Out with the Old, In with the New

So?  What do you think?  Do you like it?

Yes, I gave my blog a complete make-over.  I figured if I want to start the year off with a new start, that meant that my blog should also get a new start.

It's just about the opposite of what it was before.  I mean, the blue was calming and there was a picture of a chick doing yoga as the background.  It was nice... but I wanted something different.  So I went with bright, girly, and cute.

Girly and cute aren't usually in my vocabulary.  Whenever I feel fat, the last thing I feel is "girly".  I usually hide in a pair of sweats, a t-shirt, and a ball cap.  I grunt, sometimes use foul language, and weird "manly" noises erupt from me.  But I want to feel girly again....so I will be reminded of that every day when I open up my blog.

The header I designed myself.  I like it.  I used the new My Memories Suite software I won from Renee at Renee's Ramblings.  It's the bomb diggaty.  I'm not a scrapbooker, but this software lets me make cute stuff like this header.  It's going to get lots of use, I'm sure.

You'll notice that the pages section also got a bit of cleaning out done.  I condensed, and now display the pages that I know will get the most use.  I've updated my goals for 2012 - and you'll notice a new tab:  Reward Jar.

Being that I've decided that I'm not setting up a deadline for when I lose the weight, or setting an a certain amount of weight I want to lose, I've created a new rewards system for myself.

It basically comes down to earning myself $2 for every 1lb I lose.  Each week, when I weigh in I will post the amount of weight I lost.  I will then add double the amount in to my rewards jar.  I also get bonuses for each time that I complete each of my weekly mini-goals.  If I work-out three times, I get a $5 bonus.  If I plan my meals each week and stick to them I get another $5 bonus.  I've set a goal of running two 5K races in 2012.  After I complete each of them, I get a $20 bonus.

The money is not to be touched until I've reached my weight loss goal of getting in to a size 12 pant.  I can then make the decision at that point to either take the money and buy a new wardrobe, or hang on to the money and keep trying for a smaller size.  It will be up to me.  I'll know if I'm happy enough in the size 12 to keep maintaining that size, or if I still want to try for something smaller.  Make sense?

You will also notice that my weight loss ticker has been started over.  I recorded the total amount of weight I lost in 2010 and 2011 - because I think 58lbs is still a big deal.  But, I want a completely fresh start this year - so I've updated my information at My Fitness Pal, and starting this year off with a clean slate.

I weighed in this morning, because I won't be here tomorrow morning to do it.  I was not happy with what I saw, but I know that I won't see that number for much longer.

My starting weight for 2012 is....

239.8lbs

Yep.  That's pretty bad.  I know that.  There's nothing I can do about it now.  Take a good look at that number, because I don't plan on ever recording it as my weight EVER again!!

Alright, time to get myself in gear.  I'm going out to eat breakfast with the kids and my family.  Call it the last hoorah before the new year.  Wait.  That doesn't sound right.  I'm not going to stuff my face silly right before the new year...if that's what that implied.  It's just a New Year's Eve breakfast with family.  Then, tonight I'll be spending the night at my mom's.  I will be waking up to a new me...a me that's all ready to get started right now, this very second - but I will wait one more day.

Happy New Year to all of my faithful followers, and those of you that have just joined me!!

Till next time. ;)