WW Update

Today, I reached another HUGE milestone on this weight loss journey with Weight Watchers.

This week, I lost 4 pounds. That 4 pound loss takes me to a total weight loss of 20.6 pounds! I am more than 1/3 of the way through my journey to losing 60 pounds. When I looked at the scale, I was shocked. I am still shocked.

It is almost crazy how easy this has been. Don't get me wrong, it is HARD. Doing Weight Watchers takes A LOT of planning, determination, and thought. I HAVE to think before I eat or drink. If I don't, I won't be successful. When I say it is crazy how easy it has been, I guess I was expecting for it to take a lot longer to lose 20 pounds. I waited so long to start this journey because I thought it would be this uphill battle that I would try and fail at. I am so glad that I was wrong! I am so glad that I have so many people loving and supporting me through this journey. It takes a village!

To put it into perspective, I have lost MORE than the two pictures show below....




Insane right?!?! I am still in shock. More than 20 pounds!!!!

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Emerald City

I can't wait to spend 9 days taking in all of this and more...

Green Lake

Kerry Park

Snoqualmie Falls

Pike Place Market

Ride the ferry over to Kingston

Gas Works Park

UW... ESPECIALLY with the Cherry Blossoms in Bloom

Opening day at Safeco! If I can't go to Padres Opening Day, The Mariners are the next best!

That is just the beginning... I also want to go to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, run by the canal near SPU and meet Megan for lunch in the SUB for old time's sake, go to the top of the Space Needle, and of course visit some thrift stores. Most of all, I am looking forward to sitting in a Starbucks by a fire with some books that I have been waiting to read!


More than spending time at some of my favorite places in Seattle, I can't wait to see some of my favorite people.

Kimber and Secret Lover

Rodizzle AND I FINALLY get to meet her HUSBAND

Sweet Megs

T

My favorite person on Sabbatical, Michelle

To top that off, I get to spend time with Mama and Papa Maxin, Heffer, Sunny, The Brothers Hilliard, and others.

Cheers to Spring Break!

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Let me be honest...

...I have been so blessed to experience some of the most exciting and amazing things in my few years of life so far.
...I have the most encouraging and supportive friends in the world.
...I get jealous and sad when I see or hear of friends getting to travel to Europe, especially Ireland.
...I have never had someone say, "Amanda, I have someone I want you to meet!" or "Let's set Amanda up with him.". I know it seems trivial, and it is, but I still wish I would hear those words just once.
...As much as I love traveling and being on the go, there is no bed as good as my own.
...I am learning to stick up for myself, no matter the cost.

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If I were being honest...

...I would talk about how much it hurts to see pictures and hear of my friends' travels through Europe.
...I would share about the pain I feel when I hear of people getting to go to Ireland.
...I would share my fears of what comes next in life.
...I would share my anxiety about how I am going to manage to pay my bills each month.
...I would stop making plans that cost money and get creative when making plans to spend time with friends.
...I would speak up when I feel forgotten or overlooked.
...I would just be myself ALL the time, no matter the perceived cost!

Time to start being honest in all of these ways and more.

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I stole this...

“For as long as you can remember, you have been a pleaser, depending on others to give you an identity. You need not look at that only in a negative way. You wanted to give your heart to others, and you did so quickly and easily. But now you are being asked to let go of all these self-made props and trust that God is enough for you. You must stop being a pleaser and reclaim your identity as a free self.

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing – not healing, not curing – that is a friend who cares.

Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure.”

-Nouwen

I stole this from Anne Jackson, an author and speaker that I love love love.

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Taking A Water Break

A few years ago, some girlfriends and I were hanging out at the APT and we got on the subject of all of the people that we graduated with that are married with baby 1 and even baby 2. One girl said, "we are getting lapped". Another girl chimed in and said, "well, I am on a water break, so I am getting lapped while on that break". We had a good laugh and still talk about it to this day.

So, while I am on my water break, getting lapped, I am enjoying this season of life. I travel, I go to shows, I volunteer with a number of organizations, I go to sporting events... I am living the dream. The water tastes pretty good so I am not sure I am ready to get back to running.

The other day, I got physical reminders of just how many people are lapping me...

Two save the dates and a birth announcement all came on the same day. I couldn't help but laugh when I opened them.

Cheers to my friends that are "lapping" me. I couldn't not be happier for my friends and where life is taking them. One day, it will be my turn to send out save the dates, engagement pictures, shower and wedding invitations, birth announcements and all the others... Some day.

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26 sounds more grown up than 25

I don't know what it is but 26 sounds more grown up than 25 does.

I am excited about 26. I am sure it has a lot to do with the Weight Watchers journey that I am on, but there is more to it than that. For the first time in my life, I feel like the world in my playground. I feel like I can do anything that I put my mind to. Who says I can't chase my dreams? I just feel really good about 26.

I should say, I probably feel this way because I have a community of friends around me that encourage me to feel this way. I can't tell you how many birthday cards had some version of "this is your year" in them. I can't help but believe it.

To celebrate 26, some friends and I made the trek to "The Family Bar" for some food, drinks and Karaoke. It was so much fun. We laughed, sang, and even danced a little. It was perfect.




I am BEYOND blessed by the most incredible, generous, kind, caring, and simply wonderful friends in the world. It's true. They're the best!

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Random Facts

1. I prefer the original Beverly Hills 90210 to the new one, though I am not afraid to admit that I watch both. Don't act like you didn't chant DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES one time or another.

2. I hoard notecards, I can't help but see if there are any on clearance whenever I am at Papyrus or Target. If only stamps weren't so expensive.

3. I have to sleep with a fan on for the white noise. If I don't, I have to fall asleep to music.

4. I have an aversion to Android phones... not sure why, I just do.

5. My books and movies are all organized in alphabetical order.

6. When shopping, I go straight for the clearance section, and even in the clearance section it has to be a good deal in order to make the purchase.

7. If my DVR was an hourly employee, it would get paid very well.

8. Puffs with VICKS is my new favorite kind of tissue.

9. I used to judge people who would work out and then go shopping in their sweaty gym clothes, now I am one of them.

10. I got an amazon.com giftcard for my birthday and immediately ordered Rob Bell's new book. I am waiting to read it until I get on the airplane Friday morning.

11. If Steel Magnolias is on TV, I am watching it and quoting the whole movie.

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Weight Watchers Update

This is long overdue, and I apologize for that.

Needless to say, my days look quite differently than they used to. I go to work, come home and change, then go to the gym for anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Tuesday nights are full with Community Group, Wednesday nights are full with Weight Watchers weigh-in and meeting, Thursdays are full with friend time. I am tired just writing that out...

I am in the middle of my 9th week of weight watchers. In 8 weeks, I have lost 16.6 pounds, with a loss every week so far. As you can tell, this ain't no Biggest Loser, this is real life. I don't work out 8 hours a day, I don't have a personal chef, and I don't have the luxury of living in a bubble where only organic and healthy foods exist.

My goal is to work out 7 days a week. Most weeks, I work out all 7 days. Some weeks, I only work out 5 or 6, and that is totally ok. In fact, 5 or 6 is still more than enough. I mainly do cardio, either at the gym or going for a run or jog/walk throughout San Diego.

With Weight Watchers, you get a Daily Point Target. This target changes as you become closer to your goal weight but will never go lower than 29 points. I started at 35 and am currently at 32. Along with those daily points, everyone gets 49 anytime points to spend how you would like. I am lucky in the fact that I am not a wino, as lots of people use their points for alcohol. So, you get your daily points, your anytime points, and you even earn points for activity. So, anytime I go to the gym, or for a walk or jog, I earn points based on the length of time and the intensity. As you can tell, we are well fed on Weight Watchers.

I aim for my target everyday, trying to be right at 32 points, but not beating myself up for using some of my anytime points. My goal each week is to use no more than half of the anytime points and none of my activity points. So far, I have been successful in this goal.

Half way through week 9 and am feeling good. :)

Slow and steady wins the race.

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I'm Alive

It has been far too long since I posted on this sucker. Time for some updates!

Here are some posts that I have in the works, they just need to get some pictures and be posted...

1. Weight Watchers update
2. 26 sounds more grown up than 25 does
3. It's a big girl world now, full of big girl things...
4. Still taking a water break and Still getting lapped
5. Spring Break

Needless to say I will be doing some marathon blogging this weekend.

XOXO

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A MUST Read...

If you have read this book for any amount of time, you know that I have an author crush on Donald Miller. I do. It's no secret.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE his books, especially his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Read it. Trust me!

What story are you telling? from Rhetorik Creative on Vimeo.

You can get it at any number of stores... even on Amazon for CHEAP!

DO IT!

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