On January 1st, 2015, I stepped onto the scale weighing more than when I was 9 months pregnant. I wanted to cry. I knew it was time to do something. My husband and I made our usual New Year's resolution to get healthy, exercise and lose weight. This was going to be our year…
Most of my "fat" pictures have been deleted or cropped and filtered. {tell me I'm not the only one that has done this} But I found this unedited photo from 2014 to share:
Look at that handsome boy. Do I want to be an unhealthy, tired, inactive mom for him? Well I had become just that and not the role model I wanted to be. :(
My hubby and I started out doing pretty well in the new year. We made healthier food choices. We made a conscious effort to eat out less. We tracked what we ate in the My Fitness Pal app. And, I got a gym membership. I'd lose a couple of pounds and then gain a pound back. It was a vicious cycle and not a very encouraging one. What little progress I made was impossible to keep off. I'd track what I ate on the "good" days and intentionally "forget" on the bad days. Oh and that gym membership had yet to be used. Fast forward a few months to spring break in April. We took the family on a cruise. (You know, I was going to be minus 20 pounds by now!) We had a great vacation and the boys loved it. But I sure didn't feel good in a bathing suit or even in sleeveless sundresses for that matter. I was too self-conscious to participate in water sports. And got winded going up more than a couple flights of stairs. And then there was this:
Seriously though, I know it's not about body parts and physical appearance but I was a mess. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 10 years ago and had sluggish adrenals. I'd been working closely with my physician to get my thyroid levels under control but still felt exhausted, puffy, moody and unable to lose weight.
And do you know what's really bad? I'm a registered dietitian. Yep, I have a Master's degree in Nutrition. I worked for years counseling clients and teaching nutrition classes. I helped people lose weight, eat healthy and follow special diets for specific disease states. And here I found myself in my mid-40's, 40 pounds overweight, unhappy about it and I couldn't even help myself.
We came home from our cruise and booked another one for next year. This time, I will get healthy for me before I step foot on that cruise ship. I have a year. I can do it.
To be continued...
4 comments:
You're always beautiful......good luck on this personal adventure.
May your new adventure bring you to a healthier place for you. Will keep positive thoughts for you each day as I am on my own different health adventure too.
Hello from California ... I recognized myself in your photo. ... I've managed to lose weight several times, but it would come back because work duties kept me from preparing homemade healthy food, and I had too much paper work that didn't allow for moving around or getting enough sleep. I was in your place for many years this last time until I refused to buy any bigger clothes ... Everyone has their own method to lower weight, and I haven't studied nutrition ... but since December 2013 I have slowly lost 40 pounds ... Here are some of my favorite tips that work ... slowly ... :
1. Don't reward yourself with a food treat at the end of a long stressful workday ... no jelly doughnut even if it is 8 p.m. and you're grocery shopping and haven't had dinner ... no burrito with everything on it, even if you had school committee meeting through the dinner hour and no break after school was out ...
2. Keep away from sugar and anything that has it or high fructose syrup in it. Don't let it get near your mouth!!
3. Don't have any treats at home, even hidden away ... no ice cream ... no home-baked cookies, pies, muffins ... no Cheetos!! ... no See's chocolates in the back of the freezer ...
4. Stock the refrigerator with fresh produce for snacks ... luv those grape tomatoes from Costco ... a crisp tangy apple ... pickle cucumbers from Costco ... all types of fruit in moderation ...
5. Plan your cooking & meals around veggies, lean protein and healthy grains ... soups loaded with veggies but no cream (minestrone is my fave) ... chopped salads (can buy organic at Costco and add chopped red pepper, avocado, cucumbers, cooked beets, etc ... replace half the included dressing with vinegar) ... fritatas that are mostly a variety of veggies sauted in olive oil with whole eggs ...
6. Never drink soda, even diet sodas, and avoid pre-made juice.
7. Replace whole milk with no-fat milk, or, better yet, almond milk. (Have you seen what the hormones have done to the cows!?!...I freaked out when I saw them at the State Fair.)
8. Drink lots of water.
9. Try not to ever eat fast food and stay away from most restaurant meals. If you eat out, get a take-out container for a second meal ... be sure you made healthy choices too ...
10. Keep on your feet and moving all day (I teach 160 teenagers a day, so there's no chance of sitting much! Summer is harder for me to keep moving ... :( ... )
11. Walk whenever you can ... try to do a long distance at a fairly fast pace for at least 20 minutes at a time so your metabolism has to kick in and start using some of your stored fat ... I can feel the energy all afternoon after a lunchtime walk. ...
12. Get at least 7, if not 8, hours of sleep a night.
I think losing the weight is only half of the battle. Making a new way of eating your daily habit that keep it off, but remember two things:
1. Don't shop for food when you are hungry.
2. If you don't have un-healthy foods around the house, you can't eat them.
Wishing you strenght and good health, Carol F
Y'all are so sweet. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment of encouragement. I appreciate it. ;)
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