It’s only 6 more weeks until our vacation at the beach. I’m sitting here at 225 right now. I’d really like to lose another 10 pounds before we go. It would be nice to be down to 215. Then I’d be ok with eating a little more freely while we’re there. I made sure to book a condo with a fitness room though. I missed 3 days while we were in San Antonio and I don’t like the way I felt when I got home. If I miss going to the gym, I feel so tired and sluggish.
So anyway, this vacation got me to thinking about the goals I’ve set. So far, I’ve been ok on meeting them. But I have some more goals to reach with the holiday’s looming ahead.
We go to my husband’s family’s house every November for Thanksgiving. I haven’t seen some of them in almost a year. His sister was just here with us in June. But anyway, I’d really like to have lost some more weight by then.
My husband and I are thinking of going somewhere for our anniversary this year. We’ve been married 5 years in December. So, that’s another goal for me.
Then of course, you have the first of the year. That’s always a big one.
After that, Valentine’s day, which we usually don’t celebrate because we’re usually both working – but next year, we’re off together, so we’ll try to do something.
Then, my final goal is my birthday next year, when I hope to be at my overall goal weight. That’s so far from February though, so I tried to get some in between.
This is what I have – spring break, then Mother’s Day…just to break it up a bit.
So, here it is, broken down:
- Now – 225
- Vacation – October 11 – 215
- Thanksgiving – November 26 – 205
- Anniversary – December 30 – 199
- Valentine’s Day – February 14 – 189
- Spring Break – March 8 – 185
- Mother’s Day – May 9 – 170
- My Birthday – July 26 – 150
It seems almost surreal to be thinking about goal weights below 200. My lowest adult weight ever was 213. To be below 200 is unimaginable at this point.
It’s so different this time than it was every other time. I honesly believe that there were just things that fell into place that allowed it to happen. I really didn’t start out thinking….. “This is it. This is me actually doing it. I’m going to lose weight for good this time.” What really happened was me starting to go to the gym. I was tired of keeping up with everything that I ate from past diets. I thought that if I exercised, I’d be more free to eat what I wanted. Then one day I saw these two ladies working out with this sheet that told them which machines to use, how much weight to lift and what to do each day. I asked them where they got their information. When they told me, I called the woman up, who happened to be a personal trainer. She got me going on the weight machines.
Then I started checking things out online. Exercising made me want to eat better. I didn’t want to go bust my butt in the gym then come home and blow it all by eating foods that were bad for me. So, I started looking up different diets. The more I researched, the more I found that weight loss really was about diet. …. well, crap. So I started keeping up with everything again. But for some reason, this time it didn’t bother me as much. I maintained a spreadsheet for about 3 months, religiously logging all of my food. Now I don’t keep up with it as much, but I eat pretty much the exact same thing every day.
Then, came the free weights. Everyone on every message board told me that free weights were much better. I was terrified of that side of the gym. There’s nothing more intimidating than a bunch of muscled up guys bench pressing 300+, grunting and carrying on. So I decided that if I was going to do it and not look like a complete idiot, I should get with a trainer to show me the ropes. That’s when I noticed the real difference.
Every week, I feel myself getting stronger. On good days, I can see muscle definition, especially in my legs. Seeing that really pushes me onward. Makes me want to do better.
Weight training has saved my life. I was well on my way to becoming completely incapacitated by my lifestyle. Cardio’s easier because my strength is better. Everything in my life is easier now. …. even breathing. It’s amazing what a difference a few months can make. I look back now and only wish that I had started this sooner. I feel like I wasted so much of my life being fat.
There’s so much life out there….so many things to do…..so many things that I was previously prohibited from doing just because of my body habitus.
It’s amazing what an incredible change has occurred in my life. Not so much in my appearance….but just in my general outlook. There is really no way to describe it. I only wish I could make people understand…people that are younger than me….make them realize how much more full and rich their lives can be……all with just an hour a day. I have so many young patients with so many health problems, most of which are directly related to either their weight or their lifestyle in general. I try to talk to them…. but most of the time, they just zone out while I’m talking.
I want my daughers to embrace this lifestyle. I want them to always be healthy and active. The best way to make sure this happens is to continue down this path.
Anyway…didn’t really mean for this post to go in that direction but there it is….my soap box for the day!
If anyone reading this starts to notice that I’m falling by the side, shoot me a message to give me a swift kick to get me back. I don’t want to spend another minute here feeling like I’ve wasted any part of my life.
This pic is from a competition last year, but they have the same uniform and such. I don’t have any of the pics from today yet.
Hard work does pay off!
So I ended up taking the entire weekend off my program. It was pretty bad…..lol
