Results of today's weigh-in...

Hello! I'm happy to report that I weighed in exactly 2lbs lighter today! For a total loss of 8.8lbs!

More later!

Going Green...

Today's weigh-in found me 1.8lbs lighter. Not a massive loss, but a loss nonetheless! (That's what we're goin' for, folks.) That brings my total loss over the past 2 weeks to: 6.8lbs. The rest of my competitors are doing a fabulous job... and here's a quick shout out to Lesley Dock for being this week's BL. You're doing well, friend! Keep it up!

Yesterday's day off was great! (Thanks, Mr. King.) As opposed to working out in our complex's small fitness room in front of a large flatscreen, Chris and I made our way over to Seattle's infamous Greenlake and enjoyed a 3mile walk (with some mandated running involved) around this gorgeous emerald city landmark. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the ducks were were playing in the mud (???) and there was no rain to, well, rain on our parade. :-) With Starbucks, husband, and baby in tow, we had a wonderful time enjoying God's creation and enjoying each other.

I've decided to kick it up a bit this week. I've grown a teensy bit lax in the area of eating - still making good choices, but probably not being as careful as I should be about portions. I feel as though I've ate my weight (hehee) in crudite and spring salad mix over the past 2 weeks, which is good -- BUT, I need to remember to stay on top of eating my lean proteins, etc. in order to stay full and satisfied throughout the day.

Okay, faithful readers. Until next time.

Bad day, good day.

Yesterday was a tough day in weigh-loss world. For whatever reason, I found myself more hungry than usual throughout the day. I was bummed! Things seemed to be smooth sailing since starting our Biggest Losers comp. last week... alas, I should have known better!

While I didn't come completely unglued, I did make a few choices (i.e. reaching for that last piece of See's Christmas candy... doh!) that were purely due to my being, by nature, incredibly undisciplined when it comes to emotional impulses.

Nonetheless, I trek on! Today was a good day. In fact, I've just returned from a nice hard-cardio work out and am feeling great! Preceding that, I enjoyed a nice dinner with my family and "extended family" Shelby & Christine. Shelby and I are both "in it to win it" and Christine has dropped about 30lbs herself since we returned from Africa (summer 2008). We had a great time sharing, laughing, and eating together... and our time together was no less enjoyable in the absence of a rich, unhealthy meal. Do I miss that stuff? Sure. I won't lie. But, I'd much rather have the genuine fellowship and satisfaction that come from a great meal with great friends and family.

Night!

1st weigh-in!

... and I am down exactly 5lbs!!!

Here goes nothin'...

Guess I should really say, "Here goes EVERYTHING!"

This is me. Take a NIIIICE LONG LOOK, 'cus next time, you will see much less of me. :-)

With just a few hours 'til our weigh-in, I must be off to bed!

Whoops. Life happened and I fell behind in blog world. My apologies to all those who were hanging on my ever word, eagerly awaiting my next post. ;-) (Just kidding.)

At present I am currently enjoying the last of what was a DELICIOUS batch of turkey chili. Mmm, mmm, mmm. I LOVE turkey chili. And talk about hearty and filling! Here is my shameless plug for Jennie-O turkey products. If you love ground beef, you'll probably love ground turkey more. I don't know what my life would be like without a good turkey product. (Who would have thought of blatant product placement in a blog? Hehee.)

Tomorrow is our (us losers) FIRST competitive weigh-in. I'm excited for it! The first week of our competition went well. I'm pleased with food choices I've made and know my body is too! I've recognized very clearly how my struggle with food and weight-loss most definitely begins in my mind. After a difficult evening get the babes to sleep, a stressful conversation with my husband, or a nagging notion that putting something in my mouth is going to make everything all better... I seem to always turn to food. This week I focused on controlling the bad habit of emotionally eating. I'll admit this will probably always be my "problem area," but I know that with a little planning ahead and "thinking before reaching," it will become less prominent of a problem.

Okay, readers. Next post promises a photo of all 245+lbs of me. As painful as will be... the "after" shot will be that much sweeter if I can take a peek back at the "before" shot. Agreed?

'Til tomorrow...

My Beautiful Kids

This is Jack. Jackson Caleb Kekoa Wikle. He's my beautiful, baby boy... and he just turned 3 months today!

"Happy Birthday, Jackie Boy," from your sister, Eva.

Just before Jack was born I weighed in at 269lbs. WOWZERS! I packed on about 27lbs during my pregnancy. Within 2 weeks, I lost all 27 of those pounds. (Yippee!)

And now, dear readers, I share with you that my STARTING weight for the Biggest Loser competition, the weight that I shall NEVER, EVER, EVER see again is...

249.10.

Hold me to it. Never again.

The Biggest Loser

I worked out for the first time in a long time last night... and nearly died.

The apartment complex I live in has a small fitness room that, despite its convenient location, I'd never visited! Nonetheless, I made me way there last night only to find it occupied by one person -- an older, gray-haired man sporting a tie-died shirt and "stretchy pants." (Hat tip, Nacho Libre.) Though 2 of the cardio machines didn't work properly and I likely looked a fool trying to figure out how to get the elliptical to turn on, I managed to get in a nice 40 minutes of hard cardio exercise. At one point, I even started jogging on the treadmill. (I keep having this dream where I just start RUNNING and it's such a wonderful feeling. Most of you know, I am NOT a runner...). So, that was satisfying.

Oh -- the "nearly died part." I was surprised at how difficult it was to keep at it for 40 minutes and not keel over. I know it will get somewhat easier to keep my endurance up, but I did appreciate the challenge all the same. The blood, sweat, and tears (okay, nix the blood and tears) was all I needed to know that I was workin' hard.

Anyhow! I'm excited that 11 of my friends, most from Washington, but a few from California and Colorado, have decided to join me in this weight-loss and healthy living journey. For the next 12 weeks, we will all be working HARD in our very own Biggest Loser competition. With nearly $500 at stake... we are all striving towards becoming THEE biggest loser. It's an exciting endeavor.

Check in with me every Tuesday and ask how I am doing. (That's our weigh-in day.) Hopefully, each week you'll "see" a little less of me. ;-)

Blessings, faithful friends and readers.

"Just Keep Swimming"

When my family lived in Colorado, our neighborhood in Ft. Collins had a wonderful recreational pool at which my brother and I always whiled away our summer days. We love, love, loved it there. When I was 9, my mom signed me up for the summer swim team. I wasn't a particularly skilled swimmer. But, I did enjoy the challenge of learning different strokes and spending as much time in the pool as possible. Because I struggled to keep up with the other kids on my team, my coach put me through with the string of 6 years old when it came time to swim at my first meet. It was then that I met a very mean little girl who had the guile to whisper to her teammate (obviously, not so quietly), "That is a big 6 year old." Ouch. This 9 year old was crushed. Although I knew I was not 6, I was just a 9 year old whose freestyle was a bit floppy, I didn't have the courage to correct that audacious little girl.

Almost as quickly as the water engulfed my entire body when I'd jump excitedly into the pool, insecurity came flooding in and over me.

Who needs to be insecure about their size when they're only 9 years old?

Years later, having spent too much of life struggling with my weight, yo-yoing back and forth on the scale, trying different diets, methods, etc. I've decided to give up.

...

I've decided to give up on being insecure, making exuses, and expecting to see results without much effort on my part.

Though the saying goes, "Good things come to those who wait," I've found that good things come to those who also work hard. And to those who are journeying with me (whether in body or spirit), I ask you to check in with me periodically and ask, "Are you working hard?"

And with God as my strength, my source, and He who truly satisfies, in 2010, I will be thin.