Summer Weight Loss Challenge

Well the summer weight loss challenge we had at TOPS is over and I think I did quite well for only being a member 7 or so weeks. I lost 9lbs meeting my goal of making it out of my 290s I also lost about 4 or so inches which is obvious because I did lose a size and I'm well on my way to losing another which will put me in a size 22 I haven't been in a 22 since I was in my teens. I'm proud of that it sounds so small so insignificant but in addition to those 9lbs lost I also have gained more energy, more stamina, more self confidence. I don't look at food the same way I check out food labels and nutritional information when I go out somewhere to eat. I don't deprive myself but I also am careful to enjoy in moderation mindful of frequency and portion sizes. I don't look at physical activity the same way I am moving better and faster and am less winded I look forward to moving and being more active. I am less anxious and stressed as I learn how to manage it better instead of just dulling it with food. I feel great and I'm looking forward to a personal challenge of another 6 or so weeks what I can do then. My goal is to make it out of my 280s which is reachable because I am currently 288 this includes Labor Day. People are freaking out all around me but I am not worried because if you really change your life and not just view TOPS or view weight loss as a "diet" or "torture" etc you can enjoy your life and your holidays just very carefully making deliberate choices. When I started this I knew it had to be forever to stick and it is becoming that way ever so slowly I was a pop and sugar junkie NOPE not anymore. I hated vegetables and shunned fruit now the produce department is becoming my friend. I used to love carbs and sugar but now I enjoy them but not as often and I feel so much more alive so much better. That's important to note because my body is insulin resistant. The carbs I do enjoy are from whole grains mostly things that give life we're still getting used to our food going bad quicker but that's a good thing!!! It means they aren't loaded with preservatives. I'm not a saint far from it I still enjoy packaged and boxed food but again its all about a balance this has to be my life not just a diet or a fad but forever. I am proud of what I am accomplishing and the self control I'm learning and that has been spilling over into other parts of my life. Just imagine what I can do this time next year and how much lighter I'll be then.