Summer's Over :-(

Well today was the first day back to work, officially. Actually the first 4 days are "optional" but they do pay you extra for being there. Sold! However, I feel like I earned every dollar today. It was a long and monotonous day ~ I really prefer being in my classroom and working with my kiddoes, rather than sitting and listening all day. Lots of changes in the district, that's for sure, but I'm not certain that they are all for the better.

My goal is to keep as positive as possible this year. I love, love, loved my class last year and that usually means the following year is pretty much the opposite. Let's hope that isn't the case this time around. I do know that I have 19 in my class, and we still have more than a week until the first day. Can't wait to see what happens.

I am on my last week of HcG drops. As of this morning, I am down 26.7 pounds. My body has fallen into a rhythm. I lose a nice amount for a couple of days and then just .2 or so for about 2 or 3 days. I'm learning to be OK with it, although I would love for everyday to be a big loss!! I know that's not possible but a girl can dream! I am hoping that I can hit 30 pounds by next Monday. Then comes the hard task of doing maintenance. I get a lot more choices but still a good amount of restrictions. I've gotten used to having very little choice so there is not much room for error. When I'm on my own . . . a little bit scary!!

Look Out Massage, Here I Come!!!

Yay!!! I hit the 25 pound mark this morning . . . and I am wasting no time in booking my massage. I am so flippin' excited. Don't know if it was the apple day or if it would have happened anyways, but regardless I met my goal.
Now, on to the next 25!!!

The "P" Word

Well, I've hit the dreaded "P" word . . . I am sitting at a plateau right now. I have been at 23.5 pounds, give or take .1 lbs since Sunday morning. I know that it is to be expected, but I am SO frustrated. The solution seems to be an "apple day". So, hopefully tomorrow I will have a nice new loss to report!
I am proud, thought, that I haven't fallen off the wagon. In the past, I would have just eaten a "little something" to make me feel better. I truly have no cravings anymore.
In about a week and a half I will begin my maintenance phase. During this time I will reintroduce foods and get to eat a lot more calories. I still need to avoid sugar and starches. That really limits a lot of foods, still, but all meats, veggies, and some dairy are A-OK. It will feel like I am pigging-out, I am sure, after being on such low calories for 6 weeks.
Even with this little snag, I am so happy that I am doing the HcG program. I finally feel like I've found something I can have success with for the long-term.

20 pounds!!

Today I hit the 20 pound mark ~ actually 20.6 pounds gone forever!!! I am so happy and am really seeing it in my lower stomach now. Not that it is svelte by any means but it is starting to slowly disappear.

Rewards

I've decided that I need to reward myself along this journey ~ not that losing the weight once and for all isn't reward enough, but still . . . Anyhow, I've decided that for every 25 pounds I lose, I get to have a massage. I love, love, love them but very seldom do I treat myself. That being said, I only have 5.5 pounds left until I hit 25. That's right, as of this morning I am down 19.5 pounds.
I've decided that I will take three weeks off when I am done with maintenance and then do another round of the HcG. I would finish maintenance of that round the weekend before Thanksgiving. If it continues as it has been, by that point I will be at a "happy" weight ~ not my final goal, but a point where I can be happy.
Nothing like planning ahead, I guess!
Hopefully I will be able to book that massage by the end of the week!

Day 20

I am almost half-way through this phase of the protocol. When I weighed in this morning, I was down 17.3 pounds in all!! I can actually see it in different areas but since my clothes have a lot of "wiggle" room, I am not down a size. That frustrates me so much ~ you know, when you see "I lost 10 pounds and 2 dress sizes!" commercials. I think when you get to the "Big Girl" clothes you have about 35 pounds between sizes. I know I have a pair of jeans I call the 75 pound pants ~ I can wear them for +/- 75 pounds, seriously!
Not sure if I wrote about Fry's trying to sabatoge me the other day. As I walked in the door, there was Starbucks and the big bakery cookies set out. Then, there were different fruits for sampling (none that I could have!), cheese dip and crackers, chocolate covered mini-donuts, and then, my biggest weakness, BROWNIES!!! I passed them all by. It was pretty easy until I came to the brownies. I realized that I haven't lost my taste for them at all. Other than that, I haven't really had any cravings. I am able to take my own food and eat with other people and do OK. Not that I wouldn't love to have a little spanish rice or queso now and then :-)
Anyhow, 22 more days of the HcG drops, then I get to go on maintenance. I am really hoping for at least 15 more pounds ~ who am I kidding, I'd actually like about 50 more pounds but I am trying to be realistic here.

Praying for Bennett

I am a blog-stalker . . . I do not remember when I came upon this blog, but Adrienne and her husband, Jim, have such a great story of Faith. They are now the parents of 4 little ones, all aged 4 and under. They have had such a long road to parenthood with many, many miscarriages, 2 international adoptions, 3 (?) failed domestic adoptions (after they met the baby), 1 domestic adoption and, finally, a pregnancy! However, their newest baby, Bennett, was born at just 26 weeks, 5 days. Right now, he is doing as well as can be expected. I have added his button to the side of my blog.
In following Adriennes' journey, I am blown-away by the level of faith she has displayed. Where most of us (at least myself) would have totally lost it, she has shown such grace throughout her entire journey and God's love has really shone through her.
So if you will, say a prayer for the precious baby and his family.