Getting Started....

When I first started my weight loss journey in January of 2010, I was journaling frequently and have not done as much journaling as I would have liked in 2011.  I thought a blog might be a great way to share this journey with others, as opposed to just a page that no one else would read. 

My goal is to help inspire others who were similar to me - those who feel helpless, like they will never be able to lose weight and that they will be forced to settle into a life that they are sadly unhappy with.  But I have also discovered that writing helps me stay focused and also helps me have proud moments when I am feeling less than stellar, which for the past few months has been more often than I would like.

I started this journey with my partner, Kerry, in January of 2010.  She had a jump start prior to the holidays but she had decided that I was going to do this with her and we were not going to be "fat girlfriends" anymore.  I thought, "Ugh.  here we go again. Alright, I'll just go along for the ride, lose my typical 20 -30lbs, get back into some old clothes and feel good again."  Little did I know just how much my life was about to change.

We started out counting calories and doing Jillian Michael's 30-day shred EVERY day for 30 days.  It was killer!  We had a hard time walking up and down the stairs the first few days after.  But we stuck to it every day for 30 days!  Kerry lost 17lbs and I lost 11.  We were both feeling amazing, not only because of the weightloss, but because of what we had just accomplished!  We used to do cardio at-home dvds in our living room.  But this dvd included weights and exercises I had never done before! 

From there, counting calories was now a part of what we did.  We measured and weighed all of our food.  It was just something we knew we needed to do to control our portions.  We budgeted for EVERYTHING!  If we wanted pizza, we planned for it.  If we wanted chinese food, we planned for it.  Sundaes, you name it, we planned for it!  But we did it sensibly.  We only allowed those types of meals once per week.  This way we never felt like we were deprived or missing out on anything.  And we still continued to lose weight!  This was the most incredible feeling - being completely in control of my life.  Saying "no", on my own, to foods that were higher in calories, because I didn't want to "waste that many calories" on something when I could have something bigger and better for me that was less calories (foods that I would normally, mindlessly, eat but now think twice about before I even pick it up).  Complete empowerment.  It's amazing what it can do for you.

This truly is like budgeting.  You are working with figures and checks and balances.  It's like shopping - you never want to go over your credit limit or spend more cash than you had planned.  Awareness of what you are putting in your body is half the battle.  People don't want to put the effort in and say, "I couldn't be bothered to measure and weigh and count and pre-pack my lunch, etc."  I'm telling you, a little effort in the beginning goes a long way - you see the results and it just becomes routine! 

I always laugh because people say, there is no easy way to lose weight and they look to fad diets (which I have done my share of them over the years) but they don't train you to live the rest of your life properly and you end up gaining all of the weight back and sometimes even more.  When people ask me how I lost all of my weight, I know they are expecting me to say "surgery".  I just respond with, "the good-old fashioned way", counting calories and exercise.  It is that simple!  And it IS simple, you just have to do it!

Kerry has lost 124lbs and I have lost 97lbs.  We are both in the smallest sizes that we have ever been in and doing things we never thought we would.  We both have since gained 20lbs back but we are focused and committed to reaching our goal weights.  We are coming up on the 2 year mark since we started this together.  We have experienced peaks and valleys, highs and low and plateaus that would make you want to kill someone! But we are still moving forward and not looking back.  And that is the key to all of this. 

Don't wait to start.  Don't give up if your day doesn't go according to plan.  1 choice does not undo all of the previous work (altho, some days it sure feels like it).  It's a mind game.  You've got to learn how to beat yourself at it.  Never give in and never give up!  I am on a mission to hit my goal weight (19lbs to go) by March 21, 2012.  From there, the possibilities are endless because for the first time in my life - there is a light ahead of me - a future that I control and does not depend on one single person except for me to get there.  I can only hope that you will be able to experience this as well. 

I'm telling you right now (and it may sound cliche) if I can do this, anyone can do this - you, yes YOU can do this!  The weight is over people!  It is time to take back control of your own life and do it once and for all!  Is it scary?  Yes.  Does it seem impossible and hopeless?  Yes.  But it doesn't have to be.  It only is if you allow it to be that way.  The only thing stopping you is you.  No more excuses.  Patience.  Faith.  Persistence.  It's time to take your life back!  Just do it!

I am going to continue blogging until I reach my goal, so I hope you will stay along for the ride with me.

One day closer.....