Not that she needs any help from me in getting readers, since she has about a bazillion to my five (hi! I love you, my five faithfual readers), but if you haven't already read Pamie's entries about the marathon she ran in Maui, you should go do so now. They had me alternately thinking I would never, ever do that in my whole life and thinking, "hey, I should start training for that!" And then I almost cried at the end. She's an excellent writer. Go. Read them. But finish reading me first. :)
So. Last time I did this weight loss challenge, you never heard another word about it, because I sucked so horribly and quit after like three or four weeks. This time? I'm doing pretty darn well, and I'm staying motivated. So I feel like writing about it. I hope it doesn't bore you.
I have been doing pretty well, like I said. I'm not losing a lot each week, but I am losing each week, which is good. And I'm starting to feel small differences in my body - I'm just a tiny bit smaller in a couple of places. Nothing noticeable to other people yet, but I can feel it. It's good stuff. I have to work on being good all weekend, though, because I've been cheating for the whole weekend, plus Friday, so then I spend Monday and Tuesday losing what I gain over the weekend, and then only Wednesday and Thursday losing new weight. Obviously that needs to stop. As of this week, I am cheating on Friday (because I have to have one day to look forward to, or I'll never keep this up) and being good on Saturday and Sunday. I'm so glad that I'm finally reclaiming control over the shape of my body. I gave up control a long time ago - I say it started about the time my Mom started having strokes, back in 1996, which I guess is true, because prior to that point, I was only overweight by about 15 pounds. Not a big deal. After ten years of stress eating, grief eating and then just "bad habit" eating, that 15 pounds has snowballed like crazy. Not for much longer, though. It's going to take me about ten months, at this pace, to get to my goal, but I AM going to get there. I want to be healthy again. And I finally want that more than I want to stuff my face with junk food.
And okay, if you stuck around to read all of that, you deserve a cookie. But I don't have any to give you, so you'll have to buy your own. Oh, and go read Pamie's marathon entries now, because I'm done here. And read the rest of her stuff too, because she rocks. Have a great weekend, everyone!
Less noise, more me
1 week ago
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4 comments:
Good luck with the losing weight stuff :). I will go read Pammie now at your request.
Hi Denise,
I don't know who you are, but I wanted to say good luck to you too. I gave up smoking back in '99 - it was hard for me, and I ate in compensation. My attitude was "well I gave up smoking, that is the single most positive thing I will do for my health any time soon. I can eat now to quell the urges because I can always loose the weight later." So I balooned from a UK size 8 to a UK size 16 in less than a year.
Suddenly I realised I had to stop what I was doing or I'd just go out of control. I guess I used it as a kind of life change - I ditched my old job where I was pretty unhappy and found a new one eventually. I actually tried make-up and looking after my appearance, and although I make more of an effort now than I used to, I have to admit, I never got the make-up thing sussed!
I got a job working for someone my friend with the insane ramblings went on to work for (it's through Clare's blog I found yours). That's a story in itself.
Anyway, getting to the point - I had to re-educate myself to eat less, and to see food as something other than comfort stuff. It is hard, but if you have faith in yourself (and it sure sounds like you do) then you will succeed. I am currently a nice size 10 and I don't plan to get any smaller.
I have some tips for you:
1. Give yourself a pat on the back!
Conciously set aside just a few minutes each evening for you to think about you, and really make the effort to feel pleased with yourself for every little step in the right direction. Positive thinking really is the key :-)
2. Give yourself a break
You are only human, you are bound to succumb to the odd cookie / takeaway or whatever snack you tend to favour. Don't get washed up in feeling bad or guilty about this. It it happens, use your you time in the evening to consider it. Say to yourself, "yes, I did that, I wonder why?" think about it and see if you can work out why. Maybe it was just a oh what the heck moment! Anyway, after you have worked out why, just say to yourself nevermind. I did this and that ok today, and I did great through the rest of the week. So what if I ate the chocolate? In the grand scheme of things it won't set me back!
3. Reward yourself
Get something nice to reward yourself every time you loose a few pounds. Doesn't have to be big - maybe a new haircut or a manicure - it helps to concentrate on something that makes you feel good about the way you look :-)
4. Be happy! And don't take life too seriously
best wishes!
Reid
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Hi Reid!
I hope you read this comment, because I just wanted to say thank you so much for your comment! I love the support, and the tips. I'm almost done with my fifth week of the lifestyle change (I don't want to call it a diet, really), and so far so good. The weight is coming off slowly, mostly because I haven't been very good at controlling myself on the weekends yet, but it is coming off, a little more each week so far. And I'm staying motivated, too. I would normally have quit trying at least a couple of weeks ago, but this time I'm finally doing it for the right reasons, so I'm staying with it.
It's going to be a long road - it will be next spring or early summer before I'm at my goal weight - but I don't even mind waiting that long. After all, it took me a good ten years to get myself into this shape, so getting back into a size 8 or so in about 9 months seems reasonable. I'm not setting any kind of goal, like "I want to be at whatever weight by this date," like I normally would. I haven't set any of those pressures on myself. I just want to be healthy, and not have to face a future of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes, all of which my Mother went through, so I'm likely to get any of all of those problems if I had kept on like I was. I'm much more optimistic now about being able to avoid all of that.
Anyway, I've rambled on, when really I just wanted to say - thanks! I am very happy to have the good wishes and advice.
Denise
Not that I am checking up on you ;-)
I am so happy to feel I might have helped.
Denise, don't you worry about how long it might take, and don't worry if it turns out it takes longer than you anticipated.
When I decided it was time for me to loose weight I started a diary of my measurements. I measured everything - I hardly want to tell you because (aside from Clare laughing too much) I am embarrassed in an English kind of way and I don't know how honest you ppl are with eachother.. but I will plough ahead regardless. I measured all the normal bits; my waist, hips and chest, and I also measured how long my bottom had got because I could see it seemed to be getting longer!! For the first few weeks of my dieting I faithfully recorded these measurements.
After a few weeks I gave up - I think I probably gave up the diet at this point - you do that sometimes. But I took it up again on another page and kept measurements for a few more weeks.
I suggest you do something like this, Denise, because in a couple of years it will make fascinating reading :-)
You will succeed - I am smiling as I type this because I know it is true. I did. All you need to do is be kind to yourself. This is the key. Praise yourself for every right thing you do - and don't be too hard on yourself if you go wrong, just question why you went wrong then put it behind you. That is all you need to do, sweetheart. You will succeed :-)
R
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