How are you loosing weight so fast?

I've gotten this question a few times...so thought I'd post my long answer here...

I'm not sure if there is really something that I'm doing right, or if its just a fluke. I do the menu religiously, except for birthdays, holidays, special occasions...but I still try to make the right choices. At Valentines day, we went to a dinner play (derby dinner playhouse) and I didn't make good choices (ate fried chicken, sweet potato casserole...) and ended up in the hospital with, what I now believe, a gall bladder attack. Learned my lesson and never want to do that again! :oP

I try NOT to have any extras during a day. For the most part, I'm successful. On occasion, I do taste the food I make for my family, but mostly for flavor reasons. Hardest days are those special occasions. Was dreading Easter, but got through it...had been up 2 1/2 pounds over the weekend, but am back to my Friday weight, 209, according to my home scale. Thankfully! (I started yesterday, could have been the reason for the gain.)

I try to get at least 5 days of exercise in... I love to walk outside and seem to do better, go farther, when I walk outside rather than use the treadmill. Once you walk a mile away from your house, you have to do a mile to get home, so there's no quitting early. Plus there are hills. I also try to get my elliptical machine in, but I'm not faithful with that. I'm so proud, I can do it for 25 mins now! :o)) That's hard work! And, I also try to get some weights in, but again, not real faithful with that. I am faithful with my walk though...no matter how cold...Saturday I walked 3 miles in 32 degrees. My goal is to someday be a runner.

I don't drink anything but my milk from the menu, a smoothie for my fruits for the day, sometimes a V8, and water for the rest of the day. No tea, diets, or flavors. I do drink half of a lemon once a week. Supposedly, lemon keeps you from holding water, so I just drink it straight up and then drink a bottle of water. I love water.

Again, I'm not sure if this is why I'm loosing so well or if its just a fluke. Sorry for the long read...didn't mean for this to go so long...