Where were you this time last year? Losing slowly, sometimes its hard to see a change, esp when its not dramatic "whooosh"! 10 sizes smaller overnight..(which the diet industry would like us to follow)

Name some NSVs, a state of mind, a quote...

quote:

Originally posted by Bee:
This summer has just been so different - nursing a calf tear, selling a house, building a new own, moving and then all the stress of coping with my mil's cancer.

It's been a rough summer on you, Brie, and to get through all that and only have 5 pounds to lose is amazing.

Hopefully soon the house stress will settle down and the injury will be gone. Your mother-in-law's cancer struggles will still be tough to deal with, but maybe once you have less other things to worry about you can find better ways to cope and help each other out.

Last year, I had just returned to work after 7 years of SAHMing, and I was thrilled. I was eating and drinking whatever I wanted, and plenty of it. I was slightly bigger and heavier than I am now, but not much. But I was way too heavy, period.

This year, I'm still working, and I'm also trying to lose weight for the first time in a couple of years. The strangest thing is that although I don't feel or look skinnier, I feel a certain physical ease that I haven't felt in a long time. Go figure.

This was a hard hw for me which is why I procrastinated answering until now.

Last year, I was 5 pounds lighter than I am now and despite nursing an Achiles tendon injury, I was training for my first 10K as part of a relay marathon.

What made me saddest though about this homework was not my weight or activity level but that my mil was still healthy. She didn't get diagnosed until mid November and still felt great last summer.

This summer has just been so different - nursing a calf tear, selling a house, building a new own, moving and then all the stress of coping with my mil's cancer.

cate, I can relate to checking out other women to try to "place" where you are size-wise. It's weird. I also do a lot of mirror-gazing, just to kind of check in.

About a year ago, I was finally coming to terms with the fact that my "temporary" gain of 20 pounds had settled in to stay and was in the process of inviting over a few friends. I was having a lot of trouble dealing with the demands of work, school, keeping things running at home, and trying to lose weight.

I have lost about 10 pounds since then, about halfway back to goal. I have become a lot more comfortable with myself than that number would suggest--I have done some weight training and am trying to get myself back into top TriGirlJen form, so my body looks a lot more than 10 pounds different to me. I have my waist back and my thighs and arms are firming up.

I have also quit the Nice but Boring Job that was both dull and stressful (and The Land of the Endless Potlucks) in favor of a graduate assistantship (for much less money) that is giving me a chance to really expand my skills while finishing up my degree. I am getting a lot more sleep and my dark circles are fading away.

I'm starting to fit into some smaller sizes, but then the buzzkill is that all the articles are saying that all the stores just relabeled the old 14s as 12s, and so on, but the clothes I already owned are also looking looser.

A year ago, wow takes some thought. I was 20 pounds heavier, I was on less meds, I didn't swim as much as I do now, I was fighting depression, I was unable to move as quickly as I can now.

It has been an up and down year. Hi roller coaste rides through life the last couple of years. But I do notice that my attitude and coping skills are getting more finely tuned. I can say "whatever" to more things. I can fight for myself, advocate I think it the polite word. And I don't take things that are important in my life as for granted as I used to. That's improvement. I think that my NSV's are more inside of me that outwardly seen. I have made soulful changes, which feel much better and more confident than they did last year. All in all, I am content to move on....working towards a finer me.

For me, I don't have that little pouch of flesh between my armpit and my tit anymore... and I actually have armpits again...

But more than that, I'm more confident that I am beautiful, I feel attractive, sor the most part. I am really starting to feel comfortable in my body.

For most of my life, I was never comfortable in my body. Growing up in Cairo, I was always afraid of garnering unwanted male attention (I was molested twice, and followed home by a strange man once). When I came to school, I gained weight, then dropped it in a summer of strict dieting, but was obsessive for a hile after that... when I started to relax, I started to gain...

Now I am finally feeling comfortable and happy with my body, with having a feminine shape and dressing to show it off.

Yes, I am still a size or two heavier than I'd like to be, I'm thinking a size 8 would be ideal.

I still have trouble seeing myself in proportion. I still see my butt as a monstrous expanse of cellulite. But I saw someone I thought of as "thin" going through the sale rack in my size. So slowly, that is changing too, for me. As I shop more, in the higher-end places, I think I will get a better idea of my proportional size. That's the one thing with not having an SO, is that there is no-one I can ask, "ok how do I rate in proportion to that girl?" (not that I'm judging anyone by size, just trying to get an idea of what my size is)

One year ago today, I weighed 154.4. Today, I weighed 161.4. UP is not good news, but it is my reality and I'm trying to deal with it. Some NSVs:

Yesterday, despite the fact that I'm heavier than last year, Tae-Bo (which had always been my most punishing workout DVD) seemed easier to me than I ever remember before.

This week, for the first time that I can remember other than when I was sick, I got to bed before 10 p.m. every worknight.

My muscle definition is better than it was last year.

I have much less "flappage" in my underarm area.

I have had several powerwalks in the past year that were over 10K steps. I'm not sure I had ever achieved that before (most of my walks previous to that had been in the 5-8K range).

Despite having had a weight GAIN in the past year:

I still get in 4 to 5 workouts per week.

I still shop, prep and cook healthy lunches for the week on Mondays.

On average, I am probably making/eating lunches with more veggie servings than a year ago.

WOW, Steph

This time last year I was towards the end of my walking training for the 3-day Avon walk.

This year I am really working out more the elliptical machine.

This time last year my dh was not a member of the gym.

This year we are both members.

This time last year I would push myself to do a morning workout.

This year I know and have accepted that I do have options for when and where I want to workout.

This time last year I was cooking a lot throughout the week.

This year I still cook a lot, but also do some pre-cutting or planning.

This time last year I had a difficult time staying determined when I was out of the house.

This year I plan ahead in my mind and feel better at the end of the day.

Great timing for this question, Cathy

A year ago I was the same weight - strangely enough, and that is lovely news to me. It means I have met a goal I was scared to really voice; keep the weight off. I remember saying to a friend last fall that I loved her suede jacket so much and I would love to have something like that but I can't get myself to believe I will stay this size. I am going to risk saying that I can stay this size now.

Also, a year ago I was deeply miserable in a work situation that was stripping my senses and today I am in a great work situation that makes me really happy. Despite the adjustments I need to get used to and the way I need to organize my off time and my family time, I am feeling so vital that it is all very worth it.

My marriage has also grown by leaps and bounds.

It is great to be in a better place a year later.