Last Friday found me crossing the finish line with losing sixty pounds – the perfect Christmas Present to Myself! My twenty-seven-week journey found me with the very travel-friendly Metabolic Research Center (MRC) weight loss program; during which time successfully navigating vacation, traveling to WordCamp Birmingham as a Presenter, and mandatory evacuating with me for Hurricane Florence. In my blog post today I’ve got photos and share about the twenty-seven-week journey; shortly I’ll begin my year-long weight loss maintenance continuing with weekly calls.
If you are new to my daily blog, AnchoredScraps encourages old-style correspondence letter writing! I wrote my first AnchoredScraps blog post on February 26, 2015. Next week, December 26th will find us celebrating daily blog post #1400 milestone!
Christmas Present to Myself
In writing today’s post about this Christmas Present to Myself, there are several people to recognize. First, the inspiration of my dear friend Vicki Shannon signing up two weeks ahead of me and us long distance doing the program together has been invaluable. Next, having weekly phone checkpoint calls with my weight loss MRC Coach, Dara Griffiths are a treasure. And third (but not lastly), my husband for being the unsung hero with supporting dining out friendly choices and kitchen ingredients makeover!
Furthermore, I have sincerely appreciated the cheering from family, and friends. Letters with my pen pals have been great; a special thanks to one email blog subscriber for sending via Pony Express a surprise package for opening it last Friday!
My Body Mass Index (BMI) began at 32.3 and now is 23.4!
The MRC BMI Calculator is easy to use and has a helpful chart and grid.
Metabolic Research Center (MRC)
This is the Metabolic Research Center website link. In my weight loss journey, two things are different and that is with my mindset. First, Vicki and I made the conscious decision in signing up for the initial 17-week program TO BEHAVE! KNOWING she was focused and participating I did not want to be the one to let us down. Secondly, there was the milestone birthday in May of my turning 60 years old; I feel the pressures of time that now is truly the time to knock this out knowing it is the best thing I can do for my health.
For an added incentive, there was the timeline of being a presenter at the WordCamp Birmingham conference in August; successfully losing my first twenty pounds in time for it was very motivating. In addition, the possibility for future speaking engagements in 2019 is added incentive for weight loss maintenance!
I’m in the MRC At Home Program, whereas Vicki is in an on-site program. Each week I weigh myself and take a photo of my bathroom scale and email it in along with my daily journal entries for the week which I then go over with Dara on our weekly phone call.
The Metabolic Research Center has many programs and what I love is the one on one tailoring we have done for me and how my body responds.
A little background
Four years ago I fit into the clothes I’m wearing today. When losing my Dad unexpectedly in January 2015, I was not prepared for the turning to food in my grieving. Add to that the same year unexpectedly losing our beloved family dog Cuddy, and the weight began adding onto me.
Over twenty years ago, I did try a weight loss program, at the time only having to lose 25 pounds and was able to maintain for four years; however, found the Achilles heel to be weight loss maintenance.
Celebrating Milestones
Today is my AnchoredScraps daily blog post #1395. During a 27 weeks period (189 daily blog posts), I lost sixty pounds between my June 8th post #1199 and December 14 #1388! Just like writing my blog each day the cumulation of daily focus adds up!
Tomorrow we head into the Christmas weekend with Christmas Eve on Monday, and Christmas on Tuesday.
I’m off with Cooper to see my walking buddy (and fellow P.E.O. member) with her dog hopefully getting in our walk before it rains; our regular walking together has been a delight and helpful along this weight-loss journey! After walking this morning, Cooper is sharing what he wants to put into his letter to Santa Paws – stay tuned!
Anchors Aweigh,
Helen
P.S. Back on January 1st this year, in my blog “Losing Weight Letter Writing 2018 Goals FutureMe“, it was about sending an email to my future self using this free service. I’m looking forward to its arrival on January 1, 2019!
Metabolic Research Center
USPS Neon Celebrate Forever Stamps image
AnchoredScraps posts referenced above, including Honoring Sally Ride Forever Stamp 2018, 6/8/2018; Time-Saving USPS Click-N-Ship, 12/14/2018; “There’s Been Talk!”, 2-26-2015
