One eighty two, I love you. Seems the intimidation techniques with the scale worked. Now if I could just get my VCR to fall in line. “Stop randomly ejecting tapes or I will replace you with a TiVo!”
I do wonder how much of my recent plateau has been due to muscle. I don’t want to blame it all on new lean body mass, but check out my arms in this photo (tastefully cropped to downplay the presence of my arm flab and my stubbly armpits). I am most surprised by how round my shoulder is. I have awesome shoulders! It only took 3 months too.
I should have taken a before photo, but I didn’t because, um.. back then the camera was too heavy to lift with one hand. Whereas now I am so strong that yesterday I accidentally broke the clip attached to the treadmill’s safety kill switch key.
This must be how Superman feels. I’m sure the fact that is was an ancient plastic kitchen clip had nothing to do with its demise. It was all me, uh-huh.
Now I am off to the GRAND OPENING EVENT!! of a new gym nearby. I might win a cruise! Or a big TV! Or more likely I will simply be harassed into purchasing a gym membership and all I’ll get for it is a free t-shirt. Whatever. There is going to be a “face painting/balloon twisting clown” there so it’s got to be worth it. Pony rides start at 12pm. Do you think they’ll let me ride the pony?
Joy says
May 12, 2007 at 11:16 amCongrats on the fabulous arms! The nice curve on the shoulder is so great, right? Both strong and feminine – plus it does wonders for the posture! (I was thrilled with my new shoulders when I started weight training because it kept my bra straps from sliding down for the first time in my life!) You’re doing so great – you really are an amazing inspiration!
Debbi says
May 12, 2007 at 12:10 pmI’m impressed with your clavicles, as well! Have fun at the gym. Don’t fall off the pony.
Jules says
May 12, 2007 at 12:27 pmWay to go! Looking strong.
cheers
rose says
May 12, 2007 at 12:27 pmyou are beautiful, pastaqueen!
eileen says
May 12, 2007 at 12:30 pmyou are stupendous. And you look happy. And cute haircut! And though it hurts like a bitch, I highly recommend the epilady for armpits. Hair grows in slowly and soft.
I am one month into weight training, and look forward to one day taking such a photo!
Kalyn says
May 12, 2007 at 12:37 pmYou do look awesome. I’ve been a little neglectful of my own exercise program lately, but you’re inspiring me to get with it again. I never stop exercising, but sometimes I do hit the pause button for a few days too long!
Rosemary Grace says
May 12, 2007 at 12:39 pmI love the happy smile and the speech bubble in that photo!
Just be careful when you pet the pony, they are fragile creatures you know…
Debbie says
May 12, 2007 at 12:59 pmYou look great. Congratulations
Kimberly says
May 12, 2007 at 1:15 pmSo far all I’ve got is arm flab. You inspire me, you know. =)
Andrea says
May 12, 2007 at 2:07 pmI too was fascinated when I developed rounded shoulders and pronounced clavicles. This journey truly is a rediscovery of our bodies.
Have fun at the grand opening. Get some painted balloons and twisted paintings (sorry, got that mixed up there). Anyway, good luck!
barbara says
May 12, 2007 at 2:49 pmYou look great – so happy! Hey, I’ve been thinking, and now I REALLY think, maybe you should replace/update the “half of you” image on the left of the screen… I mean, I get it, it’s HALF OF YOU at the start of this journey, but really, as today’s photo proves, it’s not YOU anymore. Keep up the good work – your patience and persistence is inspiring!
kim says
May 12, 2007 at 6:37 pmwow! To the arms, clavicles, chin and the adorable haircut. You are definitely looking hot!
crankybee says
May 12, 2007 at 6:59 pmGirlfriend, you aint gunna be single for much longer!
damn says
May 12, 2007 at 8:25 pmGirl, I was just observing your progress — and how the hell did you lose THIRTEEN POUNDS between October and Jan? In the space of 2 and 1/2 months?
That was amazing — during the holidays, after losing well over a hundred and fifty pounds, to burn 13 lbs off like that.
I know you aren’t one for giving away “secrets of weight loss” — but any sense of how that went down? It’s simply amazing.
ann says
May 12, 2007 at 8:37 pmYou look awesome! Congrats!
Miz Booshay says
May 12, 2007 at 11:30 pmI have a song to sing for you :o)
She’s a brick-HOUSE!
Your arms look great or as we would have said in the 70’s…FINE!
Rah says
May 13, 2007 at 12:15 amPQ, you are simply amazing and that picture is priceless. Do you still have the Excel weight loss graph posted on your website? Sorry to bother you, but it’s my you’re-okay-this-happened-to-PQ-too comfort device for when I hit a plateau. AND NOW I CAN’T FIND IT HELLLLLLLLLLLLP!
Thank you, your semolina highness. Rah.
Roly Poly Man says
May 13, 2007 at 2:13 amYou look great! Congratulations on your continuing success losing weight!
Sarah says
May 13, 2007 at 4:07 amNice job! Thse are some good lookin guns ya got on ya. Hope you got a pony ride!
Judith in NYC says
May 13, 2007 at 9:04 amOH, puhleeese! Pasta Queen looks lovely! She is beautiful and her new muscles make her look awesome. I wish I had her tenacity, she inspires me daily.
I am 57 years old and grew up very thin but after 30 became very heavy. I am only 5’5″ and last month I was at 217 lbs. After following PQ’s blog and admiring her effort (and new look) I decided that the best thing was to follow her example–I started walking a mile almost every day (believe it was an effort the first couple of days) and eating healthy. This morning I weighed in at 206. Thank you, PQ
Your oldest fan, Judith
the veggie paparazzo says
May 13, 2007 at 9:13 amThat’s a muscle!
PastaQueen says
May 13, 2007 at 2:05 pmJudith – Woot! Congrats on the loss!
damn – I don’t know how I lost 13 pounds over the holidays. I would say that over the past couple years doing this I am getting a better handle on social eating, event eating, and not pigging out on holiday candy. I didn’t eat any Easter candy until Easter this year, which was really weird behavior for me. I also find myself turning down the bread basket at restaurants more easily and not eating the pasta or rice they pile onto my dish. I think healthy eating and fitness are skills you can develop. Practice makes perfect, perhaps?
anji says
May 13, 2007 at 3:22 pmOkay, so did you get roped into getting a gym membership???
I love going to the gym when it’s the fancy ones – not so crazy about the unfancy ones except the unfancy price that comes along with it, which is why I usually go with the unfancy one instead of having to mortgage a fancy one… er, got that all?
dena says
May 13, 2007 at 7:47 pmwooo girl! you look great! can’t wait until we see your 180 progress pics….
wilma says
May 14, 2007 at 10:18 amhi pasta queen, i’ve been a big fan for a long time. congrats on the FABULOUS pic–the arms, shoulders, hair, ect…i would love to have nice big eyes–will your next step be perhaps new funky glasses (i only ask because i had ones almost exactly the same as yours for YEARS, and finally went out and, with the help of a couple of girl friends, bought a “cool” pair of retangular-ish plastic framed glasses–and i haven’t stopped getting compliments!)
congratulations again, wilma
Lily says
May 14, 2007 at 10:56 pmImpressive!
twollin says
May 15, 2007 at 4:19 pmLove the arms. Love the shoulders. Love the beatific smile. mmmmmmmmm