So, this week may be the most challenging so far. . .. . it's my Birthday week. . . . I do celebrate a birthday month, but the week is even more special. So, I'm limited to Shake cake . . . . while yummy, not nearly the same as a Nothing Bunt Cakes cake or a Vons cake, or Albertson's, Costco, or even home made. . . . Yum!!! But, that is not for me this year. Instead, I get to celebrate 43.3 pounds lost!!! In just over 3 months (maybe close to 4 now). I haven't eaten out of the box once since starting on April 6th I can't have my birthday be the breakdown!!!

I'm 8.7 lbs away from no longer being in the 'obese' category, just the 'overweight category. That is exciting! It's been 6 years since I've been at a weight lower than 'obese' and even then, it was only for my wedding!

I just have to try on my old clothes that no longer fit to remind myself why a 'real' birthday cake is just not an option this year!!!

My treats to myself, instead of food, are 1) a nice 2 hr massage on Thursday night and 2) my motorcycle class this weekend!!! If I like & pass the motorcycle class then I get my scooter!!!!

I'm hoping to have someone take some pics this weekend with me on a bike. Maybe I'll post some 'before' and 'current' pics then. (Notice I didn't say 'after' cause I'm not 'after' yet. . . . still in the process of SHEDDING pounds!! Explanation on the use of shedding vs. losing to come in a future blog).

Ok, so I realize how TERRIBLE I've been at keeping my blog up to date. Guess I just didn't have a whole lot to say except 'more of the same'. So, we are on week 14 of HMR. We finished 'Phase 1' and are now on 'Phase 1 on-going', meaning, we are still medically supervised, still only eating HMR products and going to class each week. The one thing that has changed for me is I added vegetables at the beginning of June. The main reason for this was that my department at work decided to have an off-site in mid-June. Everything was fine until I heard it was going to be at a winery, grrrrrr. . . . have I mentioned that alcohol is not allowed in Phase 1 or Phase 1 ongoing? Needless to say I was quite successful that day, stayed well within my box and didn't make a fool out of myself by becoming inebriated. In fact, it was quite fun to be the sober one of the bunch.

Now, that you are caught up on that part, let me share the wonderful success that I have had on the program; 14 weeks in and I've shed 39 pounds, yes, I said 39 pounds!!! I am more than 1/2 way to my ultimate goal and more like 2/3 of the way to my intermediate goal! Gary has shed 67!!! By all accounts, I call both of us a HUGE success!!! We've been shopping in our closet a lot lately, giving many clothes to goodwill and having quite a few good laughs over the items that no longer fit.

You'll notice I said 'shed' vs 'lost'. I am a big believer that you get what you put out there, meaning, if I'm going to 'lose the weight' it implies I will 'find it' some day. I never want to see those 39 pounds again!!! Just as I have never been a big believer in saying I'm 'on a diet' because again, that implies that some day I will go off it. I have never seen the things I do to lose weight as a 'diet', have always seen it as a lifestyle change. And, as long as I have seen it that way I have been successful -- BUT all the other times I did manage to slip back into bad habits.

If someone were to ask me why I believe I have been successful on the program I would say there are many reasons. One is the structure of it, stay in the box and you'll do fine, the other is that it is taught by medical professionals and provide a TRUE education. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and the like are simply sales people or folks who have 'been there before' who talk you through it. In a medically supervised program it is registered dieticians, RNs & MDs that you are working with. The final item that has led to my success is the level of accountability of the program. It is UNBELIEVABLE. Could I cheat, sure I could, could I lie about it, sure I could, but the proof is when you step on the scale each week -- in addition they have this cool thing called 'momentum' to see if you got it or need to rebuild it. It is based upon the amount you have lost over the preceding 4 weeks. I'm glad to report I've been able to stay in "got momentum" area for the entire time.

Okay, enough of my rambling, this became longer than anticipated, but it is because it has been SO long since I've posted AND, I'm just so excited about the success that both Gary & I have had!

So, off to make one last shake for the evening!

Happy Shedding!!!
Mo

PS, just realized I haven't posted my stats since the first night, so, here are a few of my updated stats!

Height (unchanged): 4'10 3/4"
Age: 38.96 :-)
Weight: 159.5
BMI: 32.2 (only 13 pounds away from a BMI of 30, WOOHOO)
Size: 12 - 16 depending upon manufacturer.