Latest HIke & some added benefits from weight loss!

Fridays are my "day off" so I try and plan a hike for myself.  This past Friday I went up to Rocky Mountain National Park and did a waterfall hike.  Nothing hard, nothing long...just for a reward.  A beautiful hike....through a valley, trees, and ended at this gorgeous waterfall.  I hiked up the rock face to the tip top and saw a little creek and water cascade coming down.  I never want to redo hikes...until I did this one. Can you imagine it in the spring & summer with snow melt runoff??  This makes 189.5 miles hiked for the 2015 season.  I am SO CLOSE to 200 miles!!  Hoping the snow can hold off a couple weeks and I should be able to get it all in!  This week I have noticed two added benefits from my weight loss (41.5lbs so far).  Snoring....according to the husband I 'haven't snored in a long time'.  YAY!!  That means my sleep is better too!!  But my other added benefit...and it's my own belief...is my vision. I went in for an eye exam last night...I've improved my vision!!  Went from a -8.5 (yikes) to a -7.5!!  The DR also commented on my over all eye health (im not too nice to my eyes)...they're perfect!  And I know it's a stretch but I can only imagine my general health has contributed to that!! 

With fall here and the perfect temperature to be outside...I made sure to get in more outdoor exercise this weekend.  I went for a 30 mile bike ride Saturday...after the 6.5 mile hike Friday.  My body is recovering faster each time I workout so I am able to do more!  My knees were sore...like fatigue sore from the bike ride.  But i LOVED getting on the bike and riding all over town...we have GREAT trails here!!  This is the first year I have DISLIKED the arrival of fall.  I LOVE Fall...but it means winter is coming.  And that....I DO NOT LIKE!

First diet bet... I won!

The So sometimes I need a little more motivation to keep myself going with weight loss. I follow "Our Best Bites" for food ideas , etc.    Recently they started a diet bet. Buy in $35. If you lost 4% of your body weight in 4 weeks you split winnings!! So I bought in!! I really don't use the scale as a measure of health or success. But it helped keep me motivated for 4 weeks!! I didn't "diet" or change any habits. I just didn't stray. I pushed a little harder. Guess what!?! I won!! Turns out most people won so the pot was not as big as I hoped. But I won' $47.19!! I'm gonna leave it in the program and do another one for November. 

Here is my before and after. Which happened to be almost exactly a year apart!! (Within a week of each other) 

Don't mind my messy hair. I literally rolled out of bed and weighed!  I've lost 41.5 lbs!! The pants on right are a 2x in plus size, and top is a 4x!! I'm now in a 12/14 or size large!! 

My hugest accomplishment so far is two fold. 

I now weigh 197.5 lbs!! I am under 200!! I haven't been that for almost 15 years!!!   

And...I bought lulu lemon pants!! Size freaking 12!! 

I squealed when they fit. And damn sure bought them!! The nice gals working gave me high fives!! And they were so worth the effort!!