My 3 Year Journey to Better Health and Happiness, Part 3

As I previously hinted at, my weight loss journey from mid-April through July in the Summer of 2023 was a bit of a rollercoaster ride—mostly fun, but not much success in the scale department! After all, isn’t summer all about enjoying life? I kept my spirits high and my body moving, exercising intensely for at least 30 minutes each morning, followed by walks at lunch and after dinner. In mid-July, I decided to add a little extra challenge to my routine by strapping on a rucksack filled with 15 lbs. of dumbbell weight. Each week, I cranked up the weight by 5 lbs., eventually reaching 35 lbs. It was a bit of a struggle, and I decided to stop there before it turned into a workout I dreaded!

By mid-July, I also made the decision to take a break from drinking again, going 70 days this time. I realized I was breaking promises to myself about how much and when I would indulge, so it was time for a clean slate. By late August, I finally hit 176.2 lbs., a number I hadn’t seen since April. It felt like I lost four months to this process, but as you’ll see, determination pays off, and I have some exciting successes to share from September!

September 2023

I dedicated September to an old workout I had done back in 2010 called "Making the Cut" by Jillian Michaels. Let me tell you, this workout is no walk in the park, but it’s incredibly effective—especially when paired with my no-alcohol and no-sugar commitment. I kicked things off on August 28th at 176.2 lbs. and wrapped it up on September 29th, celebrating an all-time low of 170.4 lbs.! That’s nearly a 6 lb. drop, and I even took measurements, discovering I lost a total of 6 inches, including an impressive 1.5 inches off my waist. Talk about a win!

Fall 2023

In October, I managed to get down to 168.6 lbs. just by keeping an eye on my diet and returning to my regular workouts. November saw me bouncing around the 171 mark, fluctuating up and down. Then came Thanksgiving! We visited my sister in southern Washington, and upon our return, we had a little surprise waiting for us: a burst pipe spraying hot water all over the crawl space of our house in Shelton. But hey, sometimes a little chaos leads to great things! This unexpected event sparked a complete renovation of our charming 1,200 sq. ft. 1960s home, which we purchased back in 2020. The house quickly transformed into a construction zone for the next six months and by the time we jetted off to London on December 9th, I weighed in at 175 lbs. before vacation even started! Not ideal!

We returned home on January 1, 2024, and my first weigh-in the next day showed 180 lbs. Ugh! While I absolutely loved the vacation, walked a ton, and even squeezed in a few workouts, it didn’t quite offset the delightful excesses of wine, whiskey (thanks for that, Edinburgh!), incredible food, and scrumptious desserts enjoyed with family during our fantastic trip. But stay tuned! I’m excited to share how 2024 will bring about the most amazing transformation as I embark on the journey from 180 to 156 lbs.!