You can do it! A weight loss story

I have thought and tried to write about my weight loss a couple of times. I always felt weird sharing, but I just had a revelation, so it's time to share.

At my heaviest, I was around 200 lbs. I don't know for certain because we didn't own a scale at the time and I was in denial. I did go see a doctor right after Bill and I had gotten married and the scale there read something around 197lbs. Honestly I have forgotten. I don't ever want to see that number again. Somewhere it's on a record, but hopefully after ten years they've discarded that file.

Right after we had moved to Savannah (and I was at my heaviest), I was visiting SCAD and Trey (the Res. Life Director when I was a Resident Assistant). He was giving me a tour of the new res. hall and we ran into one of the cafeteria workers. She recognized me, and then asked when I was due. She thought I was pregnant. That was it. I knew it was time to do something.

Now that same visit was when I picked up the paper and found the ad for the Furniture Restoration job. I started working there and began taking small steps, pun intended. I would park my car at Forsyth Park, in the free lot, and then walk to work. It was probably around a half mile (assuming Forsyth Park is a full mile around the entire park) and I was doing that twice a day. Then, at some point while talking to Bill's parents, his mom mentioned Weight Watchers and what she ate for lunch (yogurt). Then at a different point in time, my sister and I also talked about Weight Watchers. I never joined, but used their idea and started mentally counting calories, portions, snacks, etc. Then in the spring that we lived in Savannah, I gave up Coca-cola for Lent. By the time we left Savannah I had lost close to twenty pounds.

We tried to walk consistently when we lived in Toms River, but it really never became routine. Then Cousin Mark had his stroke and we realized how close Bill might be to one. Working full time jobs, we still weren't eating as healthy as we could be, but by the time we moved to Grand Rapids I was making changes in our diets.

Diet; as in what we eat, not as in "we're on a diet". Working from home worried me. But I soon realized if I didn't buy it, we couldn't eat it. Then I went on the Spring Break college trip to Alabama and we learned more about sustainable farming. From there I started shopping at the Farmer's Market and was doing much better at eating more fruits and vegetables and less junk. Bill was losing weight too. He was still working at B&N, but was taking salads into work, as well as fish and chicken.

Our church had a "Walk to Bethlehem" and for each mile you walked, it was a mile that we, as the church, counted toward Bethlehem (does that make sense?). I had already started walking, but not very consistently. This kept me going. At some point I had taken yoga classes through church, and then found yoga On Demand and was doing that, again inconsistently.

Then, while I was working with the Cool Cats we often talked about personal goals. Some were fitness goals, some were school work goals and some were helping mom goals. I took a cue from the fitness goals and started doing jumping jacks as a morning break, since I sit at my desk all day. For at least two years, I have been doing 150 jumping jacks every week day.

The winter of 2008 and 2009, I did not keep up with my walking. But in 2008 I shoveled a lot of snow (that was the first year Bill was living in Detroit). 2009 had less snow fall. Both springs, I got back out and started walking. In 2008, I had made a goal to be able to run a mile, without stopping, by the time I was 35. Yes, I gave myself plenty of time. It didn't happen in 2008, but in 2009 I did it. And even though I'm not running (okay, it's really jogging) every day, I can still go out and run one mile without stopping. Walking had created that endorphin high, I can "feel" it when I don't get a walk in.

This last winter, Bill was back home and I told him our goal was to walk at least three times a week. We were mall walkers, and we did it! (Well, not in December, but neither of us gained weight, so that was okay.) Then, this spring I told him we had to up the distance because our two mile walk was barely working me. We changed the route and up-ed it to a 2.6 mile distance. Then I added the yoga for Lent (every week day I did yoga) and I added push-ups (I'm up to 15), sit-ups (30), and two weight lifting exercises for my "bat-wings" (three sets of 8 reps) three times a week. Some weeks I'm busy and I only get it in two times.

Between healthy eating, which to us is more about portion control - I learned early on, if I try to deprive myself of something, I only want it more - and we don't eat out hardly at all. In fact, now when I do eat out, I feel the affects. Bloated and yucky. I don't crave fast food, but when we're traveling, I enjoy it. It has become more of a special treat. I also take my yogurt with me when I travel, or healthy snack choices. We also drink a lot of water. An absurd amount. I buy lemons at the store year round (that's my one non-local downfall... if you really want to call it that) and like to squeeze lemon in my water (or milk, when I'm really tired... it happened once, by accident of course). It's vitamin C! I've blogged about my love of apples and peanut butter in the fall and fresh strawberries and blueberries in the summer. I enjoy hummus and carrots (I just got Dad to try that yesterday!) and I also enjoy trying new recipes. Yes. Most of them are pasta dishes. But they're filled with fresh ingredients. It's okay to use whole milk. It's okay to use cheese. Again, we watch our portions.

Yes, we mess up. Or we can't always exercise. But now it's part of the routine, so it's not a disaster if we don't walk for a week. Our weekend in Savannah was filled with bad, delicious food, yet we walked a lot too. I don't stress about it. I guess it comes down to control, in that I have control. I know that if I make a "bad" decision, I just have to get back on track the next week.

My goal was to weigh and maintain 155 lbs. I blew past that last summer and have kept steady right around 150lbs. I'm not afraid to share that. I'm 5'6", so the 155lbs is the "overweight" line on the doctor's chart. Height matters. I love Biggest Loser Couples, and that is my motivation in the late, dreary winter, but they fail to tell us how tall they are.

At any rate, I think it's just about getting up and doing it. You will fail. You need to pick yourself up and do it again. Don't be afraid to try. Start small. Don't expect big changes immediately. And give yourself goals and small rewards.

I hope that motivates you and helps you. If not, buy a Wii, hearing it sigh when you step on should do the trick!