three little numbers

170.

That's what the scale said one day last week when I stepped on it.

I don't step on the scale often. I don't really care so much what I weigh. But those 3 little numbers, well, they were pretty momentous. I'm not sure that I weighed 170 on the day I got married. It's been a long, long time since I've been this light. When I started my weight loss journey about a year ago, I was well over 200.

I haven't always been the best at dieting. Summer is rough for me. So much free time, and a kitchen right in my house, if you can believe that. Much easier for me to stay on track when I'm working and busy. I'm really busy at work this year, barely any breaks, which means no time to think about the vending machines in the teacher's lounge.

How did I do it, you're asking.

Slimfast. When I was growing up, my mom always warned me against Slimfast. Sure you lose, she said, but you'll gain it right back when you stop.

She may be right, but here's the thing.... I don't want to stop. I actually like my little Slimfast bar that I eat for breakfast and again most days for lunch. When I try to move away from it, I find myself craving it and going back to it. I'm at the point now where I almost can't eat two meals (or more) a day. I can only handle one full meal, a very light breakfast, and a small lunch. Or 2 of my bars and a full meal.

But all the Slimfast in the world wouldn't have a big effect if I wasn't exercising. When it's warm, Dan and I take the dog and walk a half mile, at a nice pace. When the weather doesn't cooperate, I slip in my Leslie Sansone Walk and Kick tape. It's really a tape... I had to search to find it on videotape. I use the combo DVD/VCR player in my room, and it doesn't like to play her DVDs for some reason. So to cut my frustration level in half, I found a tape. It always plays.

I really don't like Leslie a lot though. Her constant chatter and bland music pretty much irritate me to no end. I finally got smart this summer. I had this little iPod shuffle that was sitting around, mostly unused.

Now I download my (probably semi-illegally obtained) Haygoods music to my iPod, turn the volume down on the TV and I'm off. Listening to that group never fails to get me motivated to work out, even when I'm close to the end of my workout. And when I'm done with them, I move on to a little Jesse McCartney. In my dreams, I'm sixteen.

In reality, I'm thirty-six. And determined to see a six on that scale before summer. It scares me to lose weight. I have all these great clothes that fit me now. If I lose weight, that's all the more clothes I'll need to buy. I've always been the chubby, sarcastic girl that sat in the back of the room. Who I am going to be if I'm skinny?

Probably the skinny, sarcastic girl in the back of the room.

Comments

[Jas]

Congrats on your weight loss. That's so awesome. I just wanted to let you know that I check out your blog every day and totally enjoy it. Love your LOs!
Rock on!

[Kellie (joelsgirl)]

YEAH KIM! That's great, and I always love the sarcastic girl in the back of the room, whether she's skinny or not. ;)

[Shari]

Congrats on the awesome weight loss Kim! I am currently on a diet and LOVING watching the scale go down. I just wish it moved FASTER! ;-) Ditto what Jas said I read your blog almost every day. :-)