Since You've Been Gone...

.... or maybe "since I'VE been gone" but no matter.  I haven't written much. At all.

Week Four of the Weight Loss Journey:  Stagnant.  Stagnant like stinky gross pond water.  I must get re-focused and motivated.  My good buddy gave me a helping hand with that earlier last week.  She helped me see that nearly everyone else in the world who is in shape has made choices that led them to be in shape. I think this is how I started my weight loss journey four weeks ago - knowing that I would need to make the choices, have the self-discipline, etc. to reach my goals.  But I've already begun to be an expert in excuse-making in the last four weeks.  But instead of excuses for my behavior, they were excuses as to why other's could be fit and I couldn't:

* "Well, she has REALLY good genes.  Being thin is natural for her."
* "She actually LIKES to work out!" [gasp] (Wait a minute, I used to like to work out too! Hmmm.)
* "Her metabolism is just so high."
* "It's not my fault I need more sleep than so-and-so."

And on and on... it's not healthy. And, more importantly it's really not true.  No matter the genes, metabolism, sleep habits, if I'm not working out or eating right there's no where else for me to look.  And so, we are back on track.

Despite my lack of improvement on the scale, I did have a good and exciting moment this week:

On a whim, I popped into a dress store for a formal dress for a gala dinner that P and I will attend at the end of September.  I found one I liked and sent camera-phone pictures to my sister.  It was a size 12.  (There, I've said it, it's a size 12... I was going to make it all ambiguous like "the size I have been since post-partum #3", but I'm throwing it out there and stating my size.)  So, as I said, this is the size I've been in my post-partum days (after breast-feeding did it's work and all the initial weight dropped off).   ANYWAY.... I put the dress on hold until I can get another opinion. So, the next day, I take my good buddy shopping with me.  Thanks to the camera-phone pictures texted to my sister, she suggests I try a size 10. My sister is certain I'm wearing my clothes one size too big because I'm not used to "tight" clothes and I'm just being baggy. So, I look to grab a size 12 and 10... but lo and behold there is no size 10.  Only a size 8.  My good buddy encourages me just to grab it anyway and so I head into the dressing room with a comfy size 12 and a tiny size 8.  On goes the 12 and good buddy says "Oh yes. I DO like it!  Definitely worth the sales price for sure!"  Into the dressing room I go to change into normal baggy clothes.  The size 8 is eyeing me and daring me to squeeze into it.  And so I do... and up goes the zipper all the way to the top!!!!  Good buddy gives me a look that makes me wonder if she's about to say "Oh dear, good buddy"  as in "Oh dear, good buddy, don't wear that in public."  But instead it comes out as, "Oh dear, good buddy I didn't realize when you were wearing it but the size 12 is definitely too big.  This is the size you should get."  So... triumph of the month... I walked out of the store with a size 8!!!  And a size 8 that was 50% off, no less!

My next goal for exactly 21 days is to make my new size smaller-than-normal dress to fit just absolutely perfectly.... it's time to tighten up a bit here and there.  I have invested in some new tools.  Two DVD's are on their way to help me trim up.  I'm looking forward to giving you the "skinny" on them next week.