Confessions of a Sugarholic

Happy New Year's Eve Readers!  Do any of you have any plans for the evening?  I'm happy to say that I do.  I'll be spending the evening with my sister enjoying a lovely meal at Hyde Park Restaurant in downtown Cleveland.  After that... who knows.  But it's nice to know that I actually have plans and not spending my New Year's secretly wallowing in self-pity like I normally did.  I was good at hiding my true feelings. There is so much on my mind right now as we're leaving 2012 behind and stepping into 2013.  This year was completely unexpected.  I didn't start 2012 with the plan to lose weight. As you know all know, it unexpectedly crept up on me.  I was actually trying to come to terms with the fact that I'd always be fat and there was nothing I could do about it at the beginning of 2012.  I know I was only fooling myself because I truly would have never been happy as morbidly obese individual with only food to console me.  I'd always made secret r

Hi Readers!  Did you miss me?  I missed you guys, and it's great to be back.  It's nice to take a week off here and there, but so much happens in that time, and I feel like I have monstrous entries when I return.  So get ready for another one.    First up, Dave Matthews weekend was THE BEST!  I had a great time down in Virginia, and CWN and family were such gracious hosts.  Thank you so much for opening up your home to me and the greatness that is The Dave Matthews Band.  It was like going to Graceland for DMB fans.  It was a weekend filled with fun, food, and friends.  And, believe me, I made sure to enjoy all of it.    It can be difficult to manager your food intake when you don't journal everything, and I admit that I didn't document everything that went in my mouth.  What I did do is remain cognizant of what I was eating and how much.  I also shared some meals with my friends.  Sharing meals is a great way to limit your calorie intake.  Sometimes, all you n

Hey all!  Another week has come and gone.  We are quickly approaching the end of 2012, and it certainly has me in a pensive mood.  I've been through so many changes this year - changes that I feel are for the better.  Makes me wonder what's in store for 2013.  I'm definitely not making any predictions because that's not the kind of person I am, and I'm not a person who makes New Year Resolutions either.  If I was, I would have lost weight a long time ago because I secretly make that resolution every year and to no avail...until this year. Funny that it was really a move to save money that kind of spearheaded my journey.  At this point, I'm grateful for anything that got my ass moving into action. And as soon as I saw positive results, my entire being just changed and I got behind this endeavor 100%.  I remember getting on that scale back on 1/28 and seeing that 15 pounds gone.  That was a huge motivator for me.  But it wasn't just the scale.  Somethin

Hey everyone!  I know I didn't post during Thanksgiving week.  It wasn't because I completely derailed and fell off the wagon.  I honestly didn't have anything to report.  My weight pretty much stayed the same.  I worked out really hard that week so I could enjoy my Thanksgiving with my family and friends.    I also spent a little too much time online enjoying the Black Friday sales.  I couldn't help it.  It's amazing that I actually have choices now.  Skinny jeans, leggings, platform heels... These are all things I thought I'd never be able to wear.  I tried on a outfit that I got from Macy's, and I asked my mom for her opinion.  She just looked at me with her mouth wide open.  So, I'm thinking it must look pretty bad.  She just shook her head and said, "I can't believe I'm looking at my daughter.  You look amazing."  Okay...I had to go compose myself after that.  That meant so much coming from her because she has seen me struggle

Good afternoon everyone.  I hope you are having a nice weekend so far.  Mine has been spectacular.  It's just been a fantastic week all the way around.  After the "Great Halloween Debacle," it felt good to get back on track.  This week was pretty much smooth sailing.  I attended all of my regular fitness classes.  I feel myself getting stronger each week.  I'm able to do a few full body push ups now.  My planking is just incredible.  I'm pleased with my progress this week, and of course, it paid off with a nice loss.  I am still on track to hit 220.2 by 12/31.  If I can keep pace with a two pound loss over the next six weeks, I'll reach it.  Now, more than ever, it's important to maintain focus...especially considering what's approaching this week.   Yep... it's Thanksgiving week, and to be honest, I'm not dreading it like I thought I would.  We're going the non-traditional route this year.  Wednesday will be a turkey dinner.  Thursday

Hey Readers!  I went AWOL!  I didn't post my weight and blog entry during Halloween week.  To be honest, that week was bloody awful.  I don't know if it was Halloween or if I was just feeling rebellious.  I was pretty following a see-food diet, I saw food... and I ate it. The only good thing about the week of Halloween is that I didn't stop exercising.  Not one day.  But, I really wasn't feeling it.  I didn't put my full effort into it.  I felt like I was just going through the motions, even during my kettlebell class.  I felt completely off my game. And, what happened when I weighed myself last Saturday?  Well, I really couldn't weigh myself that day.  I ended up waking up at 5 am to do a Jillian DVD before heading to Mentor, OH to attend President Obama's campaign rally.  That was amazing (I posted a pic or two on the photo album page).  After that, I attended a Twilight party at my friend's house... and yes, I really did enjoy myself. When I wei

Hey everyone!  It's it a cold and rainy day in NE Ohio.  I guess we'll be getting a bit of Hurricane Sandy early next week.  I hope it isn't too bad.  It's definitely putting a damper on any outdoor activities.  This is when I'm happy I have a gym membership because weather will never be a factor in my workout.  Plus, I'm a creature of habit, and I like to plan ahead and get my workout done ASAP - which means the earlier the better.  I usually hit the gym around 10:30 am.  However, this quarter I do have three afternoon classes.  It hasn't present any problems because I enjoy classes very much.  I like working out with others because it keeps me motivated to move my ass and not slack off.  Sixty minutes or more at least 6 days a week.  So what does my workout schedule look like?  Many have asked what I've been up too, so I'll tell you what I did this past week. Sunday - Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Work Out #2 (20 min) and Zumba Wii (51 min)

Hey!  How's it going out there?  Another week has come and gone.  I swear time is moving super fast.  I blink and Saturday is here again.  This week went well.  I don't know if I've mentioned this earlier, but I decided to give up diet carbonated drinks.  I feel I need to focus on getting more water in me so I decided to remove diet pop and replace it with water.  I've been doing this for over two weeks now, and I thought it would be really hard, but it wasn't.  I wondered if my body would go through some weird adjustment phase, but I was fine, and I feel fine now.  I still crave them from time to time, but it isn't bad.  YUM YUM! Just as good as a real burger. I'm also dabbling a bit in vegetarianism.  I haven't made any decisions yet.  If anything, I will incorporate more veggie items and less meat. I've never been a big steak or chicken person.  I do enjoy eating ground beef and turkey.  I sampled the Vegetarian Black Bean burger at Max and E

Hey bloggers!  Another week has come and gone.  It seems that time is just flying by.   I can't believe that it's almost been a year since I started my new life.  I've had some hiccups - ups and downs.  I'm just happy that I made the conscious decision to stick with this and not deviate.  It used to be easy to give up and say, "I don't want to do this anymore."  But, I'm not that person anymore.  I don't want to be obese and unhealthy.  I'm living a full, active life, accomplishing goals, and doing things I though I never could, and I'm much happier for it. This week was...interesting to say the least.  I decided to do something this week that I haven't done in a very long time.  I didn't know what would happen, but what the hell, right?  You only live once.  So, what did I do?  I CHEATED . Cheated?  What do you mean you cheated?  Well, I don't really like the word "cheat."  Cheating signifies that I did something

Hey readers!  I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far.  Mine has been pretty awesome.  As you know, today was the American Diabetes Association Step Out.  I had a great time with my friends, who also happen to be my co-workers and work out buddies.  We killed that 4 mile walk - which actually ended up being 3.59 miles.  We even took the healthy detour, which took us down into the flats in Cleveland.  That also means a hefty downhill and uphill walk, and I smoked them both.  Considering that we were walking with hundreds of people, we were able to make good time and got done under an hour.     We even made a pit stop at the Cleveland Cavaliers Team Shop.  I needed some new slim gear to wear to the games this year.  It felt great to be able to buy a ladies jersey with my favorite player's name and number.  I've never had that experience before.  I'm even happy to be able to go to the games this year.  I used to worry about having to go through turnstiles and eve

Happy Weekend Readers!  I hope everyone had a productive week.  As for me, I'm not quite sure how this week went.  I felt like I was two people this week.  I don't know if it was due to the monstrous achievement I had last week or perhaps it's due to a certain monthly visitor.  All I know is that I struggled all week with something I have not had too much of a problem with so far in this journey.  Usually I'm fighting with Doubting Thomas and his cousin Murphy on my workouts.  I'll admit I haven't had to much trouble with them lately. I've pretty happy with my workout choices, and I'm good at keeping things fresh and challenging myself so they have been absent for the most part.  What I had problems with this week was my appetite. And, it's so strange.  I found myself hungry at odd moments when I'm usually not.  I have an eating schedule to make sure that I'm feeding myself every few hours to keep hunger in check and my metabolism roaring.

Happy Fall Everyone!  I have to admit I'm supercharged this morning, and there are several reasons why.  First, we are entering my favorite season of the year. I love Fall.  I love the colors.  My favorite holidays are in fall (Halloween and Thanksgiving).  I love the cool temperatures and the clothes.  I love all the fun activities.  Fall is just a time for getting comfy.  To celebrate fall, I've decided to have a spot of tea while writing the blog.  I'm all in the spirit today.  Got London on the mind hence the tea.  It's not Earl Grey or Twinnings, but it'll do. As for the other reason... I've hit a rather important milestone today.  It's been on my heals teasing me for well over a month, and we've been dancing around each other like we're partners in the Tango.  Well, I finally tackled it this week, and believe me, it was a pain-infested, brutal, no-holds bared battle to the finish, and I won!  That's right.  100.4 POUNDS DOWN!  GONE!  VA

Hey everyone!  I hope all is well with you.  With me...it's a mixed bag.  I'll explain. There is a very popular definition of insanity that was penned in author Rita Mae Brown's book called Sudden Death .  She stated, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results." I agree with her in most cases.  Doing the same thing over again and expecting something to change is pretty much insane.  And unstable.  I had someone tell me that it was insane how much I was exercising.  I know they didn't mean anything by it...or maybe they did. I don't know. I try not to spend too much time trying to dissect people's motives.  That's a whole other type of insanity that I don't need to encounter. So, I wonder if I am insane?  I am doing the same thing over and over again.  I exercise 60 plus minutes pretty much everyday of the week.  I meticulously document my food and portion sizes and count my calories.  As a resu

Hey Readers!  I hope everyone had a productive week.  Sometimes I find that short work weeks are more challenging than regular ones because your schedule is a bit out of wack.  Considering that I was at war with my body, I was a bit apprehensive about this week.  I just wanted to get myself back to "normal."  Get my schedule back on track.  I admit that I haven't felt like "myself" lately.  I don't know if it due to me adjusting to being in a relationship again.  Maybe I was totally too pumped up for my birthday, and we all know how that ended.  I just know that I was tired not "moving."  I felt I was stagnant, and that plateau was just weighing on me.  More so than Doubting Thomas and his sidekick ever could. Plateaus are tough.  And this one was even worse because I'm so close to the century club.  It seemed like I hit 90 pounds, and my body refused to budge.  Back and forth I went.  I was up. I was down. I was the same.  I was so frust

Long time...no see, right?  It feels like I haven't posted an entry in forever.  I missed these entries because it's a way for me reflect on how my week went and it also keeps my honest and accountable.  And, can I just say that these two week were very trying!  My goodness!  My body completely revolted against me, but you know what? I gained control, and the revolt is over.  Let me fill you in. First up... the biometric measure test that I took on Wednesday, 8/22.  If you are new to the blog, check out the biometric page.  I also posted the full results so you can view them there.  I was aiming for 3 out of 5.  Secretly, I was hoping for 4 out of 5.  Good news was that I did make 3/5 so I will get some savings in 2013.  I am disappointed in my glucose test since I had tested within range earlier in the year.  But, I'm taking what I can get.  This is great news considering I wasn't planning on doing anything when these tests were first offered to us.  I am proud tha

Hey blog readers. Sorry for the late posting. This past weekend was crazy busy. I had two family dinners and caught up with my bestie. I was able to get an interval walk/run in on Saturday morning. I haven’t run outside in over a month. I figured that since I hadn’t run in a while, I’d have a poor time, but I still finished with my best time yet. Each time I get faster which is what I’m aiming for. I think I’m going to pick up intervals again during the week too. Give myself a chance to do it two times a week – once on a treadmill and once outside. Hopefully, the extra day will give me more opportunities to trim my time. Well, regarding my weigh in on Saturday… I’m trying to not let it bother me too much. I gained 0.6 pounds. Nothing like what happened a few weeks ago. I steadily tracked all week and exercised 6 out of 7 days. So based on that information, one of two things happened. 1. I’m gaining muscle. Muscle is denser and weighs more than fat. However, it takes up way l

Hey Readers!  Last week was a wake up call for me.  I learned a lot about maintaining focus and remembering why I am doing all of this.  This isn't something temporary.  It's permanent.  It's how I will live my life.   Now that I've had a week to reflect back on what I did and where I went wrong, I am better able to watch for those patterns and try to get myself back on track.  This week definitely went better.  I was back to my routine and although there was a spontaneous change toward the end of the week, I was  able to adjust to it, and keep my head together.  I'm also learning that spontaneity can be a good thing, and I need to learn to adapt to quick changes and make adjustments that will continue to support my life goals. I guess this is all leading up to my mood for the week.  I'd say it's BLISS.  Something very good - life altering for me - happened this week.  I guess you can say I've never been happier.  I'm in a blissful state.  Let m

Hey everyone!  I'm back.  I survived.  I'm still breathing.  I'm not panicking.  I'm not hyperventilating.  The world did not spinning off it's axis.  An asteroid did not hit the earth.  So, I bet you're wondering why I'm spouting off all these doomsday prophecies.  Well, the inevitable occurred, and I find irony in it since it happened right after my six month anniversary.  I gained.  I gained weight.  I did not lose this past week.  And, I'm actually surprised at how I'm handling it. If this had happened earlier in my journey, I'm sure I would have handled it differently.  I probably would panicked.  Had a melt down beyond epic proportions.  I swear I'm not usually full of drama.  I despise it in fact since I like to live a drama-free life.  I do find that when drama does infiltrate my life, I invited it in.  This situation is no different. Now, I know that a weight gain of 2.5 pounds shouldn't shoot me straight into bedlam.  It d

Hey readers!  It was one hell of a week let me tell you.  It was challenging, but I muddled through.  I also felt inspired because I knew I was completing my 26th week.  Six months into my new life...  I never thought I'd be where I am right now.  I'm on the cusp of entering the Century Club.  I've lost 87.2 pounds in 6 months.  It's still hard for me to put my mind around that, especially since I was able to do it without any serious restrictions.  I'm still eating carbs. I'm still eating fats. I'm still eating protein.  If there is one thing that I've learned so far is that a diet that restricts either of those three items won't work for me.  I needed to learn how to eat and make tradeoffs.  I was able to lose this weight eating an occasional cheeseburger and piece of dessert or candy.  I'm much happier for it.  When I see myself in the mirror, it's still a bit surreal.  I guess because it happened so fast.  I'm several weeks i