Early Check In, Week 16

Starting Weight, 2 April 2009: 70.8 kg (~156.1 lbs)
Current Weight, 30 July 2009: 62.9 kg (138.7 lbs)

Total: -7.9 kg, -17.4 lbs

Well, I slipped into the 130s today - and I am thrilled. I am 13.7 lbs away from my goal weight (aroung 6-6.5 kg)!

I fly back to the US today for a week, and then I go on vacation for a week - so I have a suspicion that my sejour in the 130s will not be long lived, but we shall see!

Melancholy

Do you ever just have those days when you're blue and you just can't articulate why?

I wish it would rain today.

To Food Blog, or Not to Food Blog?

I've been toying with the idea of starting a food blog recently; separately from here, that is. This blog is kind of a mess, really. It's my weight loss and myself and everything I feel like writing about. But I would like to do a more focused, healthy recipe food blog. I think there is a serious dearth of them - I had a very difficult time finding any this week. I know, I know - healthy recipes? Yuck. Blech. Ew. Gross.

WRONG.

Healthy cooking can be fabulous - if done right. Butter always makes everything taste better - but sometimes, you have to choose between great taste and fitting into your clothes. So why not meet somewhere in the middle.

Ok, I've decided. I'm going to do it. More information to come later!

Friday Update - Week 15

Starting Weight, 2 April 2009: 70.8 kg (~156.1 lbs)

Current Weight, 9 July 2009: 63.5 kg (140.0 lbs)

Total: -7.3 kg, -16.1 lbs

Progress is slow these days. I think it's the heat + salt + humidity.

Some new pic candy:

(Oddly enough, note that BOTH pictures involve food!)

Friday Update - week 13?

Hi everyone - not sure what the week is anymore! It's been a while; things have been absolutely insane around here!

Starting Weight, 2 April 2009: 70.8 kg (~156.1 lbs)
Current Weight, 9 July 2009: 64.0 kg (141.1 lbs)
Total: -6.8 kg, -15.0 lbs

Well, I'm about half way to my goal weight from where I started in April - and have passed the 40 lb mark from where I started in 2007. It's been a long road but I feel like the end is finally in sight.

My clothes are starting to fit strangely again; none of my suits fit anymore and even my camisoles, generally skin-tight, are baggy. I think it's not even so much the weight LOSS that's doing it; I think my runs are building up my muscle again and so it's a distribution of weight. I suspect I've lost more fat than shows by the weight but gained some muscle to balance it out.

Work is really busy these days; we've entered testing cycles for my software and I feel like I am getting bombarded with requests/complaints every two seconds - from both sides of the Atlantic. I'm cranky and short-tempered lately; pretty much lost the will to do anything outside of work, keep the apartment clean, and cook/eat.

I'll try to do a real post this weekend. Ta!

Week 9 Update

Starting Weight, 2 April 2009: 70.8 kg (~156 lbs)
Current Weight, 4 June 2009: 65.6 kg (144.6 lbs)
Total: -5.2 kg, -11.4 lbs

Considering my period is here, I'm thrilled with this loss. Hell, I'd be thrilled with it even if I couldn't blame my period! Less than 20 lbs (9 kg) until I'm at my goal weight. I can barely believe it!

Weekly Update

Starting Weight, 2 April 2009: 70.8 kg (~156 lbs)

Current Weight, 28 May 2009: 66.3 kg (146.2 lbs)

Total: -4.5 kg, -9.8 lbs

It's gone a bit slower over the last month with everything going on: an unexpected trip home, two trips to England (a wedding and a funeral), and last minute visitors... but I'm still pleased. Any weight gone is good weight gone.

Just a little FYI - when I started my 'weight loss journey' some time ago, I weighed 82.6 kg (182.2 lbs). This last bit is the final push. I think another 10 kg (22 lbs) and I'll be happy.

The picture of me on the left is me at around my highest weight (82-83kg). The picture of me on the right is at about 67.0kg.

Pictures of The Outfit

I thought I would also put up some pics from the wedding I went to; mainly, I want to record the outfit/look. This may be the best I've looked since I was 18.

Dress: BCBG Runway. Shoes: miu miu. Handbag: Lancel. Earrings: Express. Sunglasses: Coach. Raincoat: H&M.

Oops!

It's been almost 3 weeks since my last post. Eep! I've just been so busy!!

In the last 6 weeks, I've had multiple visitors stay with me in Paris, flown home to the States for 2.5 weeks for my mom's surgery, and been to England twice (a funeral AND a wedding). Needless to say, not much time to take for myself for posting..

But, I'm happy to say - I've managed to stay mostly on track with the weight loss. I'm at about 146.5 lbs (real weigh in to follow Friday), and I started at a little over 156 lbs about 8 weeks ago. So, I'm down almost 10 lbs (around 4.5 kg) in that time frame - and considering all the shit over the last 6 weeks, I'm thrilled.

In other news, I've decided to switch from a formal French class to a private tutor. I don't have the right kind of schedule for a set class every day... I end up skipping half the classes because I have to work and it's just not worth spending the money. For the same price as 10 hours of set class, I can have 6 hours of private lessons - strange but true. I think it makes sense for me, anyway.

I have to go back to the States again next Friday - a business trip this time. I'm not really looking forward to it. Lots of things to take care of while I'm home. Lots of...complications. It all has to do with the whole moral compass thing. It's funny how the desire NOT to hurt people can end up hurting them so much more when it's all said and done. Growing up is hard.

Results

My mom had her surgery Thursday/Friday of last week. It kind of threw off my whole schedule, as I had to fly home immediately. Buuuut I have GREAT news - they were able to remove the ENTIRE tumor and the preliminary tests show it to be benign.

My whole family is elated - she's already been released from the hospital and she's home with us now. I'm staying in the States until early next week to help take care of her - my dad has a business trip he couldn't get out of late this week and it's still unwise to leave her on her own.

Anyway, a happy ending to a terrifying story. Phew.

Week 4: Friday Check In

Starting Weight: 70.8 kg (~156 lbs)

Current Weight, 23 April: 67.9 kg (149.7 lbs)

Total: -2.9 kg, -6.4 lbs

Feeling good about this week, I guess.

I spoke to my mom yesterday and she met with her neurologist - there is some very positive news, so I was able to actually sleep well last night. I'm so thankful for what her neurologist said.. She meets her surgeon on Monday and I'll know more then.

I feel like I can't breathe. I'm still so numb.

I bought my plane ticket home today. I'll be in the States from 3 May to 12 May. I just want to get home. Now.

Like Any Other Monday

My mom has a brain tumor and I'm stuck in France.

Week 3: Friday Check In

Well, this week wasn't spectacular. I'm a little irritated, because I did a pre weigh-in on Wednesday and I was down .4 kg, and then Thursday, when I weighed, I was only down .1kg. Today, when I weighed in, I was down .4 again. Sooo...thank you, Period. Appreciate it.

Anyway, I'll go with the Thursday WI number, as that's what I use for Weight Watchers:

Starting Weight: 70.8 kg (~156 lbs)

Current Weight, 16 April: 68.9 kg (151.9 lbs)

Total: -1.9kg, -4.2 lbs

On the bright side, I've been really good about going for runs, tracking everything I eat, drinking lots of water, and stretching. I'm still pleased with the progress from this week.

Week 2: Friday Check In

I had a great week this week! I lost 1.3kg (2.9 lbs) from last Friday.

Starting weight: 70.8kg
Current weight: 69.0kg

Total loss: -1.8 kg

I feel pretty good, I've managed to keep on track with the running, walking, and stretching. I've also been working to prepare really healthy meals, so I feel good on the inside, too!

Five Things That Happened This Weekend (in brief)

1) I went to the Paris Marathon and it was amazing. It was really incredible. I stood at Mile 17 for a long time and a lot of people had their names on their shirts, so I decided to cheer for them specifically. The reactions were priceless. I even got an air kiss from a man old enough to be my dad.

2) I saw a dead man in the metro on the Champs Elysees on Sunday night. Awful.

3) I bought train tickets to go to London in about 6 weeks. I've been to the most random places in England, but never London. Sooo excited.

4) I ate Spaghetti Carbonara (possibly one of my 10 favorite foods) and got a little drunk - both rarities in my life.

5) I kicked ass at Monster Pinball (in French). I mean, really. I kicked ass.

Paris Marathon

The Paris Marathon is today. Of course, I'm going. I love going to the big races; I think it's inspiring. I don't know if I would have ever trained for my half-marathon if I hadn't gone to so many races before hand. Now, I'm addicted.



Good luck, runners! I'll be cheering.

Week 1, Friday Update

So, it hasn't been a full week since the last time that I posted, but I promised every Friday...

Current Weight: 70.8 kg = ~156 lbs

Progress on goals:

I've been eating really well -- balanced meals, lots of fruits and vegetables, staying within my points. I tried two new recipes this week, and I made an awesome stirfry, so I'm happy with my culinary prowess. I've been working to drink more water, which is...not always easy. But I'm trying!

I ran about 3.5 miles on Wednesday, and I've been walking to my French class every day (which is about 45 minutes a day). I'm planning to run about 6 miles tonight, in keeping with Ryan Hall's plan. So far this week, my workouts have been a little flaky, but I figure it's Week 1. It's all about finding balance!

Wish me luck for next week!

Goals

I've been a member of WeightWatchers for almost two years now. In my first year, I was able to lose about 30 lbs and for the last year, I was able to maintain that loss. Now, I want to finish what I started -- another 30 lbs to go.

So, I set some small goals to get me started:

1) Drink more water
2) Stretch every day
3) Eat at home more often
4) Exercise more

And my actual goal measurement hopes:

1) -5 lbs by 2 May
2) Complete a half marathon in under 2 hours (I ran the Paris Half Marathon on 8 March in 2:42)

To these ends, I have resumed counting points and started Ryan Hall's Half Marathon Training Program (available on the Runner's World website)

I'll update my progress every Friday.

Living in France and not speaking French is more than a little daunting. A few months ago, I started taking French classes five days a week for two hours a day.

Today, only about 5 of the 10 students showed up (all female), which worked out perfectly -- we spent the entire time discussing marriage, children, and gay rights. I'm the only American in the class -- in fact, the only native English speaker, so it was really interesting to get view points from around the globe.

There were women from Mexico, Brasil, Paraguay, and China -- and the similarities between the view points in the class were astounding: all the women were married with children or wanted to be (except me -- I don't want kids), all the women agreed that it was important to finish university and start a career before marriage and children, all the women agreed that it was a good idea to live with your future husband before marriage but that they would never do it because of their families and culture (again, I was the outlier -- I have lived with someone I was not married to), and all the women felt that, while gays should be allowed a civil union, they should not be allowed a church union or to adopt kids -- for many reasons: it's unnatural, their communities would never allow it, it's too difficult for the child to understand, etc..

This shocked me. And I think I shocked them when I explained my opinion.

I'm not gay, but I don't have any issue with gay marriage or gay adoption. There are 500,000 children in the US alone without parents waiting for adoption. The women in the class kept saying that it would be too difficult for a child to understand why he has two mommies or two daddies, and it made me want to scream -- better two mommies or two daddies than none at all. The idea of a child spending an entire childhood in an unstable environment without the permanency they need or crave because someone has deemed it too complicated for a child to comprehend the "gay situation" is ludicrous.

Anyway, just thought it was interesting how people from around the world have so many similarities and yet can be so different. I know there are plenty of people who don't support gay marriage or adoption in the States, but the fact that I am able to have my own opinion without worry of how it would look to my family or the people around me does make me happy to be American. I'm thankful for the reminder -- sometimes, living in Europe, it's easy to jump on the "America's so dumb" bandwagon.

Highlights from the Niece's Trip

My 15 year-old niece came to visit me last week in Paris over her spring break -- something I promised her six years ago when I first left home to go to university. I was really excited for her to come and I was desperate to show her around Paris, and still blissfully unaware of the burdens of guardianship.

As the week wore on, I discovered exactly how difficult it can be to manage a teenager. God bless my mom and sister for making it through the whole parenting thing alive; at this point, I'm fairly certain it's not for me. However, there were a lot of great things about having her here. I really did enjoy taking her to new places and introducing her to new foods, drinks, and practices.

Of course, we did the standards - the Arc de Triomphe, La Defense, the Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame. But I think she'd agree with me when I say that some of the best parts of the trip were the things we did that were off the beaten path or that took just a little longer than the average tourist is willing to spend on one sight.

1) The Conciergerie: a palace-turned-prison, famous for housing thousands of criminals during the French revolution; notably Marie Antoinette.

2) The 80 bus ride: a great bus route that shows you some of the most beautiful sites of Paris for practically nothing. We rode it by mistake but didn't regret a minute.

3) A walk through Chatelet: it's really quite beautiful above ground and it's right next to the Centre Georges Pompidou (which is also worth a stop).

4) Taste testing macarons: though hard to find in the United States, these little babies are

definitely worth the search. For those of you with access to macarons, you already know how delish these are.

5) A post-Louvre stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries: if you can hit this place at the right time, there's no better park to visit in Paris.

6) Dinner at St-Michel: while the food isn't great, it's cheap and the spectacle is worth the trip. There are so many shops, restaurants, and people milling about that boredom is a physical impossibility.

7) The Mesopotamian area of the Louvre: possibly coolest, most laid-back area I've visited in the Louvre. I highly recommend this.

Five Things That Happened This Weekend (in brief)

Ok, we'll go ahead and start this blog with babysteps.

Five things that happened to me this weekend:

1) I forgot to get groceries on Saturday, so on Sunday when all the stores were closed, I was forced to eat plain tortillas for dinner. Actually, it wasn't as disgusting as it sounds.

2) The cat that lives with me tore the cover off of my new book. This is book #2 that he has severely injured.

3) My 15 year old niece analyzed my wardrobe and found it "old-ladyish".

4) After taking my niece to visit the Eiffel Tower this weekend, I led us to the busstop for the bus going the wrong direction, which I did not realize for at least 5 stops.

5) I did my taxes (and I'm getting a refund!)

Trying Again

I have tried unsuccessfully to keep a blog twice. Third time's the charm, right?