Christmas Dress Countdown Final Post

We made it!  No matter if we reached all our goals or came up lacking, we are not quitters, and we have stamina!

I have really enjoyed this challenge.  I have been in other challenges, and have always succeeded to some extent, but this one was different.  I don't know why, unless it was that we had more strict rules about posting updates weekly and certain topics to report on each week, and the moral support from the sponsors was excellent.  I know it took a lot of Mir and Angela's time to sponsor this, and I am very grateful.

What did I learn from you or about myself?  From most of you, I got that weight loss is not something you can rush.  We each have our own body with our own metabolism, and are putting different foods into it, and are doing different exercise, or no exercise, to change it.  I also got that weight loss and health are something most of you work at on a daily basis.  Of course there are days where other life issues put it in the back seat, but it's always there. 

About myself, I learned that I do not have to journal each and every calorie any more.  I did that for 2 years and now I pretty well know how much and what kind of foods I can eat to stay around my target.  I also learned that I can handle stress without eating.  I have more trouble handling boredom without eating.  I also learned that weight loss or maintenance is much easier when you move your body.  Well, I guess I already knew that, but the point was driven home more clearly during this challenge.  And I learned that certain behaviors become habits when practised over and over:  hydration, veggies every day, less caffeine and sugar...and on and on.

I have some goals in mind for 2012, but I haven't listed them yet.  I have the goals but not the path to reach them.  I will be working on them in the next few days and share them with you. 

Here is my final update:

Weight today:  137.6

Weight at beginning of challenge:  138.4

My goal was to maintain, and I have done it for three months!  Every week of maintaining is a week closer to not being a yo-yo dieter.  Yay!

Dress:  Here it is!

This is the dress.

This is me in the dress, taken today. 

 

I had to take the picture myself with the timer, and it's not the best, but you get the point.

Daily calories:  My goal is 1200 per day.  This week I did not track every day, but must have been around 1200, since my weight stayed pretty much the same.

Exercise:  I exercised 3 out of 7 days this week.  Not good.  However, I do have a very active lifestyle.  I never just sit on the couch and do nothing.  Never.  I enjoy gardening:  mowing, raking, weeding, etc.  I am active around the house.  I enjoy walking the dog outside.  I enjoy doing things for others.  It seems I am always on the move.  So just because I don't have "dedicated exercise time" every week, it doesn't mean I am not active.

Hydration:  A couple of days were lacking.  But then I got back on the wagon and for the past 4 days have gotten all my water in.  And I certainly can tell that it makes me feel so much better.

Reading:  This week's reading for health purposes has been minimal, but with other obligations ending in a few days, I certainly do plan to get back to it.  I do love to learn new health facts and learning of the most recent studies and findings, so I will never put the books down.

Supporting others:  I have been around to most of you this week.  And thanks for your encouragement for me.  It means a lot to me.

Quitting:  I am still here. I am not a quitter.  I will never quit, even if I fall off the face of Blogville, I will never quit!

Thanks to you all for your kind words, support, encouragement, and the occasional kicks to the butt.  I hope we can all be together for another challenge in 2012 ... and beyond!