Forty and Fabulous..Almost

Well boys and girls, here we are, the last Forty and Fabulous post.
Ten weeks ago I was but a chubby little Diva with the lofty, if not loopy idea of raising money for a worthy cause while using the threat of public humiliation to lose a pound or two.
Now, ten weeks have past and well..I'm a slightly less chubby and mildly wiser little Diva.

And so the burning question I know you were just staying up nights to hear..Am I fabulous? Did I raise oodles of money? Did you collectively kick my massive can into the stratosphere of utter fabulousness? Well...almost:)

The grand totals after ten weeks are (drum roll please drrrrrrrrr)

18.4 pounds lost and approximately $408 raised for Hamilton foodshare. That does not include any donations made online or directly to Foodshare or the donations in food raised at the party. (Thank you to all of you who came and brought a canned good).

Thankfully..and somewhat amazingly, every $1 donated raises $5 worth of food through HFS's food recovery program. So our modest $408 = $2040 in the hands of Hamilton Food Share.

"Hamilton Food Share’s Food Recovery Program is a collection of innovative systems that takes healthy and good product deemed surplus and un-salable by food industry standards and redirects it onto the tables of the people who need it the most. ...In 2008-2009, Hamilton Food Share raised and distributed almost 48% of all food given out to the 19,602 people that require the services of emergency food programs each month."

As for my fitness goals I am far from the finish line. Ultimately I want to lose forty pounds and while I did not expect to shed them in ten weeks, I must admit I feel somewhat disappointed that I am almost 2 pounds shy of reaching the 1/2 way mark. (damn you extended birthday celebrations:)

The path to perfection is a long and bumpy road with allot preservative and sugar filled obstacles and distractions and million opportunities to cheat and quit. If nothing else this little experiment has taught me the value of persistence and patience. No crash starvation diet will bring lasting results or improve my overall health and well being.

My results, in the grand scheme of things are modest, but I guess respectable. I have received fantastic advice and immeasurable support from all of you friends and family members and I can't thank you enough. Seriously, some of you who've known me a long time deserve medals for continuously supporting and patiently listening to whatever latest ridiculous idea creeps into my dusty attic.

God only knows the number of preposterous plans I've concocted that my ever suffering and faithful circle of family and friends has patiently humoured over the last four decades. But now and again I actually do try to put my money where my mouth is (or in this case..your money where my my mouth is:)

I've gone from 171.4 lbs to 153 and I've dropped 2 dress sizes and together we raised a few of dollars for an important cause. So, not exactly earth shattering results but I'm on my way. Thanks to your help and support I can say with near believable confidence that I am forty and almost fabulous!

Thank you all for your help, advice and support. I am truly grateful.

Be well.

Only three weeks to go...

Well, the vacation is over and gone are the blissful days of waking up whenever I feel like it and sauntering down to prepared meals, room service and nothing but R&R on the schedule. (Hence the extra 2 pounds I packed on after a little too much sun and rum:)

No more all you can eat buffet for me this week. I looked at the quickly elapsing calender and kicked myself in the gargantuan behind. Ok, maybe not literally..but I did manage to get back to working out regularly and putting a little more effort into putting my fork down and watching what I eat. So it was a better week (weight loss challenge wise that is) and I have shed the 2 mojito induced pounds along with almost two more.

The grand total now stands at 14 pounds lost. Tada... So, pretty good I guess. The scale is moving slowly, but at least it is back to moving in the right direction..so I'll take it:)

Thank you to all the people who have been generous with all the great advice these past few weeks. I have tried implementing many of the tips you have passed on. So far I've noticed the best results from eating smaller portions and eating every few hours, not drinking my calories and not eating late at night. And of course water, water and more water.

In terms of working out to lose weight, I've experienced the best results on the weeks when I work out early mornings before I eat breakfast. As well as mixing cardio and strength training.

I have a long way to go, but any progress is good I guess.

Only three weeks left for the fundraising portion of this challenge but a lifetime (and hopefully a very long lifetime) left to live with this slightly less than perfect body of mine. So I guess I have to just keep cleaning out the attic and the basement so to speak and try to keep it fit and clean. Hell, no matter where I go, there I am..so might as well learn to like to address:)

Until next week, thanks for the ongoing advice and be well.

Cheers!