Zumba

I have started back to the gym. It always made me feel better when I was active, so I started going back last week. On Thursday I faced a fear and went to Zumba class at the gym all by myself which is huge for me. Two years ago I would go to Zumba but I would always drag people with me. I made a few calls and text to some friends, but everyone had other plans. I laid on my bed and had a moment with myself. Then I just jumped up and said to myself I can not depend on anyone but myself to get this weight off. I walked in and the instructor came up to me and said, first time? I was like umm yeah can you tell? She said this is not like the regular zumba that you might have taken before. I do mine a little hip hop. I was almost scared enough at that point to tough it out. I am like its only an hour and you need this, so I stayed. I loved it. I laughed a lot and just had a great time. I even dragged my roommate to go with me on Saturday. I went to the morning class on Monday so three times so far in a week. I am on my way. I knew once I got back to my routines on what I know worked and got me down to my lowest in 2012 that I can and I will get back there. Zumba gives me something to look forward to now. Its a fun class and it keeps me active. I am thinking about trying out the power pump next. Anyone ever taken that class?

Tuesday Weigh In Day

Checking in on my week one of being back on track, back to working on my fitness. 4 pounds down!! woohoo. 

Successful week of low carb, and exercise. I hit the gym hard before work tonight. It has kept me more awake haha not feeling so tired sitting at this desk all night like I usually am. I also started a level one 30 day work out challenge today. The jumping jacks are a little much... don't you know fat people don't jump!!! hahaha.. The push ups I did girl ones, but hey like I said just do something!! So I am doing it!

Weekend In The Swamp

Happy Monday!!

This weekend I went to Gainesville, Fl home of the Florida Gators. Many reasons to go this past weekend. First, my super awesome cousin lives there, and goes to school there, and my good friend Chris Mott too! Second, one of my favorite cover bands with friend John Earle lead singer of Who rescued Who played both Friday and Saturday night at an awesome spot called Tall Paul's! Third, the game was Fl vs. TN a huge rivalry game now after Saturdays game Fl has won 9 times in a row! Woohoo chomp chomp! It was an awesome girls weekend with great friends. With Matt being gone my number goal is to stay busy. I'm thankful for Faith to plan a trip and get me out of town!! 

I also stayed strict to my low carb diet. Sooo proud of myself! Tomorrow is weigh in day we will see how good this week has been. Its all I can do to stay off the scale today, but I made a promise one day a week weigh in! I got this!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! 

The Journey Continues

In an effort to get back to my weight loss I am loving the support I have from my family and close friends. They know how important this is to me, and all the calls, emails, texts, and small words of encouragement are what makes me wanna continue. After losing all the weight I did and then putting 60 pounds back on I know now I had to be ready to get back to it. I know what to do. I was successful and I've still managed to gain 60 pounds from my lowest I lost, but yet keep 100 pounds off. My "I'm back" post in July was just to get it all off my chest and come back to my support group that was there from day one of my journey. I thought I was ready then. I began to make better food choices, but just really wasn't in it. I am now. I started on Tuesday back to the low carb lifestyle that I rocked at for 3 years. So, Tuesdays will be the only day ill get on the scale I recently bought a bike and made plans with a friend to start riding together or walking together once a week. It's all about the people there to help you reach your goals. Looking forward to that.

My boyfriend is a chief in the Navy last on Sept 11th he moved to Groton, CT I am still here in Jacksonville, FL we are gonna make a go at this long distance thing. I remind myself all the time it could be so much worse he's got shore duty there for the next three years. I hope to end up there with him at some point when the time is right for us. He has my heart. Lots of Skype calls and plane rides will be made. He's so good at encouraging me to. Excited to see what the future holds for us. 

Well that's my update!!

Just Do Something

I woke up this morning not having to be back to work until 6pm. I planned to just have a lazy day all day. Knowing I was gonna have to be at work a 12 hour shift all night long I knew I would wake up early, but then planned to nap later. Well... I did wake up around 8 moved to the couch then back to bed and ended up not getting up till 1pm. I turned on the tv, played with Shadow my roommates dog, and then just thought to my self what should I do.My boyfriend told me in our conversation before bed last night that since I have a lot of time I should go to the gym, so I looked outside it was all rainy I am like yeah not so much. I made some chicken salad for lunch. I have been doing good all week with my eating by the way. As I laid there though I kept thinking to myself get up Gail. When I decided to jump back into my journey I reached out to my friend Amy. All I kept remembering today was in her message saying "you just gotta do something, just something.!" So I got up put on my workout clothes and turned on the TV went to Comcast on demand and did a 30 min cardio workout. I feel so much better already about myself that I just didn't lay there all day. So my advice for you today is.. Just do something!! Anything!

Finally Sunday

Man its been such a looooong weekend. I had to work fri-sun very long shifts. I am happy to say only two and a half more hours and I am outta here. Yay for two days off.

21 day water challenge update. I have successfully drank one gallon of water for the past four days. I found this app to use on my iPhone, so I don't have to keep adding all day no matter what size cup or bottle I use. It helps me know how much I have to go for the rest of the day.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

21 Day Water Challenge

How much water should you drink a day?? There are so many different answers to this question. I spent a lot of time googling this. Many different answers like women need 2.2 liters, 9, 8 oz cups per day for 72 oz, multiply your weight by 2/3. The list goes on and on. My doctor recently told me to divide your weight in half. There are many articles that use this half your body weight formula. For me any water at this point is good. I used to be so good at it. Now I'm lucky to drink two glasses. 

They say it takes about 21 days to create a habit. I am starting today to drink at least gallon of water per day. 128oz. Anyone wanna take this 21 day challenge with me??? 

Savannah, Ga

Oh how I love the city of Savannah. Last week my man and I spent three wonderful days there. We totally acted like tourist the whole time.. It is a great city, but sharing it with such an important person in your life is priceless.

Boat Ride

an Interesting Read

Everyone needs a Call-a-Cab

I Heart Piano Bars

 Trolley Ride

The Beat Goes On Show

Beautiful View 

Forstyth Park My FAV!

4 Miles

Every other Monday is usually a day off for me. That day is usually a Kay and Gail day. Sunday I got a text that said 4 mile walk on the beach tomorrow??? I thought to myself ummm really??? Funny thing is a year ago that would have never been my response. I was so active and just in the working out zone and just loving my new over 160 pound weigh tloss self that I successfully worked at for two years then kept off a while. This month will be four years for my whole journey. I feel successful cause I am still over 100 pounds down but not where I should be. It was just amazing to have a friend that loves me so much to be blunt with me and challenge me. That's a true friend.

We successfully completed a four mile walk on the beach.  My feet are on FIRE!!!! I woke up this morning feeling great. I do have two blisters, but no pain, no gain!! Having a good support system is the number one thing that makes it work for me. Love you my friend!!!

I'M BACK

Where do you start when you have fallen off the wagon, but finally ready to get back at it??? Right where it all began right here from the week before my surgery I was on this blog with the wonderful friends I made. Some of us follow each other on facebook, so we still keep up with each other, but facebook is not a place I am totally honest with my journey. I think a lot of you would agree with that. With all that being sad here I go…


My life has been up and down over the last year with a failed relationship, too tight of a band, and weight gain I can successfully say 2012 was NOT the best year for me. Everyone has a story so now I have finally decided to be honest with myself and share my story. The first two and a half years of my surgery I was a beast! I was so committed I did everything I was told. I went to group therapy, had a blog, great support with friends and family, and worked out with a personal trainer three days a week. I was on FIRE the weight came off and I was feeling great, awesome, and fantastic. In March of 2012 I got real sick something was stuck like never before, and I had to call the dr on a Sunday. He met me at the office and took out all the fluid, so it would pass. He told me to come back in the next week to get it filled back up. I left for a cruise the next day. Boy or Boy never do that to a banded girl. I ate, ate, and ate. I was FReeeee! Ha.. I finally decided to go back in May and had gained 25 pounds yes in just those two months. I got a fill left the office and had the worst week of my life. I could not eat or drink anything at all. I lived like that for a week. I was completely miserable throwing up a lot. I went back into the dr and had to argue with him that something was wrong. Till finally he put me on the x-ray machine wear you can drink the white stuff and watch it go down, and it proved to him that I was extremely too tight. He loosen it and sent me on my way. I was angry at that point, so no more was I a good banding patient anymore. I tested everything and found out I could eat pretty much any and everything, so I did. Going through a bad break up in August I still wanted to just go back to the old way and use food for comfort. Then I found out my dr office was closing and had to pick a new dr. It was just so much and I didn’t want to do it.

I have a wonderful friend that was always on my case about the gaining, but I was not hearing him. He is a blessing in my life and I would not have had the courage to make the appointment without him. I continued to work out, but you can go to the gym and spend all the money on a personal trainer, but that still doesn’t work if the food you are putting inside you is not the right food. I am living proof of that. I finally got to my breaking point. All my clothes started not fitting. It is hot here and Florida and none of my shorts fit. I finally had to hit rock bottom with my self. Being over weight for my whole life I never got had the feeling people would say how they want to get back to where they where when they were smaller until now. When I look in the mirror I finally see it. It was like a semi truck hit me. All of the sudden I had to face it, so I made appointment with the Dr he actually did my surgery, but left the practice that I started with so I felt more comfortable going to someone I knew it was yesterday. I got tightened. It was a really good appointment. I gained 65 pounds. Wow that was so hard to type that, but the only way I am going to be able to totally get back is to be honest. I need my friends here that got me through. You guys are awesome and I am reaching out again just like I am the new be! I am blessed with a wonderful support system of great friends and family. I also have a wonderful man in my life who is a great supporter of me getting back on track.

I know I got a lot of catching up to do, but I am BACK! I still think about our BOOBs trip to Chicago all the time. I have missed you guys!!!! No matter what I do not feel like a failure. I have still kept off 100 pounds, so that in it self is achievement!

Latest and Greatest!!

Its been over a year since I have blogged. Well here is an update on me. I am still at it. Working out 3-6 days a week with a personal trainer that is just amazing, and living life for me finally. Life is good people. I sure do miss all my blogging friends. I am hoping to get back at this you all helped me out so much when I was first banded. I will never forget the impact a lot of you had on my journey.