WW Weigh-In #52 - Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013! I hope everyone had a happy, healthy, fun-filled holiday season.

2012 was a great big year for me, what with buying a house and getting engaged, and that awesomeness is going to continue in 2013 since we've got a wedding to plan and a house to continue making a home.

But since it's also Wednesday, it's a weigh-in day for me. Today also marks week 52 of my WW journey - a full year! It would have been amazing to get on the scale this morning and see a nice low number but it was not to be:

Two weeks ago: 189.0 lb
This week: 196.6 lb
Total gained: 7.6 lb

Egad! That was a little more than I expected and, let's face it, a bit of an embarrassment. But - BUT - I know from experience that it's easy to lose those first five pounds simply by eating normally again. And that, combined with more diligent point-tracking, will help me get the excess holiday weight off quickly.

I also need to start exercising again, not just for weight loss but to do away with my back pain and tight muscles. I feel so good when I exercise so it amazes me a bit how lazy I've become with it. My walking plan hasn't panned out yet but that doesn't mean it won't! It really is just a matter of overcoming my own laziness.

And there's lots to share about the wedding and I need to post some pictures of our house and how we've decorated it. It's all so very exciting so here's to a fabulous 2013!

WW Weigh-In #46

I weighed in yesterday, I promise! Though, once again, no change:

Last week: 189.4 lb
This week: 189.4 lb
Total gained this week: 0 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb (185 lb by December 31)
To reach target: 8.4 lb (4.4 lb by December 31)

Though I did have a minor breakthrough yesterday: I got myself out of the doldrums I'd been in for the better part of two weeks. Turns out all I needed was a good workout. (Funny how that works.) And I feel much better, not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well.

The house is slowly coming together as well, which is helping me with my stress and we're moving ahead with venues for the wedding. Slowly but surely everything is coming together.

Hopefully my weight will do the same. (Though come down, rather than come together. But you know what I mean.)

First frost!

I have never in my life been so excited for the first frost of winter.

This morning, when I left for work, I noticed a frosty glaze over our car and front yard so I took a deep breath - and I could breathe! It seems that whatever pesky environmental nuisance was wreaking havoc on my lungs has been knocked off for another season.

So I'm preparing to get back into running. I may even go for a short run tomorrow. No, I haven't run since September and no, it will not be pretty when I do start again but I am going to start. I've been realizing that I'm missing it, not just how it makes me feel but how it helps transform my body. I feel physically better, tighter, stronger when I run regularly. And it's one of the few exercises where I am able to push myself to gasping, which also makes me feel great (at least when my breathing returns to normal).

And in our new 'hood, we're on a dead-end street with other, smaller dead-end streets running off it so I can run up and down all these streets and look as ridiculous as I want and not worry because I'll be keeping it in the neighbourhood and off major roads. Though it may not be the best impression to give to the neighbours...oh well.

Oh running, how I've missed you!

WW Weigh-In #44

I'm back on the scale this week!

Last week: N/A
Two weeks ago: 188.2 lb
This week: 189.4
Total gained this week: 1.2 lb

Honestly that's about what I expected. I've treated my body so poorly over the past couple of weeks and, I'll admit, I'm having a really hard time getting back into any kind of routine. I know I just need to force myself so that's the plan tomorrow. Even if it's just for a walk, at least it's something.

The house is coming along nicely, though, and I spent a good portion of today carting boxes of books from the basement to the main floor (cardio + strength training, am I right?!). And the election kept me out pretty late last night - I didn't get home until 4:30 this morning. So I'm pretty tired tonight.

I'm still aiming for 185 lb by the end of the year - and with the Christmas season approaching that will be a challenge. But I know me: once I start making time for exercise my body will want food that will keep it fueled for more exercise...and the upward spiral will start.

I just need to get back to the gym!

A great big update!

Wow, so much has happened over the past 10 days! From October 26 to November 4, there have been times of extreme joy and extreme sadness; moments of frustration and moments of success; time with friends and time with family; and we even managed to move into our house.

Here's what went on:

Friday - we got the keys to the house! Such a simple act but so exciting and wonderful and full of promise. Our first home!
Dinner: Chinese food

The key to our home!

Saturday - we got into the house around 11 am. It was of course empty and the echoing caught me by surprise. All that empty space would soon be filled with our furniture, but not before we painted all kinds of awesome colours throughout. Before we could get too far with that though, the Beau proposed! Through my tears I nodded yes and he put the most beautiful ring on my finger. What an amazing day!
Dinner: Indian food

My beautiful ring!

Sunday - we had friends over and we painted and painted and painted. With their help we were able to finish the main floor and most of the basement as well as get one coat on the master bedroom. We are truly blessed with the number of people willing to offer up their weekend days to help us paint.
Dinner: pizza

The rainbow of colours now throughout our home

Monday - tragic news this day as I found out my dear cousin Becky had been hit by a car the night before and died of her injuries Monday morning. She was only 31. It was an awful day.
Dinner: frozen shepherd's pie

Tuesday - moving day! The movers arrived at 8:40 am and were done by 12:55 pm. So fast, so efficient, and we didn't do a thing. Though we discovered our queen box spring wouldn't fit up the stairs. We left that alone for the day as we needed to finish painting, though we did find a way to get it up the stairs.
Dinner: fried chicken

Wednesday - perhaps the day I was most excited for, as our couches were due to be delivered. They arrived right on time...and wouldn't fit through the front door. I was really annoyed (not at the delivery guys, just in general) but we stored the couches in our garage and plotted how we'd get them inside. We also made a trip to IKEA and bought a bed frame (among other things)...and the bed frame wouldn't fit in the car. So we tied it to the roof, using twine and cardboard roof racks and drove it home - in the rain. And we made it! Crazy. We also got the box spring upstairs by cutting the slats and folding it in half. Seriously.
Dinner: burritos

All tied down and ready to roll

The Beau working his box spring magic

Thursday - I spent the entire day in pajamas and didn't leave the house once. It was glorious. The Beau and I worked all day, emptying boxes, setting up other furniture, hanging curtains, cleaning and tidying. And slowly we could start seeing the progress being made.
Dinner: Thai food

Friday - Becky's funeral. It was the saddest day of my life. She was so vibrant and full of life, saying good-bye seemed surreal. I kept expecting to hear her voice, to ask us what we were doing because she was right there. The strength that my aunt, uncle and cousin showed that day was truly inspiring. She will be loved, and missed, always.
Dinner: Chinese food

Becky and I

Saturday - family dinner night! We had the Beau's parents, sister and brother-in-law, and brother and twin children over, along with my mom and brother. Full house for sure! Fortunately, earlier that day, we were able to remove the sliding doors at the back of the house to move in the couches. And we quickly filled those couches, and other furniture, with family and had a wonderful home-cooked meal of roast beef, potatoes, cauliflower, salad and beets. To celebrate the engagement we had sparkling wine and to celebrate the Beau's birthday we had vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream icing and crushed Oreos.
Dinner: amazing!

Making way for the couches

Sunday - the Beau's birthday! I made him brunch and we had a very relaxing day, puttering a bit around the house, watching movies, reading, and just taking it easy. It was so lovely to have a day to ourselves, to enjoy our home and be as lazy as we wanted!
Dinner: leftovers from all that take-out

So it was a crazy week, filled with so much. I didn't weigh in on Wednesday, mostly because I knew the result would be bad (so much take-out!) but also because we didn't have internet set up yet so I figured I'd just let it go for the week and get back on track this week.

One thing I did notice was how much work we did and how much we were moving, up and down stairs, throughout the house, walking through stores. The only time I sat down was if a job required me to sit down. But because we didn't have a kitchen set up for awhile and didn't get groceries for awhile, we at terribly. It's ironic, isn't it? Moving is a time when you're so busy and working so much that your body would benefit most from healthy meals but with so much going on, ordering in was just easier and faster.

But now that we're in the new place and well on our way to getting settled, we're also ready to get back to healthy eating and fitter lifestyles. One bonus is that after eating so much take-out, we definitely want home cooked meals for the next while!

I'll let you know how it goes on Wednesday and I'll post more pictures of the house, as we finish the rooms.

I'm still here!

Oh hi! Sorry for not updating my weight this week; I actually skipped my weigh-in on Wednesday! But we moved into the new house this past week so that has kept me busy.

But I've got lots to share - I'll write a longer post tomorrow and fill you all in!

WW Weigh-In #42

When I woke up yesterday I honestly couldn't believe it was weigh-in day again. Where did the week go?!?! But, as always, I got on the scale Wednesday morning, even if my update is coming late - again. So here are the numbers:

Last week: 189.0 lb
This week: 188.2 lb
Total lost this week: 0.8 lb

Weight loss target: 181.8 lb (185 lb by December 31)
To reach target: 6.4lb (3.2 lb by December 31)

And they're going back in the right direction. Though I expect some up-and-down over the next few weeks as we move and get our new house set up. As much as we want to eat healthy all the time, sometimes you need to get pizza after a day of painting.

But we get the house tomorrow (TOMORROW!) and we move next Tuesday so we'll be settled in very soon. I can't believe it's already here! There's going to be a lot going on with the house so I'll be sure to post updates.

Who knows, with all the work we'll be doing, I may just lose a few pounds!

Countdown to the new house!

I had a lovely countdown written on our calendar at home. Then we had to stage our condo and our fantastic Terry Pratchett calendar was, well, not exactly neutral. So the countdown disappeared and though I've been thinking A LOT about the new house I haven't had the number of days until closing fresh in my mind.

UNTIL NOW.

I don't know why I didn't do this before: I now have a countdown written in my desk calendar at work. (Yes, I still have a hard copy calendar on my desk. I don't care how digital the world gets, nothing will replace the usefulness and necessity that is my desk calendar.) As of today, it's only 24 more sleeps until we get the house.

24 MORE SLEEPS!

A mere two dozen days until the Beau and I, and the kitty, take possession of our wonderful family home. And we're quite an adorable little family, I must say. It is the perfect home for us and the Beau and I have even started furniture shopping; we bought matching sofas on Sunday! We've also picked out paint colours (though only online; closer to closing we'll go into a store and look at paint chips to get a better idea) and wrangled some friends into helping us paint. Between the two of us, we have pretty much all the other furniture we're going to need. There will be pieces we'll need to replace/update and we need to get a bed frame for my queen-sized bed, but that's about it.

WE'RE SO READY FOR THIS.

Sure, we have to sell the condo, but I try not to dwell on that for too long. I'd much rather focus on getting the house because that will mean we get our kitty back as well. Tansi has been such a good girl while being cat-sat but we miss her and she misses us and in 24 days (sooner if we sell the condo) we'll all be back together again.

I am ready to come home.

The countdown begins

Now that we have successfully purchased a house, the countdown to moving day begins. And there is a lot to do and lots to count down.

First on the list is staging our condo, which will be it's own fair share of work. We've already had a fantastic consultation with a home stager so we know what we need to do. And I've received a moving/storage estimate to get our stuff out and in storage until we move into the house.

If all goes according to plan, we'll be putting furniture into storage next Thursday September 6. That may not seem like a lot of time but it's compounded even more by the fact that we'll be in Killarney from Friday morning to Monday night, for a long weekend of canoeing and camping.

That will give us Tuesday and Wednesday to pack and get ready for the movers - piece of cake! I actually don't think it will be that bad since most of our stuff has to go into storage. Really, the hardest part is figuring out what we need to keep with us between now and October 26 (when we take possession), what we can store in our condo storage locker and what we can do without and put into storage with our movers.

After staging comes selling, which I'm sure will be interesting though hopefully quick. And then we can relax and just ride it out until we move.

Only 59 days until the house is ours!