I'm so close to being under 200 that it's psyching me out a little bit.
I have to keep reminding myself not to stress, or throw my routine out of whack for the sake of reaching a goal before its meant to be reached.
Wish me luck!
Below: A quiz found in Willatochange's weight loss diary; I like it a lot.
The quiz
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What is your current height and weight? -
I am currently 5'6.5", and weigh 205 pounds.
If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?
I find it very difficult to pinpoint an ideal weight (and therefore an ultimate goal) because I don't think number in pounds is necessarily completely indicative of health, or happiness and body comfortability. I've checked out a few sites that claim I should be around 160 pounds at my particular height and body structure, so for now, that's my aim.
At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?
If I were between 170 and 180 within the next four months, I would be very happy. I don't feel I'm taking weight off at a dangerous pace, and have lost 63.6 pounds since the end of June 2010, so I think this goal is feasible.
Why do you want to lose weight?
I would be lying if I said I started losing weight for myself. I STARTED losing weight to prove everybody wrong, and I don't necessarily feel like that's a negative thing. It was a push. No, it was a shove, and that's what I needed to get going. Now, I want to lose weight because I'm a good person. I'm worthy of living a comfortable, happy, healthy life, even though it will probably always take a good deal of determination and discipline.
Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion?
None in particular at the moment -- I began dieting 6 weeks prior to my uncle's wedding, lost 30 pounds before the wedding, and felt I looked great in my dress. I now feel I looked a lot bigger at that wedding than I do now, and I think I'm going to look forward to comparing last year's holiday pictures to this years
What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?
Sloth. Little slip-ups. My tendency to over-do it on the alcohol. The convinience of fast, cheap food.
Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?
I feel disgusted even trying to blame my weight problem on my mother, but the fact of the matter is, I grew up in a household of fast-food and TV dinners. My parents never cooked, never pushed vegetables or encouraged nutritious choices. Those sort of habits become ingrained after awhile, and though I've been old enough to make my own decisions for quite some time, I always found the habits too difficult to break.
What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?
I spent four months on the Weight Watcher's program -- weekly weigh-ins taught me to be accountable for my progress, because I never wanted to go into a weigh-in NOT having lost weight. The points system is a godsend -- I don't pay for weigh-ins anymore, but still use the Points system pretty religiously, and it's working wonderfully. Additionally, after winning a 2-year gym membership in June, I went from virtually no exercise to going to the gym 3-5 times per week. Eat less, move more!
Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight?
Prior to my current weight loss journey, I have lost a noteable amount of weight at one other point in my life. I used the Weight Watcher's points system for about 3 months when I was 15 years old, and lost about 30 pounds.
Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?
I don't recall the point at which I fell off of the WW wagon back in high school, I'm sure it was gradual. I began drinking pretty heavily in my junior and senior years of high school, and gained a great deal of weight my freshman year of college, between booze and cafeteria dessert.
Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?
For the first month on Weight Watcher's this time around, I wrote down all of my daily intake in terms of 'points', and while I no longer do this regularly, its a tool I use when I start to slip on my diet these days.
Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?
I am the opposite of a cook. I can't make anything besides chocolate chip cookies. I'm very big into the Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones microwave stuff; much easier and more delicious than my attempt to cook.
How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?
I am grateful to be on a diet that allows me to continue to eat fast food. I'm a big fan of Subway, as well as a lot of the grilled chicken and fish stuff at McDonalds.
What are your three favorite foods?
I adore Mexican food (all of it), chicken, and pistachios.
What are your three favorite restaurants?
Los Amigos, Main St., and Empire Buffet
What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?
Eat LESS -- I simply cannot give up fatty, sweet foods that I love. That sounds like a miserable way to live, so I simply eat less.
Make BETTER choices -- It isn't until I started doing my research that I realized that there are plenty of good-AND-good-for-you foods out there.
DIET soda -- I've converted.
If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?
I would be so CONFIDENT. I'm finding more and more, as this weight comes off, that I am not the cynical, careless, standoffish person I've spent almost all of my life being -- I'm a bubbly, playful, flirty little girl trying to make the most out of being young and happy. I know that the better I do for myself, the easier it is to like myself, and the easier it is for everyone else too, as well.
Do you eat when you are not hungry?
I used to. I fight off the temptation on occasion -- if it's something that for some reason I cannot fight, I've turned to Extra's Dessert Delight gum to stop the nag -- chocolate chip mint icecream, sugarfree? YUM.
Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?
Again, I used to. I get disgusted thinking about the foods I'd bring home from the drive-thru, like, "How could I have POSSIBLY eaten so much in one sitting?"
Do you hide your food or eat in secret?
I also used to hide food. I'd order big bags of fast food and hide them under my coat, sweatshirt, in my giant purse, etc. to sneak them up to my room, because my mom had started to become concerned with how much fast food I was eating. Now, the only food I have to hide are the 100-Calorie packs that my non-dieting little brother can't keep his hands off of.
Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?
I can't be certain that I ever identified that -- my eating seemed more a result of boredom than any other emotion.
Do you eat as a reward?
If I have a good week of weight loss, I let myself splurge a little bit. I think food is meant to be enjoyed; I don't ever want to be in the confines of a diet that doesn't allow me to enjoy food.
Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?
Bad habit. We never had a dining room table growing up in my house; we ate on the floor or the couch, right in front of the TV.
Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?
I use a gym membership a few times per week -- I was lucky enough to win one about the time I made the decision to start dieting. I have a tredmill at home that I use on occasion, and I've been doing more and more neighborhood walking, though the increasingly cold weather is making it more difficult.
What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?
Daily: I've been slacking a bit this week; time to kick it up so I don't slip up!
Weekly: Going out this weekend -- every pound counts!
Monthly: Haven't dieted during a holiday season in my life. Get your research done early!
Yearly: LET YOUR 22ND YEAR OF LIFE BE THE FIRST YEAR OF YOUR BRAND NEW ONE!!
Do you have rewards for certain goals?
My favorite rewards: A night out with the ladies, new cute jeans, a top I finally feel comfortable wearing
