WOW - I DID IT!

I started out on a diet and lost 10 to 15 lbs but then I stopped losing.  So I started going on walks at lunch time and lost another 10 lbs.  I still was nowhere near fit and I started to slip on my diet. I knew I would not be able to eat oatmeal and salad forever so I had to exercise more.  This is when I started to go to the gym to lift weights and do light cardio after work.  Please note that I bought a heart monitor right away.  I wanted to be safe.  I started light (30, 40, and 80 lbs) and only went in a circle around the different stations.  After some of the guys noticed I was serious about working out regularly, they started giving me recommendations on supplements and tracking my progress.  It seemed a little excessive and I was skeptical but I tried the advice.  This is when things started to take off. I started tracking my progress and taking some protein powder, creatine, and glutamine.  It worked!  I was not as tired and sore after my workouts and it was encouraging to see my improvements from week to week.  I was hooked and I started to do research to learn more.  This was also when I joined a support group to help keep me motivated.  My weight kept dropping and I felt much better about myself. So what else has kept me motivated?  Seeing the progress I made.  I weigh myself every morning.  I know that some people say that this is the wrong approach but it works for me.  Yes, some days I lose ground but it has kept me focused.  If I gain a few pounds, I don’t beat myself up over it.  I just watch what I eat the rest of the day and/or exercise a little harder.  I usually see the improvement the next day. When I look back, I am absolutely astounded at the progress I made in such a short period of time.  It has only been 11 months but guess what?  I just hit my target goal of 80 lbs this weekend.  WooHoo!!! Still, I’m only half way there.  I still have to keep the weight off. Someone asked me if I treated myself today for all the hard work I’ve done… I said yes, I had some oatmeal with fruit for breakfast.  No use going back to bad habits now.  I watch what I eat but I do still treat myself from time to time.