Countdown To The Big 4-0

In a little less than a year and a half I will turn 40.  Way back when I turned 30, my metabolism changed and I started gaining weight.  (This may or may not have had anything to do with the birth of Annalise, who was nine months old when I turned 30.)  I haven't seen my target weight, 130 pounds, since Annalise was a baby.  I think.  I can't actually remember if I got back down to that after she was born.  It might have been a pre-pregnancy weight goal I never made.  That was a long time ago. 
When I turned 35, I was 40 pounds over weight, which is considered obese.  I had no energy, I didn't feel good, I didn't look good, blah blah blah.  I made my New Years Resolution that year, (2009), to not be fat anymore.  I started running intervals in January.  In February I found out I was pregnant with Nathan.  I could have kept running since I started it before I got pregnant, but I got sick.  My boys have made me so sick all through my pregnancies with them.  (I was less sick with Leesie).  By the time Nathan was born, I was 60 pounds over weight.  I lost all the baby weight when he was born, and was back to being 40 pounds over weight.   My New Years Resolution in 2010 was the same as 2009.  I didn't want to be fat anymore.  I felt like I was approaching 40 too quickly and that I needed to get the weight off BEFORE that magical number locked my obesity on for good.  I got an exercise program called Power 90, the precursor to the popular P90X.
 http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/power90.do?code=SEMB_GOOGLE_P90&extcmp=g8f4907ed2860c1b&gclid=CLXZ-rD7k64CFQ1b7AodbWc0mg
It was difficult, but I managed to do it for three months, and lost 15 pounds!!  Woo Hoo!!  Then I got bored.  I started doing my work outs sporadically, and managed to keep those 15 pounds off, but didn't loose any more.  You know the drill.  You get bored with your work out, you stop loosing the weight, you get frustrated, you aren't motivated, you stop the work outs all together. 

Last spring, my doctor recommended that I read a book called The Abs Diet for Women, and follow it. 
http://www.absdietforwomen.com/uof/absdietforwomen/ps2/?keycode=132086
He also did some blood work to take a look at some hormone levels, and found that they needed adjustment.  All last summer I followed the Abs Diet for Women, and did what he prescribed to adjust my hormones.  I ran intervals, or did Nia
http://www.nianow.com/
a couple of times a week.   I lost three pounds.  Three stinking pounds.  Once again, I was frustrated and ready to give up.

  Fast forward to now.  I can't seem to move the scale, except to make it go up!  Since I've been taking Krav, I feel like I'm in the best shape I've been in since I was a teenager, but the weight is still there.  I still have chubby cheeks.  I still have back fat.  I still have a HUGE muffin top.  My thighs still rub together at the top.  ARG!! 
I've now got one and a half years to get this last 25 pounds off of me!  Why is it so important to get this done before I turn 40?  Because I've heard, and read that it's infinitely more difficult to loose weight after 40.  I can't imagine it being any more difficult than it is now, especially since I can't even seem to do it!  However, I really don't want to find out just exactly how much more difficult it is. 
I'm pretty sure my failing is in work out frequency.  When I was doing Power 90, I was working out for 45 minutes a day, six days a week.  Now, I go to Krav two nights a week.  That's an hour work out twice a week.  This past week, I went to a boot camp class at the same gym where I take Krav, so this week I've worked out three times, instead of twice.  The problem is time and motivation.  Time, because I've got three kids, but I CAN find the time if I WANT to.  (Well, not time to go to the gym for a class, but time to do something here.)  Motivation, because I've got nobody to work out with, except when we go to Krav.  I don't have someone who will run with me on days I don't have Krav.  I don't have anyone to hold me accountable, except me.  Also, I eat too much chocolate.  There, I said it.  It's my one downfall. 
I know I've focused almost completely on the work out aspect of weight loss, and not the diet part.  Food and I have never been good friends.  A lot of things make me feel yucky.  I don't like feeling yucky.  Therefore, most of the things people have to 'give up' in order to 'go on a diet' I don't have to do.  I don't eat fast food.  I don't eat processed, or prepared food.  I don't drink pop, except one glass on pizza night, I don't drink coffee, or tea, or alcohol.  I don't eat bread, or anything with wheat, oats, or barley in it, (except pizza on pizza night, and spaghetti when I forget to make myself rice), because I have a gluten sensitivity.  I have fresh veggies and fruit on hand as often as I can, and cook only lean meats and fish.  So the thing about food that I have a problem with is eating as often as you're supposed to, and not eating too much at one time.  And, of course, the chocolate thing.  I eat chocolate probably 1-2 times a day at least 5 days a week.  I have gotten it down to where I only eat one serving at a time, instead of sitting there and eating half the bag. 
So, oh great friends of mine, I have a job for you!  Hold me accountable!  Check in with me.  Give me motivation.  Ride my fanny if I don't get out there and do something.  I know none of you can actually work out with me, but maybe if I have to tell you that I skipped my run because I was too tired, or something, it will make me push it so I won't have to say that.  Did that even make any sense??  I am appealing to you to help me reach my goal.  The clock is ticking!!

Yes, that's me off to the side in a bikini.  Gabriel is about 28 months old, (jumping off the diving board).

This was taken on my 35th birthday.  NASTY!!! 

This was taken just before Christmas this year.  Getting better than the 35th birthday pic, but I've still got fat face going on!