A Small Apology

I feel I need to apologize a little for going from no "wordy" posts to wordy posts all about me and my weight. To be more accurate. . . I am not apologizing for writing about my weight. I am apologizing for the *BAM*-in-your-face-all-weight-all-the-time direction I am currently going.

Sure it is my blog but it is such a detour from the norm that I don't want anyone to think I will never return to what I use to write about. I want it to be known that it will not be this way forever; just for seven or eight weeks.

Since the WLB team would like me to write at least three posts per week on my WLB blog, weight and weight loss related posts are what I will be writing. Three posts per week is a big change for me. Keeping in mind that prior to last week I wrote (using the term loosely) one post per week, expecting myself to write three WLB blog posts, the Top Reader Posts, plus additional Sparky posts is a HUGE stretch. I know better than to set myself up for such failure. . . okay, I usually know better.

That being said. I hope to sneak in some recipes with the WLB blog posts. The biggest change you will see is that recipes posted from this point forward will have nutrition information at the bottom. Some of my recipe sources have the nutrition information for the recipes. For those sources that do not have nutrition information I use the New Recipe feature on Calorie Count to analyze the recipe. (I can write a more detailed post about Calorie Count later if anyone is interested.)

I am excited for what is to come and I hope you will bear with me and the weight posts. Thanks!

Win, Lose, or Blog

I have been working steadily on my weight loss and health in general since mid-September. I had great weight loss through November and even managed to lose in December. Then came January. I sort of went off track a bit in January. I still lost but not like I had in previous months (45% less than my average over the previous five months to be exact).

The biggest change I know of is that I started drinking soda again while I was on vacation the last two weeks of December. I haven't stopped. I decreased my intake during January but it has increased again. I think I need to stop completely again and see if that helps get me back on track.

I especially want to get back on track because (here is the big news) I am one of eight contestants for Season 7 of Win, Lose, or Blog. I applied to be a contestant in hopes that it will help me get back on track and give me extra motivation when I am struggling. Reporting to a couple of my friends is one thing. Reporting to 300+ followers of the Win, Lose, or Blog blog is another. (I am a little nauseated thinking about it right now.)

The contest is for seven weeks and I have to report my weight via a picture of the scale numbers and my feet each Sunday. They will post percentages (loss or gain) on Tuesdays. (Thankfully not our actual weight.) In addition to reporting my weight they would also like me to post three times per week on my own person WLB blog they will setup. On the days I write there, I will post the same thing here.

My first post over on the WLB blog will be on Monday (February 13). I hope you will follow along as I try to become the "biggest loser" for this season of Win, Lose, or Blog! (Even if I am not the biggest loser I know the experience will be fantastic and all eight of us contestants will be better for it.)

Putting it All Out There (Well . . . . Most of It Anyway)

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted anything other than freezer meals or Top Reader Posts. I have had many ideas for posting but I just have lacked the motivation to write the posts. Considering the majority of the individuals that read the blog are part of my day to day life I didn't feel as though "content" posts were being missed anyway. That being said, I think I need to get back with it.

One reason for wanting this is to increase the number of individuals I am accountable to. "Accountable for what?" you might ask. Accountable for the changes I have been making to better my health and lose weight. For those who don't know me personally. . . .Hello, my name is Sparky and I am fat.

Granted I am less fat than I was in September; thirty pounds less fat. But considering I still have a lot more to lose, I can still say I am fat. It is okay. PS - That is not negative self talk; it is the truth. With that truth comes this knowledge also. . .

Source: prettinessandbuttons.tumblr.com via Rachel on Pinterest

The reality is, to get to my first major goal weight from where I am now, I still have to lose the equivalent of how much my seven-year-old currently weighs. That sort of puts it in perspective doesn't it? I would NOT want to carry around my seven-year-old for any extended period of time but yet that is exactly what I am doing everyday of my life.

As you may notice while I am wanting to be more accountable I am still not comfortable writing the actual numbers here. Maybe as I write about it more or as I accomplish more I will get more comfortable with it. (Sure I can say I am fat, I am just not going to say exactly how fat.)

This extra weight is also why I don't I have a picture of myself on the blog. Sure I could post one from years ago when I was slimmer but that isn't honest and that isn't how I roll. My face has lost a little pudge so I will try to see if I can get one posted sooner than later.

I will write more tomorrow. (This is the leading up to my exciting news.)