…so I’m still going steady with my weight loss. The “Biggest Loser” Competition is over at work, and I. WON.
It’s still sinking in really. I think it will really feel real when I get that check. For some reason, it’s been 2 weeks and the winnings haven’t been handed out, but I’m patiently waiting. I’m not the kind of person who will march in the Medical Director’s office and demand he write me a check. But I will say, I’m a little frustrated, because I worked dang hard to lose that weight, and in turn, win that money. But until I get it, I can’t buy a plane ticket to visit my sis and her 2 cute kids in Colorado Springs. And I can’t go to IKEA and get a new entertainment center…
BUT – the point is not the money. It’s the weight loss. And it’s the getting healthy part.
In the last week of my competition, I pushed myself harder than I ever have. I’ve never eaten so healthy in my life, and I don’t think I was even eating enough (even though I was aiming for 1,200 calories a day — which is lower than I go daily anyway). By the weigh-in day, I didn’t feel great, and I told myself I could never be anorexic, because I’m pretty sure my body would go in blood-sugar madness mode, and the headaches and fatigue wouldn’t be worth it.
Anyway, during that last week, I saw this picture here on Pinterest and it gave me a great idea:
As I was making frequent trips to various stores to complete my 80s themed 30th Birthday party (see post here), I noticed on my list it had these items:
- 2 glass jars
- stones
- stick- on letters
(It’s moments like those that I’m thankful I’m a list-maker. And list-checker)
I found two round glass jars ($2 total) and got about 3 bags of light green stones, and 2 bags of clear stone ($5 total). I preferred the bigger stones, but they had smaller bags of them, which would be cheaper. I also got green/clear so I could match colors in my bathroom, because it needed a little somethin’ somethin’ on one corner, and knew this would be perf. I looked for sticker letters, but nothing really jumped out at me.
Luckily, I had to also go to Michael’s, and the stickers were on sale, plus I had a coupon for 25% off my total purchase (even sale items. It was one of those serendipitous moments). I just got black stickers that were both uppercase and lowercase, and a bold print ($2 total). My style. I probably had something like that in my box of craft paper and stickers, but didn’t feel like digging. So the whole thing cost $9, but like I said — if you were content with smaller stones/rocks, this could cost about $5. Do not (I repeat, DO NOT) buy all of your supplies from a craft store. You will end up spending a LOT more.
So then I headed to my mom’s to get my little brother to hang, and she helped me decide where to put the letters. She’s good at that final visual piece that I lack sometimes.
Here’s what I came up with:
(She added in a votive candle for ambiance, naturally)
Wanna know the BEST PART???
Counting out 49 stones. FORTY-NINE. It was almost like I could feel each pound coming off my shoulders when I dropped it in that container. I loved that the “lbs LOST” jar had more than the “lbs TO GO” jar. (I picked a weight that would put me in a healthy BMI – even though I think that’s a load of bull honky sometimes – add put it in the goal jar.) Here they are in my bathroom:
My plan is to continue doing what I’m doing, and when my body reaches a healthy weight, I’ll listen to it and stop there happily. But I think goals are good to have. Plus, it feels a-m-a-z-i-n-g to pick up another “pound” and get rid of it. So freeing.
I highly recommend this to anyone who’s trying to lose weight, especially if you’re a visual person like me. Every morning I get up, and see those stones, and it’s my motivation to do well that day. And the next.
Here’s a great visual to leave you all with:
🙂
sometimes katie... 