Losing Big

So last week something big happened. My first number changed. For those of you who haven't ever had a struggle with weight issues, that's what happens when you cross over a huge milestone...like moving from the 200s to the 100s. And believe me when I tell you that it is a MONUMENTAL deal for me!!

I wasn't always heavy. People who know me now sometimes have a hard time understanding that. Heck even my KIDS don't understand that! When I had my first three kids I was practically thin. After my third kid was born, I weighed maybe 130.

Then I got a depo provera injection. That stuff is evil mean and nasty. Seriously. I'm convinced that the reason it works as birth control is that no one wants to come within 10 feet of you for fear of you stabbing them with a shiv. Plus, it makes some of us gain weight like CRAZY fast. In the first three months I put on an extra 50lbs. The second three months...maybe another 25. But if you're doing the math you can see that it was enough to push me over into the 200s.

I tried WW and lost about 20lbs but I just wasn't motivated happy enough to keep going. So the weight kept creeping on. Then I had the baby and positioned myself solidly at the 250 mark. BTW...He is 11 now so there is no excuse for "baby weight" anymore. I think I topped out at 277 but to be honest...I really stopped weighing myself. Just didn't want to know.

Then something changed. I moved on from the unhealthy relationship that I had with my former spouse. We had been divorced for this entire century (you can stop doing the math now) but had remained an integral part of one anothers' lives for various reasons. Our co-dependency was bad and it hindered our relationships with other people. Once I moved out of his house (even though it was to a friend's couch) I was able to start the healing process which allowed me (and him!) to start forming normal bonds with others.

I met a guy...not the right guy...who showed me what I wanted from a relationship. To start with he was funny and sweet and cute and said and did all the right things. I would say that he was a class A jerk but that's not fair to him. He had his own issues and I hope that I did some things to help him trust the next woman he gets involved with. I wish him no ill will. Plus...he helped me to get past some of my own demons.

Then I moved back home and started trying to eat healthier for my dad's sake. I was trying to get him to eat more because of his cancer, and because I was cooking on a regular basis I started eating more (ironic isn't it?) and started noticing that my clothes fit better. Apparently I had been wrecking my metabolism for years by NOT eating when I should and NOT eating enough calories in a day. See what stress will do for you??

Skip forward a couple of months to last fall and I joined a Growth Group and met Rebecca Means. Let me tell you...asking her to be my weight loss buddy was the smartest thing I ever ever EVER did!! She is SO motivated and on it and inspirational and...I just did my best to keep up. When most people would have dumped me off for not being as motivated, she stayed on me. In a nice way of course! She encouraged me and prayed for me and picked me up when I needed a ride. No way was she going to let the price of gas get in the way of me accomplishing my goals.

Also, and this is another one of those crazy ironic things, I started selling Tastefully Simple. You would THINK that being surrounded by food and talking about food and sharing food with others all the time, would make a person gain weight and not lose! But I'm here to tell you that has not been the case! First of all...the stuff tastes so so SOOO good that you don't feel the need to gorge yourself on it to feel satisfied. Second, I get so excited about trying out new seasonings that I am eating better/more/healthier recipes and that is helping a lot. If you need further proof...Rebecca is my BEST customer and has lost more weight than I have this year. LOL

SO here's the breakdown: I haven't weighed under 200lbs since 1996...before my mom died. If you met me in the last 15 years (and the vast majority of you reading this did) then you've never seen me this size before. If you knew me in the beforetime...say high school or something...you're probably glad I'm getting back to my old self.

I can promise you that this is not over. It is a slow going process. There are no quick fixes. And I have to keep this up for the rest of my life. But here's the thing...I can do it with your support. And if you are trying to do it, then you have MY support. Just keep me in the loop. Keep praying for me and I'll keep praying for you and together we can make this thing happen.

Keep it healthy...

-Me

I Love Columbus, GA

Ever have one of those near perfect days? I have. Today, in fact. Woke up early and watched the last episode of All My Children...and cried. Took my time getting ready for work and had a great day at the store. (Thanks for the Krystals, Mae Mae!!) Got off in the early afternoon and headed downtown to meet up with some friends and the weather was absolutely gorgeous!!

I parked outside the coffee shop on Broadway and walked down to Judy Bug's Bookstore. That place is a treasure trove!! And the best part about it is talking to the guy who works there. I didn't catch his name but you can't miss him. I asked him if he has mentally cataloged every book in the store and he grinned and said he had a pretty good handle on it. That made me smile. I like people who take pride in what they're doing and love their work.

After that I walked down to Momma Goldberg's Deli and got a soda and some chips to munch while I charged my phone. I overheard some students from CSU quoting Blue Velvet...gotta love some David Lynch, right? There was football in the air and people having fun. The smells and sounds and balmy breeze outside...perfect.

Got a call from my friends that they were at the Eagle and Phenix Lofts checking out a condo. I walked a few blocks and enjoyed the exercise and the weather, and went up to see this GORGEOUS living space that looks like something out of a movie. THEN we went to the courtyard and sat outside watching the sun set over the river and discussing the future of Columbus.

WOW... Can you see how gorgeous this is?? We were out on the Hydro Deck which basically put us on top of the dam. I wish I had taken a pic of the dam itself so you could see the perspective of how close we really were to the water. Next time!!

As it got darker it just got prettier out there...

And we laughed and joked and talked about Four Square and...wait is that a SHARK in the water???


I had to take a few of the lofts, of course!!!

Then we went to Downstairs at the Loft for desert. Seriously. You have to try the Kahlua Cheesecake. Seriously. I'm not kidding. A.S.A.P.

Aside from their yummy food, the atmosphere is just awesome. There were a bunch of kids from Columbus High School who were dressed up to go to their Homecoming dance. Sweet girls in sparkly dresses who were wearing heels for probably the first time. And music everywhere!! It was just magical.

So yeah... I love Columbus. I know a lot of people have left for a lot of reasons but I'm glad I'm here, right now. There is an energy in downtown (or uptown!) Columbus that I have never felt anywhere else. I love Savannah and River Street, but I don't get the feeling that people are connecting on a personal level there. We have that. Everyone knows SOMEONE else down there.

Someone said yesterday, "Columbus is a small city but a big town." I liked that. It feels like a city because we do have a lot of choices in shopping and dining. But it feels like a town because of the sense of familiarity that we have here. There's always someone to greet you with a smile or a wave...even if you're "not from here." And we all wear the same SEC colors in the fall. LOL

 It feels like...home.

Thoughtful Thursday

First of all...someone pay the Migraine Fairy to leave me alone. Please? I have a client due in a week or so and you know I get headaches before someone goes into labor but this far in advance is seriously annoying. I'm getting caught up on my rest and all but this is getting ridiculous. There is a slim, slight, tiny, minute, remote chance that this is just another one of those symptoms of menopause. Yep. I said it. And there will be blogs about it. No hiding from it!!

Just finished watching the final episode of The Glee Project on Hulu.com. My daughter needs to be on this show. Like...really. Have to figure out how to make that happen. Then maybe all the catalogs that keep coming in the mail from NYU won't seem quite so daunting.

Had dinner last night with my friend Adam Vignola who was in Atlanta for a few days and drove down to see me. Adam lives in L.A. where he works for Classic Wines of California and also has done enough to garner his own IMDB page. He is as charming as he ever was and we had a good time stopping by the Pickle Barrel  to chat for a minute with the guys from Filmaholics.net about our top five vampires. Then it was off to dinner at Downstairs at the Loft where I learned about the economics of corkage, and we ate yummy food. At dinner we ran into Robbie and Stacey Bishop who are two of my favorite Baby Bumps clients EVER! Afterwards, we walked down to the Uptown Vault to chat for a minute with Brenda and Adam even got to meet Hanson!! Adam had to head back to Atlanta to get ready for a meeting this morning so we said goodnight and I sat down for a few texts with my sweetheart before bedtime.

Interesting note: Five minutes after I walked in the door I got a text from one of my children that said "Don't you have a boyfriend?" The answer is yes. And I'm allowed to have friends. Even friends of the opposite sex. We trust one another to not do anything to jeopardize that relationship.

So how do you and your significant other handle friendships with the opposite sex?

Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Things To Do Today

I'm a list maker. I admit it. I own it. I do NOT suffer from OCD. I embrace it. As a result, I make excellent lists. If you were to inherit my computer, you'd find lists (made almost exclusively in Excel) that cover everything from Thanksgiving menus/shopping lists to packing lists for camping trips...broken down by family member. I keep the lists because they are a good reference tool for future events. Its just the right thing to do.

To celebrate my first Top Ten {Tuesday} I'm going to make a list of the things that I have to get done today just to share with you how this list thing works.

1. Eat some breakfast: Yeah it will probably be a pop tart but that's fine. I have to get something in my system before I go to work because I only work part time but that means that I don't get a lunch break. If I forget (did I just admit that sometimes I forget to eat? <--special kind of stupid) to eat, I'm a raving lunatic by the time I get home at 3:30. On behalf of my customers and co-workers, pass the pop tart. (Strawberry frosted in case it matters.)

2. Read the Bible: I'm doing the One Year Bible Challenge at MyChurch and I'm behind. Like a week behind...maybe more. That's not too bad but frankly I don't like being behind. The plan is to read three days worth every day til I'm caught up. It shouldn't take too long and I'm really enjoying reading it. I'm just bogged down in 2Chronicles. Loving Romans though!!

3. Wax my eyebrows: Specifically my left one. I worked on the right one the other day and got bored distracted half way through. I have that special guest coming tomorrow though, and he might notice if my face is lopsided. It's been years since he has seen me but I'm betting his memories of me don't include one bushy eyebrow.

4. Water the plants in the living room: I'm pretty good at getting the ones in the dining room because I see them. Okay I'm good at noticing when they're starting to look bad and thinking to myself, "Better get some water on those before your dad sees them and freaks out!" The living room plants...not so much. So now and then I have to make myself go into that room to check on them.

5. Put the dishes in the dishwasher: The sink is starting to be full. It just looks bad. Seriously.

6. Hang out with Justin: Some days when the J man gets home from school, I've got other stuff going on so we kinda just both do our own thing. He is growing up SO fast (they all are!) and if I don't make sure to stop and take the time, I'm going to miss out on it. I'll be glad when the weather cools off some so he and I can go back to our afternoon walks.

7. Watch my Hulu: Yeah this one SOUNDS easy but it's not always as simple as it seems. Hulu doesn't just let stuff pile up. No-sir-ee-bob. They pull stuff down (specifically my soaps) after a few days. That may not seem like a big deal to you but do you realize that there are only a few DAYS left of these shows in their present form??? AMC and OLTL are going OFF THE AIR at the end of August!!! Just had a little panic attack when I realized what day it was... Breathe...

8. Check in with my fall clients: One client is due soon. Like her EDD is in early Sept but I think she's going to have the baby on the 31st. I've been pretty good about picking the dates of the last several. We'll see how this goes. I need to see how October and November and doing as well.

9. Clean my room: It's not dirty. Not in the way that you'd expect a room of mine to be (if you knew the old Kim) but in that "cluttered and things are starting to stack up on surfaces" way that just drives me nuts now. I know...right?

10. Watch a movie: Going to hang out with the Filmaholics tomorrow at podcast time and I need to have something intelligent to add to the conversation. These guys are all so funny and smart that I never want to be left sitting there with nothing to say...lest I say something anyway and come across as a complete moron! If you haven't checked out their site yet, please do so. Great blog. Great podcasts. Great fun!!

Time for me to go tackle this list. Poptart is almost done so I'm off to a good start! What's on your list of things to do today??

Just One Of Those Days

Ever have one? I know you have. Just one of those days where things are "off" a little bit? I woke up at 4:15 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. I did a cool scrapbook thingee from ArtsCow.com that might turn out to be the best Christmas present ever. Ssshhhh....

Decided to go to lunch with Bons and Mads but then I couldn't find my keys. Took me a half an hour to find them and then on the way to Ulta/Jason's Deli, my Jeep started over heating. Came home after picking up the new Ulta gift and some lunch (priorities?) only to hit EVERY red light on the way home. My poor Jeep is out there in this weather (hotter than the surface of the sun??) waiting to cool down enough for me to refill the water.

And I have a cold. Seriously? In this weather? I'm going to chalk it up to lack of rest and take a bunch of vitamin C related products to get it back under control. And maybe some Claritin because it COULD be seasonal allergies sneaking up on me.

Just need to get out from under this funk. I've been snarky to my sweetie and that's not a good thing. I have company coming in from out of town on Wednesday to spend the evening downtown doing the dinner thing. I'm excited in the appropriate amounts and I'll let you guys know how it goes (and who it was!) when it's over. You're just going to have to stay tuned to find out what fabulous celebrity I'm entertaining this week!! Ha Ha!!

What are you most looking forward to this week?? Comment and let me know!

Friday Faves: Fall Foods

This morning I ordered some Tastefully Simple products from the new Fall/Winter line so that we can play around with recipes when Allen gets home in a few weeks. I gotta tell you though, I don't know whether I'm more excited about him or this food!! (Okay you know that's not 100% true. LOL)

Here is what I ordered:

Apple and Pear Slush Drink Mix (will be good warm with our bourbon in it!)

3 packs of Bountiful Beer Bread (can never have too much of that on hand!)

Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix (looks good!)

Chipotle Queso Dip Starter (have to get some of that good cheese to try this with)

Creamy Portobella Warm Dip Mix (TOTALLY for him... LOL)

2 packs of the Dreamy Irish Frozen Dessert Mix (this is discontinued but everyone loved it last year and I didn't get to try it)

Samples of:

Bountiful Beer Cheese Soup (half size)

Caramel Cinnamon Sprinkles

English Toffee Cheese Ball (full size)

Peppy Papaya Salsa (6pk)

Roasted Onion Warm Dip Mix (full size)

Savory Beach Brandy Glaze (6pk)

Shanghai Stir Fry Sauce (6pk)

Spicy Harvest Salsa (6pk)

What are you dying to try? What kind of fun ideas can you think of for us to do with these products?? Comment and let me know!

{semi} Wordless Wednesday: Weight Loss

Remember yesterday how I said I was excited about "4. Bathroom scales:"? Wordless Wednesday seems the perfect time to show you what I mean!

This is the day before I started at SFH in 2003. I weighed 255 that day. I know this because I had to weigh for my physical. Some things get stuck in your memory forever! LOL

 

This is Kevan and I at the Christmas party in 2005. I was going in the opposite direction of good at this point. I'm pretty sure that's the year I finally changed my drivers' license to say I weighed 250 which was just a blatant lie at that point.

Smallest I ever got was when we did Weigh Down Columbus and I got to like 230. 

At my sister's wedding on Jan 1, 2010. I was about 277 here and that suit is a size 22.

Last summer at my class reunion. I was probably 260 here.
Memorial Day this year. Had just gotten into a size 16 and I was about 220 here.

GNO with Niki, Hope, and Stephanie in July. 212 AFTER pasta and dessert. LOL

Today I weighed in at 205.5. I'm ALMOST down to where I was when I started WW last time...before I turned 30. I've lost over 70lbs. I have a long way to go. 
P.S. I used to be a skinny girl. LOL In this picture I weigh 125lbs and am 4 months pregnant with my third child!!