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Saturday, April 3, 2010

70 Pounds Lost

To date I have lost 70 pounds. I have hit many milestones along the way and am nearly halfway to my weight goal. People ask me a lot if this journey is still hard, or if it gets any easier. Well, the answer is kinda complicated. LOL

Every day is a new challenge of it's own. This journey has been easier than I anticipated in some ways, but harder in others. I have learned so much, but am still learning new things about myself, my body, and most importantly my mind and thoughts.

In the beginning I was so focused on perfection. I made sure I was eating only the things I was "allowed" to have, and got in all my vegetables, all my protein, etc, etc. Today those things are more second nature. The automating has helped with that a ton! I don't have to guess at what I can and can't have because I have learned so much about different foods and how they react with my body. I have learned how to choose wisely and which foods work better for me than others.

This is not to say that I always make the right choices though! LOL I still have a sweet tooth. I still want chips, and cereal, and chocolate, and whatever everyone else is eating. But it's different than it was 5 months ago. It's a struggle still, but now I have the power and the knowledge and the courage to just say no (most of the time) :)

Exercise used to be my nemesis! It was the one thing I struggled the most with in the beginning. It took everything in me to even go for a 30 minute walk. I found having a goal made it easier to get the exercise in. I decided to do a 5K so I knew I had to prepare for that. I would go every night and walk at the highest speed I could, usually about 3.3-3.5 and then I'd add jogging intervals. At first I could only do about 30 seconds. But now I can jog longer and further at a time. Before I knew it, I found myself loving my workouts and missing them if I wasn't able to fit them in.

Yes, I became "that" girl! LOL I love working out! I love trying new machines at the gym, I love pushing myself on the elliptical and on my jogs. Exercise has become a part of me that I never want to let go! :)

Food is still an issue for me. It is an day-by-day (and sometimes hour-by-hour) struggle to make the right decisions. Every now and again I sneak a treat here, or a bite there. Sometimes it's a whole something LOL but the difference now is that it doesn't defeat me. Before, a bite would have sabotaged my entire diet. I would feel guilty, and then eat more, and then feel guiltier, and eat more, etc, etc. Now, instead of allowing food to define me, I try to find the "why" behind my choice. Was I bored? Was I sad? Was I tired? Was I hurting? Was I PMS'ing? The next time I feel that way I can identify it and have alternatives ready to satisfy the craving. I'm still working on this part, but it's a process. :)

The biggest thing is take it in steps, baby steps then lead up bigger steps and leaps and then bounds. And before you know it you've got a whole new attitude and way of living. If you lay out everything you are supposed to do to be healthy it's very overwhelming! Every time I type it out I think, wow! that's a lot! LOL :) But, if you take one or two things at a time and then build from there you will find it is a lot easier and actually doable.

If I can do this, ANYONE can! Seriously! I'm just an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. I have no magical powers or will power of steel LOL You can do this!

6 comments:

  1. congrats on the 70 lbs... I think the ONLY thing that becomes easier is knowing that you can do it if you move more and eat less.

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  2. Awesome Great job..you are looking real good. PS thanks for the jogging tip.. I just started that part today

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  3. Girl you are amazing!!! You motivated this girl! After first reading your story i started getting serious with eating better and exercising and have lost 16 lbs! You are an inspiration! Keep up the hard work and keep my butt motivated! No pressure...lol

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  4. You go girl! ! Dr. Oz showed your progress pics on his show today and said you were one of his heroes ....I couldn't agree more!!

    ***Congrats on 70 lb milestone***

    Kiki

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  5. do you ever feel like you are on a roller coaster?

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  6. That's awesome Teresa! :) And I love that kind of pressure!! LOL

    And yes, I absolutely feel like I'm on a roller coaster!! :) I have days where I feel great, I can do anything, I'm feeling fabulous and smaller and, dare I say it, sexy... but then there are other days when I feel fat, and horrible, and just having a bad day. I think that's life, especially as a woman. Our bodies change so much from week to week with hormones and all that fun stuff. :) But I'm learning to embrace it and to understand that it is a journey and I will get there, one day at a time. :)

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