Sunday, June 29, 2008

GOODBYE OBESITY!!!

After a busy and very stressful week, I was not expecting a loss. Imagine my sheer delight to step onto the scale yesterday and see 164, a two pound loss! I went onto TDP to track the loss and when my BMI popped up I realized I'M NO LONGER OBESE!!!!! That feels freakin AWESOME! Back in November when I started this journey my BMI was 40! I had no idea how much weight I really needed to lose until I saw that number. Today my BMI is 29.99, just .01 below obesity, but who cares, the fact that it's .01 below and not 10 above is worth a celebration to me.

Years ago if someone would have told me that I'd be celebrating being "overweight", I would have called them a liar to their face. I am still amazed by how I let my eating habits get so out of control. I ate like crap all day everyday. I should have known all the fat was building up. Thank God the "warning light" came on when it did, before anything under the hood needed to be fixed. I'm walking away from obesity with only minor cosmetic damage. A little loose skin and a few stretch marks here and there. Other people are not so lucky. Some end up with transmission problems, fuel system problems, engine trouble, or worse complete engine failure. I am very fortunate the only lasting results of years of obesity for me are things that are purely superficial!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Great NSV

Well today is my official weigh in day for the 100 Pound Challenge (The Daily Plate) and the scale didn't budge. Any other day, I would be sad about that, but not today. Today I am on cloud 9. When I woke up this morning I thought, "I think I'm going to try to run on the treadmill today. Who cares if I can only last 2 minutes like last time. At least I'll put forth the effort." I got on the treadmill and set it for 15 mintues. I have no idea why, but 15 was the magic number. I ran the entire 15 minutes without stopping once! I have never been able to do that before. Years ago I ran in the mornings, but that was more of a slow job for 2 or 3 minutes and then walk for 5. It has always been a desire of mine to run a 5k, and this morning sealed the deal. One day I WILL be able to run my 5k!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Carbs Anyone?

Well I'm about 7 months into my journey and all of a sudden I am craving carbs like crazy! I didn't realize it until today, but this week I have been having the strongest craving for simple carbs. It's not time for my monthly visitor, so I really don't understand it. I haven't restricted carbs from my diet, so my body isn't going through withdrawal, but it is definitely begging for carbs. I'm not expecting a loss this week b/c before today I wasn't paying attention. Next week I'll up the protein again and hopefully this carb thing will go away. Simple carbs love my midsection and I am too proud of my forming six pack to waste it on junk! Plus I wanna drop this last 36 pounds and I can't do that eating sugar and food that turn into sugar.

Does anyone else go through the carb craving phases?

Monday, June 16, 2008

Awesome Weigh-In

Just to toot my own horn a bit, I lost an amazing 4 pounds this week. I really worked hard last week. After being on vacation so long, I really wanted to put up some nice numbers to stay on track with my goals. I'm seriously considering getting a personal trainer in August to help me finish this leg of the journey. Since I've already done so much of this on my own, it would be nice to finish on my own, but I'm open to the idea of help. All that matters is reaching that finish line so that I can move into maintenance. I know I will never be obese again. That is a promise I have made to myself. I love this beautiful body God has given me too much not to take care of it. Afterall, this is the only one I'll get. At 40, I want to still look and feel young. I don't want years of bad choices to make me look old before I get there. I want my husband and children to be proud of me. I never want to be the mother who embarrasses their child every time they come to the school. I want my children to beam with pride when they introduce me to their teachers, friends, and classmates. At 240 pounds, I was the "fat" Mommy. Young children make the most honest observations I have ever heard. The last thing I want is for my children to experience an ounce of pain due to their Mommy's appearance.

My husband is in the military which obviously focuses heavily on weight. At 240, I was one of those spouses that "needed to lose a few pounds". My husband is amazing, and loves me unconditionally, but I want to be a prize on his arm, not someone that his co-workers joke about behind his back. I don't want to be the wife with the "pretty face". Simply the "pretty wife" works for me.

At 166, I don't get nearly as many "your face is so pretty" comments. At this point, I am no longer plus size. Now it is about meeting my goal. It is about the confidence that comes with proving that I can do anything I set my mind to. This decision to get in shape and stay that way has to be one of the single most important decisions I have ever made. In this moment, I love me for loving me enough to do this!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Finally!!

After two months of maintenance and vacationing I am finally back on track and losing. During the past two months I have lost, but much slower than I have grown accustomed too. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my wonderful family, but if I'm going to lose this remaining 38 pounds by this fall, I have to get back on track.
I took my measurements today and I have steadily lost inches, so that is a good thing. More people have been noticing my weight loss, so it must be due to the inches coming off. My waist for one is really slimming down and shaping up. If only my hips and thighs would follow suit.
I have set a very aggressive goal for the next two weeks so I plan to spend more time in the gym. Thinking about previous weight loss efforts has brought I strange realization to me. I lose weight best when I walk! I love the elliptical and other gym equipment, but what works best for me is good old fashion walking. Once I started using the treadmill, my legs really began to slim and shape up. I loved the results so much, I kept using it. I remember when I first made the cheerleading squad back in junior high school. I weighed around 120 and felt sooooooo FAT! I spent the summer before my 9th grade year walking the track at a junior high in my neighborhood. When I went back to school, everyone noticed how much weight I'd lost, and all I'd done was walk. Fast forward to early 2003, about 3 or 4 months after I knew for sure I wasn't having any more children. I decided it was time for me to get into shape. I was roughly a size 16 (some 18's). The apartment complex I lived in had a 24hr fitness room and I began working out 5 mornings a week. That was when I first discovered the elliptical. I fell in love with it b/c it was low impact and thus VERY easy for me. I toned pretty well, but lost very little. Up until a little while ago I thought that was b/c I still ate crap. That may have been part of the reason, but I now believe it had a lot to do with the fact that the elliptical does not provide the type of workout that gives my body the best results. Fastforward to last November when I made the decision to get and stay in shape. When I went into the gym, I immediately went to the elliptical. I thought since I loved that machine it was "best" for me. In all fairness, I did lose a little, but I got MUCH better results once I started walking on the treadmill and treadclimber. I guess the point is, the machine that is harder for me to do is best b/c it's pushing my body to work harder.
All gym equipment is NOT created equal. What works for me and my body may not work for you and yours. Which gym equipment works best for you? How does your body achieve optimal results?

Monday, June 9, 2008

Back from Vacation!

After two weeks in the States with my family, I am very proud to announce I did not gain weight!!! Go me, it's my birthday, go me it's my birthday!
A little background info: I come from a family of mostly overweight people. To my knowledge only one person is working on their weight right now. Everyone else pretty much eats whatever, so dieting around all that fattening food is not always easy. Fortunately for me though, I really have no desire to eat the way I once did. Portion control has finally become second nature, the thought of a greasy burger make me wanna gag, and most sugary foods are WAY too sweet. I went to one of my favorite restaurants (Smokey Bones) and ordered an appetizer as opposed to a entree and actually shared with my kids. I now know how to eat until satisfied, not stuffed! My body is definitely thanking me for treating it better. I can now sit for longer periods of time without feeling like my buns are going to fall off. I can cross my legs without my knees screaming in pain. I can walk for hours without my feet yelling in agony. I can go up and down stairs without feeling like I need an oxygen tank. The list goes on and on. Most recently I noticed that my monthly friend has decided to start showing up on time again (maybe TMI). For nearly a year it was complete guess work, and it never occured to me it was b/c of my weight. It's amazig how much stress being overweight causes for your body. It literally affects every area. Also, my chronic heartburn is gone! It would get so bad at times that I'd sit awake rocking in the middle of the bed at night b/c nothing would soothe it. I'd wake my poor husband numerous times throughout the night.
On a purely physical note, it felt great not to shop in the plus size section anymore! At first I felt like a fish out of water b/c I couldn't shop in any of my favorite stores anymore. I kept thinking to myself, "Where do little people shop"? I even had to take a few 12's back to the store b/c they were too big! While wearing a size 10 outfit I bought, I kept saying to myself, "I can't freaking believe I'm wearing a 10 right now! A 10! I'm wearing a 10!" I felt like I could have literally lept over a mountain that day. That feeling is almost like a drug. Though I've never tried drugs, the feeling is so addictive, it must be similar to what addicts experience.
In addition to that feeling there is also the little voice in my head that continues to point out all of my imperfections. The stretchmarks I'll never be able to get rid of. The thighs that still need so much work. I think the remaining 40 pounds is almost completely in my lower half. There are days when I still look in the mirror and get grossed out. I still look at myself and see a fat girl! I find myself still referring to myself as a "big girl". Though the scale and my clothing both say otherwise, my mind still plays tricks on me. I know that if I am not careful that is going to be a big issue for me. I've had people to tell me I don't need to lose another 40, that 40 may be too much. I find it frustrating that when you are obese, people look at you and think/say, "She needs to lose weight", but then when you start losing, they wanna put a limit on the amount you can lose. What gives them the right?!?!?... ok, sorry, a little moment there. I had a few people upset me with their comments in case you can't tell. One person actually had the nerve to say, "Don't lose 40 more, if you just lose 15 more you'll look great!" How dare you, I look great now. How dare you tell me how much weight I do or don't need to lose! Where did you go to medical school? Ok, another moment, but I'm done with that now!
I am more determined than ever to reach my goal. All of the vacationing is behind me and I can finally focus on losing the rest of this weight before my husband returns home for good! Only 4 months left and I want his eyes to pop out of his head when he sees me! Wish me luck!!!