Join HASAY! Don't delay! How about today? Are you on your way.....yet?
Welcome to 2009! Say hello to a clean slate! Say goodbye to a loaded plate.
My sister and best friend came over with my nephew to help bring in the New Year, and of course, my sister made good on her threat promise and brought her fondue pot as well for some dipping fun.
Now, what makes a good fondue party? Well, you need:
Your melting chocolate, your dip-able items, and an imagination. Now, add to that:
Some organization. (Are your resolutions still holding up?) But wait, the fondue isn't ready yet. You also need to add one more thing:
Some adults who could care less about dieting for the next couple of hours. (Susan on the left. Lee on the right. A Heaven only knows what mood I was trying to achieve look on my face in the middle.) (Yes, John was there too. Taking the picture. He knew about possible blackmail and preferred not to have any evidence against him.)
Bring on the chocolate!
Sure, there were kids as well:
(Sprite thought she should correct Bryan's coloring page since he forgot to veer outside the lines. Ah, nine year olds, so out of touch with the ways of the toddler world..)
Anyway, we brought in the New Year with Chinese food (to welcome the new year with a fortune and wish "in bed") and fondue (to end the old year on a sweet note). Now, what does this have to do with HASAY?
I threw the dieting lifestyle completely out the window.
This month marks a year that I began my new lifestyle (or my resolution of 2008) and marked 85 pounds lost by the end of December. I feel absolutely wonderful about that number, plan on shedding 20-30 more to streamline the physique a bit, and have trumped my own goals of working out on the Nord, building up from two minute jogs to 35 minute sets 3-4 times a week. Adding in a cheat day (or meal depending on how I feel) once a week has downplayed temptations, and strengthened my resolve to keep it going. So why blatantly trip myself up?
Because I didn't want to fail myself. My resolve had been so strong for an entire year, and from Christmas to New Years when the worst of the edible enemies are strongest, I knew I would most likely give in once or twice or twenty, so I took a vacation from the scale, from my resolve, from my iron will, and let myself misbehave. (Sure, it felt good. And bad. Sometimes, the bad far outweighed the good.)
Of course, this morning, all the company has left our home, the junk has been thrown out, and the calendars are sparkling clean with nothing but promises to fill them.
John and I started our lifestyle up this morning and it feels good to be back to normal. I may even give up a couple of cheat days to "build up" my iron will.
Scale stats:
Me: up 1 pound. (I expected it. I welcomed it. Now, I'm going to kick it's butt back out. Preferably out of my butt area, if I could choose.)
John: up 1 pound. (He's okay with this as well. He left for the gym this morning before I even woke up. I think that pound will be gone by the end of the morning dew burn off.)
Happy New Year, HASAY'ers!
Wow.
I'm really impressed with your life style change. That's hard work and it sounds like you did great this past year.
Congrats. Hope you achieve all your goals for 2009.
Posted by: K | January 05, 2009 at 07:25 AM
wow! i am so proud of you (despite the fact that i hardly know you). i worked for a long time as a personal trainer and boot camp instructor - i wish half of my clients had your determination! you rock! good for you to give yourself some room to be naughty - once in a while.
Posted by: bex | January 05, 2009 at 09:14 AM
yeah you!
i too, have decided to allow a cheat day. this trying to keep up thing ... has just made me more frustrated and then i give up completely.
i'll help you kick that one pound out if you help me???
Posted by: jen | January 05, 2009 at 09:41 AM
Oh that fondue looks good. You should have destroyed the pictures along with throwing out the food, I'm tempted...
Good for you for cheating, 85lbs is (I almost used the A word I vowed to quit using) quite impressive and I'm proud of you. I've got 40-50 to lose this year and I'm going to get my butt in gear. I'll use you as my motivation (although not the fondue-eating you). Good luck this week, you're linked! I know you love it when I say that.
Posted by: Casey | January 05, 2009 at 09:48 AM
Girlfriend, I have road rash from falling off the wagon during the holidays. But I swear I'm going to get that wagon in for a tune up, kick the tires and get it back on the road.
Posted by: steenky bee | January 05, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Holy crap, way to go!!! As an aside, I gained half as much as you lost.
Posted by: Cameron | January 05, 2009 at 10:18 AM
Sounds like you have a great healthy lifestyle attitude. I love it!
Posted by: Rhea | January 05, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Wow that's awesome 85 pounds!! I guess I should stop bitching about the 5 I want to lose which is really more like 10 now : ) Well that's it I'm off to get on my Nordic Track! Happy Monday!
Posted by: Sarah | January 05, 2009 at 10:42 AM
What, no beef for the fondue? :)
You go, Girl! That reminds me, I need to gets myself some exercise...
Thanks for the nudge!;)
Posted by: Irish Gumbo | January 05, 2009 at 10:52 AM
WOW. I am so proud of you - and completely inspired! ROCK ON. You deserved a cheat day after all that.
Posted by: bessie.viola | January 05, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Oh Jen, you have so much to be proud of!! 85 pounds! That is a HUGE accomplishment, my friend! HUGE! Here's to the even smaller you in 09! You are an inspiration!
Posted by: HeatherPride | January 05, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Congrats on your year. That's a huge accomplishment!
I love fondue, have not been around someone with a fondue pot in a long time.
Posted by: phhhst | January 05, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Wow! That's incredible! Congrats on the 85lbs. And I'm so jealous, I can't believe you only gained 1!!! I'm sure I gained at least 5-10 but I refuse to get on the scale to find out. I started HASAY this week and I'm going on measurements instead.
Posted by: Michelle | January 05, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Dude, only up ONE pound? I hate you for that, but luckily you are awesome, so I will forgive you. I am up like 527.2 pounds since before Christmas so I have my work cut out for me. Wish me luck!
Seriously though, 85 pounds? You are my hero...I only have to lose 30 or so and I am freaking.
Posted by: Petra | January 05, 2009 at 12:57 PM
85 pounds?! YOWZA! Great job!
The fondue looks like it was fantastic! I haven't had fondue in YEARS. Maybe it's time to get out the old fondue pot...
Posted by: goodfather | January 05, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Only one pound? that's great! Really. It could have been much worse. I think it is wise to let it slide a little during the holidays, if you can do that. Some people can't and they just keep sliding. Looks like you are doing great though! Thanks for the inspiration! And the idea of fondue next year for me during the holidays!
Posted by: Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings | January 05, 2009 at 01:44 PM
I'm trying not to turn into a fondue freak. Thankfully, the resatuarant that I LOVE!!! is very expensive, and I don't have my own 'due'r at home.
Posted by: sherendipity | January 05, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Yay! 85 lbs! Great job!
I feel like half of my former self, I lost 85 lbs too. Good luck with the last few pounds!
Posted by: WickedStepMom | January 05, 2009 at 02:14 PM
Oh, how cute (and patient) is Bryan to let Sprite help him with his picture?
Posted by: Heather | January 05, 2009 at 02:56 PM
I would have preferred cheesy fondue myself, but to each her own. Sounds like you have it all under control! I need to work on my butt area as well.
Posted by: Cat | January 05, 2009 at 03:16 PM
85 pounds -that is definitely something to be proud of sista! I wish I had an iron will like you. What does it feel like? My will is more like butter - very soft and squishy. It needs toning - just like the rest of my body. Bring on the new year and clean slate!
Posted by: Leslie | January 05, 2009 at 04:01 PM
85 pounds -that is definitely something to be proud of sista! I wish I had an iron will like you. What does it feel like? My will is more like butter - very soft and squishy. It needs toning - just like the rest of my body. Bring on the new year and clean slate!
Posted by: Leslie | January 05, 2009 at 04:02 PM
85 pounds -that is definitely something to be proud of sista! I wish I had an iron will like you. What does it feel like? My will is more like butter - very soft and squishy. It needs toning - just like the rest of my body. Bring on the new year and clean slate!
Posted by: Leslie | January 05, 2009 at 04:02 PM
One pound! You'll kick it's butt in no time.
Also, thanks SO MUCH for posting pictures of delicious fondue. Now I'm starving.
Posted by: Keely | January 05, 2009 at 05:16 PM
Ha Ha! Fondue was awesome! So much fun! Sue has already suggest we fondue in the future at my apartment. She wants to try cheese fondue this time. I knew it would be a hit! Fondue next year?? Love ya,your sis Lee
Posted by: Lee Ann | January 05, 2009 at 06:22 PM