Weigh in day postponed…

Hello everyone! No weigh in today because we had a snowstorm and I have been staying in the town that I work in—no scale. Which I’m not that disappointed about…

I’m glad to be starting a new week. I must make better choices this week. I haven’t raided the vending machine the past couple of days—so that’s good!

I tracked everything I ate today—for better or for worse. I went out for supper to Olive Garden with my parents tonight. I felt like I made good choices but I still ate more points than I needed to—but it’s all counted.

I have actually been dining out with my parents for the past couple of weeks. It beats being alone and since my parents are in town—it has been nice. The first week I was totally in control and lost a good amount of weight (almost 2 lbs.) that week, so it’s possible to eat out for suppers and lose weight. I try to make good choices and I think I’m good at it usually.

It’d be pretty nice if I get home and weigh in on Friday morning and see a loss…but we will see! I feel like every day I have done a little better than the last but still not perfect. I’m just upset that I let TOM get me off track when I was doing so well…and then it’s hard to get back into the routine.

A friend of mine asked if I wanted to “eat clean” for a period of time. I think I’m going to give it a try but be a little lenient with myself. I know it’s something I want to do for health eventually, so why not just give it a try? This won’t start until next Friday—so that will give me some time to stock up on the right foods and get rid of the things I won’t be eating much of.

Another thing—one of these days I will be back to working at home and I cannot wait. I kind of miss taking photos of my food and I know that helps me a lot! It’s hard to do that when I’m at the office all day. Not impossible, but harder.

So I guess that’s my little update. I’m not very inspiring. But there ya have it.

How is your week going?

How A Weight Loss Program Can Help You Reach and Maintain Your Weight Loss Goals

Many people make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, but given our busy schedules, this resolution may be hard to keep because we tend to lose the focus, commitment, and motivation needed to successfully achieve our weight loss goals.

Joining a weight loss program that combines one-on-one support from expert weight loss coaches, eating real food, and using natural health products seems to be one of the best ways to lose weight, but more importantly, it motivates you to keep on going. It seems like at the beginning of every new year, we are very focused and we make great strides towards achieving our weight loss goals, but as the year goes on, when we have reached that goal, we tend to lose focus on weight control. This is why it is so important to lose weight naturally, without any weight loss gimmicks. Make sure the program you are following is one you can make a way of life. If at this point in the year you are struggling, ask yourself if you need to modify your program so that you will be able to continue making healthy strides.

And we have another tip for you! A good way to determine your current health is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is an assessment used by most health experts and physicians. A BMI calculator is an easy tool you can use to see if you are underweight, healthy weight or overweight. It simply uses metrics such as your age, gender, weight, and height to estimate human body fat in proportion to mass.

So if you find yourself looking for that extra push towards your weight loss goals, I would recommend a comprehensive weight loss program because they have been very effective at helping us stay focused and develop the right habits needed to maintain a healthy weight. And if you are just starting out, don’t worry, calculate your BMI and join us on the journey. Have a nice day and a better year!

This post brought to you by Herbal Magic.

I think I can, I think I can, I think. I can....

I have lost a few battles with the vending machine lately. Ugh! It is so dangerous for me. I will be just fine eating my carrot sticks and then I will have a stressful day or, let's be honest, TOM, and I'm right there at that darn vending machine. The goal is to not touch it today.

After TOM came to derail me last week, I have had a tough time getting back on track like I was. I was doing SO well! I am afraid I will gain at tomorrow's weigh in but we will see. I want to make today a better day.

At the beginning of this year, I said that there was no looking back. I struggle to keep looking ahead, but I am not giving up! If you get anything from this blog- may it be that I never give up. I'm like the little engine that could. Lol.... Now do this thing, Alissa! The struggle is such a mental thing, isn't it?

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.... Keep on a chugging.

Spark my Pinterest with… An At Home Beauty Solution (and kind of a funny story…)

Here’s what Spark(ed) my Pinterest!’ this week. I’d love for you to follow me!

I pinned this one to my “Beauty Tips” board. This is a brand new board that I just started and I hope to find more ideas—like this homemade face wash made with castor oil and either olive oil or sunflower oil.

Source: simpleorganizedliving.com via AJourneyToThin on Pinterest

 

Ok…so there’s a story to this one. So I was getting discouraged with my post-TOM broken out face, so I decided to use the Clinique Acne Solution face wash and lotion. I think I used too much lotion…

I woke up this morning with a slightly swollen face covered in a BRIGHT RED RASH. And at 5:00 p.m., it’s better…but definitely still not gone!! I am itchy and my skin is sore. My face is BURNING up like I got a sunburn…that’s really what it looks like too!

Don’t get me wrong…I absolutely LOVE Clinique. I use their 3 step system, but the Acne Solution is just too harsh for my skin. I normally just use the Acne Solutions face wash intermittently with my normal 3 step products. It’ll make my skin slightly dry but takes care of the acne. Well…this time my acne was replaced with a bright red rash, not only on my face but on my ears and neck…so I won’t be doing that again!

But a friend of mine told me about this home beauty solution that she found on Pinterest. She said she has been using it for weeks and everyone is asking her what she is using on her skin because it looks fantastic. That makes me want to give this a try!

I don’t have castor oil in the house…nor have I ever bought it? But I will be picking some up the next time I’m at the store so I can try this out.

Now if this rash will just go away by the time I go back to work tomorrow!! Hubby is having fun nicknaming me “Red” for the day.

VitaPizza Review

How many times has pizza been a stumbling block along your weight loss journey?

For myself, more times than I can count!

That’s why the VitaPizza is such a diet-saver!

The VitaPizza is made by Vitalicious--the same company that makes the ever delicious AND diet friendly VitaTops.

The all-natural VitaPizza is a single-serving, frozen pizza with just 190 calories. It has a unique, thin and crispy crust and just the right amount of toppings to satisfy pizza cravings without the guilt. Vitalicious has slashed half of the calories and 70% of the fat.

I follow Weight Watchers, so with 3g of fat, 38g carbs, 19g fiber, and 15g of protein, I was happy eating a pizza with only 5 points plus! With most other pizzas, you’re lucky if you can find a SLICE of pizza for 5 points plus.

Vitalicious sent me VitaPizzas to try for my honest opinion.

There were two flavors: Meatless Pepperoni Supreme

and Cheese & Tomato.

The instructions are simple. You can cook the pizzas in the microwave, toaster oven, or conventional oven. I took the conventional oven route—but these would be easy to take to work and cook in the microwave.

The pizza is packaged with a special tray for cooking in the microwave.

Otherwise, you just pop it in the oven on the rack! Simple.

And you get this (Cheese & Tomato):

Hubby and I ate half of each pizza to try out the flavors. Here is the Meatless Pepperoni Supreme.

Neither hubby or I like peppers. So the Meatless Pepperoni Supreme didn’t really have very good chances with us! So it wasn’t our favorite. But we ate it—and it wasn’t too bad!

But the Cheese & Tomato—Oh my! This was SO good. I love the thin and crispy crust; the flavor and texture were very pleasing. I would definitely buy this flavor!

We were each able to eat one single serve pizza each, paired with a vegetable and it was the perfect lunch. We were full when we were done eating and completely satisfied. It sure didn’t feel like I was on a diet!

Pop on over to the VitaPizza website and check it out for yourself! Go here to find out where you can buy the VitaPizza locally.

Now you can eat pizza and still stay on track with your weight loss goals!

You’re welcome!

A bad day... A bad week....

I have not had a good week. The work week has been stressful and frustrating for me. I did very well with eating healthy and staying on track until yesterday when I just lost it. I ate a package of junk food from the vending machine and m&ms. After work, I had a good cry. And then I went out for pizza followed up by a cupcake. I will count every point... But I know that's not good behavior. And it never happens anymore...so I just really had a bad day.

My support system is gone for 4 months and I'm having a really hard dealing with it right now. My father in law was admitted to the hospital on Wed. night, so my Dad came with me up there. It sounds like he got there just in time and they are figuring things out... Hoping he can go home today, so that's good.

Last week I had a totally on track week me gained 1 lb. I figured out why the next day...which could be why I'm having such a tough time dealing with the added stress right now... If you know what I mean! I must have a better day today so I don't gain next week.

I'm sorry for the lack of posts this week, it has just been a long and busy week. I am ready to be working at home again but that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon. :(

I sure hope today goes better!

Have a good weekend!

A new workout buddy

My Dad is working in town, so I have gotten to hang out with him quite a bit! It has been nice. I headed over to his hotel after work and we worked out together. I did a run/walk on the treadmill. It felt good! I am hoping we can inspire each other to get the workouts in. It makes it more fun when you have a workout buddy.

He also agreed to start WW online. Today was his first day! Wish him luck! What advice would you give someone just starting on the journey to live healthier and lose weight? Please share!

#BestBodyBootcamp Update

So last week, I did end up working out 5 days. Yay! The only thing was, I didn’t feel like doing the Best Body Bootcamp workouts, so I actually only completed a few of those workouts. I was completely honest on my sheet and did not count all of my workouts towards the competition. But I’m ok with that! Right now, I’m just trying to move…and however I can convince myself to get regular exercise is going to be the exercise I do!

This morning, I completed a workout that would be considered “optional cardio” for the Bootcamp. I would like to complete all of the workouts, but as long as I get some form of exercise in 5 days per week, I’ll be happy with that.

On another note…it is COLD COLD COLD today! This is what I saw when I was about to leave for work this morning:

Yeh, that cold! It’s been worse…but it hasn’t been this bad in a long time!

I am STILL having to go into the office every day. I am happy to say that I haven’t raided the vending machine in a long, long time! Yay for that! I am also right on track for the week points wise. I’m doing good!

How is your journey going?

Spark my Pinterest with… a Dream!

Here’s what Spark(ed) my Pinterest!’ this week. I’d love for you to follow me!

I pinned this one to my “My Dream Beach House” board.

One of my dreams is to have a beach house. My absolute wildest dream is to be a successful writer and to live in a house overlooking the beach. I would have a room with windows all around facing the beach and that’s where I would write.

That’s a wild dream. I know. If I’m going to be a famous writer I should probably write a book or something.

This is probably more likely…

LOL. But who would want to vacuum with an office like that?!

For now, I’ll stick with one of my best practices…

Self Confidence and other things

Today I wanted to talk about self confidence—very briefly.

I have noticed that a friend of mine has incredibly low self esteem. I used to be the same way that she is and it absolutely breaks my heart.

There seems to be a pattern of negative talk. Putting herself down all the time. I hope that she is able to see how this is completely unhealthy for her. When she starts to say things like that, I stop her in her tracks and say—stop the negative talk, it’s all in what you perceive, not factual.

I see my prior self in her and it made me realize how far I’ve come. There were moments as a teenager where I would just cry. I would cry about everything. I bet my family remembers this. I would cry because I was absolutely miserable inside. I hated myself.

I have realized that since starting this journey in 2008, I have been my own “therapist” of sorts. I have seriously thought about all of the things that have made me the way that I am. I acknowledged the hurt I felt growing up. I realized that THEY WEREN’T RIGHT. And that epiphany is really what brought me to where I am today. If they weren’t right, then I am whatever I want to be. That’s empowering.

Some people find their self-confidence no matter what weight they’re at. For me, my real self was not a 288 lb. girl. I was in misery. It took finding my self worth and making a change.

I see where I’m at right now as just another step along that road. My next battle is one I have not quite figured out yet. I mull it over and I haven’t found the answer—but I will. These things take time. It took me four years to figure out that “they weren’t right”.

After working on a project with a co-worker for the past few months, I expressed some feelings of frustration with my co-worker. Her response was that I was a perfectionist.

That’s my biggest struggle. I am a perfectionist when it comes to anything “performance” based, if you will. Work, school, those kinds of things. And I think even my weight loss. I expect SO MUCH out of myself, that when I don’t meet those expectations, I am incredibly disappointed in myself.

Sometimes I find myself in fits of worry. Thinking about these things that I need to accomplish (perfectly) in my mind. Over and Over and Over again. I have to tell myself, “it’s ok Alissa, you’ll be just fine”. Positive self talk seems to help. But otherwise I am drowned out with “I don’t know if I can do this”, “I’m not good enough at this”, “So and so would probably do it better”. Over and Over.

I think this is another part of the self-confidence issue. Believing in myself. I have come so far and I am a different person because of it. But I still have farther to go. Before I can overcome it, I need to figure out WHY I am like this. That will take some time. For now, the key has been positive self talk. Reaffirming that I am ok. Hubby has learned to tell me that too, in those moments where I am stressing out. It really works.

Sorry this post is just rambling today. It’s just a free flow from my mind, so thanks for sticking with me!

Have you experienced these kinds of issues? How did you work through them?

Rewards

I am setting a new reward for myself. When I got back from vacation I actually weighed 228, but spent a few days losing before "officially" starting. I started this journey at 288 and I have always rewarded myself at every 10 lb. lost mark.

I have met my 218 and 208 goals in the past, but since I am moving forward, I decided, why not reward myself at the 218 mark again. Something small and something to look forward to and work towards. So when I reach 218, I get a pedicure! Yay! Normally, I would just get one anyways, so why not work for it?

Do you reward yourself? With what?

Weigh in day

This morning I weighed in at 222.5, which is a 2.8 lb. loss for the week!! You all know how much of a slow loser I am!! (ha that sounds funny) In two weeks, I have lost 4.7 lbs.

I was starting to get discouraged because last week my weight shot up and has remained pretty steady since then…until this morning. FINALLY! I’m glad the drop finally happened today on weigh in day!

I ate within my points and also earned 16 Activity Points. Speaking of, I did go home after work last night and get my workout in. I did an interval workout on the bike for 40 minutes. I was proud of myself and it did make me feel better. I also had some struggles with wanting to snack last night, but I made a good decision and stayed strong! I like it when it pays off.

This morning, I got up early and fit my workout in. I did another interval workout on the bike. Whew, I was sweating like crazy. It was a really good workout. 40 minutes.

I will work my way back into running. Running isn’t as appealing on the treadmill. I think I need to stop beating myself up for not running and focus on those exercises that I am enjoying. Maybe that’s why I am struggling with working out? Because I think the only acceptable form of exercise is running and I’m just not feeling it right now.

So yippee!! I am so excited about my loss this morning! I want to have am going to have another on track week and hopefully another loss! I am waiting for the week when it slows down…it’s inevitable…or is it?! Either way, I must stay strong and keep on going!

Emotions and Motivation

I should be working out this morning but I put it off. I MUST get it done tonight. Sometimes that helps me feel like I have a choice about it. But really, it has to be done whether I workout in the morning or at night. I just know it's a slippery slope to plan to workout in the evening after work when I'm tired.

I fit in 4 of 5 required workouts last week. I guess I could say that's an improvement because I hadn't exercised much the weeks before that...but I also didn't make my goal. I want to fit in the 5 workouts this week. I can do this!

I'm just sad this week due to things beyond my control. But this will continue for 4 months, so I need to get over it. In truth, I should have more time for my workouts now... So there should be no excuses.

I think part of my problem with emotional eating is because I don't acknowledge how I feel. Instead, I try to make myself feel better without really figuring out why I feel the way I do. Feeling sad is also not conducive to working out...looks like I need to talk myself through it, huh? Maybe then I will get my motivation back this week.

No worries though, I am still on track! Just feeling a little down and thought I better get it off my chest before it turns into a cookie...or three. You know what I mean. :) Have a good day!

Spark my Pinterest with… A Laugh

Here’s what Spark(ed) my Pinterest!’ this week. I’d love for you to follow me!

I pinned this one to my “Things that make me laugh” board.

I just can’t help but giggle every time I see this!

Update

Just stopping by to update you all on how I’m doing. Which is good. I’m on track, eating the right things, drinking lots of water, and working out.

I am on plan with my Bootcamp. I really didn’t feel like working out this evening (this is why I workout in the morning and not the evening!), so I biked for 40 minutes for the cardio interval. Whenever I don’t feel like working out, biking always seems appealing. So I’ll go with it. I biked 10 miles and was actually covered in sweat when I was done.

Ultimately, I would like to run during those interval workouts. I feel it’s a better cardio workout for me. Slowly but surely I will get there. I have three workouts (2 mandatory) left for the week. I can do this!! I will be up at 5 a.m. tomorrow to make sure I fit in my workout.

I have a confession to make. I ate food out of the vending machine two days this week. Both days, I was feeling exhausted and headachey (the new blood pressure meds aren’t working) and for some reason I always think that if I don’t feel well, food is somehow going to cure that. Oddly enough, I actually did feel better after eating the food, but that tells me that maybe I wasn’t eating enough or maybe not FILLING enough foods at lunch time.

So this morning, while packing my lunch, I decided I had better switch things up. If what I was packing wasn’t keeping me out of the vending machine, then I had better pack something different that would. The answer was almonds. I snacked on almonds and stayed out of the vending machine today! Yay!

Weigh in day and #BestBodyBootcamp

This morning I weighed in at 225.3, which is a 1.9 lb. loss for the week! I am happy with that!

Eating wise, I will keep doing the same thing this next week. Tracking everything I eat and staying mindful.

The Best Body Bootcamp started on Monday, which I posted about having to take a rest day on the first day because I ran out of time. Yesterday was another busy day for me and I failed to wake up early. For a variety of reasons, I thought sleeping would be in my best interest yesterday—and it was because I was exhausted all day anyways. BUT, I did manage to come home after working both jobs and at least get my cardio of choice workout out of the way by biking for 20 minutes. Better than nothing!

So today I was up early for my first “official” Best Body Bootcamp workout. It felt awesome! It was about 30 minutes of strength training and then a 5 minute cardio section. I chose to run for the cardio section. I ran .44 miles in 5 minutes and I hope to increase that distance as I move along.

Have a good day!

Would you believe it?

Today is the first day of Best Body Bootcamp and I have run out of time for my workout!

I had the day off today to get the house cleaned and supper prepared for a dinner for 6 guests tonight. I literally spent the ENTIRE day cleaning and getting ready. Maybe I should keep my house sparkling clean 24/7 so this isn’t such an issue…lol.

But I feel good about the house—everything is in order and looking good. That’s a great feeling! I did a deep cleaning. Lots of moving around, so even if I didn’t do my official workout, I’m sure I was still burning some calories.

Kind of sad that I have to use the first day of the program as my weekly “rest day”. ha.

I also have a healthy dinner ready. I made a beef stew for supper, which I doubled the veggies in. My friend is bringing cornbread as a side and I also made a lettuce salad.

For dessert, we are having Pumpkin Spice cupcakes made with a can of pumpkin and cake mix. They are topped with Cool Whip frosting (Love this!).

I have all of the points figured! 4 points for the stew, 3 points for the corn bread, probably 1 point for the salad (with dressing), and 6 points for the cupcake.

I put all of the points in my tracker this morning, and even after counting breakfast, lunch, and supper I still have 8 points left! Whoohoo!

This is just one of those days you have to “roll with the punches”. I think I’m rolling pretty well!

First workout will be tomorrow morning!

Now I best get myself showered and presentable before the guests arrive!

Fitness Test (Pre Bootcamp) #BestBodyBootcamp

My second round of Best Body Bootcamp begins tomorrow! I’m excited to get back into exercising again…errr… aren’t I? YES!

This round, Tina suggested we take a fitness test before Bootcamp begins, we will take another one half way through and another at the end.

Here are the results of my pre-Bootcamp fitness test. They’re kind of pitiful after not exercising…basically since the last round ended!

Low body wall squat (hold as long as possible)- 1:02

Push ups- on toes (as many in 1 minute): 19- keep in mind I can’t do FULL push ups, but doing halves is more of a challenge than doing them on my knees, so I went with that.

Plank hold- on toes (hold as long as possible): 22 seconds

Burpees (as many in 1 minute): 16

Cardiovascular fitness test- at a pace faster than normal- my comfortable pace is 5 mph. (6 mph run as long as possible): 2:30 (.25 mile)

Thoughts on current results:

I sort of felt like my head wasn’t in the game tonight. I think that will improve as I start to work out and develop my determination and confidence again. I need to have more determination to make myself keep going. I think I really could have run longer than 2:30. I was tired, for sure, but I think I could have pushed myself further.

I hope to see improvements in all areas! Most especially, I’d love to be able to run an entire mile at 6 mph!

Wish me luck tomorrow, as I begin my 2nd round of the 8 week Bootcamp!

Spark my Pinterest!

I thought it would be fun to share something from Pinterest once a week. Something that I like, something that inspires me, or something notable. So here’s my first post of something that  ‘Spark(ed) my Pinterest!’ I’d love for you to follow me!

I pinned this one to my “Things that speak to me” board.

Kind of fitting for where I am in my journey. I have decided to “stop giving up”!

What Sparked your Pinterest this week?

Weekends

Whoohoo! We made it to the weekend! It was a short work week but I’m sure glad it’s almost over.

Today I wanted to talk about weekends. For me, it often seems that I can have a really good week and then when the weekend rolls around I let loose a bit. That hasn’t always meant eating WAY too much (although it has lately) but sometimes it has meant just using up my weekly points when, maybe, I really didn’t need to or really want to.

This weekend I want to focus on staying on track. Can I have a cupcake? Yes—If I want one. Not because everyone else is having one. Not because I think I’ll never get a chance to eat another one (seriously—you can have a cupcake whenever you want, girl lol). It has to be because I feel that the indulgence will be worth it and then I will savor one cupcake.

It also does not mean that every single temptation that I come across should be indulged in. This has been my problem lately last year. Seriously, there are more cookies in the world. Someday, I can have another one—maybe just not today.

So that’s my goal for this weekend. Stay mindful. Indulge when I’m absolutely sure it’ll be worth it. But most importantly, TRACK EVERYTHING. And stay within my points. I don’t want to ruin all of the hard work and progress I’ve made this week!!

What’s your game plan for weekends?

Packing a Lunch… and extras!

Yesterday was a good day on track for me! I turned down cookies at work about a bajillion times. People don’t seem to understand it when someone turns down a cookie. Neither do I. lol…but it must be done!

I am STILL going into the office to work because they haven’t resolved my computer issues yet. I have been very good about packing healthy foods and snacks to take with me since having to go in.

Here’s what I packed today:

A Greek yogurt for a morning snack. A salad with turkey, an egg and tomatoes for lunch (with lite dressing in a container). I usually eat my carrots at lunch and clementines for my “dessert”.

I always pack extra snacks to eat if needed. One of my coworker’s saw all that I had in my lunch bag and she was like, “what all do you bring with you!?”, which was a little mortifying to me…but I just told her, “It’s better to be prepared than get hungry and buy something out of the vending machine.” Besides, I don’t think this is THAT much food…is it?! lol Maybe it’s just the fat girl in me talking. But it’s all healthy and will do my body good.

I’ve started buying Fiber bars for the “emergency” situation. You girls know what I mean. Those moments when you just need something sweet and nothing is going to stop you. Well, these are my solution, and they work. They’re processed and probably not “healthy” but they keep me from buying M&M’s, or the like, out of the vending machine.

Am I the only one who thinks like this? Sometimes I feel like such a weirdo. Oh, the struggles with weight and food!

How is your year going so far?

The Weigh in

Today is my official weigh in day. I weighed in at 227.2. In January 2012, I weighed 213.4, which is a gain of 13.8 lbs. in 2012. Unfortunately, I had already gained some weight at that point. My lowest official weigh in was December 2011 at 201.3 lbs. I am 25.9 lbs. above my lowest weight. I have kept off 61 of 86.7 lbs. lost.

This will be the last time I mention where I was before—until I get there again! I am starting new, like I haven’t lost anything yet.

Right now, I am focusing on eating right and staying within my points. Boot camp starts next week, and I will be more dedicated to exercise with the start of that eight week program.

I am continuing to follow WW because it seems like a program I can stick with. My problem has been sticking with it. I have been lacking the mental piece of the puzzle and I want to do better about that again.

I’m still thinking about what I want to accomplish this year. Do I want to run a 10K? Do I want to just focus on getting the weight off without putting too much pressure on myself with “training”? What is it that I want to accomplish this year? What specific goals do I want to set? Still thinking about it.

I know there are quite a few of us beginning again, or starting new, with this new year. Good luck to all of you, whether you’re just beginning or continuing on! I applaud all of you who had a good year and those of you who maintained. Keep it up!

May 2013 be our year!

Happy New Year! 2012 in Review

I have a lot to be thankful for over the past year, but I can’t help but be glad that 2012 is over.

I graduated from college in December of 2011 with a B.A. in English. For some reason, this seems like part of 2012 to me. It was a milestone in my life that has lead to big changes in 2012, I think that’s why it feels like it was part of 2012.

Hubby and I headed out to my hometown to spend Christmas with my brother, and that’s when we got some terrible news. 2012 began with a rocky start with my father in law being near death in the hospital. It was a stressful time for the whole family.

After his recovery was determined, hubby and I headed out for a cruise to Key West, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. It was a wonderful trip and fun to see a different part of the world.

I also made the move to AJourneyToThin.com in the month of January.

February was pretty mundane, but I did try out my first group exercise class. I haven’t done something like this again since—I wish I lived closer to a bigger town!

In retrospect, switching from counting WW points to counting calories was a big mistake. But I started that in February! Hello 20 lbs. heavier in 2013…

In March, I started training for a 10K. I made it up to running 4 miles, but for some reason, the plan fell to the wayside. I think I got sick, etc. etc. I hope to pick this up sometime this year again.

Looking back on my posts from April, I can see this is the month I began to really start struggling. I started my new job as a part time reporter at the end of April.

In May, I admitted that I had started to gain weight.

I was able to attend a ceremony in which my grandpa was honored as a Marine vet. Precious memories.

As the weather started to get nicer, hubby and I went on a 20 mile bike ride. Unfortunately, this was one of the few bike rides we took due to being overly busy and the sweltering heat!

In June, hubby and I met my brother for a little spelunking. A new experience and fun!

Hubby and I also started taking swimming lessons at the YMCA. Hubby has become a lot more comfortable in the water and I learned all 5 swim strokes.

I took one aqua aerobics class and never found time for another one. I enjoyed it though!

My Mom came to spend a week with us. We had a lot of fun!

Hubby and I spent the day with friends on my friend’s boat cruising the river.

We ran our annual 4th of July 5K. It was a HOT one!

Feeling out of control with the calorie counting, I switched to the OLD WW points system. It was around this time I also met with a dietician, but did not find any help.

Hubby and I took a mini vacation where we saw the Field of Dreams and visited the quaint town of Galena, IL.

Hubby and I went to see Dierks Bentley in concert.

In August, I continued to spiral out of control and actually cried in front of my doctor. At this point, I was feeling overwhelmed with working two jobs and not finding my balance.

We also took the in-law’s on a river cruise down the Mississippi.

At the end of August, my grandpa passed away. <3

This was a hard loss for the whole family. He was a wonderful man!

In September, I celebrated my 27th birthday. We also got to visit my sister and family for my niece's birthday.

In October, hubby and I joined my cousin and his family for the Color Run in Des Moines. Fun!

I also decided to swallow my pride and rejoin WW. Sadly, that hasn’t been the end to my weight gain.

Hubby and I celebrated out 6th wedding anniversary. Hubby surprised me with a weekend trip to Des Moines. I also started the Best Body Bootcamp—something I will be continuing this year!

In November, hubby and I took his Mom to visit family in Florida. We visited Daytona Beach and had a great time!

This was our biggest ever Thankful Healthy Blogger 5k! Hubby and I ran an official 5k in Florida.

After the trip, I officially started a new technical writing position—which I LOVE! I am continuing as a part time reporter in addition to being a full time technical writer.

In December, we had a blizzard.

Hubby and I joined my parents for a trip to South Carolina to visit my brother and family! We visited Charleston while we were there.

And got to see my adorable little nephews who are growing up so fast!

And my brother:

And sister in law…for some reason I never got the whole family together!

We got to visit Folly Beach one day. I love the ocean!

On our way home, we stayed in Nashville for a day. We could definitely visit again—so much to see and do! We did some shopping at Opry Mills and also visited Carnton Plantation.

And in the evening, we went to the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium. What a great experience!

We also walked around downtown Nashville a bit. Interesting!

After reviewing the year, I had a good year in most aspects—except my weight. I started two new job positions, traveled a lot, we had a lot of privileges and a lot of blessings. I don’t talk about everything on my blog, but I have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Next year, I want to be happy about my weight and health too. This morning when I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t help but notice how unhealthy and terrible I looked. The weight gain shows—not only as fat on my body, but in the shadow I see in my eyes. I’m not happy with myself. This morning, I had big dark circles under my eyes, and I just don’t feel good about myself right now.

But I’m happy for a new beginning in 2013!! Today is the fist day being 100% on plan. I will count my official starting weight tomorrow—I’m going back to Wednesday weigh in’s. I have lost a little weight since returning home from vacation. The vacation damage wasn’t as bad as I had thought it would be…but it’s still not where I want to be!

Onward and forward. 2013 will be a great year!

I’ll share more details on what I hope to accomplish in 2013 in future posts.

How was your 2012?