Pick Up Sticks

Loving the Sweaters

I have fluctuated greatly in weight for the past 15 years.  I have always found that when I am a larger size I hate to wear bulky clothes - like sweaters - since it just made me look wider.

Since losing weight it has opened up a huge new realm of clothing shopping.  First - I can shop in the normal sizes again - no more old lady looking plus size clothes.  Second - I am trying out some new styles.  I am really into cardigan sweaters right now.  I have queued so many on Ravelry - have two on my needles and finding inspiration for new ones all over the place.  Here is a gorgeous one from J Jill.  It's out of my price range right now - I refuse to spend that much on something that hopefully won't fit me next winter.  I have never tried to knit a sweater with out a pattern - hey I'm new to sweater knitting as it is - but this may be one I try.  Love it!

Changes

Back in July I made some huge changes in my life - the biggest leaving a comfortable job - although a hated job - and moving on.  This change brought with it lots of other changes in my life.  I have more time as I really went from two jobs to one.  It brought me much more happiness and satisfaction in my life.  It brought me better sleep habits.  And the most important thing it has brought me is weight loss.  This weight loss is due to lack of stress eating/bingeing.  I have not had the urge to binge since about 2 weeks in to the new job...this is miraculous!  I have been eating whatever I want - but have made better choices...plus I walk nearly everyday on my lunch hour. 

In May I had reached my all-time high in my weight - won't share that number - but since May 1st I have lost 43 lbs!  Now granted I still have some more to lose - but it is so nice to be able to purchase clothes in the regular size department instead of the plus size.  I was this size about 5 years ago - so I have a whole other wardrobe that has been in storage.  It's like shopping in my own house.  Every time a pair of pants gets too big my hubby definitely lets me know - tells me it's time to throw those out.  He has much more faith in my ability to keep this weight off...me...I just have been packing away the 'fat' clothes...just in case.

Control

Well I finally decided to try and get some control over my life.  I feel like I have been spiraling out of control since about January.  My weight has definitely gotten out of control and the progress we had made in purging clutter in our house has slipped away from me. 

It seems like every weekend we have been away or had something to do - soccer games, work, etc -and because of this the clutter is slowly accumulating.  When you have a small cottage-y house like ours you have to stay ahead of things or the clutterbug comes back.  We have next to no storage in our house so we have been working on creative ways to overcome that. My plan is to get a hold of the house again this weekend - after working this AM and after the afternoon soccer game!

As for the weight gain - ugh!!!!  I was a thin child, a thin teen - for years I could eat whatever I wanted.  Even after my first child I slipped right back into size 5 jeans the week after.  Now - one more child added into the mix and years of sitting behind a desk - AND my just overall laziness has led to being overweight.  I have struggled with my weight for the last 12 years.  I've yo-yo'ed up and down and every time I would lose I would gain it all back and more.  The summer I turned 40 (in 2002) I joined weight watchers and was successful in losing about 40 lbs - now granted I still had about 25 more to go.  I stayed the same weight for several years until last summer.  The stress of my job and my sister's illness had me binging...some people handle stress by not eating - I BINGE! 

When I first lost my sister I was determined to get into better shape and better health.  How sad is it that I had the control to be healthy while my sister had no control over her cancer.  Well that backfired on me and I continued to eat and eat and eat.  Now I am almost at my highest weight ever.  Nothing fits me...it's time for shorts and short sleeves...and I am miserable.  So last night I joined weight watchers on-line - no excuses about finding time for a meeting.  I know it is a good plan. 

So today is Day one.................wish me luck.