Is this really me?

Friday, August 22, 2014

 

The above photo shows 100 pounds of fat. I need to lose 119 pounds of fat. 

That really can't be right, can it? Am I really that many pounds over weight? 

 

Yes. I am. 

I know from whence it came: Ice cream, pizza, cake, chips, dips, sodas, sugar, salt, cream. 
Jamie Deen once told a group of tourists that his Mom's (Paula Deen) favourite dessert was fried butter with sour cream. I actually thought that sounded pretty tasty.  Y*I*K*E*S. 

Sometimes, it just seems like it's too much to bear (or lose). It isn't. I ate enough to put it on -- I can work enough to take it off. I will succeed. 

"You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination." 
~ Ralph Marston ~ 

I did lose 66 pounds in 2009. I'm almost halfway there now at 32 pounds down. Time is my friend. I refuse to be on a set schedule. I will lose weight and not despair if my body's schedule differs from my desire. 

"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what! Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” 
~ Mark Victor Hansen ~ 

I am determined that if life throws obstacles in my path -- then I will consider it an obstacle course and I will climb, drop, roll, crawl, swim, run, and jump until the path is clear and the course is clear. 

I will not be denied. 

"I am the master of my fate, 
I am the captain of my soul." 
~ William Ernest Henley ~

The cost of obesity.

Monday, August 18, 2014

 

I'm not just talking about the cost in terms of self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-control. I am talking about the monetary costs. 

The annual cost of being over-weight is $19.39 per pound. For me, at 259 pounds, that is a cost of $2307.41 per year. 

That's the cost of a Gym Membership for my entire family. 21 fill-ups for my SUV. 77 dinners at a nice seafood restaurant. 19 trips to the grocery store for a week's worth of food. 60 visits to the hair salon for a shampoo and trim. 

Of course, there are so many more things that one could count. 

I never really looked at it this way before. I suppose I just thought of the cost to my health. It really is so much more. 

I am ever grateful to see beyond the tree... and see the forest. 

TALK IT OUT!

 

The longer I am on this journey, the more I believe that you must talk it out. 
By that, I mean that you must share your experiences. Write it down, journal it, blog it... talk about it with friends, relatives, anyone who will lend an ear. 

This is not something easily done alone. We need support. We need encouragement. We need feedback and advice. Yes, we even need constructive criticism. 

It's the hiding away that's caused many of us to gain this weight. We stopped talking about it. We stopped doing anything about it. We shut down and tried to hide from it. 

Those days must come to a stop. We have to learn to admit it, confront it, fight it, and beat it. 

Do you read a lot of weight loss / healthy lifestyle blogs? Do you comment on them? Do you offer your support and advice? 

Has it helped you to lose weight? Has it motivated and inspired you? 

Do you send links to your blog to your friends and family and invite them to cheer you on? 

This can be such a lonely undertaking -- losing weight. While people who have never experienced being overweight cannot understand the struggle, they CAN participate in the journey -- if we let them. 

I hope that I am supportive of others on this journey. I hope that my comments are seen as positive, productive, and caring. 

We can share the joys and triumphs... offer a shoulder... shed a sympathetic tear. Together, we can succeed. 

I wish you all the very best of success on your journey.

If you would like to join me at Spark People, just click this link and we WILL succeed together!

Spark People.

My accomplishments after 90 days at Spark People!

I was FREEZING when I hopped out of the pool this afternoon!

I am at 90 days back at Spark People!  

My accomplishments to date: 

1. 30 pounds down 
2. Down one pants size (3X to 2X) And maybe even two... 
3. Exercising / swimming 3X per week 
4. Lost 4 1/2 inches 
5. Blood Pressure is low enough that Doctor has halved my dosages 
6. Energy levels are high 
7. No soda / tea / coffee for 90 days 
8. No longer considered "pre-diabetic" 
9. Preparing to walk in a 5K in October 

Last but more importantly, I AM HAPPY!  

Spark People, Friends, I LOVE YOU!  

Miscellaneous!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Never go backward. Attempt, and do it with all your might. Determination is power. 
~ Charles Simmons ~ 

The following video is about a program (in France) to stop wasting produce. I LOVE it and hope that US food stores will follow suit! 

youtu.be/p2nSECWq_PE 

The Color Vibe is a 5K Run / Walk.  It will be in Savannah in October and I AM going to walk!!!  I KNOW that I can do it!  I WANT to do it! I WILL do it! 

www.thecolorvibe.com/savannah.php 

Check their website -- www.thecolorvibe.com -- and see if there is one near you! 

I am hoping to get some pool time tonight. I swam for 90 minutes last night. It really relaxes me and I sleep so well afterwards.  

 

I can honestly FEEL myself toning up. My size 3X pants are so loose they are falling off.  That's a lovely feeling. I'll be buying new pants soon... maybe... a size 1X this time?  

In the meantime, I'm using my barbells for strengthening / toning my arms. Progress is slow, but I persist!  

Chasing *ONE*derland is quite the adventure. I can see it getting ever closer. Sometimes, it's faster and farther ahead, but it never goes out of my sight. 

I'm making up ground... and it is not so elusive as it was a few months ago. 

30 Pounds down!!!

Saturday, July 12, 2014

I am now OFFICIALLY 30 pounds down from 291! 

I began this journey at a BMI of 51.5 -- I'm now at 46.2 -- a full 5 points down. I still have 7 points to lose to reach the "severely obese" stage. 

I frankly don't see myself as "morbidly obese" but I recognize that it's not based on appearance but WEIGHT. I still have 121 pounds to lose to reach my goal. 

Reach it, I will. 

BMI	Weight Status
Below 20.0	Under weight
18.5 - 24.9	Healthy
25.0 - 29.9	Slightly Overweight
30.0 - 34.9	Obese
35.0 - 39.9	Severely Obese
40.0 and Over	Morbidly Obese

I went for my 6 month check-up yesterday and received great news. My BP is low enough now that my Doc halved my BP meds. He's pleased with my weight loss and is halving my Metformin dosage. 

He said if I lose 30 pounds by January, he will likely take me OFF of the Metformin and halve my Lovastatin (Cholesterol med) as well. 

I am so happy! Very positive reinforcement indeed! 

This evening... I am going to try on a pair of size 1X jeans. I don't think they will fit quite yet, but I am interested in seeing how close I am. 

Of course, it is a goal to leave the PLUS sizes behind me. 

I have another goal: to be able to COMFORTABLY cross my legs while seated. All of us who are very overweight know that crossing one's legs becomes impossible. It just does. I want to be able to do that again (without thinking about it). 

Funny... the things that you want to do once you've gotten too big to do them. We all go through it -- it's akin to mourning. 

However, we CAN get those things back. We just have to work at it. It IS worth the time, effort, and energy. WE are worth it. 

I. AM. WORTH. IT

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are
~~ Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin ~~

Healthy eating... even at Mom's!

Monday, June 23, 2014

 

Fresh green beans and small (tiny) yellow potatoes, 1 biscuit, and about 1/2 of a country steak. 

No salt, no sauce, no gravy. I do realize that it should've been twice the green beans but I knew my Mom and Hubby needed the veggies more than I did. 

The piece of steak moved aside became Mike's breakfast this morning. 

I like eating at home (or at Mom's) more than eating out these days. 

Hoping to keep my sodium levels low this week. last week was a disaster because we ate out about three times. 

I don't want to do that any more.

Eight Weeks -- 19 Pounds Down!

Eight weeks -- 19 Pounds down!

Friday, May 30, 2014

When I woke up this morning, I was feeling sorry for myself. Depressed and lonely. 
But when I weighed in -- I was down two pounds from last Friday. 

That's 19 pounds in Eight weeks (six back at SP). Now, I do realize that some of that is water loss. I was all hopped up on sugary, carbonated sodas and sodium-laced chips. 

But I feel so much better now. 

This rather disappointing, depressing, stressful week did not lead to a backslide or a binge. 

I'm going to go take a walk, listen to some music, and quietly celebrate the fact that I did not 'cave in' and I kept on track. I'm proud of myself. 

Terri 1 -- Stress Eating 0