I don't know what it's like to be at a weight for a period of time. I don't think I've EVER been the same weight for more than a week. Therefore it's kind of freaking me out that my weight is so stable right now.
There have been to sabotages, no "I'll eat that just today", or "but it's (insert any special event). I have been at the same weight (within 2lbs) since July 14th. That's a month and a half....weird.
A normal eater would never understand my confusion at this new and awkward situation of stability. But that's exactly what it is for me, new and awkward.
But I sure hope to make it a habit.
Down 55. I had to reevaluate my goal weight because I've been working out so much and it says I only have 25 pounds to go to my absolute goal weight. But even if I stayed right here I'd be giddy.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
It's still working!!
49 pounds!! I'm down 49 pounds!!
This mixture of Overeaters Anonymous fixing my head, and a low carb diet fixing my body, is WORKING!!
Today I was told I look like I below on a runway....well I don't know about that, but I'll take the compliment!!
I still have 36lbs to hit my goal weight. I've never (as an adult) been at that goal weight so I'm only guessing as to what it could be, but that's where I'm headed.
I am still taking lots of classes, but they've switched them up for the summer.
Monday is Chisel (working all parts of the body)
Tuesday is 20/20 (see last post)
Wednesday is Core and More (abs and ???)
Thursday is Power Pump (see below)
Friday is Butts and Guts.
And the weekend is dog walking.
Power pump - holy moly.
We work one muscle group for the length of a song, so about 4 minutes. It focuses on endurance with the muscles.
It's only one song, only four minutes, but you're muscles are BURNING by the end of the four minutes.
And it feels great!
I'm still using light weights during the classes, but that's okay. I'm there, I'm working, I'm burning it off!
The food front has been good. I'm still cooking on the weekends so I have food prepared and ready for mealtimes. It's such a help to not have to squeeze in cooking at the meals.
Since it's summer I'll have more fresh veggies, which means more salads which are prep-at-mealtime, but that's okay. It's so fresh it's worth it.
How are you doing?? Eating well? Working out? Enjoying the summer?
This mixture of Overeaters Anonymous fixing my head, and a low carb diet fixing my body, is WORKING!!
Today I was told I look like I below on a runway....well I don't know about that, but I'll take the compliment!!
I still have 36lbs to hit my goal weight. I've never (as an adult) been at that goal weight so I'm only guessing as to what it could be, but that's where I'm headed.
I am still taking lots of classes, but they've switched them up for the summer.
Monday is Chisel (working all parts of the body)
Tuesday is 20/20 (see last post)
Wednesday is Core and More (abs and ???)
Thursday is Power Pump (see below)
Friday is Butts and Guts.
And the weekend is dog walking.
Power pump - holy moly.
We work one muscle group for the length of a song, so about 4 minutes. It focuses on endurance with the muscles.
It's only one song, only four minutes, but you're muscles are BURNING by the end of the four minutes.
And it feels great!
I'm still using light weights during the classes, but that's okay. I'm there, I'm working, I'm burning it off!
The food front has been good. I'm still cooking on the weekends so I have food prepared and ready for mealtimes. It's such a help to not have to squeeze in cooking at the meals.
Since it's summer I'll have more fresh veggies, which means more salads which are prep-at-mealtime, but that's okay. It's so fresh it's worth it.
How are you doing?? Eating well? Working out? Enjoying the summer?
Friday, May 22, 2015
Working My Ass Off - literally
First of all, I finally weighed after two weeks of ignoring the scale. And BOOM, down four pounds!! That puts me at 42 pounds of melted off fat since I restarted my weight loss attempts! Wahoo!
Second, I have been going to classes at the gym in my office building. I was terrified at first because I was pre-embarrassed about all the things I assumed I wouldn't be able to do. I was worried about the attention that would be drawn to me because I would be standing there while others did the activity that I wasn't able to do. I was already dreading the questions and shunning looks from others about the sweat that would be pouring off of my face after barely doing any of the movements.
But I now admit, I was so very wrong with my assumptions.
On Mondays I go to a class called Arms and Abs. And yes, we work on our arms and our abs.
On Tuesdays I go to 20/20 which is 20 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of strength.
On Wednesdays I go to Butts and Guts...it's all squats and crunches.
Thursdays I usually take the day off.
Fridays I go to Circuit which is where they set up 6-7 stations and you spend about 4 minutes at each station.
I LOVE the classes. No, I cannot do all the exercises. Yes, I have to ask for alternate movements sometimes. No, no-one else cares because they're all busy doing their own workouts with sweat pouring off all our faces. And yes, I hurt after sometimes, but it's a good thing - it's a deserved hurt because I'm working muscles that I sometimes feel I must have never worked before.
I'm having so much fun and I've gotten to know many others at the gym. So much so that I was chosen as Member of the Month! I'm flattered and thrilled! And I get to show off a picture of myself. I haven't taken a picture since I've lost the 42lbs. I'm glad I finally had a reason to take a picture because I'm looking FAB-u-lous!
I know you all are looking fabulous too!
Second, I have been going to classes at the gym in my office building. I was terrified at first because I was pre-embarrassed about all the things I assumed I wouldn't be able to do. I was worried about the attention that would be drawn to me because I would be standing there while others did the activity that I wasn't able to do. I was already dreading the questions and shunning looks from others about the sweat that would be pouring off of my face after barely doing any of the movements.
But I now admit, I was so very wrong with my assumptions.
On Mondays I go to a class called Arms and Abs. And yes, we work on our arms and our abs.
On Tuesdays I go to 20/20 which is 20 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of strength.
On Wednesdays I go to Butts and Guts...it's all squats and crunches.
Thursdays I usually take the day off.
Fridays I go to Circuit which is where they set up 6-7 stations and you spend about 4 minutes at each station.
I LOVE the classes. No, I cannot do all the exercises. Yes, I have to ask for alternate movements sometimes. No, no-one else cares because they're all busy doing their own workouts with sweat pouring off all our faces. And yes, I hurt after sometimes, but it's a good thing - it's a deserved hurt because I'm working muscles that I sometimes feel I must have never worked before.
I'm having so much fun and I've gotten to know many others at the gym. So much so that I was chosen as Member of the Month! I'm flattered and thrilled! And I get to show off a picture of myself. I haven't taken a picture since I've lost the 42lbs. I'm glad I finally had a reason to take a picture because I'm looking FAB-u-lous!
I know you all are looking fabulous too!
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Two Great Things
Hello everyone! I apologize for being so quiet as of late. It's not that I haven't wanted to check in, I have just been busy enjoying spring.
I set a goal in late March to take the dog and visit all the state parks within 2 hours of my home of which there are TWENTY-FIVE! Since I made this goal I have visited four. And I'm loving it!
It's beautiful watching the parks "green up". It's not very wet here so the trails are dry and it's still can be chilly so there are not many people, which gives the dog and I the sense that we are out in nature alone. And anytime I feel alone in nature is when I feel most connected to my Higher Power.
Nice.
But I know I could only be doing these hikes because I have found a deeper abstinence which is helping me shed my excess pounds. And those shed pounds are giving me energy, stamina, and strength to go up and down bluffs along the river, to go five miles at a time, and to catch myself smiling while doing it! What a great thing!
But I did title this TWO great things didn't I.
The other great thing...When I started regaining weight, I put all the clothes that didn't fit in a big tub. About a month ago I went through it and tried some things on and about 1/3 of the tub mostly fit but I only took out about five items but that's all that really fit me.
But last night I got out the tub again and tried everything on and EVERY SINGLE ITEM FIT ME!! Holy crap?! Approximately 6 pants, 6 jeans, five skirts, about 15 shirts, and 7 dresses! And 80% of the items are summer-wear which means I have CLOTHES that FIT again! And I didn't have to go SHOPPING (I loathe shopping).
The clothes are timeless in the fashion sense, are cute, and show off my new figure! What a great thing to happen at the end a week that was kind of crazy and stressful.
What's that you ask? I mentioned a new figure but didn't talk about it??
Well, I don't exactly know how much I've lost because I made a deal with my sponsor to stop weighing for a couple weeks. But in October I was wearing 18W and barely wearing those. But everything in the box was either an XL, or a misses 16 or 14!!!! I cannot believe it! I knew I had lost weight but since I didn't shop for new clothes I didn't understand the extend of what I'd lost. So the jump from the "W" to a "misses" means I'm losing my hip and thigh girth, and then to drop two sizes?? Nice!
So that's what's up with me.
I'd love to hear what's up with you???
I set a goal in late March to take the dog and visit all the state parks within 2 hours of my home of which there are TWENTY-FIVE! Since I made this goal I have visited four. And I'm loving it!
It's beautiful watching the parks "green up". It's not very wet here so the trails are dry and it's still can be chilly so there are not many people, which gives the dog and I the sense that we are out in nature alone. And anytime I feel alone in nature is when I feel most connected to my Higher Power.
Nice.
But I know I could only be doing these hikes because I have found a deeper abstinence which is helping me shed my excess pounds. And those shed pounds are giving me energy, stamina, and strength to go up and down bluffs along the river, to go five miles at a time, and to catch myself smiling while doing it! What a great thing!
But I did title this TWO great things didn't I.
The other great thing...When I started regaining weight, I put all the clothes that didn't fit in a big tub. About a month ago I went through it and tried some things on and about 1/3 of the tub mostly fit but I only took out about five items but that's all that really fit me.
But last night I got out the tub again and tried everything on and EVERY SINGLE ITEM FIT ME!! Holy crap?! Approximately 6 pants, 6 jeans, five skirts, about 15 shirts, and 7 dresses! And 80% of the items are summer-wear which means I have CLOTHES that FIT again! And I didn't have to go SHOPPING (I loathe shopping).
The clothes are timeless in the fashion sense, are cute, and show off my new figure! What a great thing to happen at the end a week that was kind of crazy and stressful.
What's that you ask? I mentioned a new figure but didn't talk about it??
Well, I don't exactly know how much I've lost because I made a deal with my sponsor to stop weighing for a couple weeks. But in October I was wearing 18W and barely wearing those. But everything in the box was either an XL, or a misses 16 or 14!!!! I cannot believe it! I knew I had lost weight but since I didn't shop for new clothes I didn't understand the extend of what I'd lost. So the jump from the "W" to a "misses" means I'm losing my hip and thigh girth, and then to drop two sizes?? Nice!
So that's what's up with me.
I'd love to hear what's up with you???
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
What to do when things are working so well??
I'm sorry I've been so quiet lately...but weirdly, things are working so well I'm struggling finding things to talk about??
I am down 38 pounds from my high in July 2014! I have roughly 43 to go. If I hit my current goal, it will be a total of 155lbs lost.
My clothes are getting too big to continue to belt. My skirts are falling off. I've had to get rid of half my jeans. My new-last-year summer shirts have been given away because they are so sloppy. But please understand, I am NOT complaining about it ONE BIT! I am celebrating.
This weekend I'm going into my "skinny clothes bins" for hopefully the last time to see what else fits. I am hoping my last two jeans fit so I have more than three pairs rotating through. Also, I'm going to have to break down and go shopping.
I.Hate.Shopping.
Actually, I hate spending money, especially on clothes. I have yo-yo'd for so many years that I see buying clothes as a waste of money. When you are a different size all the time (whether going up the scale or down) your clothes never wear out but you cannot wear them anymore. Annoying for a frugalist like me!!
I have felt so very free with food lately. What does that mean? I plan it in advance and I don't have to think about it again. There is never that "I'm so hungry I cannot even think straight so I'll grab the first fast thing I can" issues. I don't let my food addict decide I am hungrier than I thought and inhale food until I feel miserable then suffer for hours. I don't sit around grazing all night long on crap that goes right to my hips and thighs.
I eat healthy and I eat correct amounts, and I don't feel hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Wow.
So, that's why I've been quiet. But I will come up with some topics and get back to writing.
Thanks for reading!
I am down 38 pounds from my high in July 2014! I have roughly 43 to go. If I hit my current goal, it will be a total of 155lbs lost.
My clothes are getting too big to continue to belt. My skirts are falling off. I've had to get rid of half my jeans. My new-last-year summer shirts have been given away because they are so sloppy. But please understand, I am NOT complaining about it ONE BIT! I am celebrating.
This weekend I'm going into my "skinny clothes bins" for hopefully the last time to see what else fits. I am hoping my last two jeans fit so I have more than three pairs rotating through. Also, I'm going to have to break down and go shopping.
I.Hate.Shopping.
Actually, I hate spending money, especially on clothes. I have yo-yo'd for so many years that I see buying clothes as a waste of money. When you are a different size all the time (whether going up the scale or down) your clothes never wear out but you cannot wear them anymore. Annoying for a frugalist like me!!
I have felt so very free with food lately. What does that mean? I plan it in advance and I don't have to think about it again. There is never that "I'm so hungry I cannot even think straight so I'll grab the first fast thing I can" issues. I don't let my food addict decide I am hungrier than I thought and inhale food until I feel miserable then suffer for hours. I don't sit around grazing all night long on crap that goes right to my hips and thighs.
I eat healthy and I eat correct amounts, and I don't feel hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Wow.
So, that's why I've been quiet. But I will come up with some topics and get back to writing.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Death by food
Yes, people really do die because of food. And I'm not talking about choking.
A good friend of mine introduced me to a friend of hers about a month ago. Honestly he was the biggest person I'd ever met face to face, and being in OA I've met some big people.
His story was that he was a thin man until his mother died, then he filled her void by eating. And when his father died, he filled that void with eating as well.
Recently he was moved into a nursing home because he lived alone and couldn't walk anymore. My friend went to visit him a couple days ago and said he looked and sounded great, was doing really great.
That night he died. When they left he ate an entire pizza and, ultimately, it killed him.
Hard to imagine that people can eat because of food, right? I have eaten until I was so full it hurts to move, or to sit up, and I have even eaten until it hurts to breathe. But it's true, we can eat until our bodies just give out and cannot take another bite. Whether it's our hearts, stomach, lungs, veins, etc, something gets to the point where it just cannot function anymore and we die.
I don't want to die because of food. There was a time in my life when I was over 300lbs and lived alone that I wanted to die, but even then I didn't want it to be because of food (of course at the time I thought that people didn't KNOW I had issues with food *snicker*, ah the games we play in our minds).
I am so very grateful for my Overeaters Anonymous program. I am grateful for friends and family that understand my disease. I'm grateful for a higher power that guides me when I am struggling. I'm grateful for food, and extremely grateful that it doesn't run my life anymore.
The pack order has switched. It use to be
Now it's
Still in the pack order as it is a big part of my life, but it's at the bottom. It's there because I need it, not because it has any power over me.
So grateful.
A good friend of mine introduced me to a friend of hers about a month ago. Honestly he was the biggest person I'd ever met face to face, and being in OA I've met some big people.
His story was that he was a thin man until his mother died, then he filled her void by eating. And when his father died, he filled that void with eating as well.
Recently he was moved into a nursing home because he lived alone and couldn't walk anymore. My friend went to visit him a couple days ago and said he looked and sounded great, was doing really great.
That night he died. When they left he ate an entire pizza and, ultimately, it killed him.
Hard to imagine that people can eat because of food, right? I have eaten until I was so full it hurts to move, or to sit up, and I have even eaten until it hurts to breathe. But it's true, we can eat until our bodies just give out and cannot take another bite. Whether it's our hearts, stomach, lungs, veins, etc, something gets to the point where it just cannot function anymore and we die.
I don't want to die because of food. There was a time in my life when I was over 300lbs and lived alone that I wanted to die, but even then I didn't want it to be because of food (of course at the time I thought that people didn't KNOW I had issues with food *snicker*, ah the games we play in our minds).
I am so very grateful for my Overeaters Anonymous program. I am grateful for friends and family that understand my disease. I'm grateful for a higher power that guides me when I am struggling. I'm grateful for food, and extremely grateful that it doesn't run my life anymore.
The pack order has switched. It use to be
Food
Everything else
Now it's
Higher Power
Everything I love
Everything I don't love
Food
Still in the pack order as it is a big part of my life, but it's at the bottom. It's there because I need it, not because it has any power over me.
So grateful.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Steps to handling unplanned events
I had a BIG weekend in mid March!
The Friday was my 11th anniversary.
The Saturday was a St Patrick's Day party, then Saturday night was my company's annual party.
So, how to plan for these type of events??
Friday was easy. My lovely partner suggested we go to sushi. I said maybe, then went to myfitnesspal and put in some potential foods I would eat. Yes, I could do it by eating sashimi, but it wasn't what I would have wanted to eat while there (I love the rolls) so why, when I don't have to, would I put myself in a situation where I had to claw at the seat so I didn't grab at the food?
Instead I mentioned the idea of going to a movie as our activity. We love movies but she rarely has time to go. So when I suggested that she jumped at the chance. GREAT!
Saturday St Patty's day party was easy, they posted all the food they were serving. So I could just figure out what I was going to have an the amounts. Planned and done.
However, at the party I was thrown a curve ball. She made some kind of chocolate dessert but since I don't eat chocolate she made me my own mini cheesecake in it's own little pie crust. Not something I planned for and I had to make a gametime decision about since there was excitement about the offering to me.
I took the mini cheesecake and thanked my host greatly. Because I was so aware of my counts I knew I could give up a tablespoon of carbs so I had two mini bites totaling about a tablespoon, told her how fantastic it was, then took the rest home for later. If I didn't have the availability of my carb counts I would have packaged it up and told her I was too full but would eat it later. I cannot lose my abstinence because I'm trying to please someone else. And if I had a problem with cheesecake (if I couldn't take just one bite and stop eating) then it would not have been an option and I would have gladly packaged it up but thrown it away as soon as I found a garbage can after leaving her house. Literally, not drive it home, but stop at a gas station or a park and dispose of it immediately. If I knew I couldn't do that I would explain to the host that I love that she though of me but I cannot take it because it's not on my plan of eating. I refuse to put myself in front of temptation just to please another person. I cannot, because then my addict wins.
So I moved from the St Patty's day party to my company's annual party. All I knew about the menu in advance is that there would be plenty of meat. I knew the appetizers would be charcuterie (trays of meats) and that we'd have four courses with wine pairings. I heard the courses would probably be two fish, a pork, and a beef. I also knew that the portions would be smaller in size than a normal serving.
So with that I could come up with a basic plan.
However, when the courses arrived the meats were covered in bits of this and that.
So, how do I feel about my weekend?
It. Was. Fantastic.
I feel good about my food choices. I feel good that I wasn't focused on the food between courses, I was focused on the people and the conversations. I feel like my Higher Power was strong within me and helping me make the best choices possible.
And, as an added bonus, I didn't gain any weight from my party-filled weekend.
Woohoo!
The Friday was my 11th anniversary.
The Saturday was a St Patrick's Day party, then Saturday night was my company's annual party.
So, how to plan for these type of events??
Friday was easy. My lovely partner suggested we go to sushi. I said maybe, then went to myfitnesspal and put in some potential foods I would eat. Yes, I could do it by eating sashimi, but it wasn't what I would have wanted to eat while there (I love the rolls) so why, when I don't have to, would I put myself in a situation where I had to claw at the seat so I didn't grab at the food?
Instead I mentioned the idea of going to a movie as our activity. We love movies but she rarely has time to go. So when I suggested that she jumped at the chance. GREAT!
- Step 1 - decide if the event/party/plans are what you want, something you can handle no problem, or worth the risk.
Saturday St Patty's day party was easy, they posted all the food they were serving. So I could just figure out what I was going to have an the amounts. Planned and done.
- Step 2 - plan out everything you can so you are aware of your planned numbers in case you are thrown any curve balls.
However, at the party I was thrown a curve ball. She made some kind of chocolate dessert but since I don't eat chocolate she made me my own mini cheesecake in it's own little pie crust. Not something I planned for and I had to make a gametime decision about since there was excitement about the offering to me.
- Step 3 - If thrown curve balls make a decision by using your head and the counts you are confident about from step 2. No matter what you decide, be strong with your convictions, no matter what the other person might think. Stick to what you decided.
I took the mini cheesecake and thanked my host greatly. Because I was so aware of my counts I knew I could give up a tablespoon of carbs so I had two mini bites totaling about a tablespoon, told her how fantastic it was, then took the rest home for later. If I didn't have the availability of my carb counts I would have packaged it up and told her I was too full but would eat it later. I cannot lose my abstinence because I'm trying to please someone else. And if I had a problem with cheesecake (if I couldn't take just one bite and stop eating) then it would not have been an option and I would have gladly packaged it up but thrown it away as soon as I found a garbage can after leaving her house. Literally, not drive it home, but stop at a gas station or a park and dispose of it immediately. If I knew I couldn't do that I would explain to the host that I love that she though of me but I cannot take it because it's not on my plan of eating. I refuse to put myself in front of temptation just to please another person. I cannot, because then my addict wins.
So I moved from the St Patty's day party to my company's annual party. All I knew about the menu in advance is that there would be plenty of meat. I knew the appetizers would be charcuterie (trays of meats) and that we'd have four courses with wine pairings. I heard the courses would probably be two fish, a pork, and a beef. I also knew that the portions would be smaller in size than a normal serving.
So with that I could come up with a basic plan.
- Step 4 - Create a plan, even if you're not exactly sure what will be available. It's best to start with something rather than nothing.
However, when the courses arrived the meats were covered in bits of this and that.
- Step 5 - Account for everything that goes into your mouth. Even a nibble can set off the mind when you don't have to account for it.
So, how do I feel about my weekend?
It. Was. Fantastic.
I feel good about my food choices. I feel good that I wasn't focused on the food between courses, I was focused on the people and the conversations. I feel like my Higher Power was strong within me and helping me make the best choices possible.
And, as an added bonus, I didn't gain any weight from my party-filled weekend.
Woohoo!
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