We are about 8 weeks away from swim suit season now...

Are you getting closer to your goal or farther away?

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I can tell you that I have done great when I plan ahead and write down all of my food for the day on paper like I showed you during my last post and I have failed miserably when I don't. I am not sure how many of you follow my other blog as well but I felt great in my interview clothes yesterday. I was able to purchase a fitted button up shirt in a small from the same store that I bought a large one from two years ago! I also gave away my old pants that are three sizes too big! I can't tell you how freeing it is to give them away. I also feel so great that the next time I am 35 lbs heavier will be when I am 4o weeks pregnant. It is so freeing to know that I never have to be that heavy again.

Getting ready for spring

I took a quick glance at my calender today and realized it is roughly 1o weeks till Memorial Day Weekend!

I don't know if that strikes panic in you or excites you that we still have 3.5 months to get ready for swimsuit weather. Personally I am really excited to think that if I follow my points I can lose 10 lbs if I track my points for the next few weeks. I know they say that you can lose 1-2 lbs a week but I don't want to set myself up to fail by thinking I will lose 2 lbs per week. I am going to be very careful about planning a cheat meal once a week so that I will have something to look forward to.

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I have 5 lbs to lose again since I have been so bad about following my points lately. It was 6 but I already lost 1 lb by following my points yesterday. I can't tell a huge difference but my clothes don't it as well as they did 5 lbs ago.

I am excited to see if I can get all the skirts that I wore while we were dating to fit perfectly!

This Memorial Day it will be 5 years since we started dating!

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Yesterday was my 2nd day in a row getting a workout in and following my points!

It isn't a lot but I have to get back on track one day at a time.

a picture of points planning

I wanted to share with you a picture of how I just started tracking my points. I know I told you about it yesterday but I figured it would be best if I added a picture.

It's 1 pm and I try to eat half my daily points by this time. The left side shows what I have already eaten and the right is a rough outline of what I will eat later. It contains 2o points, my daily allowance. I have learned its better to look at a list of foods that fit into my daily points rather than look at all the foods in the fridge or pantry. The bottom foods with no numbers next to them are 0 points to mix in through out the day. If I am craving something I can substitute it for something on this list but it helps so much to make a plan.

I have also included wine in my points for the day. I make sure that I really enjoy my 1 glass so that I am not tempted to drink the entire bottle. I am sure we all know what happens when we start to drink and there is food around. It also helps to throw 1 or 2 ice cubes in your wine to make it go a little further. (Sounds silly but it really helps.)

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Do any of you have great 0 point items that tide you over when you have already eaten your daily points?

walking

I have started taking my dog for walks again. I am trying to get in a loop around my complex once every morning and then again that evening, it takes only about 10 minutes to make a loop. I think this will really make a difference because 10 minutes is so easy to get in but really adds up. It is just an extra bonus that I don't have to waste time or money driving to the gym. I will still go to the gym to lift weights a few days a week since I like using the machines there. It is so much easier now to walk in the evening since daylight savings time. I can't tell you how happy it makes me when the days seem so much longer. I know that a lot of people have a hard time adjusting but I LOVE the change.

new shoes

I got the most amazing pair of running shoes this weekend and I am so excited to see what they do for my running! I didn't pick them out the way that I normally would though.

If you want to see how I picked them out I posted about it yesterday on my other blog, here is the link.

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I failed miserably this weekend but I am planning again today! I am using a notebook so for a little something different. On the left side of the page I write down what I have eaten and on the right I plan all the food options I can eat that day. When I am hungry I just pick off the list. I would normally write down my points in my phone but then I delete it the next day. I am excited to be able to look back and truly see how many days I actually follow my points. I am also planning on writing down what kept me from following or what exactly put me over on my points.

Failing to Planning

Liz shared this quote with me and I loved it so much I thought I would share it with you.

"Failing to plan is planning to fail"

Isn't that so true and so powerful?

I will leave you with that this weekend.

Something needs to change

Ladies I have to admit to all of you, I have been terrible lately about following my points.

Tomorrow is a new day though and I am so thankful for that. I have figured that I need to plan out my entire week. I need to include time at the office, gym time and a cheat meal to keep me on track and give me something to look forward to each week.

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I had my yearly doctors appointment last week, I was so excited to see how much I had lost since last year. I was so disappointed when it was barely anything. My husband did point out that it was so much better though than gaining weight.

I also think that I need to start attending meetings again. This for me was when I really saw the dramatic pound a week weight loss that we all hope for. If you are just having a hard time following online I would really recommend attending meetings.

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On a positive note, I mentioned on my other blog that I saw the family that I use to nanny for. It is funny because I mentioned last week to my hubby that I would feel good if I saw them because I was a size smaller than when I was their nanny. Low and behold I see them the same week. I know that I may not be at my perfect weight yet but at least I didn't feel like I had changed a ton since I had seen them.

(Good thing they didn't see my huge weight gain after I got married.)