Losing It 2011: It’s Go Time

Are you ready ladies!!! It’s GO TIME!

That’s right! It’s time to quit wishing you could fit in you summer shorts and actually do something about it. Oh, is that just me? Sorry… it’s just that I’ve got this one pair that I can’t get in again.

We’re starting a new Losing It challenge TODAY!

If you’ve been hanging out around this here blog, you may remember when I started the first Losing It challenge back in February of 2010. That was an amazing year. I lost 30 POUNDS! I still remember the day I went under the 200 lb mark. I was SO EXCITED. I felt so much better.

Then, Katie got sicker; I moved twice; Katie died; and I gained almost all of it back. I’m a stress eater. What can I say? So, the weight is back, and I DON’T LIKE IT!

I don’t like the way I feel.
I don’t like the way I look.
I don’t like that my new, cute clothes don’t fit.
I don’t like that I’m tired all the time again.

I DON’T LIKE IT!

I’m going to do something about it. And, you’re all invited to play along. I’m going to need some accountability and some competition. It’s what drives me. So, whomever wants to compete with me or just stay accountable, jump in!

IT’S GO TIME!

Here’s how the contest is going to work.

  1. The contest is for 12 weeks. The first week is TODAY.
  2. You must write a post and link up for 9 of the 12 weeks to be considered participating. If you don’t have a blog, that’s okay! You just need to comment at least nine weeks to let us know how you’re doing.
  3. The participant who loses the largest percentage of weight at the end of the 12 weeks is the winner. You don’t have to tell us actual numbers, just the percentage.

The winner will receive:

  1. $30 Gift Card to Amazon to purchase something to help them on their weight loss journey.
  2. A copy of Cook This, Not That! Easy & Awesome 350-Calorie Meals, a book I’m enjoying on my weight loss journey.

Are you in? You wanna play along?

I’ll start….

My goals for this challenge…

  • Lose 15 pounds
  • Exercise 3 to 4 times a week
  • Drink 8 glasses of water a day

My goals for this week…

  • Lose 3 pounds
  • Exercise 5 times (it’s a long weekend)
  • Drink nothing but water and 1 glass of tea a day
  • Log my calories into My Fitness Pal daily (and try not to don’t go over)

What are your weight loss goals? Link up and let’s hold each other accountable!

Losing It 2011 : A New Challenge

Losing It! is back!

Does anyone remember when I was excited because I was losing weight and getting healthier and all that good stuff? Ya, I can barely remember it either. As a matter of fact, pretty much all the good I did is gone. Rather depressing. Of course, I was eating because I was depressed and then I became depressed because of what that eating did and ate some more… It’s a vicious circle really.

SO! I’m starting the Losing It! linky again. Why? Because (and this is a bit selfish) I need it. Yep, I need it. It’s really all about me anyway right? Oh! You need it too? You do? Well, then come on and linky up! And, you might win a prize!

That’s right I’m talking prizes.

I’m talking a competition.

I’m talking working together to help each other obtain our weight loss goals.

Who’s with me?

You? Then get you posts ready to link up! The first linky will be next Friday, July 1st. We will link up for 12 weeks. During those weeks, share with your readers (and then link up here) how you are trying to improve your health through weight loss.

Then, at the end of the 12 weeks, the blogger (or commenter) who has lost the highest percentage of weight will win a prize (to be announced next week). However, we will all actually be winners because we will be LOSING IT!

Feel free to snag my “Losing It”  button. I’m going to try and put it on the side bar with code – gotta learn how to do that. Also, our Twitter hashtag will be #LosingIt11.

Can’t wait until next week to start Losing It! with you!!

Losing It! 02 04 11

How is it possibly Friday again? Seriously? And, it’s February? How did that happen?

I’m not going to lie to you friends. I did TERRIBLE at Blissdom. TERRIBLE!!! The conference was called Blissdom. They had Hershey’s Bliss chocolate EVERYWHERE! Like EVERYWHERE! I couldn’t get away from it! (Not that I tried very hard.)

So, I came back from Blissdom up 7 pounds. 7 pounds! That’s insane! And crazy! And insane! I must be retaining some type of water. How does one gain 7 pounds in 4 days. It’s insane I say!!

**Sigh**

In the days since I returned, I’m back down 4 pounds. That’s almost a pound a day so I must have been retaining something. Or, it could be that I’ve cut myself off from yummy Bliss chocolate so my body is going back to normal.

Good grief! When will I learn?! When will I learn that you can’t let go of the discipline? You can’t have something “for a treat.” Why can’t I learn that my body takes sugar and holds on to it tight? Why can’t I remember as I’m shoving chocolate in my mouth that it will impact my weight in HOURS? Why can’t I learn that?

**Sigh**

Can you tell I’m a bit frustrated with myself? Just slightly.

However, this I KNOW. I KNOW that counting calories works for me. I KNOW that walking three to four times a day works for me. I KNOW that avoiding carbs works for me. I KNOW that drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day helps me. I KNOW these things.

The question becomes…what am I gonna do about it?

How did you do this week?

Losing It! 01 28 11

Happy Friday Losing It! Ladies!

How are you? I miss you all. Things have been so crazy, I haven’t been able to spend my normal amount of time with you. I hope all is going well in your lives.

I’m currently at the Blissdom conference meeting TONS of other bloggers, learning MUCH about fixing this here blog to make it better, and eating WAY TOO MUCH food. I can only say that I’m thankful I don’t drink, or the calorie issue would be really bad.

Since I am out of town, I was unable to weigh today. However, I can pretty much promise you I didn’t lose weight. I’m just praying I didn’t gain. It is SO HARD to stay on any kind of plan when you are traveling.

It’s also hard to get enough water. I’m REALLY struggling with that.

How are you doing this week? How do you handle traveling and not eating too much? How do you make sure you get enough water when you’re on the road?

Link up and let us know how you’re doing.

Losing It! 01 14 11

Happy Friday Losing It! friends! How was your week? Did you get back to “normal” this week? After a four day week last week, we had high hopes of normalcy this week. Alas, it snowed Sunday night, and we’ve been SNOWED IN since then! Like seriously, snowed in. Well, actually we’re iced in. LOTS and LOTS of ice that won’t melt because it hasn’t gotten above freezing. Very crazy for the ATL I’ll tell you. I went to the grocery store yesterday and gripped the steering wheel tight the entire time.

Needless to say, exercise has been difficult. However, trekking around in the snow and cold burned some calories I’m sure. We did go as a family to the Y on Sunday before the snow came in. It was fun to make it a family outing and not just me rushing off by myself. We’re hoping to do that more in the future. Goal for the week. GET MORE EXERCISE!

I didn’t gain anything this week, which is a small miracle. However, I didn’t lose anything either. I’m having trouble getting motivated to eat better again. I’ve lost 28 pounds and that’s nice. I’ve apparently figured out how to maintain without working too hard. I’ve gotten lazy is what’s happened. No longer disciplined. No longer enthusiastic. SO, I need to find my groove again. **sigh** I’m just not sure where to find it. Definitely not in the brownies I made yesterday!

Goals for the week:

  • Exercise 3 times
  • Drink 8 glasses of water a day
  • Keep my food journal

What are your goals for this coming week?

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Losing It! 01 07 11 Contest Results!!

TODAY IS THE DAY! It’s the last day of our little Losing It over the Holidays contest. The question is…. did anybody lose it?

I didn’t. I went back to work this week and sat around ALL day trying to catch up on stuff and gained back the two pounds I’d lost. It didn’t help that there were still holiday treats in the kitchen every day. Of course, I put them there so I guess I can blame myself for that one! Ha! So, I’m out!

Well, I did actually maintain! I’m the EXACT SAME WEIGHT today as I was when we started this contest on November 12, 2010. Sooooo, perhaps I did win after all.

Now, to see who will win the contest. Will it be…

These ladies have been up and down too, but we’ve all been working hard to at least MAINTAIN during the holiday season.

The prizes are

  • Grand Prize: A beautiful Mercy House necklace and $25 Target card to the person who LOST the largest percentage of weight. So make sure your percentage of loss is in your post.
  • Second Prize: A $25 Target card to the winner of a drawing of all who lost or maintained.

Remember, the goal was to MAINTAIN throught the holidays. So, you’re eligible for the second prize even if the number on the scale is the same today as it was in November.

I CANNOT WAIT to see today’s links and cheer everyone on.

Since this journey is NEVER OVER, I will continue to do the Losing It! link up each Friday. Who knows… there may be another contest in the spring.

I’m attempting to get serious again about the exercise. It’s just so warm and toasty in the bed in the morning. It’s hard to get up. And, I’ve added Reading the Bible in 90 Days to my schedule, so things are kinda packed. However, I DO WANT TO LOSE more weight and create an even healthier lifestyle for my family. We must keep on keeping on!

Link up and let us know how you did!

UPDATE: We have winners!!!! Congratulations to Amelia for winning the grand prize and Alana for winning the second prize. They shall be in the mail to you soon!!!! SO PROUD of all my Losing It! ladies!!!

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Losing It! 12 31 10

Wow! It’s the last day of 2010. Tomorrow starts an entire new year. That’s rather awe inspiring to me. This year has brought a great deal of change for the House of Hills. I mean A LOT of change. You can see a picture recap of our year here if you like.

One of the most significant changes in MY life has been through Losing It. I wrote a bit about it this week in my Works For Me Wednesday post, but I can’t really seem to put into words the significance of this community. If it weren’t for this blog and the ladies that I KNOW are coming to link up with me each Friday, I KNOW I would have given up long ago. I need accountability, and you ladies give it to me. For that, I am eternally grateful. THANK YOU so much for sharing this journey with me.

So, how did you do over Christmas? I had gained a couple, but according the scale have pulled myself back down. So, I’m still at a two pound loss for the contest. Whoop! Of course, I still have to get through New Year’s Eve tonight. And football food all day tomorrow. Moderation Kathy! Moderation!

Speaking of the contest… who’s gonna win? Make sure you link up or make a comment today to remain eligible for the competition. I really want to give those prizes away!

My goals for the next week:

  • Drink my one half/half tea each morning and then ONLY water.
  • Exercise at least three times during the week.
  • Start counting calories again. (This one is going to KILL me.)
  • NO eating out.

What are your goals for our final week of competition?

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Works For Me Wednesday: The Post of the Year

Kristen over at We Are That Family had the great idea for this last WFMW of the year. She challenged us to link up the one post we wrote this year that we really want people to read. I was struggling. I knew what post I wanted to share, but the reason I wanted to share was as important as the post itself. Then, I saw that Jill over at Diaper Diaries republished a post (and a mighty good one I might add) from earlier in the year with context around it. PERFECT! So, I’m totally stealing her idea.

The post below TOTALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. I think it lengthened it too. I cried when I wrote this post. I really did. It might have been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Truly. However, I am SO THANKFUL that I wrote it.

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This post was originally published on February 26th.

This is a big one for me. HUGE!! I’m publicly announcing that I need to lose some weight. Now, anyone who has seen me, seen a picture of me, or even talked about me in the last… ummm… 30 years knows this. That’s not to say that I’ve been this weight for the last 30 years (that would be extremely frightening). However, since my parents’ divorce when I was eight, food has been my solace. And, no I’m not blaming you mom. It’s just a fact. Third grade I was relatively normal. Fourth grade I was chubby. There you go.

There have been two times since I was eight that I have been what would be considered a normal or close to normal weight. My senior year in high school when I survived on Diet Coke and NoDoze (remember NoDoze?). I can remember a time when I only took cat naps for three days straight because I had two AP papers due, was rehearsing for a play, and had drill team practice every day to get ready for homecoming. No, my mom didn’t know about that (I was sneaky) and NO, it wasn’t healthy. So, even though I was thinner then, I wasn’t exactly healthy.

The second time I was thinner, I did “Quick Weight Loss.” It worked, I lost it quick!! And then had to have my gall bladder removed. People, you can’t go from mega grams of fat per day to 0 grams of fat per day overnight and expect your body to have no problem with it!! I also couldn’t eat chicken for a year (literally – no lie – a year) after that because I ate so much chicken while on it. The amount of protein they want you to eat is insane! And, I don’t like fish – not helpful.

I’ve done Weight Watchers – TOTALLY WORKS – when you stick to it. I’ve tried other things too. Here’s what I think is my biggest problem. I have NEVER been happy when I’m thinner. NEVER. Both the times when I was almost normal – not happy at ALL. For a multitude of reasons that may or may not have had to do with how I looked. So, I’d rather be chubby and happy than thin and not happy. Seems logical to me.

However, now I’m realizing how UNHEALTHY I am. And, I think I’ve actually passed the chubby point. I’m now in the obese category. The clothes I wear MUST have a W at the end of the size to fit my hips. I’m really tired by the end of the day. And, I’m worried that I someday soon won’t be able to keep up with my family. Here’s the other thing. I have Crohn’s disease. It’s not a fun disease to have as it messes with your digestive system. It’s very sensitive to different types of foods (which actually vary by person). When I eat crap, my body is NOT happy with me – to the point of pain.

So, after consuming an entire sleeve of Thin Mints and several pieces of pizza tonight, I went to my Google Reader to see how my bloggy friends (well, I think they’re friends – they may or may not know me) were doing. MANY of those I read are doing the LOSING IT! challenge. It was humbling to see how these women are sharing their stories with the blog world, and they are all really trying to lose that weight!! They’re not trying to lose weight to look better – not one of them said that. They are all trying to lose weight to be healthier. To be better moms. To be better wives. To be able to stick around longer with their families and actually keep up with the kids.

It was VERY convicting to me. It was as if God said “Um, you see them doing it don’t you. They’re moms with real lives just like you. They don’t have personal trainers. You can do it too.” God talks to me like my best friend sometimes. So, here I am (almost in tears actually) telling you (whoever you are that reads this here blog) that I’m going to commit to doing the LOSING IT! challenge for the next nine weeks.

Here are my goals:

1. 8 glasses of water a day (and ONLY water to drink)

2. One sweet treat a day (I know myself. If I go cold turkey, it’s worse.)

3. Nothing deep fried (I live in the south, this is hard)

4. Exercise of some kind 4 out of 7 days (OK – this is HUGE. I NEVER exercise.)

Okay, I’m about to press “Publish,” and then this will be out there. I’m SO nervous. But, I know I’m really being led to do it, and He’s never led me wrong before.

If you want to know more about the LOSING IT! challenge go here. Do it with me! I’d love to cheer you on!!

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I didn’t win the challenge, but I came in second. I’ve lost 28 pounds since the day I pushed publish on that post, and most importantly I’ve kept them off for several months. As we go into the new year, I plan on refocusing myself and losing another 28 at least.

So, this was my post of the year. A huge shout out and THANK YOU to the original Losing It Ladies and to those who continue to link up here each Friday. You have truly changed my life.

Losing It: 12 24 10

Merry Christmas Friends!

I hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas Day! I apologize for not getting this up yesterday, but we had our big family bash yesterday. This is good since the Princess spiked a fever last night. Made for a different Christmas Day at our house. Much calmer and less food, which is probably a good thing.

If you are participating in our Holiday Season Contest, be sure to link up below.

Oh – my weight stayed the same. Nothing exciting!

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