Lisa's Journal (Life on the "Beach" - Part 2 all the way to goal!)

[Tera]

Hi Lisa....

Hope you have a great time at the wedding. I can't wait to hear details I think all of us that have been heavy most, if not all our lives worry about how we're going to keep the weight off. You can only worry about today and not about tomorrow, next week or next year.

Your worry about how people will look at you now, but remember where you were 90 pounds ago. You've come such a long way and your a different person on the outside. Hang in there girl!!


Oh, wanted to ask where you get your WW crackers? I haven't seen those and would love to try with tuna.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Hi Lisa,

I think your ambivalent feelings about the wedding party are really normal. Your body has made such huge changes, its tough for the mind to keep up! Try not to worry about what expectations others might have for you. THEY DON'T MATTER, all that matters is YOUR expectations! If you get up and shake your grove thang, laugh allot and people will just see Lisa having the time of her life! The most often thought will be "wow, she seems so carefree and happy now". You'll ROCK!!!!!!!! I've heard another woman talk about feeling like she lost her identity and sometimes feeling uncomfortable about being thin. I think that is a really normal thing to go through after losing allot of weight. Being aware of it and facing your feelings is really healthy. One of the sayings I really like is "feelings are not facts". They come, they go, they don't have to rule our lives!

Food journals are great for catching trends. I know I've let my junkie "treats" creep up over the past month or so. Time to address it and nip it in the bud!

Sundie

 

[ZerasPride]

I'm back from my wonderful whirlwind weekend. Here is a report of the wedding and reception:

The bride was absolutely beautiful. Her mom is a seamstress and made her gown, which was a strapless cream colored number with long satin gloves. Her veil was so beautiful with sparkles all over it and she wore a diamond choker and carried the most breathtaking bouquet of roses.

I wore a black 2 piece suit to the ceremony that really accented my figure. I felt very pretty. After the ceremony DH and I went home to change. I made my husband change downstairs so I could make a grand entrance down the stairs. My dress was ruby red with spaghetti straps (it is a strapless gown but my chest is a bit too large to go without the extra support) and a lovely short train in the back with heavy embroidery. I had matching shoes and a cute small matching bag. I wore my hair down with soft curls. A friend at work let me borrow her diamond tennis bracelet and I bought a matching imitation diamond heartshape necklace and matching drop earrings to complete my look.

I came down the stairs and my husband was suitably impressed. He looked dashing in his tux with matching (although the colors didn't match exactly) vest and tie. I had our son take a couple of pics of us at the house and then it was off to the reception! We were late but that ended up being alright because I got to make a grand entrance! They served appetizers and drinks in the lobby while we waited for the doors of the reception hall to be opened. I was too excited to eat much but I did have a bacon wrapped waterchestnut that was okay.

I was a bit self-conscious because most peole were not as dressed up as we were. My sis in law was in a full length purple gown but that was about it and I didn't care! I felt lovely. I truly felt like a fairy princess. I remember passing a beatiful brass large square mirror and thinking how lovely this one lady looked. I caught my breath a bit when I realized it was me! It made me feel even more special that more people weren't dressed up as we were.

We really did have a wonderful evening. I was able to eat OP and was proud of myself. I was wondering if I would cave under the pressure because I already knew DH and Dsil were eating off plan. Hubby did have a roll and a little pasta. I had 2 chicken breasts and instead of eating pasta with alfredo sauce, I poured alfredo sauce over my chicken. I had string beans and salad and a small piece of prime rib. It was very filling. Hubby did eat a slice of wedding cake but I refrained. I didn't even get a slice of cake from Ruby Tuesday's for later. I am really trying to separate food from having a good time. Just like you don't need alcohol to have a good time, I didn't need bad carby foods to have a good time.

What I did do ladies is shake my red dress on the dance floor all night! At one point I even through off my wrap because it got hot!! I didn't care that my arms were showing. I would normally have never done something like that but I felt so good and so confident in how I looked that I just threw caution to the wind and had a great time. I think between 8:00 and 11:00 I sat out 2 or 3 songs total. Hubby and I danced together a lot and I danced with my sisters-in-law quite a bit too.

Side note: I ran into my ex boyfriend at the reception quite unexpectedly. This guy really broke my heart before I married my wonderful husband. He dumped me for this "skinny" girl. How time can change people. I felt someone tap me on the shoulder during a slow number while I was dancing with hubby and who was it? My ex with his wife (the girl he dumped me for). He has picked up a considerable amount of weight and so has she! They both looked like they have experienced some rough times and did not seem happy with each other. Here I was decked to the nines with my dashing hubby and you could tell we were having the time of our lives. I hope I don't sound petty but it felt so good to look so nice and see him under those circumstances. I can finally shut the book on that particular unfinished chapter of my life!

It's just like the mastercard commercial: ball gown $150, tux rental $80 - seeing your ex when you're looking your best at a black tie reception - PRICELESS!!!

I took lots and lots of pictures and should have them back on Wednesday so I will post them as soon as I can. Again, I hope I don't sound petty about all this. It was a lovely evening with lots of laughing and merry making. I am so happy for the newlywed couple and it was so nice to see parts of my husband's family I don't normally get to see. I hated to take my dress off when I got home at the end of the evening. I hope I have another occasion to wear the gown soon.

I will make a separate post with my food intake and exercise for the day. I just wanted to make sure I got down all my thoughts and impressions from the reception.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Wow Lisa,

That is a fairy tale night if I've every heard one!!!! You must have been gorgeous in your red gown. And to get to show off the new you, with the great hubby to the old jerky boyfriend just throws it over the top!!!!!! I can't wait to see your pics! You know that saying, "nothing tastes as good as thin feels"? Your evening says that through and through!!!!!! Congratulations on celebrating in your thin body.

Sundie

 

[ZerasPride]

Here's my menu for today:
B: 1/2 bowl of whole wheat cereal, 2 small sausage patties and 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of lf cheese
S: 7 seeed grapes
L: tuna salad with 8 ww crackers
S: 7 seeded grapes
D: pork chop, 1/2 cup of long grain rice and broccoli with cheese sauce and 1/2 cup of n/s/a butter pecan ice cream for dessert

Exercise: I did Firm Fat Blasting Cardio for my exercise this morning and I hope to add another 30 minute work out in this evening, either ab sculpt or 1/2 of cardio sculpt to add to my exercise minutes.

wilderness - thanks for the encouragement about the party. It was so much fun. DH and I will be hosting a semi-formal for our anniversary next year and this was a nice preview of how fun dressing up can be!

Minniespal - thanks to you too for your kind words. I felt like all my WISH friends were behind me for moral support and it made the evening that much more special for me because I know you guys understand what I was feeling.

Tracy - aren't you just loving the weather we're having? It was 5 degrees this morning and since DH had left for work and DS was sleeping under a pile of covers on winter break, I had to dig my car out of a ton of snow all by myself which was not fun as you can imagine! Thanks for the compliments on my pics. I still have a ways to go to get to goal but I do feel like I'll make it. It may not happen when I want it to, but it will happen.

Tera - thanks for your words of encouragement. Being heavy all or most of your life can be so difficult to explain to others so it's nice when you run into people who know exactly how you feel. Sometimes I feel like I don't even recognize the person looking back at me in the mirrror. I'm glad I'm not at goal because I still have a lot of mental issues to work through. The whole wheat crackers I eat are by Triscuit. I like the cheddar cheese variety. Enjoy your tuna! I've been eating tuna for lunch mostly for about a year now and still haven't gotten tired of it yet. I do try to mix it up twice a week and have something else but basically during the week its my good old stand-by, tuna and whole wheat crackers!

Sundie - were you at the reception with me? The attitude you described is exactly the one I adopted. At one point it was hot on the dance floor that I threw off my wrap and just let go. I felt so free. It didn't matter to me that my arms as still jiggly. I just had a great time. I know people were looking at me but I just didn't care. When people say that they have had "the time of lives" now I know what they mean. I had the time of my life on Saturday!

 

[Tera]

Hi Lisa...

Wow girlfriend, I was so thrilled to read your email. I had a smile on my face the whole time I'm so glad you had a wonderful time and you felt good about yourself. That helps with keeping it up and mantaining. I can't wait to see pictures of you in that red dress. It sounded DIVINE!!!!

You definitely weren't petty about your ex. I would be feeling the same darn way and I LOVED how you put that to a Mastercard commerical

You keep up the great work and the GREAT attitude!!!!

 

[Strings]

Hi Lisa,

It sounds like you had an incredible time. I am glad you were able to let loose and have fun. I don't think you are petty about seeing the ex. I am looking at it as though it helped you appreciate the wonderful relationship you are in now. I can't wait to see the pictures.
Beth

 

[MelanieC]

Hey Lisa!

WOW! It sounds like you had an amazing day! I can't wait to see pictures. I bet you looked stunning in your red gown. Thanks for sharing your day with us. Keep up the great work. You are doing amazing and I'm so glad you are here to inspire us!

 

[toystoryduo]

Oh Lisa,

I am so glad to hear that you had a wonderful time! I can't wait to see pictures!

Try and stay warm today. I think I heard on the radio that we are under a Winter Storm Watch for Wednesday and Thursday. Yikes! At least we'll have a Christmas filled with snow, right?

Take care, Lisa!

Tracy

 

[wtpclc]

Lisa - The wedding sounded wonderful! I think we all have that person who left us feeling rather insecure. It is nice to get that closure and to realize how much better off you are without them. What a wonderful night. Too bad Cinderella had to go home. Because of all her hard work, though, she'll be teh beauty of teh ball again soon!

 

[Minniespal]

Lisa ~

It sounds as though you had a fabby time at the wedding and your dress sounds fantastic.

Can't wait to see the piccies.

 

[sm4987]

Lisa, I wanted to start off by saying that I don't think you're petty at all. Soak up the attention and be happy about all the progress that you have made. The wedding seemed wonderful and you really sound happy and that's all that matters.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

 

[wilderness01]

I can not wait to see those pictures. Have a wonderful holiday.

 

[toystoryduo]

Merry Christmas, Lisa!!!!