Hello FB Friends and Acquaintances, It’s been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I hope that life is treating everyone well? I’ve been busy working on my “Jump Start to 50” new life. I won’t lie and say that it’s been easy. It’s been a little tough at times and questioned whether it was worth making the changes that I so desire to make. Each time I questioned myself, I came back with the same answer. Yes, it is worth it. So how has your past two weeks been? Mine have been eventful. My AC went out and of course not one but both. One could be fixed and the other had to be replaced. This put me in a bit of a funk but ironically I stayed within my 1200 calorie diet and probably sweated off a few pounds. The good news for this mishap was that it occurred during the cooler period where we were in the very low 100’s and two days it was at 98 and 99 degrees. Family, dogs and I survived. Hopefully my electric bill will be a little kind and be a little lower since the AC’ weren’t on for a few days. I had my follow-up with my doctor since seeing her 4 weeks ago. I was a bit nervous seeing her but also feeling good about the visit. I’ve lost a few pounds since starting this journey. My clothes are a little loose and I’ve noticed that my face looks a little thinner. I told myself that my plans were to check my weight every Saturday so that I would be prepared to have a smile on my face or to still be a bit disappointed. The first week I lost 3 lbs. I was down at first but reminded myself that the weight didn’t come on overnight and that it’s not going to come off overnight. The second week I lost another 4 lbs, giving me a total of 7 lbs total. I was happy. I was finding myself eating healthier and I wasn’t missing the normal sweets that I so often had as a snack when getting home or before going to bed. The last two weeks I never stepped onto the scale. Between the AC going out and tackling a work related project, I just never took the time to weight myself. So when Friday, August 9th came along, I was anxious to see how much I’ve actually lost. Plans were to wear the exact clothing and shoes that I wore on Friday, July 12th. When I put on my jeans I noticed that they were loose and that this was indeed a good sign. I finished my daily routine for getting ready and out the door I went. While driving down the freeway I took time to reflect on the past four weeks. What went well and what could I improve on. I found that the “My Fitness Pal” APP is definitely worth loading onto my phone. I never realized how many calories I was consuming until I started tracking my food intake. No wonder I’ve gained so much weight. I would encourage anyone who is ready to make some changes to consider loading and or accessing the tool via online. Yes you don’t need to actually load the APP to reap the benefits that the tool has to offer. So check it out. Walking is definitely a plus for many reasons. Besides the obvious, it’s a great way to clear your mind from everything and just relax. Yes, you can relax when walking. It’s also a cheap activity for anyone who has children. My grandson on a few occasions came along and rode his scooter which at times was funny to watch. Think about how much bonding you can do with a child when walking. You can actually talk without any interruptions of phones, TV, computers, etc. It’s just you and your child having a meaningful conversation. I would encourage anyone who has children to try it if you haven’t already. It’s free and what do you have to lose? My one area that I struggle a bit with and want to expand on is meal preparing. I’ve stayed pretty consistent on what I’ve eaten the past four weeks. I’ve eaten a lot of fruit, vegetables, and chicken. I know that if I don’t start preparing the foods differently, I’m going to find myself board and revert back to my old eating habits. So I’m scouring the internet, cookbooks and FB for various recipes that I can try. I also realize that I need to introduce strength training into my plans for losing weight and improving my overall well being. That means using weights which requires me to visit a part of my house that I can’t stand going into. As I pull into the medical plaza, I start to second guess myself and worry that I haven’t kept the 7 lbs off that I’ve lost. I shake the fear and walk into the doctor’s office. I’m so excited to step onto the scale and see what weight I’ve lost so far. As I’m called in, I go to the room where they take your vitals and have you weight yourself. Before stepping onto the scale, I slip off my shoes just like I did four weeks ago. I look down and I couldn’t believe it. I had actually lost and I lost more than 7 lbs. I had a smile on my face and couldn’t wait to see the doctor. I felt great! Typically it feels like I’m sitting for hours when waiting for the doctor. Today was different, the nurse stepped out and within a couple of minutes the doctor appeared. She too had a huge smile on her face. I believe that she was just as excited as I was. We discussed my latest blood work results and what I was doing to improve my overall health. After we finished chatting, she looks at me and says that I have a glow and actually look happy. I told her that I actually feel good and happy with the results so far. I actually feel like my goal is attainable. It’s just going to take determination to continue marching forward and not beating myself up on what I did wrong in the past. So as you read this I’m sure you are probably wondering how much weight did I lose and what was my starting weight? I’ve very subconscious of my weight and for many years stayed in the 140 to 145 range. However things started to change when I turned the corner to the ripe age of forty. From there my weight just continued to increase. Up to the age of 48, I stayed in the range of 180 lbs with that wonderful spare tube around my waist. Right before I turned 49, I really started to feel horrible about my weight and refused to step on a scale anymore. I knew that I was gaining weight as the clothes that I wore no longer fit and the spare tube was becoming more noticeable when wearing t-shirts. I couldn’t wear my favorite jeans and too make matters worse the store that I purchased the jeans from didn’t have a larger size. I figured that I was probably close to the 200 mark and was surprised when I actually weighed 211.6 lbs. There I said it. Four weeks ago, I weighed 211.6 lbs. It was the worst feeling ever. Seeing the number was hard to swallow. It was then that I honestly knew it was time to change and that I will do my best to ensure that I decrease my weight. So here it is. On Friday, August 9th, I weighed 194.0 lbs. Yes I’ve lost 17.6 lbs. I’m below the 200 mark and I know that it’s only going to get harder and that I won’t have the same success each month. What I do know is that I’m committed and that when I do check-in with my doctor, I will have either maintained or lost a few more pounds. So as I sign off, I want to wish everyone a wonderful week and upcoming weekend. If you are looking to make a change, I say go for it. If I can do it, then anyone can. Stay tuned for my exciting adventure with a new weight loss toy that I purchased.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 06:14:11 +0000
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