Sometimes weight loss can be slow and frustrating.  I find it helps me to go back and look at older photos of me to remind myself how far I have come.  Here are a few pictures I came across today when I was sorting through my pictures on my laptop.   What helps you find inspiration? 

Last Summer!!!  Size 16 shorts and xl shirt -45lbs 

This Summer.... Dress: Size Med!!!  -72lbs

Tommy -59lbs, Last Summer

Tommy - 90 plus lbs this Summer...HUBBA HUBBA

 
I have a few favs I am enjoying this summer including food, drink, and fitness.  Here are a few summer things I am loving.   What are you loving this summer?
 
Papa Joe had his 79th Birthday this weekend.   It was a wonderful party.  We had about 20 people.   I did a slideshow with lots of old photos.  We had great food including an ice cream cake and fruit pizza.   Mom and I spray painted some old frames and used them for a fun photo booth.  A great time was had by all.  Here are a few photos...
 
I have been in Nashville for training.  I am proud of myself for being so good.   I have been eating well and working out.   My hotel has a fitness room and I have worked out every day.  Yesterday I did 40 mins and this morning I did 30 mins.  I may do some yoga tonight.  Below is a picture of my fitness center at the hotel.  They have a treadmill, eliptical, and stair master.  What do you do to be good while traveling?  
 
As I have noted these last few blogs, I have gained weight.  I gained about 4 pounds since March.  I am happy to report that Saturday I had the first weight loss since MARCH!  I wanted to give up but I didn't.  I am back on track and have lost 2 pounds.  I still have two more pounds to go to -74lbs but I know I am on the right track.   It felt great to see those numbers again on the scale.   Here are a few tips I found to help get back on track.  
This week I will be in Nashville for training.  It can be so tempting to backslide by over eating and not exercising.  I plan on using the fitness center where I will be staying planning my meals, and counting my calories.  What do you do to stay on track when you travel?

Here is a little travel diet humor for you ...
 
To say that I have been through a hard time in my weight loss these last few months might be a bit of an understatement. I only weighed in once in the month of May. For the first time since early May, I weighed in Saturday. I knew it would be bad but I had been working hard over the last few weeks to try to make that gain as small as I could. I guess that is cheating but it’s my journey so I make the rules :). At my weigh in Saturday I was up 2 pounds. I wasn't thrilled with that but it was better than I expected. I can still claim -70lbs. I have been checking my weight this week and I have been seeing some good numbers. I hope to continue to lose these gained pounds and reach my goal of -75lbs by sometime next month. I can do it! It is so easy to want to give up but I can't. There is no way I am going to give up now. I have put so much work into this. I have made so many changes. There is NO Turning Back!!!! I have the privilege of being connected with a lot of other folks who are also trying to lose weight and change their lives. I found this yesterday...  
I can't see the shore from where I started now.  I have gone too far to try to head back.  Its time to suck it up and swim the rest of the way across.  I only have 25 more pounds to go.   I can do this!  What are you doing to make it across?
 
Ok so there are no expensive jewels and I don't have one of those long sticks but Breakfast at Izzy's has been kind of fun. I have found several dishes that I like and can stay right at 100 calories. One of my go to meals is half a serving of Special K Honey and Oats flakes, half a serving of Bran Buds (lots of fiber), a little less than half a serving of Almond milk and a few blueberries (100 cals). Another yummy that is great for colder, gloomy days is half a serving of plain quaker oatmeal with sugar sub and cinnamon and two pieces of turkey bacon (100 cals). Another is dry toast, one piece of turkey bacon and a few pieces of fruit (100 cals). An all time fave of mine is turkey bacon (25 cals), southwest egg beater 1/4 cup with fresh ground pepper, garlic, cilantro, a few blue cheese crumbles, and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh salsa (35 cals total egg beater is 20 cals, blue cheese 10 cals, salsa 5 cals, small peach (40 cals) for a grand total of 100 cals for my very yummy breakfast! Here is a picture...
Like many Americans I was skipping breakfast.  Even after I started loosing weight I remained a breakfast skipper.  I was watching the HBO documentry Weight of the Nation http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/ and they were interviewing a woman who has turned her life around and lost a lot of weight.  She talked about not eating breakfast but realized she was eating and snacking before lunch becasue she was starving.  I realized...I was doing that too.  I decided I needed to start eating breakfast and that I could take away a few calories from my lunch and supper.  I realized I don't miss those few calories and I don't snack either since I feel full until lunch.  
 
I woke up early this morning.   I tried to go back to sleep but to no avail.   I made myself an iced cofffe and put on my hoodie and headed to the deck.  It was nice to just sit and read a little and meditate.  I was reminded of my favorite Nick Drake song, From the Morning when I took the picture below.  
When I came back inside I was wide awake and decided to do 30mins of Yoga  (http://yogaone.com/pbsshow.php).  If you have ever attempted Yoga and own cats it is quite funny.   Spike seemed to go from jealous to concerned.  Both he and Yin Yang seemed perplexed by what I was doing.   I really feel back on track with my fitness and weight loss.  I know I am not going to weigh in Saturday and have the few pounds gained disappear but I am confident that there will be fewer and fewer each week if I stay on the right path.   What are you doing to stay on the right path?  

 
 
I have made lots of changes over the past year and few months.  These last few days I have been thinking about all these changes.   I have changed my whole way of thinking when it comes to exercise, transportation, food, free time, blogging, and eating breakfast.  So many CHANGES.  Even in this last week or so I have made a lot of changes.  Tommy and I now have 2 bikes.  I have a Fixie for in town and ridding with Spicer and a Performance Hybrid with very thin tires for longer rides.  I have been walking to the store and using my re-usable bags to carry my items purchased.  Spicer and I are spending more time outside.   I have been reading in the evenings instead of just watching tv all the time.   I have been eating breakfast for the first time consistantly in YEARS.   I take vitamins and check my blood pressure.   I read nutrition labels and look at calories.   I plan my meals.  I have really changed.   I travel more than ever.  I think in life we are always evolving and changing.   I love the changes I have made in my life.  But I must give credit, there is no way I would have been able to make all these changes without such a supportive partner.   It is amazing that Tommy and I both have been able to make these changes together.   I leave you with this quote about change.  What are you doing to changes the things you need to in your life?