our trip in January 08 for somewhere around April 2008. First stop: LONDON!! Second stop: HOLLAND!! I'm absolutely stoked about going. The ONLY thing I'm super-dreading is the 12 hour flight, but hey....we'll be freakin TRAVELING! So, if you've been to London, Netherland or more specifically, Amsterdam, SHARE your experience! Email me and tell us where to go! tara at ringofvalor dot com, no spaces!
Well, I need to get going and I've babbled enough. I do want to say that I'm so so so so happy with life right now. I'm coming up on some huge changes, reaching some serious goals and loving life. If there's anything you would like to read about (or talk about) just email me! I love sharing my experiences with anyone who's interested in hearing about them. tara at ringofvalor dot com, no spaces! I'll leave you all with a recent picture of me. This is in the oh-so-flattering "GirlNate" pose (from MyMedifast boards) and boy does it show differences! Oh and be sure to scroll all the way down for my updated collage! The newest photos are taken with our rockin camera (not our cell phones!) so they look different to begin with, but the size difference is pretty damn huge! :)
Anyway, take care!
*hugs*
Tara
23 September 2007 @ 10:23 am
My, my how quickly time has passed by.
I can't believe it's already the end of September and summer is officially over, as of today. For work, this is great! Summer is always our busiest time of the year, but for play, I'm interested to see how the Fall is going to treat Ventura!
Not a whole lot has been happening over here. Husband and I have been pretty boring, other than going nuts with shopping. We recently got the coolest addition to our electronics array with a fantastic new camera. Until now, all of our pictures have been from one of our cell phones or from a barrowed camera. We finally took the plunge and picked up a super snazzy Canon SD1000 for $207. It's been an awesome thing to have around. For anyone debating a fairly-priced camera, I HIGHLY recommend it. I really could go on and on about it, but I'll leave it at: it ROCKS!! Here's what it looks like: Canon SD1000. It's a "sub compact" (tiny) camera that takes excellent pictures!
We also got a new monitor for our media machine (Dell 22" Widescreen) and I (finally) got some new clothes! All in all, things have been pretty cool lately.
On the weight-loss front, things are chugging along. I've been on Medifast for almost 5 months and I've lost (as of today) 73.5 pounds. I'm still in the Honeymoon stages of MF and have been enjoying the ease of the plan. I stick to my walking regimen of 3 days per week and have increased the speed quite a bit. Now only if I can make the resistance bands as much of a habit as my walking, I'll be doing great! ;) I recently tried a MF product I hadn't tried before, the Chili and I was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty darn good! I had to cook it a bit more than I do the other soups I have, but once it was no longer crunchy/chewy, it was great. I'm sure glad I saved some MF products to try later in the game, it's really keeping things interesting and tasty!
Since my life is pretty boring, on paper, right now, I'll close this entry with some pictures. I'm saving actual progress photos (with old clothes on) until I hit the 25% total body weight loss point. Just a few more pounds to go!! :) Until then, here's some dorky pics we've taken with the new camera! Enjoy!
Here's Kitty!
And SuperKitty and his sidekick, Catnip!
A great picture of Husband (which he hates!)
A great picture of Cher (Husband's Mamma)
And a picture of me at work.
Have a great day! :)
*hugs*
Tara
I can't believe it's already the end of September and summer is officially over, as of today. For work, this is great! Summer is always our busiest time of the year, but for play, I'm interested to see how the Fall is going to treat Ventura!
Not a whole lot has been happening over here. Husband and I have been pretty boring, other than going nuts with shopping. We recently got the coolest addition to our electronics array with a fantastic new camera. Until now, all of our pictures have been from one of our cell phones or from a barrowed camera. We finally took the plunge and picked up a super snazzy Canon SD1000 for $207. It's been an awesome thing to have around. For anyone debating a fairly-priced camera, I HIGHLY recommend it. I really could go on and on about it, but I'll leave it at: it ROCKS!! Here's what it looks like: Canon SD1000. It's a "sub compact" (tiny) camera that takes excellent pictures!
We also got a new monitor for our media machine (Dell 22" Widescreen) and I (finally) got some new clothes! All in all, things have been pretty cool lately.
On the weight-loss front, things are chugging along. I've been on Medifast for almost 5 months and I've lost (as of today) 73.5 pounds. I'm still in the Honeymoon stages of MF and have been enjoying the ease of the plan. I stick to my walking regimen of 3 days per week and have increased the speed quite a bit. Now only if I can make the resistance bands as much of a habit as my walking, I'll be doing great! ;) I recently tried a MF product I hadn't tried before, the Chili and I was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty darn good! I had to cook it a bit more than I do the other soups I have, but once it was no longer crunchy/chewy, it was great. I'm sure glad I saved some MF products to try later in the game, it's really keeping things interesting and tasty!
Since my life is pretty boring, on paper, right now, I'll close this entry with some pictures. I'm saving actual progress photos (with old clothes on) until I hit the 25% total body weight loss point. Just a few more pounds to go!! :) Until then, here's some dorky pics we've taken with the new camera! Enjoy!
Here's Kitty!
And SuperKitty and his sidekick, Catnip!
A great picture of Husband (which he hates!)
A great picture of Cher (Husband's Mamma)
And a picture of me at work.
Have a great day! :)
*hugs*
Tara
