9 MONTHS-274 DAYS-394,560 MINUTES Without Chocolate!

9 MONTHS!  I've been doing this for 9 MONTHS Straight!  No cheating, no jumping off the wagon, basically NO EXCUSES not to do what I HAD to do.  And this was a "had to" situation.  if I didn't jump on this weight loss adventure, I was going to have to have knee surgery on both knees.  Now 9 months may not seem like a long time, but you try going without soda and chocolate for 9 months and tell me how easy it is.

274 days as of the 19th of June.  It doesn't seem like it's been that long.  Three more months and one year will be here.  This is just boggling my mind to no end.  I don't know if I've ever done anything consistently for 274 days except breath, eat and sleep, and apparently I used that "eat" thing a bit more often than not.  This is an accomplishment for me so don't mind me why I toot my own horn, TOOT TOOT!  These hang on my fridge at home, so I have a daily reminder of what I am doing.




With the 9 month anniversary comes the 9 month checkup with my doctor, who has guided me on my journey and put me on my path, luckily I didn't have to do blood work this time (Not a favorite of mine, but it's the only way they can tell if my vitamins are where they should be).  I was nervous.  My palms were even a bit sweaty to be honest.  I had been working so hard and every time I checked in with my doctor and dietitian  my inner doubter personality was expecting them to tell me I needed to do better.  I wasn't giving the right amount of effort or that I wasn't where I should be at this stage of the game.  Amazing what my imagination can conjure up when I'm sitting in the lobby of a hospital.

So to the scale I go, I ask that the nurse doesn't tell me the number and that she let the doctor give me "the news".  She smiles and agrees and tips her clip board so I can't see what numbers she is writing down.  On to the exam room and after a few preliminary test, blood pressure, pulse (luckily both are good and strong), I "patiently" (get it PATIENTly, ok, I thought it was clever) wait for the doctor.  After some niceties and a quick check of my chart.........

Drum roll please!!  According to my doctor, I've exceeded what they expected for my one year at 9 months.  Which means I'm 3 months ahead of schedule.  I've accomplished something that they say they didn't expect me to hit until I was one year into this journey.  In fact they even said I've exceeded beyond what they normally expect.  My dedication to my eating and exercise are beyond what most people do.  I told them I was determined and they said that they could see that I was taking this seriously and was giving it 100%.  They also stated most people start to slack at 6 months and they see an increase at 9 months or a stalemate of their weight.  Not little ole me, I am apparently slam dunking this life changing experience and it's nothing but net baby.  I'm waiting for my sneaker endorsement deal any day now.

I am happier!  I still have my little insecurities, but who doesn't.  I take more pictures with me in them, which is a huge change.  And looking at them, I sometimes don't recognize myself.  New clothes and a sassy haircut and I have to do a double take when I see pictures with me in them.

I'm exercising, weight training, doing some yoga (still a challenge for me because I can't seem to shut off the dialog in my brain to do this effectively, but I still give it a shot), I can run without pain.  I'm in the process of purchasing a kayak for myself.  I have to wear my son's tshirts because mine are way to big and look like dresses on me.  I can wear jackets and sweatshirts that were tight or too small on me 9 months ago and hang on me now.  I don't get winded going on hikes or shopping at the mall.  I see an inner light that I knew was there but was so faint 9 months ago I truly did not think it would ever shine bright again.  NO ONE'S opinions or judgments effect my personal state of mind.  I'm done worrying why someone doesn't like me or why people treat each other the way they do.  I've decided to be happy and if someone doesn't like it, then they don't have to be in my company.

I was nice to to someone whom I don't really agree with their practices and whom in the past this person hasn't been the nicest to me and when asked by another person why I would do something nice for them, I said, "Being nice is a reflection of the person being nice, not of the person receiving the kindness!"  (Yeah I was pretty shocked by how profound this sounded when it came out my mouth, but I had been in the sun for about 4 hours in the Arizona heat so maybe when I'm dehydrated I'm much more Zen than I thought)

So here's my pic right before I started and my 9 month selfie, will do a full body at one year, but think you can tell a difference in my face.



I can see a difference when I put them side by side, and if I had known I was going to take my selfie today I would have brushed my hair and put on a bit more makeup but it is what it is.  I wanted it to be today my actual 9 month anniversary.  I look at these two pictures and I'm a bit in awe at the difference I see and I have a very critical eye, but looking at picture number one I can remember in very exacting detail how I felt and what was going on my my head.  I see that now, but at the time I was too far in to see anything.

So now on to the nitty gritty of this blog, the stats for 9 months:

MONTHS NO SODA/ALCOHOL :  

10 Months

MONTHS NO PASTA/BREAD/POTATOES/SWEETS:  

9 Months

DRESS SIZES LOST:  

8, borderline on 9

TOTAL POUNDS LOST:  

92 lbs

TOTAL POUNDS UNTIL GOAL:  

26 Pounds to Go

I'm desperately hoping and working at hitting 100 pounds in the next month or so but 26 pounds in 3 months is only a little over 8 pounds a month and I plan on crushing that goal but these last pounds seem to be a bit harder to lose.  I'm doing it healthy with the help of a doctor and dietitian, but mostly with the support of my amazing husband and family who are my biggest cheerleaders.

So there you go.

  9 months, 92 pounds, basically 9 dress sizes.  

So it seems that 9's are my new favorite number this month.

So there it is.  I'm so close to my goal that I can't lose momentum but I also know that this is not a one year journey but a lifelong adventure that I am on.  I'm determined to be a better me.  Surround myself with those that bring me positive energy and to always try to find joy in every day.  Doesn't sound like a lot, but when you think about it, it's sometimes is harder to find but the reward is greater.

So enjoy your third week of June and I hope you are enjoying the summer.  Until next time my friends.

Have a PEACHY week!