OK, maybe it is how some of us feel about these blogs but if anything it helps to give all a look back at the journey we all undertook. Whether you lost five pounds or fifty, the commitment to be healthy is all that matters. I know my weight has been one big yo-yo over these past six months but it is a combination of many things, it could be more muscle mass or just hormonal...darn them hormones, but with determination and enthusiasm continue the journey to your ideal weight. The small battles will always be there and if you hit a speed bump don't stop keep going and venture forward.

You're dying for that awesome smelling cupcake, piled high with frosting and decorated with sprinkles, and yes you eat it. So good you decide to take one more, ugh!!! It's OK, haven't had a sweet in over a month. Wish at the time my will power would of stopped at one but it didn't. So the cost was an extra two pounds on the scale. For some no big deal but when there is only five more pounds to lose it now becomes seven. Just a small bump, we all do it and if we are too completely deprive ourselves than we will just fall back on eating whatever. Weight lose and maintenance will forever be my cross to bear, and their will always be bumps in the road!

How quickly the months have past. It is good to see those in the contest doing as well as they are. But one must remember that the journey does not end at the end of the month...for that matter, it will never end. Losing weight is on battle, keeping it off, eating healthy and exercise is the war. It has been a two and a half year journey to lose over 50 pounds. Basically losing 2 pounds a month and maintaining is the most difficult challenge. Remember what you have learned and use that to stay on the path to a healthy lifestyle.

It was a challenge to really stick to strict diet and exercise routine, but in the end it paid off with over a seven pound loss. I was determined to really buckle down and loss because I have been stuck in at a plateau and weight just kept fluctuating. Well, my journey isn't over yet, I am determined to loss another couple pounds this month and by the end of the summer get down to my goal weight of 143, that would be my weight when I graduated HS. How many of us can say that? 

So happy to be back on track. It took a lot of effort but I have finally found some time to go to the Y and get some much needed strength training in....and the scale has shown the improvement. I know I will not come in first, second or third, but that is not the point. I did not have a ton of weight to lose in the first place just another 15 pounds, which is less than 10%. Sure it is a contest but what really matters is that you are learning a way of life, by exercising and eating right. When I began my weight loss journey in 2012 I weighed over 200 pounds and it has been slow and steady but in 2 1/2 years I have lost over 50 pounds, that is 25% of my original body weight. I say that is a pretty big accomplishment. Have to say, thank goodness to Goodwill because I have dropped almost two sizes since the beginning of the contest. Not bad if I do say so myself!

Now if only I can skip the wine or that Long Island Ice Tea. I do really great the entire week and then I have a tendency to graze on the weekends not realizing I am eating as much as I am, but on the upside I do try and eat the healthier snacks like whole grain Tostitos with salsa. I am determined not to gain any weight this weekend. I am finally below my April weight and don't my effort these past two weeks to be in vain.  

What a hectic summer it has been thus far. School has finally ended for both my son and me, so no more homework for a couple months. I thought things would be more relaxing but with summer comes those outdoors chores. Planting the garden, cutting the grass, weeding, chopping wood for the winter, yep, busy, busy, busy. I have finally had a chance to go to the Y and get some workout time done. I head over there right after work do an hour workout and then pick up my son and go home. It is nice to finally get outside, so many projects to finish up and it seems as if June will be here and gone before we know it. Will work toward getting to my April weight. I think many of us definitely pushed ourselves to make the 5% cut off, but I think many of us either lost to much too quick and the bodies didn't adjust or we took May off and gained a few. This will always be the case in life. It isn't difficult to lose weight the hardest challenge will come from maintaining the new weight. Learn to eat and exercise now so that this journey becomes a lifelong habit.