Weigh-in no. 25: Drum roll please.....

So, it's week 25.  I've been at this for about 6 months now.  Today is a milestone, whether I like it or not.

So without further ado....

weigh-in no. 25 (-1.6)

Last week:    288.4
This week:    286.8      
Loss of          -  1.6
Total Loss     - 40.2

I have lost 40.2 lbs!!

(or in English measurements: 2 stone 12 lbs)

The uncanniness (sp?) of it is not lost on me.  I'm at week 25 and I've lost 25% of the weight I want to lose.  Kinda cool, yet strange, eh?  But seriously, I am proud.  Do I have a ways to go yet?  Absolutely.  But what I've been able to do so far is pretty dang cool.  People get to do commercials for Weight Watchers for losing less than this!

There are times when I wish I were losing faster.  A 40 lb loss is nothing to sneeze at, but I had wanted to have lost 50 lbs by the end of the year.  But as I've said before, I think I'm doing great despite that.  I think the pace I'm losing is good, healthy (physically and mentally), and sustainable.  And I'm aware that a lot of people struggle to get to that point, so I am super-happy about that.  I am NOT complaining.

I have a few things I've realized in the last couple weeks:

1. I have no intention of getting bony, but it's nice to start feeling the contours of my body underneath all my 'fluff'.  You can't see them yet, but I can feel my collarbones, hip bones, jaw bone and I can feel the definition of my muscles and bones around my knees and shins in ways I never remember doing before.  I find that I am touching myself in those places where bones are becoming uncovered and trying to familiarize myself with this new, different and changing body.
2. The changes in my diet are sustainable and something I can easily do for the rest of my life.  There's been nothing drastic and nothing is off limits, but I find that I don't enjoy overeating anymore.  The misery of being too full isn't worth it.  I find that I crave fruit and vegetables (which I never thought I would).  I could easily eat a big bowl of sauteed zucchini/courgette over a plate of greasy pasta any day.  My portion sizes are smaller and I find quite a bit of satisfaction in recognizing when I'm full and able to push my plate away.  And I don't even count calories or keep a food log but just eat intuitively, with awareness in the back of my mind of what my per day caloric intake should be.
3. I enjoy working out.  I look forward to going to the gym most days.  I enjoy getting sweaty, pushing myself, and seeing what I can do.  My body's abilities to adapt, get stronger and increase in endurance amazes me.  This past week, I was able to run 6 minutes straight (.48 mile), so this coming week, I will push myself and make sure I can run at least .5 mile if not further and maybe start working on increasing my pace from 4.8 mph as well. By the way, I'm enjoying this running regimen much more than the C25K programme!

the obligatory sweaty-faced picture after working out earlier this week

Another thing I've decided is that I'm going to start taking a swimming class.  It starts at my health centre in early March and it's a weekly "improvers" class to teach breathing and form, so I can finally learn how to swim properly.  I wonder if they teach the butterfly?  Plus, since I'm a member it's free!  (Have I said how much I love my gym??  I should post about it some week....)

Without a doubt, I am celebrating these victories and feel great about where I am in this process.  

But I want to set some new goals for myself to work toward.  It's 15 weeks until my birthday (3 June) and so by that time, I would like to:

• have lost another 20 lbs (totaling 60 lbs)
• be able to run 30 minutes consecutively (approx 2.5 miles)
• be able to swim 1 mile

Now that the weather is getting nicer (I see blue skies and sunshine!!), more physical activity outside should be easier to do in order to work toward these goals.  

So here's to the next 25 weeks!!

Question for comment:  What milestones have you met or are working toward?  What goals have you set for yourself?