There is power in numbers

I mentioned on a FB status last week that 2 years ago on Mother's Day, I began my weight loss journey. Exactly one year to that day, I had managed to lose a whopping 57 lbs. Not too shabby. Over the next year, I managed to maintain that weight loss. Up until that very last week, which is the week of my birthday and Mother's Day. The scale creeped up 4 friggin' pounds. IN A WEEK.

Um, no.

So I decided it was time to hop to it and lose these last 20 lbs that are hanging onto my ass (and thighs) for dear life. Secretly I hoped somebody (Cristina) would say, "let's do this together!" The reason why I hoped somebody (Cristina) would say that is because 1) it's how I managed to do it the last time, 2) a support system you can talk to every day is always a good thing, and 3) the tips, the agonies, the defeats, the triumphs, etc keep me going. And I keep saying Cristina because 1) She was there with me the first time and 2) she has a somewhat obsessive personality like I do, so once we have a goal, damned if we're not gonna reach it.

Guess who asked if we could do it together?

I quickly got off my phone and onto my MAC and created the group. And then Kristin said she wanted to join. Then Sue. Then Jen, Then Jessica. All of a sudden, in a matter of hours, we had like 7 or 8 people in the group. To date, we have TEN. And we only started the group a week ago.

We mesh well. It's been interesting for me because it's the melding of my supercreative friends I've known for years with the newer supercreative mommy-friends post Ellie. We all have so much in common, and we've all jumped into it full force. Everyone's talking as if they've known each other for years. Secret thoughts, fears, behaviors, etc have already been divulged. Similar family relationships, talents, interests, habits, and the like have already been found. It's really quite incredible.

I love it. So very much.

And I am SO into it already. I've got my head in the game. I am a force. I am unstoppable.

I feel like I did at the height of my weight loss last round. I've gotten into my walking routine with a vengeance. I'm following my points system. I am in the zone.

Dude, I walked 2 miles in the rain today. While at work. In my work clothes. Bad ass.

I feel good. Incredible even. I've been eating well and enjoying my food.

And for me that's key. I love food. I love the taste, the texture. I love cooking. I love trying new foods.

I ate sushi for the first time last week.

I ate this!

This empowerment is both addicting yet healthy I think. Sometimes you need to feel as if you can take on anything. Right now, I think I can.

We also took some photos to help see our progress. I want to post those here, but I also want to post a photo of me from before I lost the weight as well.

Pre-weight loss

post weight loss round 1

Here's to the last 20!