The Simple Life - 30 Pounds Later - Before/After Pics

This week I started hearing that little voice that starts when my resolve is failing.  It says, "you've lost enough weight, you look fine like you are, just eat what you want and enjoy life, not everyone is meant to be thin, you can't win this, you'll eventually go back to what you were eating and gain all the weight back." 
I've been fighting the same three or four pounds for the last month.  Up one pound, down one pound.  I'd get really excited and then I'd gain back the pound I'd just lost.  And when I looked at what I had eaten the week before I realized that it wasn't a food plan that I could live on for the long term. 

So, on Monday, instead of eating salad for breakfast I had a thick, hearty, filling vegetable soup.  It was actually store bought Campbell's Old Fashioned Vegetable soup.  One can is about 300 calories.  I put a can of green beans in a big bowl and poured the soup over that and then added a can of water.  It was at least four cups of soup.  For lunch every day I had home made vegetarian chili.  Some days I had it over greens and some days over rice.  For dinner every night I had fresh fruit.  I had tried this before; eating heavy for breakfast and lunch and very light for dinner several weeks ago.  I noticed that I was going to bed hungry and I abandoned it.  I don't like the feeling of hunger; it makes me feel anxious.

I know how to create a deficit so I went back to what I know will work.  Do I enjoy going to bed feeling a little empty?  No, but it works.  So, this week I'm down two pounds.  I have officially lost 30 pounds.  I started the year at 181 and now I'm 151.  I still have 10 pounds to go by the end of the year.  It's going to be a hard road.

To help with the continued loss I bought a weighted vest today.  I got it at Walmart for $38.  I'll start by adding just a couple of weights and slowly work my way up.  Now that I'm 30 pounds lighter it doesn't take as much energy during my workouts.  So, instead of working out longer, I'm going to work harder.  This will allow me to continue to burn calories without having to work out any longer than I am now.

So, that's where I am.  I'm thrilled.  I'll work the plan and hopefully the weight will continue to go down.