163(-51.5lbs)

After a bit of a self-induced plateau that I call vacation, I got right back on the band wagon and am losing again.

The one challenge I have had in the last few weeks has been the introduction of a man into my busy life. Not just any man, but a wonderful man who is very loving and treats me with respect and genuine kindness. He also happens to be in the food industry, which worried me at first. Luckily, Pablo is also in a stage of his life where he is trying to get control of his physical health. He has also lost over 30 pounds and is still losing more. We are hoping to train for a triathlon together next year.

If this is not news enough, I was also selected for the Houston Half-Marathon and will be running 13.1 miles on January 30th, 2011. I am very excited and have really been enjoying my training. Sometimes I am running with friend and "solving the World's problems", and sometimes it is nice to run by myself and just think about all the wonderful blessings God has given me throughout my life, but especially this year.

I have shared my struggles with Pablo and he is very supportive and encouraging as each and everyone of you have been. I thank you for this from the bottom of my heart!

I am thinking that I will get to 150lbs and see how I feel. My original goal was 140 pounds, but I feel like I would lose all my curves and I like my curves! I am fitting into size 8 to 10 and would like to get to a 6 to 8 constant sizing, but I am already very happy with my weight and the changes I have made in my life. The running has helped me to release stress and Pablo has helped me to let go of some of my fears and anxiety regarding getting into another relationship. He is meeting Mom tonight, and I am sure she will love him just like I do.

I have added some pictures from my trip to Napa with my Mom. It was a wonderful time and I did not really gain anything other than water-weight.

Well, the way I have been writing, by the next time I update, I may actually be at my goal weight!

167lbs(-47.5lbs)

My apologies(again) for waiting so long between posts. I just have not been in a "writing place".

As you can see, I have lost a bit more since my last post, and am feeling very happy with my body most days. I spent a recent vacation in Cali and was worried about gaining weight back, but when I got home and got on the scales, I had actually LOST 6 pounds. This was mainly due to the massive amount of hiking we did, but it gives me a new perspective on the choices I make. I will try to include some sort of physical activity as a part of every vacation I take in the future. Then you truly do not feel like you are being so bad when you splurge on a good meal or some "extra" wine.

We did one hike that was over 7 miles and took us over 8 hours to complete, but as tired as my legs were at the end, it was so worth it to see some of the amazing parts of nature that God created. I have attached a pic of the waterfall that we hiked to the top of in Yosemite Park. Beautiful!

I have been buying a lot of my clothes at Baubles and Beads, near my house. They are a consignment shop that specializes in designer/high end brands. I have found some amazing steals, and the prices are great, since I am going through pants so quickly.

I bought some size 8 jeans, which feels so amazing. I remember before starting this journey, I got rid of some size 6 and 8 clothes because i was sure I would NEVER fit in them again in my life. HA! My friend Sarah even gave me some of her size 6 clothes and they are sooooo close to fitting. Size 6 is my goal size. I do not really want to be any smaller than that. I am hoping that this ends up jiving with my goal weight of 150 pounds, but I will evaluate my body when I get there.

I also started training for a half-marathon three weeks ago. I have always HATED running and thought it was just not for me, but now that I have slowed to a reasonable pace and started training correctly, I am truly enjoying it. It helps that I do my long runs with a group, because it is almost impossible to run more than a mile in this heat, by myself. I need others for motivation!

I do not want to go on forever, but I want to finish by mentioning my recent blessing of being named Godmother to the precious Olivia Gracyn Hatler. Her mother, Jennie, and I have been best friends since sixth grade, and being asked to play such and important part in her daughter's life means the world to me. I am a lucky girl!

PS-Nothing new on the dating front, but I am working on it :)

183(-31.5lbs)

I finally hit my 30 pound weight loss milestone this week, thanks in no part to myself. I have had a really difficult couple weeks emotionally. Usually, this is when I turn to food for comfort, but I have found that I just do not get the same cravings. I did have some pizza last weekend, and it was wonderful. I got chicken and veggie pizza from this wonderful place out in Katy when I was dog-sitting at my Mom's, called Mazzei's. It was actually not salty at all and I asked them to use as little cheese as possible, so I did not feel as guilty, or as yucky, after eating it twice on Sunday. I have, however, been drinking entirely too much wine. I try to limit my intake to one glass every other day, and on days that I have training at the gym, it is pretty easy, but with my depressed mood the last 2 weeks, I have having 2-3 glasses every night. I know this is completely dumb because alcohol is a depressant, and it just leaves me feeling worse off the next day, so no wine tonight! I am going to go running outside and enjoy this nice weather while it lasts. I am also running/walking a 5k this Saturday, so I want to gauge how far I can run in one clip. My goal is to run at least the first mile.

I am back to my regular diet and though I am very bored with it, I am continuing to try new things.

Yesterday I baked some chicken that I had marinated with just about every dried herb I own. I topped it with some baby bella mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, and a little bit of crumbled up Melba toast, which is one of my allowed starch products. I was a bit disappointed because it really seemed to lack flavor, so I will probably put some of my honey Dijon dressing on it next time I eat it. I was more successful with some ground veal that I got last week. You have to be careful with ground meats, because the variance in fat from one cut of meat to the next is crazy. Many people buy ground turkey and think that it is better for them, but unless you are getting ground turkey BREAST, you are wrong.

Here are the nutritional values for Jennie O turkey(4 oz portions):
Ground turkey BREAST:120 calories, 1.5g fat, 26g protein
Ground turkey:220 calories, 17g fat, 20g protein
93% Lean Ground BEEF: 170 calories, 8g fat, 23g protein

So basically, ground turkey meat(which includes dark meat) is worse for you than some ground BEEF! The same goes for ground chicken, so watch your labels when you shop.

Anyway, back to the veal; I am pretty sure that it was not super high in fat, but there was not any nutritional info and it did not specify if it was lean or "extra lean". I would not purchase this product again, but this time, I decided to make a meatloaf. I put in mushrooms, onions, a package of the QWLC mushroom soup dry mix for seasoning, a little water and some Melba toast. It was really good! It tasted like it had a little more fat in it than the ground turkey breast I usually cook with, but it was very flavorful. I do not even like meatloaf, but the texture was dense and the mushroom soup added a lot of flavor without adding too much salt. I will be making this again, but I really want to find ground veal that has more info on the package. The research I did online puts the nutritional facts close to the 93%lean ground beef.

I also read on a Weight Watchers email that cooking with salt causes meats to loose their natural juices and dries them out. Yet another reason to not cook with salt. On my plan, I am only allowed 1/2 tsp of Morton's light salt each day and I am not allowed to cook with it. I use it to sprinkle on my veggies and main dish, and it is more than enough to season my food for the entire day.

I am finally fitting into my pink and black goal dress that I posted a picture of at the start of this journey, and will be wearing it to a friend's wedding this weekend. I feel soooooo good in it and do not even have to wear any Spanx or anything! Amazing! I also ordered the red dressed pictured. It has not shipped yet, but I am very excited to try something strapless. My breast have been too big to really wear anything strapless, but they are not anymore and I have enjoyed being comfortable in a strapless bra again. Oh the things I will be able to buy now!!!

Well, off to get changed so I can go running - hoping I do not pass out!

187.5(-27 lbs)

I have been busy again and have not posted in a while - sorry!

I have still been on a constant "cheating" run. I have been eating out almost EVERYDAY. While I try to make healthy choices, and NEVER eat fast food, it is still prohibiting faster weight loss. I am tending towards my favorite Asian fare(Sushi, Vietnamese) and have even splurged on a couple of my favorite sandwiches at Spec's deli. I will admit that the Asian food has been delightful, but the sandwiches were a let down. They did not offer enough flavor in relation to the calories. For me, if I am going to go off "plan" then it better be GREAT. I had some amazing food at my Mom's wine party that was completely worth the lack of weight loss, but most of the food I have eaten, especially the Mexican food, has not thrilled me in the least.

I did have a margarita(two actually) at Taylor's b-day brunch, but considering I was only able to fit in one complete meal for 4 days straight, I rationalized that I need the calories. HA! I did lose weight, but only because I was lacking in my calorie intake. Not healthy, but also not intentional.

I was very hungry, moody and tired the last two weeks(that time), but now I am back to normal and I can tell that I am not as hungry and am also not making excuses for why I can go off "plan". I went grocery shopping yesterday and bought Brocciflower. It is a cross of broccoli and cauliflower and basically looks like green cauliflower. I will be streaming it tonight and will report back next time.

The Avon Walk went well and I completed 39.3 miles and raised all the money(thanks to you all). I am now training for a 5k. Sarah and I have registered for the Relay for Life 5k on May 1st. It is a run/walk and we are not going to be competing for time, but I am going to try to run as much of it as possible and really push myself.

Now that I have been in the gym regularly and doing weight training, i feel like i enjoy running more and i am more balanced, even when walking in heels(maybe I won't fall as often- HAHA!). I am also beginning to like my arms again and I can really see a difference in my face, neck and collarbone area.

I am definitely starting to come to the realization that I am smaller, but I still feel big most days. Sarah gave me some pajama pants to wear while we were lying around her house last week and I looked at them and said "those are way to small. they will never fit me." I truly believed it, but Sarah insisted they would and sure enough, I put them on and realized, "wow, I have lost weight." Sounds strange, I know........

I am fitting into a few size 12 pants, but my 14's are all too big. I would love to be in an 8 eventually. I think I will be set if I can lose another 30 pounds,for a total of 57-60 pounds. My original goal was 70 pounds, but I still think that I am going to be happier with my body shape at around 150 pounds. I have ALWAYS weighed more than I look like I weigh. I know this and have had MANY others tell me this. According to my trainers, I have an unusually high natural muscle mass, so when I work out, it will cause me to be a little heavier on the scale, but the metabolistic benefits, as well as my overall health will more than make up for the extra numbers on the scale.

I have committed to cutting out wine again for this week and only having a glass on special occasions. I know this will help me to get to my goal, and I am confident I will be able to maintain once I get there.

Thank you again for all your encouraging words and prayer! Love you all!

Makenzi

192.5(-22lbs.)

I am keeping this short because my busy life seems to be getting the better of me these days, but I am in a rut again. I got down to 190, but have had parties, eaten out and had too much wine, all causing me to fluctuate with the same 3 pounds. I will be down one day and up the next. I am getting it all out tomorrow for my friend Jennie's b-day. We are going to my FAVORITE restaurant, Thai Gourmet, so I will be eating my typical fattening Thai fare, but I am going to the gym EVERYDAY this week to make up for it.

I have been in back in the gym for a month now and most days it gets easier. I can really see a change in legs and upper abs. They are so much stronger and more firm. Arms, back and lower abs are lagging behind, but my trainer is switching it up and pushing me constantly. I am actually really enjoining the energy and "good feeling" i get from each progressive workout. I have added some pics from Julie and J Baughman's wedding on March 20th. I really FELT skinny, and although I am a bit disappointed by how I look in the pictures, I know I have come a longggg way.

My Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is next Saturday and Sunday, so keep me in your prayers and click HERE to donate to my fundraising efforts.

All my love-
Makenzi

193.5(-21lbs)

Well, I have a had a challenging 2 weeks. Most of it due to my own lack of self-control.

Work has been filled with winemakers and winery owners, which is great, except for all the after work Happy Hours and paid lunches! I proved one thing to myself in the last 2 weeks: I am not good at saying "NO" when food and wine are put in front of me. I actually had one day when I was PMSing, and in a bad mood, and I wanted a glass of wine to relax. Well, that glass ended up being a full bottle, and by the end of the week I had gained 4lbs. Basically, I have been in a fight with my own self control and self-confidence these last 2 weeks. I used my fun filled calendar as an excuse and even when I was the only one making the food choices, I still "cheated" at almost every meal. I will admit, I was looking in the mirror and thinking, "Hey Makenzi, you are looking pretty good. You have lost 20 pounds!" This is true, but I seemed to forget I still have 50 pounds to lose. This week I have made a point of saying it out loud. When someone compliments me on my weight loss, I say, "Thank you. I only have 50 more to go."

Well, my Mom has kept up with her weight loss and is getting very close to her goal, so that motivated me to let go of this selfish, "I can do what I want to" attitude.

I knew I did not have an after work events this week, so I am taking advantage of it. I got back in the gym last week, and my trainer is clearly learning how to work me. He "urged" me to go ahead and book some sessions for the future week. I would rather get my butt to the gym then have to call him and cancel an appointment. I trained last Wednesday and by Friday, I could not walk up the stairs because I was so sore, but I got back to the gym on Saturday and did a training walk for the Avon Walk on Sunday. I am back at it this week with 2 gym sessions and a training walk! He even got me to run and that is a miracle(and it truly was not so bad.)I am not cheating on my food, and one of the QWLC counselors told me that if I have a glass of wine(ONE GLASS, not one bottle)I need to cut out a fruit and a starch, which has been helpful.

I am going to be wearing one of my size 12 "goal dresses" this weekend for my friend Julie's wedding, so I will get some pics to post. Above are a few recent ones.

Thanks to everyone who is still reading and especially to those of you who keep reminding me that I need to blog. I think it is like weight-ins: when you know you are up in pounds, you avoid going to weigh in. When I have bad weeks, I don't write. That darned being honest with myself thing! This is one of my motivations to get into the gym. I will feel better and I can have my glass of wine, too(just no cake, yet)!

Love-Mak

194(-20.5lbs)

I am so sorry to have gone so long without writing anything. Work has been very time consuming the last few weeks!

I finally hit my 20 pound weight loss milestone last week! Quick weight loss had me do a seven day metabolism break, where you eat a higher amount of protein with a lot of salad greens and a half of a grapefruit every meal. I was NOT excited about the grapefruit at all, but I ended up putting it on my salad as a topping and it added a nice refreshing zing that made eating the same fruit at every meal a bit less monotonous. I was not sure that the metabolism break would actually do what the QWLC intended, which is to give your metabolism a jump-start of sorts, but it did seem to work. They tell you that you should not expect to lose any weight in the "break" week, but I lost about a pound, and even went off the plan twice. I admit that I had some lasagna the Saturday that I was supposed to be eating only salad and protein, but I only had three bites. It was good, but I was content with just a little. I also had some bites of the pasta dishes that my companions had ordered. I felt content after my meal and not guilty. It was a nice change from my usual experience at an Italian restaurant. I lost 3 pounds as soon as I got back into my regular diet the following Monday.

One of the more surprising things I have found is that I can actually feel it when I eat things that are high in fat. I had a work function at a great little French restaurant and we nibbled at a little of everything, but I think the Foie Gras must have thrown my digestive track into a tailspin. I awoke at about 2am with horrible cramping and nausea. No more Foie Gras for me......

I made a great stir fry last night with red and green peppers(I usually HATE green bell pepper, but truly believe my taste buds are changing) and seared some Ahi Tuna and placed it on top. Yes, presentation is key to making my feel like I am spoiling myself. I usually use at least 2 plates/bowels, so it seems that I have more food. I even go as far as to NOT use my green plates if the food I am eating is all green, like a salad or broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, etc. It sounds strange, but it works. Make your food more attractive to your eyes and I promise, it will taste better too.

My friend Jennie had a great idea to make tuna tartare with the sushi grade Ahi Tuna that I get from Costco. I am going to use lime juice and incorporate wasabi into the recipe somehow. It will be perfect for the hot weather we will be getting any day now.

I have attached a picture that somewhat shows my weight loss. I will try to take more this weekend. I am to the point that most of my clothes are too big, but my Mom has handed down some of her clothes she has grown out of, so I am making it through. All I can say is, I am glad that I work with mainly men, because they do not seem to notice when you wear the same outfits all the time. Oh, and they tell you that you are getting too skinny, even when you are planning on losing at least 30 more pounds!

I know this blog is a bit all over the place - but this is what comes out when I am not in a "writing mood". I do not know how professional writers do it all the time. It would take me YEARS to write a book and the frustration in trying to find words when your brain is not cooperating with you....well it sucks!

One final note, my MOM said that I have not talked about my AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER that is coming up in April. I know most of you know about it because I have sent out emails constantly, but I am going to ask you to donate any amount you can as often as you can. This is a great cause, but if I do not raise a minimum of $1,800, I will not be able to participate in the walk. I am just over $300 now, so thank you to those of you who donated. I know times are tight, but give ANYTHING you can by clicking HERE.

Thanks!!!! Hugs and kisses!

199.5(-15lbs)

I apologize for the long delay in getting something written. That is what New Orleans will do to a girl!

I truly had an amazing time in New Orleans. I have not laughed so much in years!

As far as my diet goes, well, that was not so fun. We started out the trip with lunch at Mother's and Jennie and I split their famous sandwich, with the famous Baked ham, roast beef and clear gravy. I did not feel too bad about the small sandwich and it did fill me up, since I ate a protein bar when I got off the plane.
We proceeded to Cafe Du Monde for beignets, and even though I am not a big doughnut/beignet person, OH LORD IN HEAVEN, these were sooooooo good. I had one and a half with a black coffee. Maybe it is due to the fact that I have not had a lot of sugar or bread, but the sweet dough just melted in my mouth. They were soooo much better than I remember them being last time. Everyone else seemed to enjoy them, too.

For dinner the first night, we went to a place our Concierge suggested, called Mulate's. It is very touristy, HORRIBLE SERVICE, and pretty lackluster atmosphere, but Sarah and I had grilled alligator with grilled veggies and we both loved it. Everyone agreed that the food was great at Mulate's, but I do not think I would go back for dinner. This would be a great lunch spot, especially for families.

The drinking started just after Cafe Du Monde on the first day. We went to Pat O'Briens and I was absolutely fine. No crying or bad memories, just a REALLY stiff Mint Julep(the guys could not even drink it!). For the remainder of the trip, I pretty much stuck to Vodka and Soda as my beverage of choice. It was a very difficult, time consuming job, but Sarah and I finally decided that Blueberry or Blackberry are the best flavors with the soda and lime. We found a nice neighborhood bar around the corner from our hotel, which caused us to stay out way to late every night, but it was fabulous!! We also found a great little restaurant called Green Goddess. They had unique food and innovative cocktails, and Sarah and I just HAD to partake of a 1912 Madiera(dessert wine) that paired splendidly with a Gouda that had been aged for 5 years.

I did have my Muffuletta from Central Grocery, and if it is possible, I think it was better than I remembered! We had it with the Zapp's Voodoo chips(only a few) and this great hot sauce that Sarah and Jay found, called Katrina Storm Sauce. It was a little spicy, a little sweet, and oh soooooo good added to the sandwich. We all ended up bringing some of the hot sauce back. I am pretty sure that everyone else was also enamoured with the Muffuletta, and we all agreed that the key to making this muffaletta different is the dense bread that really helps to soak and retain all the flavors. I did as I promised and only had 1/4 of the heavenly goodness. There are many more great stories from the weekend in NOLA, but all I have to say is "WHO DAT!!"

When I returned from the trip, I knew I was in trouble. I had pretty much thrown my diet out the window. I did watch my portions and tried to take my quick boosts and carb blockers/metabolizers when I was supposed to. We also walked everywhere, so I thought maybe it would not be too bad, and it was not, until WEDNESDAY. I guess I was still dehydrated on Tuesday, because my scale said I actually lost weight, and so did the Quick Weight Loss Center scales. But when I woke up Wed, I could FEEL the extra weight. I was back up to the 202 lbs I had weighed prior to leaving on the trip.

I got back on track IMMEDIATELY after getting home. I thought a couple times about going to get some Thai food Monday night after the flight, but I went home and cooked my chicken and fresh steamed veggies, and I was surprised to be quite satisfied with the flavor of the fresh food. The added benefit was that I did not feel guilty about being off the diet. I left it in NOLA and got right back on track...well pretty much. I did have a little wine last week, and I kept fighting the same 2 pounds. I would go down to 200, then back up to 202, down to 201. Then my Mom got involved!

See, Mom is always right! She had told me when I started the program that I would get to a place where I would stagnate. She said that I would have to GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION to move past that certain weight. For me, it was clearly 200 pounds. I have been so close for 2 weeks and the counselors at QWLC keep starting with the 100 pound weight, in the hopes that I have gotten below 200 pounds. WELLLLLL......TODAY, February 8, 2010, was the official day. I am below 200 pounds, because I listened to my Mom and stopped sabotaging myself, testing myself, and gave myself permission to lose the weight.

I am still adjusting to my self-image. When I look at pictures from NOLA, I feel like I am still smaller than I look in the pictures, but I do feel more confident. I usually felt pretty about twice a week, now, I can say I feel pretty just about everyday. I bought a red dress, size 12, online and just got it in the mail. I absolutely LOVE it and am sooooooo close to being able to wear it. It "fits" but is not flattering yet. I still need to lose the belly and bit in the hips. My goal is to loose another 7-10 pounds by February 20th, for my friend Julie's bachelorette party. I know this may be a little lofty, but I cannot do it if I do not put it out there. I plan to get back in the gym and focus on my abs and arms, which have always been my 2 favorite parts of my body(oh and collarbone - if I can ever get that back).

Above are some pictures from our trip to NOLA. I will post more full body when I get them. Enjoy!

202.5(-12lbs)

I was excited when I got on my scale this morning and it said 198!! That is the smallest number I have seen in years and it is under 200 pounds, which was a special goal for myself. I am not sure why. Most of the time, when my Mom and I would talk about what our weight was, I would always say, "the scale said 106." and my Mom would always ask, "You mean 206?". Oh, poop, of course I meant 206 or whatever number was showing that day, but I just could not wrap my mind around the fact that I was in the 200's. I did not ever really feel that BIG. Well, now I am not THAT big.(Still close, maybe, but on the way down.) **PS-The 202.5 pound weight and most other weights I report here are according to the scale at QWLC, which are always higher than my home scale, but are constantly showing the same weight loss.**

I went to try to find a new shirt for my upcoming trip to New Orleans this week and grabbed a medium, thinking, "This may fit???" Well, it did not, but I am getting there. I am really trying not to buy clothes since my goal is to be shrinking for a few more months and it seems that God has a sense of humor and keeps remind me of this as I have tried to find some new shirts at least three times since losing the first 10 pounds, and I just cannot seem to find anything that looks good. I am so used to shopping for clothes that hide my "problem areas", like empire-waist designs, with a lot of room around the lower belly and hips. I always joke that I could wear most of my clothes even if I were pregnant. Sad, but probably true. Now that I am losing the weight, I really want to embrace the fact that I do not have to cover the "problem" anymore. Well, I do still have to hide some belly FAT, but I will be able to wear more styles then I have been able to the last few years.VERY EXCITING!!!

I made a fabulous Veal Chop last night. Thanks to an idea from my friend Lindsay, I used some mustard, sage and tarragon to smear on each side just before removing it from the oven and it was outstanding! I am already planning to try the same thing on chicken tonight. I am going to use a different mustard and maybe a little crushed red pepper to add some spicy, but I am actually craving something that is healthy for me! I have also found that I crave yellow squash and since having asparagus last night, am also craving it!

As I mentioned earlier, I am going to New Orleans this weekend and am so excited to get away, however, one of the BEST things about New Orleans is the FOOD!! We are planning on going to Mother's, Court of Two Sisters, Clover Grill, the motto of the last place being: "We love to fry and it shows." Well, I LOVE things that are fried, but I am not really fond of the fact that fried food seems to show up on my hips faster than I can get out of the restaurant! We are also going to go to Cafe Du Monde, but I am not worried about the beignets. I will be just fine with a yummy coffee. I am worried about the Muffuletta at Central Grocery. When I was in NOLA last May, this was probably the BEST thing I ate all weekend! I have literally talked about it ever since. I can actually remember the feelings I had when I was eating it and the way that the oil felt dripping down my arm. There was no point in wiping your hands/arm/mouth until you were done eating because they would just get oily again. OH MY LORD, this is a good sandwich!! So, I am announcing to the World(or more appropriately you who read my ramblings), that I will have a Muffuletta. My goal is to only eat 1/4 of the damn thing, so I will be bringing 4 other hungry people with me, but I WILL be eating this yummy piece of Heaven and I will enjoy it!! I will behave myself MOST of the rest of the weekend and we will be walking EVERYWHERE, so I am only partially concerned for my shrinking ass.

I do plan on going to Pat O'Brien's, but not for their famous Hurricane(I hate them!). I am going to bid farewell to my fat-self since this is the place that it "technically" all started. A skinny me got engaged in October of 2004 in the piano bar at Pat O'Briens and I knew the moment it happened that I was not ready, but damnit, I did not listen to my intuition. I had a ring and I wanted a wedding. Thank God that it did not work out, but when I went to NOLA last May with friends, I returned to the site of the proposal and thought I would be fine, HAHAHA! I could not hold it together and ended up breaking down and hiding with my girlfriends in the bathroom for a bit. I guess this revisit will be a sort of test of my emotions(which I am well known for not being able to hide well). I feel pretty confident that it will be much easier this time. I know that I will probably always have the memory of that night when I go to Pat O'Brians, which is truly the only time I think about it, but I am ready to move on from that part of my life, and more importantly, to shed the feelings and pounds that I am still carrying around. I would say after 5+ years, I am good and done thinking about why things did not work and if I could have changed the way things happened. I have come to love myself again and I know that I will find someone who sees me for who I am and embraces these things(with all their challenges). I know that all of you who read this feel the same way and I just ask for your continued prayers. They mean the World to me and are so inspirational!!!

The pic attached is from my last trip to NOLA.

203(-11.5lbs)

I am going to begin my training for the Avon Walk today!

I am so excited to be on this journey again. The Avon Walk is April 10th and 11th this year and even though I am still ahead of schedule, I am beginning my training a few weeks later than I did last year. I got my shoes yesterday. They are Saucony Grid Cohesion NX cross trainers, the same shoes I wore last year. This year I could not find them in a 9-wide, so I have regular old size 9's, but I think they should work. It is important to be sure that you have a large amount of room in the toe-box, the area around your toes, when shopping for shoes for a walk of this length. If your toes are hitting ANYTHING of real substance, you will end up with bruised toe-nails and can lose the nail in the end. I did not have this problem last year and only ended up with a couple small blisters, so I decided not to mess too much with what worked for me last year. My brother, Adam, was thoughtful enough to give me a git card to Academy to buy my shoes, and they were only $40!!! I am still using my shoes from last year for my regular work-outs because they are sooooo comfortable.

My friend Sarah and I will begin our training with a four mile walk today at Terry Hershey park. This is a park on the west end of Houston that runs between Beltway 8 and Highway 6, with an expansion currently in progress to bring it out to I-10. The trails are just off the bayou, so it is very scenic and serene. I prefer to train here over Memorial Park because it is less crowded and has an overall relaxed feel to it. Just watch out for bikers. There are many people who use proper etiquette and warn you by yelling ahead to tell you what side they are coming up on, so you can more over and afford them a little space, but some people are rude and do not make any sounds or give you and warning. Some of us have almost been knocked over by these riders, which would be more hurtful to them if it actually happened. I mean they are farther from the ground that they will eventually be landing on, face-first and are going twice our speed or more. So, now that I am off that soap-box, on to my further weight loss.....

I said I was going to "treat" myself when I lost 10 pounds, and I finally made good on this promise to myself last night. I dug out the Tim Tam cookies that I received for Christmas and had ONE wonderful, chocolate covered, caramel filled, amazing piece of Heaven with a nice hot mug of Gingersnap tea. Tim Tams are originally from Australia and I was turned on to them by my friend, Milena, when she was on her Trip Around the World and visited there. The secret is to nibble a little piece of the cookie off of 2 of the corners diagonally. Then you sip a hot liquid, i prefer hot tea, through the cookie like a straw. The cookie then proceeds to melt into a yummy messy chocolate and caramel goo and you have to get it in your mouth before it falls apart in the cup of tea. They call it a TIM TAM SLAM! I had gotten very good at this technique prior to beginning my diet and I clearly have not lost this special talent, because I managed to get the entire cookie into my slightly smaller belly without losing any. It was very enjoyable, and I purposely stretched it out into two lovely bites, which was not an easy feat with a melting cookie! I was very satisfied after the ONE cookie and I will not have another until I lose ANOTHER 10 pounds.



The gingersnap tea is another secret to curbing sugary cravings. It is caffeine free, so when I get a sweet tooth late at night, I can brew a mug and it serves two purposes. It takes time to brew the tea, at least 7 minutes, so you preoccupy yourself and then you usually sip slowly, so another 10 minutes or so. At this point, your craving for something "unhealthy" should have left your mind and you should feel warm and happy from the tea. It may sound ridiculous, but I have fond that it works for me. They only negative, is that I associate the smell and flavor of the ginger with my yummy Tim Tams and have had to learn to separate the two in my head. It also helps that the Tim Tams are in the top of my closet ans hard to get to.......

Well, that is probably enough babbling for today. I know I can go on forever and I am not sure that any of this is actually doing anything but keeping me occupied, but I do appreciate the feedback you all continue to give me. Keep it coming!!!