Support from loved ones – Week 7

I was sick last week and missed most of my scheduled workouts but I still managed to lose ½ a pound, must have been all the trips to the bathroom. I feel much better and am ready to rev it up for the final five weeks of this 12 week program.

I wanted to share my thoughts on the love and support that I’ve gotten from the most important person in my life, my husband Paul. When I started this journey back in February of 2008 my husband was with me for 2 months before he left for a 6 month deployment to the Gulf, yes I am married to the military. The support I received from him has been the driving force behind my success. I remember the first day of the Biggest Winner program with BDHQ, I stepped on the scale and was mortified with the number it read … 243lbs, I walked through the front door that night to see my husband greeting me with smiles asking “so how was it” my response was a tearful “I weigh 243lbs”, he responded with a sincere “well you won’t weigh that tomorrow”. To this day those words mean everything to me. I can’t say enough about the love and support that my husband has continued to give me. Even the distance between us during his 6 month deployment, he would continue to listen to me vent about the struggles, offer support from a far and cheer me on. The highlight of 2008 was the two of us crossing the finish line at the Seattle half marathon. I had an injury before the race but wasn’t going to let that stop me, from mile 9 on I cried in pain and walked (limped) most of the last 4 miles with my husband beside me telling me I can do it, we ran across the finish line holding hands, that moment will forever be etched in my mind. I want to thank my husband for being there for me from the start of this journey and continuing to be the best husband I could’ve ever asked for. I love you babe, see you soon. (February the month of Love)

You will need all the support you can get from loved ones, friends and family. It’s hard to accomplish it on your own without any support. I am so fortunate to have had amazing support throughout this journey. Losing weight has been the hardest thing I have done and as you can tell it’s still a struggle to get the last pounds off. I know that living a healthy lifestyle will continue to be a struggle but as the saying goes….skinny tastes so much better than cake!

So the final five begins! Clean eating and extra workouts is what the next five weeks will consist of for me in order to kick it up a notch or two…

Booyah! Week 6

Well I must say all the positive thinking of just living and not worry about what the number on the scale is has caused it to move. I am finally in the 150’s, 157.8 to be exact. I weighed in on week 3 at 159.8 but really that’s just a teaser, its not really in the 150’s. Week 4 and 5 I had gains of 1.6lbs and 2.2lbs and yesterday, Week 6, I lost 5.8lbs. I guess changing things up really is what it’s going to take. So I have 15lbs to go to reach 100lb weight loss. I’m not going to stress about timeline, it will take me as long as it takes me, I’m just so glad I’ve moved past the 160’s.

I’ve been eating really clean for the past week and feel fantastic. I cut dairy from my diet a while ago but added cottage cheese back into it last week. I love cottage cheese with celery and cherry tomatoes, its heaven.

This transformation journey that I’ve been on for the past 2 years has been the most life changing experience for me to date. I have become a stronger person both mentally and physically. I am no longer that person who keeps my mouth shut when something is bothering me. My entire life I would internalize my emotions and the only way to numb them was to feed them. I no longer suppress them; I express them and feel so much better because of it.

So another week begins of eating clean and exercising. As long as I continue to do my best at leading a healthy, active lifestyle, I am a winner regardless of what the number on the scale is.

End of Week 5; Midway point and reflection

I took the entire week off and didn’t move my body at all and feel great because of it. It’s hard when you come off of surgery and are forced to take it easy in order to recover and then when you come back to exercising it is so easy to do too much. I ended up weighing in at the studio last night which kind of put me in a weird head space because obviously my weight would be up 2lbs, I drink a gallon of water a day and at that time I would have already had 3 liters in me, but after running out my frustration I realize it’s only a number and when I weigh in on Sunday it will be a loss so really who cares.

I will not allow myself to be tied to a scale anymore, my emotions have been based on the number on the scale for the past 2 years and I’m done with that, if it’s up I’m happy, if it’s down I’m depressed or pissed off. How emotionally draining is that on me and my husband and everyone else around me. I want to embrace life and start living it. Being overweight is like living in a cocoon and it’s time for me to turn into that butterfly and enjoy life.

The truth will set you free…It may not be obvious to you but this blog has actually led me to make some life changing resolutions. It has truly forced me to reflect on myself, my goals and my issues. Therapy, who needs therapy when you are able to write things down, it’s so therapeutic.

So begins the midway point of week 6! I am realistic that I may not reach my goal in the next 6 weeks but I think I look fabulous. I will continue on with this blog and fitness journey after the 6 weeks is up and eventually I will hit my 100lbs lost goal, that I can guarantee.

Did you also notice I have changed it to fitness journey rather than weightloss journey. I believe that was a long time coming.

Reconsidering the skin I’m in...

I seemed to have had a moment of clarity yesterday. I have been so focused on losing the last bit of weight that I have yet to sit back and appreciate all that I have accomplished to date AND how great my body looks since the surgery.

I see hipbones! My body has changed so much since the surgery that I am falling in love with it. I know it sounds crazy but it’s true. I love looking at myself in the mirror. The swelling from the surgery is starting to diminish slowly and as that happens my new shape is beginning to appear. My plastic surgeon said it could take up to a year before I see my new shape and I just need to be patient. Well he was right my body looks completely different from a month ago. So my thoughts are to enjoy this process. My food is great, I exercise regularly and count my calories in order for weight loss, if the weight is slow coming off, I am okay with that. This is not a race for me anymore it is a journey to a new me. The most important thing to me is creating healthy habits in order to MAINTAIN my weight loss at the end of this incredible journey.

I plan on taking measurements since the last time I took them, which was around week 8 post op and as of today I’m 14 weeks and 2 days post op. I will update the difference once I take them.

So I am going to start to reconsider the skin I’m in and see where this journey takes me, if it only takes me to 94lb weight loss I will be okay with that and if it takes me a year, it takes me a year. I will continue to do what I’m doing and really just enjoy being a healthy, vibrant woman, who has turned her entire life around for good.

Week 4

I am up 1.6lbs due to the simply fact of being a woman. For many years I was on oral contraceptives and because of my pulmonary embolisms I can no longer take any form of hormones, so this has made my PMS almost unbearable. My emotions this past week have been out of control and water retention (weight gain) at its worst. BUT throughout this week I have maintained my clean eating except for my monthly cheat meal which was last night. I ended up having pizza, but paid for it later. I can’t believe how sick I was, my stomach was so upset, and I think it might be the cheese. Lesson learned!

Frustration is starting to kick in right now. I don’t know what else I can do to get the last 20lbs off of my body. I’ve been going on the internet looking for any help as to why my weight isn’t really changing. Obviously the first bit was Christmas weight and lack of exercise due to my surgery but for the past year my weight will not go below 160lbs. I say I’ve tried everything but I know deep down that’s not true. So I will continue to do what I’m doing but start to kick it up a notch this week and hope for the best. If anyone out there has any ideas I would love the advice.

So begins another week…