Happy New Year

It's been a while since I posted last.  The holiday season was very trying.  All in all I gained 3 pounds.  I was hoping to maintain, but alas, that did not happen.  I must say I felt very defeated until Sunday December 29th.  I normally take my son, Timothy to his Sunday School Class via elevator in our church.  The little stinker pushed both the up and down buttons and I guess he confused the poor system because the elevator never came.  Not to worry, there is always the stairs.  Tim takes a bit to walk the steps which is why we usually take the elevator.  So down the stairs we went and then I had my Sunday School class to get to so up the stairs I went once more and then down the stairs to take my students to their class room after praise and worship in the sanctuary and then up steps one last time to go home. While traveling home later that day I remembered that last year at that time I couldn't even walk the stairs myself.  I would huff and puff and my legs hardly supported my weight on the way up or down the steps so I HAD to take the elevator; it was not a choice for me. The thing is that now I can choose and I love to take the steps.  No huffing and puffing or tightness in my chest, no fear of falling down them because my joints buckle under me.  I gained 3 pounds, but they will come off again.  I have also gained so much more than I ever thought possible in 2013. I lost 79 pounds! My youngest son can touch his hands around my waste, my husband can hug me without having to hunch over my belly.  I can walk more than 5 minutes.  As a matter of fact I was crying for joy a few moments ago.  I recently found an unopened DVD in my cabinet.  Each year I made my "resolution" to lose weight and get fit, and so I would buy an exercise DVD to work on.  I tried them and then donated them. This one was never opened. Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home:  Walk Slim Fast and Firm 4 Really Big Miles.  I have tried her 3 mile DVD and could never get through the first 10 minutes and never past 1 mile.  Today I did the whole thing...56 minutes!  I felt wonderful and I can say I never ever imagined that I would be able to stay with the pace or complete the workout if it were not for the changes that have happened in my life.  Food is tempting...as always...but not my focus anymore.  I think where I messed up during the holidays was I didn't keep up exercising because I felt too busy with Christmas plans...which I really was that busy!  But I also didn't pay complete attention to everything I was eating.  I wasn't gorging as in past holidays, but I definitely let the ball drop somewhere.  I am glad that each and every day is a new and that we have great opportunities to make changes.  So here I am on Friday, January 3rd. I am experimenting with Reader's Digest 21 Day Tummy to see how I like it. So far so good, but I must say I prefer Digest Diet.  I have had my shake, my snack and I walked 4 miles with Leslie Sansone!  I don't intend on throwing in the towel.  Just to keep on keeping on as I embrace this new life of mine!