Countdown to Christmas Weigh-In: Week 28 Post-Op VSG

‘Tis the season! Which means that the world turns sparkly, the weather turns chilly, and 2013 is almost over. I’m looking at this time of year as a Countdown to Christmas – focusing on my weight loss and achieving my goal of hitting ONDERLAND before the end of 2013. Achieving that will be the best gift of all!!! Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend.  This is the time of year when food and celebrations are plentiful and the last thing on most people’s minds is weight loss.  I’m going to show that weight loss can happen during the holiday season. My Sunday progress updates will be called Countdown to Christmas Weigh-Ins.

Week 28 was back to work, and as busy as this time of year can be.  We have one more week before finals, so things seem to be running at a fever-pitch.  Lots of meetings, collaborations, and grading to do.  I did fit in volunteering at Second Harvest Food bank with a group of colleagues, which made me feel great about giving a little bit back.  This week also brought the fruits of all of my online shopping in the form of the packages of gifts arriving at my doorstep.  So fun!  With all of this going on, I’m really proud of the fact that I fit in all of my workouts, too.

So, what did the scale show?!

When I weighed in this morning, I was 205.4, which is a loss of 1.6 pounds this week, and a loss of 71.6 lbs since surgery! I’ve lost a total of 109.6 pounds from my highest weight!! Another good loss this week.  The weather has turned quite chilly around here, which does make me want to “hibernate,” and eat more comfort foods.  I tried to find a balance of eating some rich and creamy soups, coupled with protein-packed salads. The other saving grace lately has been tea in the evenings.  I’ve become obsessed with David’s Tea, and if you took a peek in my cupboard, you’d think I was running the tea shop out of my kitchen.  Lately my favorite flavors are Gingerbread, Sleigh Ride, and Sweet Dreams. Because they’re all caffeine free, they help me get to my water goals, and they help keep me warm.  The sweetness of the teas also satisfies that nighttime sweets craving that sometimes kicks in.

This week I move to C25K Week 2, and in fact, I’m heading to the gym in a little while to complete Day 1.  Now that the days are shorter and it gets dark so much earlier, I’m so glad that the gym is an option for me to keep up with my training.  Today will be the first time I do the C25K on the treadmill, so we’ll see how that compares to the outdoor track that I’ve gotten used to.  I also want to fit in a few more classes, which I’ve gotten out of the habit of.  Here’s what I’m thinking for my workout plan:

Sunday: C25K, Week 2 Day 1
Monday: Rest Day (quick walk with Sofi)
Tuesday: C25K, Week 2 Day 2
Wednesday: Turbo Kick***
Thursday: C25K, Week 2 Day 3
Friday: Rest Day (getting the keratin treatment to my hair!!)
Saturday: Long walk with Sofi
Sunday: Santa Run 5K – I’m planning to do Week 3 Day 1

***The last time I took the Turbo Kick class, I was way out of my depth.  I stayed for the entire class, but I was huffing and puffing, and I wasn’t doing half the intensity that everyone else was.  I can’t wait to see how different the experience is this time.

This week I’m going to be doing a few things that will push me to new limits that I’ve never attempted before.  I know I’m going to be challenged, but I’m also going to be so proud.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!