The girls

142 lbs this morning. Getting so close now.

Today I'm talking boobs. As you lose weight your boobs will inevitably change their mass as well. I'm not overly concerned with their size. They could cease to exist for all I care and then I wouldn't have these problems.

 What problems you ask? Well let me tell you. I can not find a bra that fits. It's impossible. I've tried on every bra in every size available in retail stores in my area and none of them fit. My old bras are naturally too big now so I NEED new ones desperately. I've scoured the web for bra discussions, measuring techniques, bra fitting guides and so on. According to them all there is this one specific size I should try on, with a few options around the same range.

Did you know bras have sister sizes? I didn't know that either. Apparently a 34DD has the same cup volume as a 36D or a 32DDD but different band size. Well.. a 36 band size is now too big for me, so I have to go with a 34 which fastens and supports just fine.. but a D is too little and a DD is too big. The girls in the store were completely stumped. They had me try on a 36D, which was way too big in the band and kept riding up in the back. Eventually they admitted defeat and mumbled something about a speciality store in the next town over. Having checked out this speciality store I'm thinking they have no idea what I need.

I've considered online shopping, but then there's the dilemma of not being able to try stuff on before buying it and having to deal with returns. Plus, all the online bra stores I've found are ridiculously expensive. I don't see myself paying $95 for a bra... ever. Trying to keep the costs low and finding a weird size do not go hand in hand.

My quest will inevitably continue over the next few weeks.

Weight Tracker Stats

Start weight:

185.2 lb

Weight change:

Lost 43.2 lb

Current weight:

142.0 lb

BMI Status:

Normal

Goal

Goal weight:

141.0 lb

% Goal Complete:

97.7%

% Time Complete:

83.9%

Days left:

24

	Weight Trends (Pounds)
	7 day	30 day	90 day
Change	-1.4	-9.6	-26.4
Average	143.0	146.1	155.6

Still stubborn

Yesterday I was at 142.6 and today it's back at 143.

 Seems my body is dead set on keeping these last few pounds for as long as possible. I read somewhere that sometimes when you're losing weight you reach a weight that you had maybe been at for some time before gaining, like a reverse plateau, and that as you come back down to it it's as a comfort zone for your body and it will take longer to break through. I don't have any scientific proof of this, just something I've read on random blogs and weight loss resource sites.

 The size 9 shorts do feel a little bit looser today, even though the weight is mostly the same. This could normally be attributed to stretch due to wear.. but they were newly washed when I put them on this morning. Maybe water retention is still the culprit. I've been chugging green tea like my life depends on it over the past few days so we'll see if it has any results.

For breakfast today I had my usual sugar/fat free Vanilla flavoured Activia with the 2 tbsp of oat bran stirred in and a cup of Earl Grey tea. For lunch I had leftover ground turkey patties made with low sodium soy sauce, dijon mustard and delicious Mr Dash spice mix. For supper I plan to make oven baked chicken breasts with just some pepper and oregano on top, sometimes less is more when it comes to spice. It's a PP day so the menu is not all too exciting. For snacks, if I get hungry, I'll likely have a boiled egg or some tuna.

Weight Tracker Stats

Start weight:

185.2 lb

Weight change:

Lost 42.2 lb

Current weight:

143.0 lb

BMI Status:

Normal

Goal

Goal weight:

141.0 lb

% Goal Complete:

95.5%

% Time Complete:

81.9%

Days left:

27

	Weight Trends (Pounds)
	7 day	30 day	90 day
Change	0.0	-8.4	-28.6
Average	143.5	147.0	156.8

The last few stubborn pounds

143.4 this morning.

 It's been up and down on the scale over the past few days, some days 143, some 144 and then in the middle like today. My body is being incredibly stubborn about giving up the last few pounds. In all reality I'd be fine with the weight I am right now and could move over into consolidation any time but I really want to see the diet through the way I had planned. 3 pounds shouldn't be this hard to lose when I already dropped closer to 42.

Yesterday I made a delicious turkey stir-fry with broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrots and some sugar/salt free spice mix from Mr Dash (and a sprinkle of low sodium soy sauce). I made enough for lunch that I could eat it again for supper. The days when you only have to cook once are the best kind of days.

Today I'm planning to use my ground turkey to make some patties or meatballs, it's a PP day so I wont put any grated veggies in them this time. I do usually mix it with some low sodium soy sauce, pepper, one egg and dijon mustard and it tastes great that way. The meatballs I make in the oven and the patties pan fried in a non stick pan.

Weight Tracker Stats

Start weight:

185.2 lb

Weight change:

Lost 41.8 lb

Current weight:

143.4 lb

BMI Status:

Normal

Goal

Goal weight:

141.0 lb

% Goal Complete:

94.6%

% Time Complete:

80.5%

Days left:

29

	Weight Trends (Pounds)
	7 day	30 day	90 day
Change	-2.0	-8.4	-28.8
Average	143.9	147.6	157.4

Water retention is evil and smaller pants are good for the morale.

The past three days have been incredibly frustrating. I gained close to 3 pounds overnight Thursday and needless to say there were a few curses uttered to the scale Friday morning. Saturday morning I was up 1 more pound. I couldn't figure out why, but was hoping water retention was the culprit.

The only thing I'd eaten that was different was some sliced turkey, which had low fat and very low sodium content, so I figured it was OK. Reading the ingredients a little closer though I noticed it had some sugar in it so I quickly discarded it, I had only eaten maybe 3-4 slices so I don't think it did much damage. I had also used a tiny bit more salt than usual when making a roast and also a little bit of salt for a boiled egg I ate for a snack.

I decided to cut down on the salt and up my green tea intake and it seems to have done the trick. I was back to 143 lbs this morning. 3 pounds left until I enter consolidation. So, again, green tea has saved my butt. Green tea is like the superhero of dieting.

In other news I went to a thrift store this past week, because ALL my clothes are too big (and thrift stores are awesome when you're on a budget). I was able to get a pair of size 9 shorts on.. and actually button them AND able to sit down in them without cutting off the blood supply to my legs. In other words.. they fit!! I also picked up three shirts size medium, I can't ever remember wearing medium. So for now, from a size 14-15 to a size 9 pant and from XXL tops to Medium. Not bad at all if I say so myself :)

The stomach pillow

Let's discuss the stomach pillow. I know I'm not the only one who uses it.

The stomach pillow is the pillow that you put on your stomach when you're on the couch (or where ever else you sit) to watch TV.
I always assumed that when I lost the weight I wouldn't feel the need to use a stomach pillow any more because now there's nothing to hide. Wrong! I still feel the need. It has become like some sort of a security blanket. I need it there. I can not physically sit and watch TV without having something padded across my tummy.

In other news... 143 pounds this morning. A loss even after a PV day. I had fully expected to gain weight yesterday because I felt super bloated so seeing this number was a huge motivator.

I took new measurements this morning. Here they are:

Waist 30 inches/76.2 cm      (-8.58 inches/21.8 cm total)
Thigh 20 inches/50.9 cm       (-5.2 inches/10.2 cm total)
Hips  37 inches/94 cm          (-7.09 inches/18 cm total)
Tummy 35 inches/88.9 cm    (-7.52 inches/19.1 cm total)

Weight Tracker Stats

Start weight:

185.2 lb

Weight change:

Lost 42.2 lb

Current weight:

143.0 lb

BMI Status:

Normal

Goal

Goal weight:

141.0 lb

% Goal Complete:

95.5%

% Time Complete:

76.5%

Days left:

35

	Weight Trends (Pounds)
	7 day	30 day	90 day
Change	-4.0	-12.2	-31.4
Average	145.9	149.4	159.4

So close...

This morning the scale showed 143.6. I'm so close to my goal now.

The goal, again, is 141 pounds.. but I think I'm going to make it 140 so as to not aggravate my need for even numbers. 140 would make me feel better than seeing 141 every day.

I've found myself having more cravings lately. The other day I wanted chips so bad. Lay's kettle cooked sourcream onion... yummah! I also wanted fresh baked bread a few days ago. This is really the first time I've had serious cravings. I didn't give in though. Going to stick through it and not go off diet for silly things.

So with the consolidation phase inching closer (see what I did there?) I've found myself in a bit of a panic mode. I worry about the introduction of bread. I've been a carb addict for so long I have these fears of just inflating again as soon as I take a bit of a sandwich. I know, of course, that I'm not instantly going to regain 44 pounds just from one bite of bread but the anxiety about it is still there. I've been looking for forum posts and blogs that deal with the consolidation phase but most seem focused on attack and cruise. I'm going to do my best to keep my blog updated as I move through the next phase, as a resource for other people.

Weight Tracker Stats

Start weight:

185.2 lb

Weight change:

Lost 41.6 lb

Current weight:

143.6 lb

BMI Status:

Normal

Goal

Goal weight:

141.0 lb

% Goal Complete:

94.1%

% Time Complete:

75.8%

Days left:

36

	Weight Trends (Pounds)
	7 day	30 day	90 day
Change	-4.4	-11.8	-32.0
Average	146.5	150.0	159.8