Autumn has (almost officially) arrived! Which means that life is back to normal – school’s in, my schedule is busy, and obligations abound. But I won’t use those as excuses to slack on my goals. The great thing about fall is that the weather is cooler, which means that those wonderful fall fashions will keep me motivated. Plus, crisp temperatures mean that it’s never “too hot” to workout. I’m going to relish my nightly cup of steaming hot tea as another way to keep my water intake up. I look forward to all those hearty, satisfying and wls-friendly soups, stews, and crockpot meals that I’ll create for myself. This year, the changing season will mark new milestones that I haven’t seen in 5, 7, 10+ years! Bring on fall 2014 – it’s time to reach new heights! Wednesday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the work week, and will give me a positive outlook for the weekend. Throughout the fall, I’ll be giving Wednesday weight loss updates called WonderFALL Weigh-Ins.
Week 65 has been wonderful! I had a great weekend, filled with bike rides, walks with Sofi, spending time with friends, watching my 49ers win, and relaxing after a very busy first week on the new job. So far this work week has been really productive. I’m finding my rhythm as I meet with new teachers, gather resources for them, and keep track of all the notes and paperwork. I can already tell I’m going to love this new position, and I’m so glad that I took the chance and went for one of my goals. Monday I rewarded myself with a shopping spree at Dress Barn, buying tons of new clothes for my fall wardrobe. The neat thing about this shopping trip was that I think these clothes might last for more than one season. I’m wearing tops/sweaters in size medium and small (SMALL!!!!!), skirts in medium, and 2 pairs of pants in a size 10! I got a great camel-color water-resistant hooded trench in a medium that I can’t wait to wear because it’s so flattering.
So, how’s the scale looking?
When I weighed in this morning, I was 173.6, which is a loss of 1.6 pounds this week***, and a loss of 103.4 lbs since surgery! I’ve lost a total of 141.4 pounds from my highest weight!! I have 23.6 pounds to go to my ultimate goal weight of 150 pounds. ***The cool thing about this loss is that it only reflects the last two days, because my last weigh-in was on Sunday. 1.6 pounds in two days is phenomenal! I’m on a losing streak, and I’m loving it! Especially considering how busy my days have suddenly become.
What am I doing differently? Lately I’ve been concentrating on making sure to get several servings of veggies in with most meals, and I think that’s making a big difference. I’m still allowing myself the popcorn I love, but only a few times a week. And of course, protein is at the heart of every meal I eat. And I’m still getting plenty of exercise and drinking lots of water. Still, I’ve also been having a few glasses of wine on the weekend, but that doesn’t seem to be affecting my weight loss in the least, which is nice. I love this lifestyle that I’ve created!
In terms of exercise, I’ve been really proud of the workouts I’ve been fitting in. I did wake up early on Monday to get in a before-work sweat session, which left me feeling super energized and positive all day long. Most days I’ve worked out in the afternoon, and I enjoy those after work sessions as a way to transition from work mode to relax mode. As long as I’m getting a workout in, I’m ok with whatever time of day it is. I actually enjoy working out now, so I look forward to moving my body, rather than dreading it as I used to. I really think one of the reasons is the communities of support that I’m part of on MyFitnessPal and Instagram. I love snapping post-workout pics and tagging them with with my ToneItUp hashtags, and seeing all my #TIUsisters’ posts, too. On MFP, every time I workout it posts a status, and the outpouring of love I get from my pals spurs me on and makes me smile.
As much as I’ve absolutely enjoyed this summer, I have to admit I’m really looking forward to the true start of autumn. The crisp, cool mornings and evenings. The sunny days that aren’t ever too warm. The changing colors of the leaves, the decorations, and the outfits. Not to mention all the fun that comes with football season, pumpkin patches, Halloween, and simply sipping cups of coffee, tea, and maybe even a pumpkin spice latte or two. This year I think I’d like to go apple picking, because it just sounds like so much fun and I’ve never done it before. What are some quintessential fall things you love to do at this time of year? Help me create a fall bucket list.
Until next Wednesday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!
Bella on the Beach 
You are doing so very well! I love autumn, too. Raking leaves into piles and then jumping in them (and then re-raking them…) is the essence of fall for me.
That’s a good one!!
I’ve lived in the desert for so long that I’ll be experiencing fall for the first time in 14 years! I’m looking forward to it.
You’re doing so awesome!! 🙂
I can’t wait to follow all the pics of London in the fall on Instagram.
First congratulations on all your weight loss success! Each week you continue to inspire me. You are a model of consistency. I love fall. It’s my favorite time of year. We’ve already been apple picking once. We went on opening day! We will definitely be going back. My favorite apple picking place has a small winery and they make hard cider. They offer tastings throughout the season which is really fun. There’s also pumpkin picking and leaf peeping. I love fall hiking. Oh and hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks. Enjoy!!
I have to try some hot apple cider this fall – I love the way it smells when you’re cooking it.