Today I celebrate 6 months. Today I celebrate 6 months of healthy eating (well, in the beginning it was just better eating, but it became healthy along the way), 6 months of working out, 6 months of drinking only water, 6 months of learning to love my body for what it is now instead of waiting until my body is a certain weight and/or looks a certain way, 6 months of a changed life, and 6 months of being the best me I can possibly be at any given moment. I am beyond thankful for God's "wake-up" call 6 months ago.
6 months is HALF A YEAR. Now that seems crazy. If you had asked me on my 35th birthday where I thought I'd be in half a year, here wouldn't have even been on my radar. I am grateful, thankful, humbled, amazed, you name it. And I'm going to keep on keepin' on, as they say. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months have in store.
Weigh-in: 2 pounds today and I'll take it!
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
Week 24: 275, -4 lb./-61 lb. total
Week 25: 274, -1 lb./-62 lb. total
Week 26: 272, -2 lb./-64 lb. total
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Things I Never Thought I'd Be
I've never considered myself a role model, not really. Or at least not a very good one. And I certainly never thought I would be an inspiration to anyone, for any reason. Until I "woke up", I was a pretty miserable person. I was negative, I complained all the time, everything got on my nerves, I was short with everyone... I was generally not pleasant to be around a lot of the time. It's the truth so I'm laying it out there.
It's been almost 6 months now since I changed my life. I'm still changing, of course. There are still a lot of aspects of my life that need work. I've gotten a good handle on my health and now need to focus on using that same determination in other areas. And that's okay. Everything isn't going to come together all at once. But I can see the effect the changes I have already made are having on my kiddos and family. Choosing to work on myself, choosing to be positive, choosing not to complain, choosing the good over the bad when there is a choice to be made, it's all having an impact. The kids are making better food choices and moving more as well just because they see me doing those things, and that is icing on the cake!
I've also been receiving e-mails and messages letting me know that I am inspiring others along my journey- friends I talk to regularly, acquaintances, people I went to high school with, people I barely know, etc. That's pretty amazing! I hadn't considered this aspect when I started out. While pulling up my bootstraps, I couldn't see past my boots. This has been surprising and something I am very thankful for.
Weigh-in: This week was uneventful. No bumps, nothing new to report. Still working toward the 100% whole foods/plant-based diet. Down 1 pound this week.
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
Week 24: 275, -4 lb./-61 lb. total
Week 25: 274, -1 lb./-62 lb. total
It's been almost 6 months now since I changed my life. I'm still changing, of course. There are still a lot of aspects of my life that need work. I've gotten a good handle on my health and now need to focus on using that same determination in other areas. And that's okay. Everything isn't going to come together all at once. But I can see the effect the changes I have already made are having on my kiddos and family. Choosing to work on myself, choosing to be positive, choosing not to complain, choosing the good over the bad when there is a choice to be made, it's all having an impact. The kids are making better food choices and moving more as well just because they see me doing those things, and that is icing on the cake!
I've also been receiving e-mails and messages letting me know that I am inspiring others along my journey- friends I talk to regularly, acquaintances, people I went to high school with, people I barely know, etc. That's pretty amazing! I hadn't considered this aspect when I started out. While pulling up my bootstraps, I couldn't see past my boots. This has been surprising and something I am very thankful for.
Weigh-in: This week was uneventful. No bumps, nothing new to report. Still working toward the 100% whole foods/plant-based diet. Down 1 pound this week.
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
Week 24: 275, -4 lb./-61 lb. total
Week 25: 274, -1 lb./-62 lb. total
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Progress Pics
I have come to realize I wish I had been taking progress pics these last 5 1/2 months. I was able to dig out a pic of myself from right before Christmas of last year, one someone was adamant to take. And someone took another of me a couple of weeks ago at a park day with our homeschool group. So I can give you a little comparison and I promise to start taking progress pics from here on out. Deal?
Saturday, June 15, 2013
336
Up until this week I had been messaging the link to this blog to those I wanted to share it with. It was only a handful of people. I'd resend it every Saturday to each of them individually through a Facebook message with a short "It's Saturday!" note to let them know there was a new post. A week ago, I decided to update my Facebook status with this:
"This is really for a handful of you, but if you're following my weight-loss blog, you have the link. I am no longer going to send out weekly reminders to everyone. If you would like to follow and don't have the link, give me a holler. Thanks!"
I really thought maybe a couple of people would ask me for the link, but was surprised that quite a few people did. So then I was faced with knowing once I clicked on send, my starting weight, my current weight, the whole journey was going to be out there for everyone to see. The first few were hard. But it occurred to me that if anyone was helped by my sharing it, that's one of the reasons I'm doing it. Then it got easier. If anyone is inspired to lose even 10 pounds, to take up a new sport, to exercise on a regular basis, to try a new healthy food once a week, to eat healthier, to drastically overhaul their diet, to run a 5k, to jog for 3 minutes, anything at all... that is reason enough to suck it up and click send.
The truth is, if I had run into someone from high school 6 months ago, I wouldn't have needed "336 lb." tattooed on my forehead for them to realize I was morbidly obese. It was apparent. Saying that number out loud, even at the beginning of this journey, was far too hard. But you know what? The more I say it, and the farther I go away from it, the easier it becomes. I own it. I own 336. I own it because there are so many other women (and men) out there exactly where I was, who really need someone to inspire them. I may or may not be that person for them, but I'm going to live my life everyday as if I am. I own it because I will not go back there.
Someday I will say, "I lost more than half my weight." Someday 336 will seem unfathomable to people who didn't know me before. Forgetting is not an option. Pretending like I was never there or like it really wasn't THAT bad isn't an option either. I'll never be there again, but 336 is mine.
Weigh- in: I felt like I was going to have a good number this week and I was right. The scale revealed a 4 pound loss, which put me at 61 pounds gone!!!
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
Week 24: 275, -4 lb./-61 lb. total
"This is really for a handful of you, but if you're following my weight-loss blog, you have the link. I am no longer going to send out weekly reminders to everyone. If you would like to follow and don't have the link, give me a holler. Thanks!"
I really thought maybe a couple of people would ask me for the link, but was surprised that quite a few people did. So then I was faced with knowing once I clicked on send, my starting weight, my current weight, the whole journey was going to be out there for everyone to see. The first few were hard. But it occurred to me that if anyone was helped by my sharing it, that's one of the reasons I'm doing it. Then it got easier. If anyone is inspired to lose even 10 pounds, to take up a new sport, to exercise on a regular basis, to try a new healthy food once a week, to eat healthier, to drastically overhaul their diet, to run a 5k, to jog for 3 minutes, anything at all... that is reason enough to suck it up and click send.
The truth is, if I had run into someone from high school 6 months ago, I wouldn't have needed "336 lb." tattooed on my forehead for them to realize I was morbidly obese. It was apparent. Saying that number out loud, even at the beginning of this journey, was far too hard. But you know what? The more I say it, and the farther I go away from it, the easier it becomes. I own it. I own 336. I own it because there are so many other women (and men) out there exactly where I was, who really need someone to inspire them. I may or may not be that person for them, but I'm going to live my life everyday as if I am. I own it because I will not go back there.
Someday I will say, "I lost more than half my weight." Someday 336 will seem unfathomable to people who didn't know me before. Forgetting is not an option. Pretending like I was never there or like it really wasn't THAT bad isn't an option either. I'll never be there again, but 336 is mine.
Weigh- in: I felt like I was going to have a good number this week and I was right. The scale revealed a 4 pound loss, which put me at 61 pounds gone!!!
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
Week 24: 275, -4 lb./-61 lb. total
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
What a Run!
No, I didn't run my first 5k, not yet anyway, but yesterday was pretty good in it's own right. Let me fill you in.
My sister and I started the C25K program March 20th. So we've been running for 12 weeks now and the vast majority of that time has been spent in Week 3 of the 8 week program. Honestly, Week 4 has always felt too daunting. There's a major difference between Weeks 3 and 4, and at my weight I've just never felt ready.
When we first started running I sounded like a woman in labor. Actually I sounded like someone trying to do Lamaze breathing but who really, really sucked at it, hahahaha! If there were other people at the track while we were running they would always turn around to see who was making all the noise. I've screamed, I've moaned, I've cried, you name it. Over the many weeks we've spent in Week 3, I've finally learned to control my breathing. Do I still feel like I'm dying? Sure, but somehow I've learned to manage it. So, this week my sister said, "Let's do this thing." To which I replied, "Um... okay. Let's."
I have to admit I was nervous. A little scared even. We had never run a 5-minute stretch before and now we were going to do it twice in a 30 minute period, as well as two 3-minute stretches. Also, the recovery periods between runs were going to be shorter as well. I wasn't sure I could do it but I was willing to try.
We walked briskly for 5 minutes, then ran for 3 minutes. All was good. It was the 5 minute run I was worried about and it was now upon us. I was determined not to look down at the timer on the iPod. I knew knowing how much time was left in the stretch would make me want to quit. I decided to keep my eyes on the pavement just in front of me and keep moving. At 3/4 of a lap I was hurting. At a lap I was ready to quit, but I knew without looking that was around the 3 minute mark. I saw another woman at the track. She was much bigger than me. She was walking. She made me want to keep going. It hurt. It sucked. I felt like I might cry. Then I heard the chime which meant the 5 minutes were up and it was time to walk! We still had another 3 and another 5 (both of which we did, yay!), but in that moment I was crazy proud of both of us. What a breakthrough! We'd gone from running 9 out of 30 minutes to running 16 out of 30 minutes, and finally ran a 5 minute stretch. Yes, super proud!
I know this is not what they mean by "runner's high", but it might as well be.
My sister and I started the C25K program March 20th. So we've been running for 12 weeks now and the vast majority of that time has been spent in Week 3 of the 8 week program. Honestly, Week 4 has always felt too daunting. There's a major difference between Weeks 3 and 4, and at my weight I've just never felt ready.
When we first started running I sounded like a woman in labor. Actually I sounded like someone trying to do Lamaze breathing but who really, really sucked at it, hahahaha! If there were other people at the track while we were running they would always turn around to see who was making all the noise. I've screamed, I've moaned, I've cried, you name it. Over the many weeks we've spent in Week 3, I've finally learned to control my breathing. Do I still feel like I'm dying? Sure, but somehow I've learned to manage it. So, this week my sister said, "Let's do this thing." To which I replied, "Um... okay. Let's."
I have to admit I was nervous. A little scared even. We had never run a 5-minute stretch before and now we were going to do it twice in a 30 minute period, as well as two 3-minute stretches. Also, the recovery periods between runs were going to be shorter as well. I wasn't sure I could do it but I was willing to try.
We walked briskly for 5 minutes, then ran for 3 minutes. All was good. It was the 5 minute run I was worried about and it was now upon us. I was determined not to look down at the timer on the iPod. I knew knowing how much time was left in the stretch would make me want to quit. I decided to keep my eyes on the pavement just in front of me and keep moving. At 3/4 of a lap I was hurting. At a lap I was ready to quit, but I knew without looking that was around the 3 minute mark. I saw another woman at the track. She was much bigger than me. She was walking. She made me want to keep going. It hurt. It sucked. I felt like I might cry. Then I heard the chime which meant the 5 minutes were up and it was time to walk! We still had another 3 and another 5 (both of which we did, yay!), but in that moment I was crazy proud of both of us. What a breakthrough! We'd gone from running 9 out of 30 minutes to running 16 out of 30 minutes, and finally ran a 5 minute stretch. Yes, super proud!
I know this is not what they mean by "runner's high", but it might as well be.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
My Mind Is Made Up
I'm still reading and researching, but my mind is made up... I'm going to adopt a whole foods/plants-based diet. I know to many that sounds extreme. I went vegan for 9 months over a decade ago. I know I can live without meat. I want to do it more now than I ever did back then and for very different reasons. I'm already being asked "Why?!!!" and my only answer is that it is the next right step for me, for my health. I'm reading, researching, and it just feels right. I'm not asking anyone else to do it, to accommodate me, or to understand. I only need others to not want fight about it, if that makes sense.
I'm also stepping away from processed/packaged foods. Yes, I realize this is pretty drastic stuff, but it's what I'm feeling pulled to do. If you're curious, no I am not going to make my children do the same. Yes, the are eating healthier these days. They choose fruit over cookies and carrots over chips often. But at this point, at the beginning of this, of MY journey, I don't feel I need to push any of this on them. I don't know what will happen down the road, but right now I only want to help them make better food choices and move more. This week alone I introduced them to kale, eggplant, Brussells sprouts, and avocado. Only the latter wasn't a winner (well, Aaron loved it... the others, not so much). Baby steps with the kiddos.
I got on the scale this morning needing only one pound to get me out of the 280's forever, and that's exactly what I got! I've learned to be happy with the scale, even when it reveals a 1 or a 0, as long as I've done my best that week. This week was a week of adjustment, as I ate very little meat and lots of veggies,and also had no flex points and didn't meet my points allowance for any given day. I see a time in the very near future when Weight Watchers is a thing of the past for me, simply because it will not be needed with the new way of eating. However, I do still love and fully endorse Weight Watchers. It's a wonderful program for anyone needing to lose weight. I will forever be grateful for what I was able to do on the program.
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
I'm also stepping away from processed/packaged foods. Yes, I realize this is pretty drastic stuff, but it's what I'm feeling pulled to do. If you're curious, no I am not going to make my children do the same. Yes, the are eating healthier these days. They choose fruit over cookies and carrots over chips often. But at this point, at the beginning of this, of MY journey, I don't feel I need to push any of this on them. I don't know what will happen down the road, but right now I only want to help them make better food choices and move more. This week alone I introduced them to kale, eggplant, Brussells sprouts, and avocado. Only the latter wasn't a winner (well, Aaron loved it... the others, not so much). Baby steps with the kiddos.
I got on the scale this morning needing only one pound to get me out of the 280's forever, and that's exactly what I got! I've learned to be happy with the scale, even when it reveals a 1 or a 0, as long as I've done my best that week. This week was a week of adjustment, as I ate very little meat and lots of veggies,and also had no flex points and didn't meet my points allowance for any given day. I see a time in the very near future when Weight Watchers is a thing of the past for me, simply because it will not be needed with the new way of eating. However, I do still love and fully endorse Weight Watchers. It's a wonderful program for anyone needing to lose weight. I will forever be grateful for what I was able to do on the program.
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
Week 23: 279, -1 lb./-57 lb. total
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Big Changes and Big Fun
In the past few weeks I've really begun to realize just how much crap I eat. And by crap I mean packaged, processed foods with very little nutritional value. Sure, I'm eating less of it, and I've definitely been eating the less crappy crap, hahaha! But still. So Wednesday was the day I decided no more processed foods. I thought it was going to be at least a little hard, but so far it hasn't been. As I get a little more into this, I am even considering a whole foods/plants-based diet. It's still something I am reading about/researching and not something I would push on my kiddos, but I do feel myself being pulled in that direction.
This is not something I could have done at the beginning of this journey. At the beginning I was still addicted to food. Now those chains are broken. I realized this the other day when I went through the Taco Bell drive-through to get the kid's a taco and not only did I not order anything for myself, I didn't WANT to order anything for myself. In fact, I was excited about my lunch options awaiting me at home. Things like pizza and cookies and chips and fried foods just don't have any power over me anymore. It's really an amazing place to be!
In other news, we took the kiddos to Carowinds Thursday. It was the first time any of them had ever been and we all had a wonderful time! I went at least once a year as a child and all the time as a teenager, but haven't been at all in over a decade. Katelyn was adamant ahead of time she wanted to ride Thunder Road with me. I really thought she might chicken out when she saw it, but she did not. We also rode the kiddie coaster that used to be called Scooby-Doo (I refuse to call it anything else!) and the truth is I barely fit it either of them. The reality hit me that I wouldn't have been able to ride anything with them 6 months ago because I wouldn't have fit on the rides. Also, I wouldn't have been able to walk the park for nearly 8 hours either.
Something fairly new to the park is The Intimidator. You can see this insanely tall coaster from everywhere in the park. When we first saw it from the road I thought, "No way! NEVER!", but the more I watched it the more I felt it sucking me in and before I knew it I wanted to ride it. It has a seat sitting out front. If you can sit in it and pull the restraint back and the green light comes on, you will fit in the seat and can ride. I don't fit, but I was not sad, because I am determined that by the end of summer that green light is going to come on and I WILL ride the Intimidator. Incentive! If anyone wants to be the first to ride it with me, let me know. :-)
Onto today's weigh-in. Did a change in diet halfway through the week make a difference? Who knows? What I do know is I stepped on the scale to find a 4 pound loss. I'll take that any day of the week!
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
This is not something I could have done at the beginning of this journey. At the beginning I was still addicted to food. Now those chains are broken. I realized this the other day when I went through the Taco Bell drive-through to get the kid's a taco and not only did I not order anything for myself, I didn't WANT to order anything for myself. In fact, I was excited about my lunch options awaiting me at home. Things like pizza and cookies and chips and fried foods just don't have any power over me anymore. It's really an amazing place to be!
In other news, we took the kiddos to Carowinds Thursday. It was the first time any of them had ever been and we all had a wonderful time! I went at least once a year as a child and all the time as a teenager, but haven't been at all in over a decade. Katelyn was adamant ahead of time she wanted to ride Thunder Road with me. I really thought she might chicken out when she saw it, but she did not. We also rode the kiddie coaster that used to be called Scooby-Doo (I refuse to call it anything else!) and the truth is I barely fit it either of them. The reality hit me that I wouldn't have been able to ride anything with them 6 months ago because I wouldn't have fit on the rides. Also, I wouldn't have been able to walk the park for nearly 8 hours either.
Something fairly new to the park is The Intimidator. You can see this insanely tall coaster from everywhere in the park. When we first saw it from the road I thought, "No way! NEVER!", but the more I watched it the more I felt it sucking me in and before I knew it I wanted to ride it. It has a seat sitting out front. If you can sit in it and pull the restraint back and the green light comes on, you will fit in the seat and can ride. I don't fit, but I was not sad, because I am determined that by the end of summer that green light is going to come on and I WILL ride the Intimidator. Incentive! If anyone wants to be the first to ride it with me, let me know. :-)
Onto today's weigh-in. Did a change in diet halfway through the week make a difference? Who knows? What I do know is I stepped on the scale to find a 4 pound loss. I'll take that any day of the week!
Week 20: 287, -0 lb./-49 lb. total
Week 21: 284, -3 lb./-52 lb. total
Week 22: 280, -4 lb./-56 lb. total
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