Weekly weigh-in: Catching up

Last week's weight: 177.4
This week's weight: 173.8
Difference: -3.6
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98 pounds

I tried hard this week, but I did have a few slips last weekend (including a half a bag of Cheez Doodles). So I was somewhat surprised at the huge loss. I've decided this week is just my body catching up from the past few weeks when I gained two pounds one week and pretty much stayed the same last week.

If you recall, I set a goal at the beginning of the year of losing 10 pounds by April 1, which would put me at a total of 100 pounds lost. I'm so close. With two weeks to go, I don't know if I'll make it. But I'm proud that I'm still making progress. And, as I said last week, I'm even happier that I'm noticing a difference in how my clothes fit ... or don't fit.

I think wearing a size 12 for a week has given me renewed strength. For instance, I've been dreaming about pizza for weeks. After such a good week, I was tempted to splurge for dinner tonight and have one delivered. Instead, I bought whole-wheat dough, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and lowfat cheese at the grocery store and made my own. I had one-sixth of the pizza with a side salad. I can't promise I won't have another slice before bed, but that's not too bad considering I might have eaten the entire gooey mess if I'd ordered one from Pizza Hut.

The other good news for the week is that I've switched up my exercise routine. I'm still riding my exercise one or two times a week, but now I'm doing jumping jacks and crunches almost daily. I'm up to 50 jumping jacks and 30 crunches. I think the change of pace is making a difference and I feel like I can see changes in my body shape.

And I've done all of this during an insanely stressful week. I've said it before, though. Sometimes, the crazy weeks are the ones where I lose the most weight. I think that's because I'm so busy with everything else that I don't have time to worry about eating. Yes, I eat when I'm bored. Anyway, I'm getting closer to my goal and I'm doing it in a healthy way that still allows me to eat the foods I love. And that's really all that matters.