Numbers Numbers Numbers

I'm a numbers kinda gal. I deal with them all day when I teach. Beyond that though, I see the beauty in numbers, in the organization and logic of math. So, it should come as no surprise to any of you that I LOVE spreadsheets (I make them for everything I can), and I like to use them to figure how long it will take me to do things like pay off my credit card.

Today I made a Hungarian Pot Roast in my crock pot. The prep work took me about an hour this morning, but I think I could do it faster. You do need some special paprika which I found for a good deal at Sprouts. I'm not sure anyone should know as much as I do about different types of paprika as I do, but it sure made a tasty pot roast! Honestly I had no clue that pot roast could turn out so AMAZING without potatoes and carrots!

So tonight I was sitting here on my porch... ok side rave here. I LOVE my porch! It's my new favorite spot (aside from Disney World). If you follow me on Facebook, you know my status is constantly about me being on my porch or loving my porch. I feel like my apartment has gained 40 or more square feet overnight! I have this whole new, peaceful, comfortable domain where I can go to cuddle with Sprinkles or read or play on my laptop. A couple of summers ago I got a couple of Adirondack chairs for it, and I have a couple of nice tables out here. Sprinkles has a big pillow bed, and the porch even has a power outlet. It's good livin' out here.

Now where was I? Oh yeah, I'm on the porch (the place I can't wait to leave work and head to nowadays), and I'm full from the aforementioned amazing pot roast, and I start thinking about my diet (South Beach). It's been 3 weeks, and I've lost 11.2 pounds. I can't help but think, "wow! I'm eating good, really yummy food, and I'm actually losing weight!" which made me pull out my cell phone and use the calculator and calendar to start projecting my weight loss goals. I haven't gone as far as to make a spreadsheet, but I have some goals in mind that I wanted to put into writing (more to make me accountable than because I thought you'd really care).

By the end of summer (August 15th), I'd like to have lost 40 pounds. That would put me about halfway to my goal weight. Right now I'm just following South Beach. This summer I'm going to add in working out at the pool and at the complex gym. I'm hoping that will stop me from plateauing. When I go back to work at the end of summer my debt should be paid off, and I should NEED new clothes by then. I want to get back to work and for people to be surprised and notice how much I've lost. It's for me and all, but I want people to be able to tell I've dropped 40 pounds!

By my next birthday (February 22nd), I want to be at my goal weight (or lower). That means I'll need to drop another 40 (or so) pounds from August to February. If I continue working out and eating right, I should be able to do it. My goal weight is 150 pounds. Honestly that still puts me at the high end of the BMI scale for my height, but I'll be happy at 150. If the weight keeps coming off after that, so be it, but I'm not stressing if I hit 150 and plateau.

Daily, I am still amazed at how much more energy I have. I'm able to get so much more done in a day, and I'm enjoying being more active. It's not even that I'm going on walks and stuff. It's that I'm keeping my apartment really clean and picked up, that my laundry gets done when I need it instead of piling up around my ears, that my dishwasher is run almost daily, and that I'm able to cook for all 3 meals each day and not grow sick of doing it all! I've been trying to cook at least one new recipe each week, and every one that I've tried has (thankfully) turned out wonderful. I'm enjoying cooking and keeping up with my apartment. I LOVE not feeling like I always need a nap!

I'm still waiting for my blood pressure to go down. It's lowering some, and this should be what stops me from having to go on medicine for it. Already I've noticed I haven't had heartburn since I started this, and I haven't been nearly as achy as I am at times. The positives from this diet far outweigh the sometimes cravings I have to deny myself. I still miss and want cake.

I remember at Christmas I couldn't go after Christmas shopping with my mom and my sister because I knew I wouldn't be able to stick to my new budget. Now I can go to the mall or my favorite shop without overspending or even spending at all because I have it under control. I'm hoping this diet will eventually be that easy... one day I'll be able to go to my favorite restaurant and order the right thing that fits with my diet and not be sad that I'm missing out on the bread basket or whatever. :) I'm looking forward to that.

I think what I most look forward to is that at the end of the summer I'll have really worked hard and succeeded at being a new Joanna. I'll have paid off my credit card debt and have learned to manage my money. I'll also have lost half of the weight I need/want to lose. The journey to pay off my credit card has taken years. The journey of weight loss is going to take at least a year. I'm learning that changing yourself and changing your lifestyle takes some serious time, but wow I'm looking at those numbers on my debt and my weight go down, and nothing feels better!