I WANT YOU (and the biggest loser breakdown)

Ok, who didn't cry watching last night's episode?

I'm serious, you guys, I couldn't hold the tears back! Abby is such a strong woman...much stronger than I can imagine myself ever being.

I will miss her being on the show each week. I just have a hard time understanding how someone as stellar as Abby gets kicked off before Tracey.

I don't know Tracey personally or anything but she hasn't exactly been the model Biggest Loser Contestant. Something about her worries me, to be honest.

What did you all think of last night's episode?

**I NEED YOU**

I would like to start doing a weekly interview with someone in the blogging world who has lost weight. Please e-mail me at gymbagdropout@gmail.com and let me know what your blog address is, a bit about your story and send a before/after picture.

Thanks!

Oh the shame...

Sooo...I totally blew my healthier lifestyle again last night!

I ate a very good and healthy dinner - baked lemon pepper chicken, seasoned rice and LOTS of baked broccoli (yes, I bake broccoli!). Then, after scrubbing two bathtubs...and I mean full on IN THE TUB scrubbing (tile included) I heated up a bowl of potato soup. At 11 o'clock.

Oh the shame...

BUT! Today is a new day! The Lord's mercies are new each and every day! ...and I forgot to eat breakfast! Whoops! Good thing it's still morning, right?!

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Lamentations 3:22-24 (King James Version)

Moving On

Whew!

What a tough weekend for eating healthy and being active!

I spent all weekend celebrating my son's sixth birthday. Since he got to make all of the fun choices (food, movies, where to go...stuff like that) I pretty much knew I was in trouble. The good news is that I only gained 1 pound this weekend! I can work that off this week - no problem!

Here's what I ate over the weekend...

Friday Evening
Salad! (go me! i loathe salad but I actually enjoyed this one.)

Saturday (remember this is all at the little boy's request)
Donuts
Pizza
Fruit Roll Up
Cake
Pizza (leftovers)

Sunday
1 Cup Honey Nut Cheerios with 1/2 cup of 1% milk
Potato Soup
Pizza
....and then for dinner more pizza and cinnamon rolls and more things I shouldn't have

Let me just tell you, by the time I went to sleep last night I was SO miserable! When you've been eating the right portions of the right things and then go back to what you used to do - you're in for trouble!

I'm ready for a fresh start this week!

Weekend Inspiration

Each Friday I will post a picture, story or cartoon meant to help me (and you!) stay motivated over the weekend...

Here are two of my favorite looks from J. Crew!

Giveaway: Stop by Amanda's Blog, Another Prior Fat Girl, and register to win a 2-year subscription to Shape Magazine!!!

My Top 10

One of my major fights in the battle against the bulge is motivation.

As a busy working (outside the home) mom, women's ministry leader and (of course) wife...I cherish the down time I get while watching my various tv shows or going out with the girls. If given the choice between relaxing or spending 20 minutes being yelled at by Jillian - I'll 99% of the time choose the relaxing.

BUT...

I'm making a change. I need to start choosing Jillian over my couch. I need to choose broccoli over potatoes...water over root beer...

Here are my Top 10 Reasons to make the right choices...

1. I need to honor God with my body! This 230ish lb. woman is too self-conscious to do anything for the Kingdom. Besides, He created this body, least I could do is take care of it.

2. To be more healthy! I want to avoid diabetes, heart disease and other weight related illnesses.

3. Set a good example for my son.

4. So I can have a baby naturally. (We adopted our son three years ago)

5. To be able I can cross my legs again.

6. So I won't be embarrassed reconnecting with my high school friends - they knew me as a size 8.

7. So I can shop at my favorite stores: Banana Republic, J. Crew, Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor and The Gap.

8. So I can get that cute choppy bob hairstyle I love so much!

9. To be able to walk up the stairs without being winded. I'd love to be able to eventually run a mile under 10 minutes!

10. So I can feel good about the body that the Lord has blessed me with!

About The Dropout

Hello there!

Welcome to Gym Bag Dropout.

The Background

When I was young (18 and under) I never struggled with my weight. I had poor body image but I was not overweight by any stretch. As a competitive softball player, I stayed active and ate whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased. I think this is where my problem got started.

After I quit playing softball, I kept eating the way I always did. Praise the Lord I had an AMAZING metabolism and didn't gain a pound.

...that is, until the first semester of my freshman year. I am pretty sure I gained it the day I registered for classes.

Life has never been easy so between emotional eating and the bad habits I had already established I quickly went from 135 lbs (at 5'2" and VERY muscular - 6 pack and all!) to 160 lbs.

Then, to the surprise of my dad, who (in a very loving way, believe me) told me if I didn't lose weight that I'd never find a husband...I got engaged. After that I threw all caution to the wind and ballooned to over 200 lbs.

Don't get me wrong...I didn't over eat so much as I ate the wrong stuff. I consider potatoes more of a vegetable than broccoli - what the heck is broccoli anyway?

A couple of years ago I decided that enough was enough. I gritted my teeth and attempted to lose the weight.

It wouldn't come off!

I tried EVERYTHING and I couldn't even lose a pound! About that time a wild little one year old blessed us with his presence in our lives and we began a custody/adoption process. Long story short...I was so busy with that mess I couldn't even think about weight loss!

Fast forward three years to February 2009. I went for my first (yes, my first!) yearly "lady" check up and found out that I had PCOS which explained SO much!

So where am I now?

I'm trying to beat the havoc wreaked upon my body by the PCOS. I have the classic, no fun, symptoms. Weight gain, difficult weight loss, male patterned hair growth, acne. Tons o' fun.

Weight: 235 (down from 240 two weeks ago)
Diet: Doing Weight Watchers program solo
Workout: Shred by Jillian Michaels (KILLER!)
Weekly Bad Habit To Drop: NO MORE COKE

So Why 'Gym Bag Dropout"

I have just quit my Gold's Gym membership. I never went and, frankly, being over 230 lbs. I didn't feel exactly welcome among all the body builders and beauty queens. One thing I am especially thankful for - no more gym bags!