For the most part, I feel I've been really happy and positive about everything to do with this quest. I don't let the struggles get me down and I find ways to enjoy all the work I'm putting into this. It's been an incredibly uplifting time! I've even been able to overcome the negativity of people who truly wish for me to fail, for reasons I'll never know or understand. I've let go of any emotional baggage holding me back. I've crushed all of my goals for a total current weight loss of 30 pounds! It's been life-changing in all the best ways!
However, I can't help but get irritated at times. In talking so openly about what I'm doing, I'm exposing so much of myself for others to criticize. Anyone who's "dieted" in their lives can tell you that people are all too eager to give their opinion on what you're doing. Most of the time it's helpful! Those who've experienced success in weight loss offer up words of encouragement and useful tips to get through the difficult aspects of the process. Those who are currently going through it with you serve as an accountability partner to help you maintain focus. But then there are those who say you're doing it all wrong. "That meal plan is too heavy in protein", "you HAVE to exercise at least an hour a day", "why are you focusing on toning when you should be doing more cardio?"... and it's the song that never ends. Yes, indeed it does go on and on, my friends.
I think people like to assume that this is my first experience in trying to drop weight, which is totally understandable. It IS my first time being successful at it so it's a valid misconception. In thinking that, several people have tried to take the reins from me, saying that I should follow their plan for me in losing their idea of the right amount of weight. I know it comes from a very loving and well-meant place so I smile and listen, trying to be understanding. But in my head I'm just thinking 'This ain't my first rodeo y'all'!
Contrary to what most people think, those of us who struggle with weight are actually extremely well-read and educated on healthy lifestyles. We're probably even your best experts if looking into weight loss programs! There are few diets, meal plans, or programs that I haven't tried. Atkins, Slim 4 Life, Slim Fast, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Skinny Switch, South Beach, etc, etc. I've tried them all. I've failed at them all. But I do know how they work and the benefits of each. Am I still learning and in need of advice? Absolutely! But I do know what works for my body and what works for my life.
I think the main problem with all of the constant advice and "help" I'm getting is that everyone has a different answer for the same issue. Like I said on my facebook page, I stopped eating bananas because one person once told me that they slowed down metabolism. That turned out to be completely untrue! Bananas actually help your metabolism and provide additional nutrients that benefit weight loss. So I finally got to eat bananas again, which I LOVE! Another time, I was eating too few calories for months because one person told me that was what would give me the best results. It actually put my body into starvation mode and caused me to plateau for two weeks! Yikes!
The point that this whole blog is trying to make is that I have to be my own captain on this journey as long as I'm doing it by myself (when I get to the resort they can definitely take control!). I have to do the research, I have to read the books and listen to the professionals, I have to test things out and see if they work for me, I have to be the one who decides what, when, and how I'm going to do things. Because in the end, nobody knows me better than I do. I'm the only one who can control the outcome of this quest so I have to stand up and say "Thank you so much for your advice, I'll definitely look into it" and then make my own judgment call about the information I've been given. Some advice has led me astray and that's not what I need. In order to stay the course, I just have to be strong in all aspects. So... Jesus take the wheel and KJ take the navigation. No worries... we got this :-)
P.S. If you read this and wondered if I was talking about you or your personal input on my journey, don't worry! Ha ha. I've already had conversations with the people who I felt needed to let go of the control and they all were wonderful and gracious about doing so. If you and I haven't had that conversation, keep the tips and encouragement coming. I love it all and truly do appreciate every single person who's continued to support me! You're the best!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Lightening the Load
As I've said several times in these blogs, I'm an emotional eater. The damage I've done to my body wasn't done overnight and it wasn't done for fun. Food has been my comfort in times when I felt I had nowhere else to turn. If you don't struggle with addiction, you really won't understand this particular topic but if you do, I know you'll be able to relate. When you find true comfort in something and you have an addictive personality, you will hold onto that feeling for as long as you possibly can. Sometimes it's good comfort. You enjoy singing so you go out every Friday, rain, sleet, or snow so that you can do karaoke. Or better yet, you find solace in working out so you exercise several times a day (if only that were my addiction). But sometimes, more often than not, the comfort is bad. Drugs make you feel good. Alcohol takes away your stress. Food tastes so delicious that in that moment, nothing could be better. That has been my true comfort from an early age and my attachment to it only grew stronger as I grew older. There was no emotional stress too big that food couldn't comfort, if only for a few seconds. That's how you push your body to 304 pounds. Then you look in the mirror and hate yourself for what you've done but the only solution to your pain is to find comfort! See the cycle?
Now, if you watched my Biggest Loser video back in January, you might have noticed something that I mentioned very quickly. Something that I kind of skated over between discussing emotional eating and addiction. The reason I did that was because it's very difficult for me to talk about. Even now as I'm thinking of writing about it, I'm not quite sure it's the best decision. But I promised honesty through this quest and if I left this part of my life out of the equation, that'd be a huge chunk of information missing from the solution. So please only continue reading this if you are willing to keep an open-mind and kind heart because this is the hardest thing I'll have to do in putting my life out there for everyone to see.
As I quickly spat out in the video, I have had to deal with some fairly serious abuse in the past. The details I will not share because that is a little too personal but for about two years, I was in way over my head. Unless you've been in the situation, it's very hard to understand why people "allow themselves" to be abused. I hate that phrase... allow themselves. Never at any point did I say "Yes please, I'd like you to treat me this way". Of course I didn't! To be honest, for many types of abuse you don't necessarily know it's happening! It creeps its way into your life from someone you trust and slowly becomes normal. As it progresses, you don't notice because it's been steadily growing. Then one day something drastic happens and you finally realize that you're in way too deep. And at that point you've grown so accustomed to it that you think you can handle it. You're strong enough to get through it. Or you convince yourself that it was good once... it can be good again. He's just going through a phase. I have to help him. He needs me. I need him. We just bring out the worst in each other. I make him too angry. I should be better. I should try harder. I should be prettier. I should be smarter. I'm not good enough. Why am I not good enough?
Then it's your fault. All your fault. You want out but now you've forgotten what else is out there. Everything around you is in chaos and the only constant is the place you run for comfort. It's your addiction. For 30 seconds, this will take my attention away from pain. For 30 seconds, my problem does not exist. For 30 seconds, I'm finally happy. I want 30 more seconds of happiness.
In my case, the abuse eventually did end. I had a few bad experiences after that in trying to find myself again but I did kick my way back to the surface and into daylight. Then I had to figure out who I was without all that. What is Kelly Jo without all the craziness? How do I handle a life that's calm? Who will accept me when they know what I've done? Then you decide that no one will understand or accept you so you shut it all out. Shut out the people you love who might know too much. Shut out the people who ask too many questions. Shut out the people who can see through your facade. Shut out the world. Except... your addiction. That can stay. Because next comes the bitterness and anger over everything. You're mad at the person but you're more mad at yourself. You'll need your comfort in order to deal with that part. So you sit... and grow more bitter... with your addiction by your side. Your only companion. That is how I got to my heaviest weight. It took another drastic event like seeing 304 flash on the scale, three years after the intense emotional eating began, to realize I was slowly killing myself. That was no one's work but mine. Only I could change it. And now... over a year since that realization, I'm finally doing it.
Now all of that background is to say that recently I decided that I was still holding on to SO MUCH of the past. I hadn't fully let go of all the baggage that's weighed me down and caused me to continue the cycle of emotional eating. In order for this journey to move forward, I had to lighten the load. I had to face my inner demons and release it all, fully forgiving everyone I've harbored resentment towards but mostly fully forgiving myself. So I began that process and God put a few things in my path that surprised me. I had some incredibly excellent conversations with people I swore I'd never speak to again. I found closure on situations that needed it. I even got a chance to say everything I need to, to several people! For the first time, I stepped outside of what was comfortable or even what was expected of me because I knew that it was finally time. I was finally ready to let it go. Everything. I'd already gotten control of my addiction and found new comfort in this journey to health and happiness so now it was time to kick the last bit of excess out and move on. Full speed ahead.
I'm very pleased to say that after a weekend of handling all of this and some even calling ME out of the blue just to say they felt the need to talk (how crazy is God's timing sometimes?) I'm feeling a million times better. I could begin to feel the layers falling away and the walls beginning to crumble. Today I felt a door swing wide open, ready for me to cross through to the next and best chapter of my life. They say that God waits until you're ready and only then will He allow things to happen. I haven't been fully ready for this journey until recently which is why I failed at it until recently. I wanted it for all the wrong reasons but now, I finally got it. That's why I'm moving forward with consistent success. It's because it's finally my time. And now, with this happy closure, I have nothing tying me down. Nothing stopping me from finishing this thing strong. I'm happy and completely content in my life... just as I am right now. And that makes all the difference.
I do want to say before I go that if you struggle with abuse (in any form... it comes in many) I'd be happy to talk to you more about it. I'm no expert, by any means, but I have been there. Sometimes you just need a friend who listens and understands. I held my issues inside for the longest time, which is why it's taken me so many years to get to this wonderful place of pure happiness and hope. I pray that every woman who struggles with it finds the love for themselves and promise of a better future to reach that point as well. It's a new feeling for me... not being angry with anyone... but I'm the happiest I've ever been because of it. And my weight on the scale reflects it. Thank the Lord for His perfect timing!
Now, if you watched my Biggest Loser video back in January, you might have noticed something that I mentioned very quickly. Something that I kind of skated over between discussing emotional eating and addiction. The reason I did that was because it's very difficult for me to talk about. Even now as I'm thinking of writing about it, I'm not quite sure it's the best decision. But I promised honesty through this quest and if I left this part of my life out of the equation, that'd be a huge chunk of information missing from the solution. So please only continue reading this if you are willing to keep an open-mind and kind heart because this is the hardest thing I'll have to do in putting my life out there for everyone to see.
As I quickly spat out in the video, I have had to deal with some fairly serious abuse in the past. The details I will not share because that is a little too personal but for about two years, I was in way over my head. Unless you've been in the situation, it's very hard to understand why people "allow themselves" to be abused. I hate that phrase... allow themselves. Never at any point did I say "Yes please, I'd like you to treat me this way". Of course I didn't! To be honest, for many types of abuse you don't necessarily know it's happening! It creeps its way into your life from someone you trust and slowly becomes normal. As it progresses, you don't notice because it's been steadily growing. Then one day something drastic happens and you finally realize that you're in way too deep. And at that point you've grown so accustomed to it that you think you can handle it. You're strong enough to get through it. Or you convince yourself that it was good once... it can be good again. He's just going through a phase. I have to help him. He needs me. I need him. We just bring out the worst in each other. I make him too angry. I should be better. I should try harder. I should be prettier. I should be smarter. I'm not good enough. Why am I not good enough?
Then it's your fault. All your fault. You want out but now you've forgotten what else is out there. Everything around you is in chaos and the only constant is the place you run for comfort. It's your addiction. For 30 seconds, this will take my attention away from pain. For 30 seconds, my problem does not exist. For 30 seconds, I'm finally happy. I want 30 more seconds of happiness.
In my case, the abuse eventually did end. I had a few bad experiences after that in trying to find myself again but I did kick my way back to the surface and into daylight. Then I had to figure out who I was without all that. What is Kelly Jo without all the craziness? How do I handle a life that's calm? Who will accept me when they know what I've done? Then you decide that no one will understand or accept you so you shut it all out. Shut out the people you love who might know too much. Shut out the people who ask too many questions. Shut out the people who can see through your facade. Shut out the world. Except... your addiction. That can stay. Because next comes the bitterness and anger over everything. You're mad at the person but you're more mad at yourself. You'll need your comfort in order to deal with that part. So you sit... and grow more bitter... with your addiction by your side. Your only companion. That is how I got to my heaviest weight. It took another drastic event like seeing 304 flash on the scale, three years after the intense emotional eating began, to realize I was slowly killing myself. That was no one's work but mine. Only I could change it. And now... over a year since that realization, I'm finally doing it.
Now all of that background is to say that recently I decided that I was still holding on to SO MUCH of the past. I hadn't fully let go of all the baggage that's weighed me down and caused me to continue the cycle of emotional eating. In order for this journey to move forward, I had to lighten the load. I had to face my inner demons and release it all, fully forgiving everyone I've harbored resentment towards but mostly fully forgiving myself. So I began that process and God put a few things in my path that surprised me. I had some incredibly excellent conversations with people I swore I'd never speak to again. I found closure on situations that needed it. I even got a chance to say everything I need to, to several people! For the first time, I stepped outside of what was comfortable or even what was expected of me because I knew that it was finally time. I was finally ready to let it go. Everything. I'd already gotten control of my addiction and found new comfort in this journey to health and happiness so now it was time to kick the last bit of excess out and move on. Full speed ahead.
I'm very pleased to say that after a weekend of handling all of this and some even calling ME out of the blue just to say they felt the need to talk (how crazy is God's timing sometimes?) I'm feeling a million times better. I could begin to feel the layers falling away and the walls beginning to crumble. Today I felt a door swing wide open, ready for me to cross through to the next and best chapter of my life. They say that God waits until you're ready and only then will He allow things to happen. I haven't been fully ready for this journey until recently which is why I failed at it until recently. I wanted it for all the wrong reasons but now, I finally got it. That's why I'm moving forward with consistent success. It's because it's finally my time. And now, with this happy closure, I have nothing tying me down. Nothing stopping me from finishing this thing strong. I'm happy and completely content in my life... just as I am right now. And that makes all the difference.
I do want to say before I go that if you struggle with abuse (in any form... it comes in many) I'd be happy to talk to you more about it. I'm no expert, by any means, but I have been there. Sometimes you just need a friend who listens and understands. I held my issues inside for the longest time, which is why it's taken me so many years to get to this wonderful place of pure happiness and hope. I pray that every woman who struggles with it finds the love for themselves and promise of a better future to reach that point as well. It's a new feeling for me... not being angry with anyone... but I'm the happiest I've ever been because of it. And my weight on the scale reflects it. Thank the Lord for His perfect timing!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
That Mirage Smells Amazing
I don't know what's been going on with me lately but I have been dealing with some major cravings and lack of energy. Don't get me wrong, I am still fully committed to what I am doing but I seem to be passing through a dessert. Oops.. I mean desert. See, even now I have chocolate on the brain!
People frequently ask me how I manage to maintain a meal plan with such limited sugar. If I don't have it that often, don't I feel immense temptations? While I'd like to say "No... I'm perfect", the truth is that I still crave it like you wouldn't believe and I do struggle every day with temptation. Today I gave in and had an oatmeal cookie sandwich with peanut butter cream filling. This delicious treat was sent straight from the devil to taunt me. I told myself over and over not to eat it but it wouldn't stop calling to me! So I did what I have to do now that I'm leading a balanced lifestyle- I made a deal with myself. I would allow ONE cookie into my plan for the day if I committed to doing a solid 30 minute workout and drinking an extra bottle of water. So I split the cookie into three sections and ate one small portion every ten minutes. This made it seem like I'd really had three cookies and I wasn't deprived. Then, when I got home, I did indeed stay true to my bargain and followed through with the additional exercise and water.
What I'm learning more and more as I go through this journey (now successfully 30 pounds lighter than my heaviest, holla!) is that in order for it to be a true change, it has to be something you can sustain. Not just for now... forever. Because of my addiction I will ALWAYS struggle with food. I will always want the comfort of it but like any recovering addict, I will learn how to handle it. This is a great sign of how far I've come. Eating only one cookie would've been impossible a few months ago! If you had told me I'd be able to do that I would've laughed in your face and eaten another candy bar. If you'd told me I'd be walking around in a pair of pants that are slowly falling off of me, I might've even called you a dirty liar. But here I am, consistently maintaining a healthy meal plan and shedding more weight as each day passes. And every night, though I continue to face temptation, I am so thankful that my steps are growing more determined. My weakness to food is becoming less and my resolve is becoming stronger.
With every success, also comes some struggle. Right now, the challenge is getting enough exercise. I have been successfully waking up at 5:00 every morning to get in my daily cardio. I vary it from day to day and do strength training in the evenings after dinner. While this has been an amazing accomplishment, for the last few weeks I've been losing motivation. Getting up at 5 leaves me exhausted in spite of the endorphins I'm getting from working out. There is the quote from Legally Blonde where Elle says "Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands". Well... do these happy people get a full 7-8 hours of sleep before they exercise? Do they enjoy mornings in general? Do they like sweating and being hot and sticky before making their breakfast? Because I, my friends, do not. And if I had a husband, I couldn't promise his safety when I'm up at 5 am after only a few hours of rest.
I discussed this problem with several people, including a few friends whom I consider health gurus. They all agreed on the same thing. If exercise becomes a chore, you will not sustain that change. As soon as you drop the weight and meet your goal, you'd likely also drop the exercising. It can't be something you loathe doing every day. For two solid months I enjoyed getting up and working out but now... it's becoming a chore. And I want to learn to love it! So what's the solution?
Firstly, I need to stop listening to the skinny, exercise junkies who keep telling me that I'll "only lose weight if I get my metabolism going early". False prophets! Is it beneficial to workout in the morning before you begin your day? Absolutely! But is it the only way you can be successful in weight loss and lifestyle management? NO! If I'm more inclined to do it later in the day, or even before bed, then that is the right time for me. There is no right or wrong when it comes to exercise. As long as you do it, you're learning and doing your body good. I have to continue reminding myself to not feel guilty if I'm different and have to do things according to what works for me. Working out in the afternoons and evenings prove much better for me because I'm truly happy and ready to do it. I'm fully awake, I have the energy to complete a full workout, and (I'll admit it) I'd rather be sweaty at home when I know I'm not going anywhere afterwards, so I have time to shower and relax. It's just better!
So... my new system, that seems to be working, is to get up at an acceptable hour and do 1 minute of some kind of cardio- i.e. jumping jacks, high knees, or mountain climbers- just to get the blood pumping. Then I go about my day, getting extra walking and lifting in at work when I can, and do my cardio as soon as I get home from work. Then I continue doing my strength training and stretching before bed. I tried this out for two days this week and already I can feel my body responding because there's no stress involved. I'm much happier!
Like I said in the beginning, this journey will come with several adjustments and since I'm doing it on my own, I'll have to find my way to success. But I'll never stop moving. This tortoise is scooting along just fine!
People frequently ask me how I manage to maintain a meal plan with such limited sugar. If I don't have it that often, don't I feel immense temptations? While I'd like to say "No... I'm perfect", the truth is that I still crave it like you wouldn't believe and I do struggle every day with temptation. Today I gave in and had an oatmeal cookie sandwich with peanut butter cream filling. This delicious treat was sent straight from the devil to taunt me. I told myself over and over not to eat it but it wouldn't stop calling to me! So I did what I have to do now that I'm leading a balanced lifestyle- I made a deal with myself. I would allow ONE cookie into my plan for the day if I committed to doing a solid 30 minute workout and drinking an extra bottle of water. So I split the cookie into three sections and ate one small portion every ten minutes. This made it seem like I'd really had three cookies and I wasn't deprived. Then, when I got home, I did indeed stay true to my bargain and followed through with the additional exercise and water.
What I'm learning more and more as I go through this journey (now successfully 30 pounds lighter than my heaviest, holla!) is that in order for it to be a true change, it has to be something you can sustain. Not just for now... forever. Because of my addiction I will ALWAYS struggle with food. I will always want the comfort of it but like any recovering addict, I will learn how to handle it. This is a great sign of how far I've come. Eating only one cookie would've been impossible a few months ago! If you had told me I'd be able to do that I would've laughed in your face and eaten another candy bar. If you'd told me I'd be walking around in a pair of pants that are slowly falling off of me, I might've even called you a dirty liar. But here I am, consistently maintaining a healthy meal plan and shedding more weight as each day passes. And every night, though I continue to face temptation, I am so thankful that my steps are growing more determined. My weakness to food is becoming less and my resolve is becoming stronger.
With every success, also comes some struggle. Right now, the challenge is getting enough exercise. I have been successfully waking up at 5:00 every morning to get in my daily cardio. I vary it from day to day and do strength training in the evenings after dinner. While this has been an amazing accomplishment, for the last few weeks I've been losing motivation. Getting up at 5 leaves me exhausted in spite of the endorphins I'm getting from working out. There is the quote from Legally Blonde where Elle says "Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands". Well... do these happy people get a full 7-8 hours of sleep before they exercise? Do they enjoy mornings in general? Do they like sweating and being hot and sticky before making their breakfast? Because I, my friends, do not. And if I had a husband, I couldn't promise his safety when I'm up at 5 am after only a few hours of rest.
I discussed this problem with several people, including a few friends whom I consider health gurus. They all agreed on the same thing. If exercise becomes a chore, you will not sustain that change. As soon as you drop the weight and meet your goal, you'd likely also drop the exercising. It can't be something you loathe doing every day. For two solid months I enjoyed getting up and working out but now... it's becoming a chore. And I want to learn to love it! So what's the solution?
Firstly, I need to stop listening to the skinny, exercise junkies who keep telling me that I'll "only lose weight if I get my metabolism going early". False prophets! Is it beneficial to workout in the morning before you begin your day? Absolutely! But is it the only way you can be successful in weight loss and lifestyle management? NO! If I'm more inclined to do it later in the day, or even before bed, then that is the right time for me. There is no right or wrong when it comes to exercise. As long as you do it, you're learning and doing your body good. I have to continue reminding myself to not feel guilty if I'm different and have to do things according to what works for me. Working out in the afternoons and evenings prove much better for me because I'm truly happy and ready to do it. I'm fully awake, I have the energy to complete a full workout, and (I'll admit it) I'd rather be sweaty at home when I know I'm not going anywhere afterwards, so I have time to shower and relax. It's just better!
So... my new system, that seems to be working, is to get up at an acceptable hour and do 1 minute of some kind of cardio- i.e. jumping jacks, high knees, or mountain climbers- just to get the blood pumping. Then I go about my day, getting extra walking and lifting in at work when I can, and do my cardio as soon as I get home from work. Then I continue doing my strength training and stretching before bed. I tried this out for two days this week and already I can feel my body responding because there's no stress involved. I'm much happier!
Like I said in the beginning, this journey will come with several adjustments and since I'm doing it on my own, I'll have to find my way to success. But I'll never stop moving. This tortoise is scooting along just fine!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Mile Marker 2
Alright everyone, it is April 2nd. That means it's time for an official weigh-in and update on the journey.
This month presented two very large obstacles. The first was my 9 day break from work where I went to Austin, TX to spend time with my friends. It went as well as can be expected! My friend Caitlin was supportive and got up early with me to be sure that we'd get a good breakfast in and then she went with me to the fitness center of our hotel to get some exercise. We even went to the grocery store and bought healthy snack foods in case we got hungry in our room. While my eating wasn't perfect the whole time (I admit to caving to some of Austin's best food: Round Rock donuts, Salt Lick barbecue, and chicken salad) I did try to stay active. We went to the capitol building and climbed stairs til I was sweating then walked around 6th street in search of a book store, which helped my daily calorie burn greatly. The bad thing was that my body was not getting what it was used to so I did gain a pound while on that trip. It was unfortunate but I learned my lesson about how to handle vacations. As soon as I got home, I was on my game for the rest of spring break- jogging and eating right every day.
The second obstacle came in the craziest plateau I've ever faced. It began right after I dropped the pound I'd gained during spring break and the numbers would not budge. I tried everything I could think of to get my body back on track but it was not doing anything no matter how hard I tried. So after about a week and a half of nothing, I started pooling my resources and asking for help. In all of my research, I found answers and decided to make two major changes to my meal plan.
1) I read books and looked up information on exactly how many calories I should be eating for my height and weight. Prior to this I'd been sticking to a 1,200 calorie meal plan with certain days going higher or lower, depending on the activity I'd done or just what I had time for. I found out that 1,200 for me was WAY too low. All of the recommended levels said around 1,600 was best for me and going lower than 1,200 had put my body into starvation mode. That meant that my body was not getting enough nutrients to fuel the exercise so instead of releasing the fat, it began to store any and all it could get. So there was no way to drop more weight while eating at that level. I had to boost it, which I admit did make me a little happy. I can eat an extra snack a day? Well okay!
2) Processed food had to go. I kept complaining about my lack of time to cook or prepare meals so most of what I was eating was frozen. I knew the complications that go along with frozen meals but I ignored them because it was quick and I was too lazy to make time to cook. So I had to recognize that fault in myself. This whole journey is about changing my lifestyle, all laziness included! If processed foods were causing issue, I needed to force myself to change the habit and start cooking. And in all actuality, in the 5 minutes it takes to heat up a dinner, I could make a sandwich. Seriously KJ, get with it.
So after I'd adjusted those two issues, my body seemed to be back in gear. In the last week of March I was able to drop some additional weight. That being said... here's the official report. My goal for the month was to be down 10 pounds by today. Last month I weighed in at 288 lbs. This month my weight is... drumroll please... 277 lbs!!! That is a total loss of 11 lbs for the month, 19 lbs since I began in February, and 27 lbs from my heaviest! WOO HOO!!! Even with the nearly two week plateau and a short one pound gain, I still managed to not only meet my goal but go one step further! And I'm back in the 270s! The last time I was in this weight range I was working at Disney World (almost two years ago) and on my feet 12+ hours a day. The fact that I have made it back here is such a good sign of what I can accomplish through this! I'm thrilled with that.
For the month of April, I'm shooting just slightly lower. 9 lbs is what I want this month. At the rate I'm going that should be fairly simple. If I lose more, then hey... bonus! But I'm just focusing on getting into the 260s.
April 2nd: 277 lbs
May 2nd: 268 lbs
If I can keep this steady pace going, I should break 200 by the time December comes around. Then Biggest Loser can help me handle the rest :-) Next goal... lets do this!
This month presented two very large obstacles. The first was my 9 day break from work where I went to Austin, TX to spend time with my friends. It went as well as can be expected! My friend Caitlin was supportive and got up early with me to be sure that we'd get a good breakfast in and then she went with me to the fitness center of our hotel to get some exercise. We even went to the grocery store and bought healthy snack foods in case we got hungry in our room. While my eating wasn't perfect the whole time (I admit to caving to some of Austin's best food: Round Rock donuts, Salt Lick barbecue, and chicken salad) I did try to stay active. We went to the capitol building and climbed stairs til I was sweating then walked around 6th street in search of a book store, which helped my daily calorie burn greatly. The bad thing was that my body was not getting what it was used to so I did gain a pound while on that trip. It was unfortunate but I learned my lesson about how to handle vacations. As soon as I got home, I was on my game for the rest of spring break- jogging and eating right every day.
The second obstacle came in the craziest plateau I've ever faced. It began right after I dropped the pound I'd gained during spring break and the numbers would not budge. I tried everything I could think of to get my body back on track but it was not doing anything no matter how hard I tried. So after about a week and a half of nothing, I started pooling my resources and asking for help. In all of my research, I found answers and decided to make two major changes to my meal plan.
1) I read books and looked up information on exactly how many calories I should be eating for my height and weight. Prior to this I'd been sticking to a 1,200 calorie meal plan with certain days going higher or lower, depending on the activity I'd done or just what I had time for. I found out that 1,200 for me was WAY too low. All of the recommended levels said around 1,600 was best for me and going lower than 1,200 had put my body into starvation mode. That meant that my body was not getting enough nutrients to fuel the exercise so instead of releasing the fat, it began to store any and all it could get. So there was no way to drop more weight while eating at that level. I had to boost it, which I admit did make me a little happy. I can eat an extra snack a day? Well okay!
2) Processed food had to go. I kept complaining about my lack of time to cook or prepare meals so most of what I was eating was frozen. I knew the complications that go along with frozen meals but I ignored them because it was quick and I was too lazy to make time to cook. So I had to recognize that fault in myself. This whole journey is about changing my lifestyle, all laziness included! If processed foods were causing issue, I needed to force myself to change the habit and start cooking. And in all actuality, in the 5 minutes it takes to heat up a dinner, I could make a sandwich. Seriously KJ, get with it.
So after I'd adjusted those two issues, my body seemed to be back in gear. In the last week of March I was able to drop some additional weight. That being said... here's the official report. My goal for the month was to be down 10 pounds by today. Last month I weighed in at 288 lbs. This month my weight is... drumroll please... 277 lbs!!! That is a total loss of 11 lbs for the month, 19 lbs since I began in February, and 27 lbs from my heaviest! WOO HOO!!! Even with the nearly two week plateau and a short one pound gain, I still managed to not only meet my goal but go one step further! And I'm back in the 270s! The last time I was in this weight range I was working at Disney World (almost two years ago) and on my feet 12+ hours a day. The fact that I have made it back here is such a good sign of what I can accomplish through this! I'm thrilled with that.
For the month of April, I'm shooting just slightly lower. 9 lbs is what I want this month. At the rate I'm going that should be fairly simple. If I lose more, then hey... bonus! But I'm just focusing on getting into the 260s.
April 2nd: 277 lbs
May 2nd: 268 lbs
If I can keep this steady pace going, I should break 200 by the time December comes around. Then Biggest Loser can help me handle the rest :-) Next goal... lets do this!
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