November 07

So here is what I look like most days when I am making phone calls. This one was taken in early mid November just before we moved.
I am feeling pretty good at this weight but would still like to take off another 30 lbs. The holidays are always a difficult time to try and loose weight so I am not going to be too hard on myself. Particularly since we are adjusting to so many new things as a result of our move.
This whole jouney really started in January with a new years goal making a conscious effort to work on losing weight this year. At the time I really did not know where I would find the will power. It took me till mid February to get going on an Atkins plan and it was not until June that I made some additional discoveries. I found if you cut your carbs to 20 or less and concentrate only on that at first the hunger and cravings ease after about a week. At that point you can begin to make lower calorie and fat choices without the hunger and cravings. So currently I am in a maintaing mode but will get back to a loosing mode soon. Over all I am pleased with the progress I have made this year. I went from a starting weight of 240 and am now at 173 with the 3lb gain during the extra stress of moving in the last month and a half.

Post Move Weigh In

Amazingly I have only gained about 3 lbs since our vacation in mid October and during our month and a half moving adventure. I do however need to get back on track and get that scale moving downward again.

We had a nice Thanksgiving - I did have some stuffing and a small baked potato.
I am trying to be conscious of portion sizes on the high carb foods.
Now that we are finnally moved I will try to dance around the many holiday temptations.
I need to create some suitable alternatives and post them here. Perhaps that will help me to get re-motivated.

Off Track

Presently, I am off track probably due to the stress of moving and all the emotions of all the changes. I suppose it is not much of an excuse but it is where I am presently. I am at times in more of a matenance mode and at times I am in down right cheat mode. I know I can not do this for long and I am hoping to find new resolve to continue on this journey as I know I still have a ways to go to get to my desired weight goals. It has not helped that I have been too busy to spend time on the forums where there are other who are walking this daily. I can see that the support and encouagement is a big factor in my being able to stay on track.

Measurements

Today I took all my measurements. I have not done this since the end of June.
Since I started in February 18 I have lost
12 inches around my stomach,
13 inches around my hips.
4. 5 inches from around my thigh,
1 inch from my calf,
9 inches in bust, and
2.5 in my upper arm.
A grand total of 42 inches lost.
Current weight is 172 which is a total loss of 73 lbs.

Previous Up Dates

These
September 18

I am so excited - my sister saw me for the first time in about 3 months and was astounded. She said what did you do with the other half of my sister. My mother and aunt were amazed as well and have just started their own weightloss journey. Low carb/cal really does work. I am living proof. To date I have lost 65lbs and now weigh 175lbs. I am able to wear size 16 pants and medium tops. Can you tell I am excited. I'm not hungry, I eat real food,

August 5th

We have just finished up a week of Vacation Bible School after coming home from 4 days of camping at the Creation Festival at the Gorge in Washington. I was hoping all that walking would pay off and I think it did. However it took several days of being home out of the heat to loose all the retained water from being in the heat. Any way as of today I have lost 51 pounds and weigh 189. Ya hoo!!!

July 17
Back from our trip on the 15th to Mt. Rainier. We hiked about 6 miles actually a lot more if you include the hike to where we had to park the car. It was a beautiful day - only saw the top of the mountain through the clouds 1 time very briefly. My reality shot show I still have a long way to go 79 lbs to get to my goal. I've lost 46 lbs so far and the good news is I feel great - good enough to go hiking in Mt. Rainier.



July 12, 2007

I am now at 195 pounds. I have to date lost 45 pounds I still have 80 to go. I am loosing about 4-5 pounds a week. I am feeling great and starting to fit in to size 16 clothes. Yeah!! The Kimkins plan really works and the support on the Kimkins web site is amazing.

I need to take a new photo. We plan to go to Mt. Rainier this weekend - will try to get Marco to take a new picture.

Making Progress

I finally got around to putting together a progress report composit photo. While I have not yet reached my weightloss goal of I think about 130 I am making progress. I enjoy cooking and eating low. I watch my carbs and try to make lower calorie and fat choices as much as possible.
I also try to eat fresh foods and avoid foods that are processed.
I am finding a lot of support at the www.eatinglow.com forum. It seems to be a resting place for many of us who have left the Kimkins plan due to much of the current controversy surrounding Kimmer and some concerns about people taking the plan to un healthy extreems.
For me the plan was simply a more calorie and fat conscious version of the original Atkins diet before the net carb revolution. Which as you can see from the above photo has worked very well for me. All in all I feel great - I have experienced some hair loss but then I have before when I have lost signifigant weight. I am confident as in times past that this will stabalize.

So my current goal is to get back to keeping track of exactly what I am eating each day. I admit I have gotten quite lax on this but have stuck to consistently eating portions and foods that I know are low. I have probably been a bit more lax on the fat lately putting me more in line with the Atkins plan.

The Mosaic Process

This ia a close up of one of my larger pieces that I call "Waiting Angel". It won 3rd place in the Delphi Glass Festival. It stands about 4 feet tall. Since I do not do mosaics full time it took me about 3 months of working a couple hours most every day to complete.

I work with the same glass used for stained glass. Some nights when I am not feeling very creative I just nip glass into tear drop or leaf shapes for use in later projects.

I start by drawing my idea on paper and then enlarge it with my copy machine to be transfered to the working surface. I usually prepare the surface by paining it white so the glass looks more colorful. Then I transfer or draw the design on the surface. From that point I begin kind of painting with glass. I often will have a lot of glass pieces just sitting in place. This allows me to try out different colors or glass shapes. Once I am happy with a section I start to glue it down.
I use the clear liquid nails on all my projects. The last step is to apply the grout. It is like a cement that holds every thing together. Grout is not my favorite part and most of the time my husband Marco will grout things for me. Grout comes in lots of colors and the color can greatly change the look of the piece. Most of the time I use one grout color on Waiting Angel I used several grout colors.

Anyway I have been doing mosiacs now for about 3 years. In doing them I find hope that no matter how shattered or broken our lives may become, in the hands of the Creator, the master artest, it becomes full of new possibilities. He can take our brokeness and make something beautiful. Isaiah 61:3...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and the garment of prise instead if a spirit of despair.

Runner

This is a photo of me Apri 15th 1978 I was 17 years old - I was a runner!
Oh I'm in white and we got 3rd place in the 2 mile relay.

Today I ran - well I ran and then walked, ran and then walked to the park and back.
It is drizzly out and I did not let that become an excuse for putting it off.
Considering that there is now 70 pounds less of me - it felt pretty good.
My friends over at www.eatinglow.com are running so I figgured I might as well get out there and beat the streets too. It is good to have some accountability particularly when one struggles with consistency as I do.

So I am reminded of an old song by Twila Paris

RUNNER

Courier valiant, bearing the flame
Messenger noble, sent in His name
Faster and harder, run through the night
Desperate relay, carry the light
Carry the light

Runner when the road is long
Feel like giving in but you're hanging on
Oh runner, when the race is won
You will run into his arms

Obstacle ancient, chilling the way
Enemy wakened, stoking the fray
Still be determined, fearless and true
Lift high the standard, carry it through
Carry it through

Mindful of many waiting to run
Destined to finish what youíve begun
Millions before you cheering you on
Godspeed dear runner, carry it home
Carry it home

Ok so my run today did look quite like the runners in the song. What it does remind me is that to accomplish Gods larger purposes in my life - I do need to get in to shape both physically and spiritually. My own will power or good intentions are not enough to carry me through this journey. I know that I do not on my own have the resolve or the consistency

Well if you are reading this - welcome!
I am going to try to be consistent about posting something at least every week day. So you potential dear reader are my motivation to be faithful to this task.

Not sure what I will write each day but I hope you find with in my posts hope and encouragement for your own journey.
Blessings, Margot

He must become greater; I must become less."

He must become greater; I must become less."
John 3:30 (Today's New International Version)

So welcome to my weight loss journey. It seems that in the quest for less of me pound wise that I have discovered that there were many other area where less of me might be a good thing.
Certanly plenty of areas where I need to re-examine the excess in my life.