SSSDC - Week 5 Update & Details for Week 6

Good Morning!
Another summer week has flown right by and we are now entering week #6 (yikes!) of the Summer Sizzle Slim Down Challenge. We are nearing the half way point of the challenge and while I certainly don't want to rush summer, I am excited to see how everyone has fared at the end of this 13 week journey. So many of you are doing an awesome job meeting or getting very close to meeting the weekly mini challenges, along with tackling a few of your own personal challenges. It's great to read so many inspirational posts!

Some of you know I was on vacation at the beach last week, so if I didn't visit your blog to comment last week, I will get there - I promise. I'm not ignoring you; I just didn't spend very much time in front of the lap top during my time at the seaside.  Can you blame me? It was 100 degrees and all I wanted to do was be submerged in a body of water...not for nothing, but it's kind of difficult to type while you're swimming. Plus lap tops don't take too kindly to getting wet.

Last week's goal was to lose 2 lbs, despite the fact that those residing in the US had a holiday hurdle to jump mid-week. Dieting is hard, and dieting during a time when picnics and food events and hot summer days call for indulgences of both the food and drink variety to emerge is even harder. For me, being on VACATION during the holiday week made it all the more difficult - for obvious reasons. I mean, who ever goes on vacation thinking they'll lose weight? I can assure you, it was never on my vacation agenda prior to this past week. N.E.V.E.R.

With that being said, I am prouder than usual this week to have not only surpassed the weight-loss goal but also to feel as though I understand what it is that helped me get there. Even though I had cravings and would have liked to indulge more, I didn't - something in my head has finally convinced me that I can do this. There is nothing to stop me from meeting my goal this time.

When I weighed in last week the scale was at 224.8. I was kind of pissed about my gain but knew that the week leading up to weigh-in was peppered with some not-so-great moments of eating and drinking, so there was really no surprise surrounding the scale's bad news. This week, I tried to really switch gears and be more mindful of not only what was going down my gullet but also how much. I've been religiously tracking since week one of the challenge and this tool is the one that I think really helped me stay in control again this week. When you're on vacation it is easy as pie (pun intended) to go way over your calorie allotment  for the day, and I knew that if I didn't keep track,  there was no way I could lose weight. Too many temptations. Too many opportunities to consume portions that were double or triple what I should have...

The best part about this week was my lack of feeling deprived. I even got to have this while on vacation and STILL manged to lose 2.4 lbs!

Rehoboth Beach's famous Louie's Cheeseburger Grinder. This is a half portion. I have loved these since my early childhood!

I also had one cone of Kohr's Bros. custard but that was pretty much it in terms of dessert or "bad" foods. Ok, ok - maybe I had a few fries, but really, nothing else. Really. Because if I had I wouldn't have this to report:

SSSDC Challenge Weight Stats:
Starting Weight: 232
Last week's Weight: 224.8
This week's Weigh-In: 222.4
Loss this week: 2.4 lbs
Total loss for challenge so far: 9.6 lbs

Forgive the desperate need of a pedicure!

And because this is not the normal scale I weigh in on, I did weigh myself on the scale at home this AM and am happy to report my weight as of today is even lower! 221.75!!!
I'm thrilled with my progress and feel totally pumped about the upcoming week!

Speaking of which...here we go - a reminder of what this week is all about!

Week 6 - (begin July 8) - VEGETARIAN WEEK
I've added this challenge simply because I'd like to see if I can do it. Maybe you too have always wondered what a vegetarian diet might be like? I know I love meat way too much to give it up for good, but I am willing to try for a week and see how I do and if I feel any different.
No meat of any kind. Seafood optional.

Also - just to be clear - you decide to what level of vegetarianism you'd like to aspire to this week. I'm cool with eggs, dairy and seafood - but if you want to cut any of that out, feel free. The goal is to really get in the veggies and fruit this week and maybe try making a few meals that you used to eat with meat, without. 


Best of luck to everyone! My pics and measurements will be posted this evening. But right now I have to shower and get to the store to load up on my good stuffs for the week.
I'll be popping by later to check in on everyone!