Tuesday, September 29, 2015

2 Week Check-In

It's been 2 weeks since I recommitted to this journey and, as of last Friday, I've lost 3.5 lbs...more than half way to my first mini-goal of 5 lbs! I am really taking this one day at a time, figuring out what I'm going to eat, and how I'm going to move each day, to get me closer to where I want to be. When I started losing weight 6 years ago, for what I hoped would be the last time, I was so fed up. I don't feel that way now, because I just don't see myself as a failure this time. Maybe because while I was gaining this last 25 lbs, I was so happy, I just kind of feel like there were other things that I wanted to focus on then other than whether my pants were getting tight. I'm at a point now where I am ready to incorporate healthy eating and exercise back into my life, so I will...I am.

One big shift has been in how I look at sharing meals with someone else. I always knew that I had it easy, because I shopped and cooked (or didn't cook) only for myself. I could eat the most bizarre combinations of food, eat the same thing 5 nights in a row, not keep any snacks in the house, etc. Now Jeff and I shop together, we buy things for breakfast and lunch that we both like to keep the cost of groceries down, and we eat dinner together most nights. At first I felt like this took away my ability to control what I eat, but it's actually the exact opposite. We shop together every weekend, which makes grocery shopping (my least favorite activity) more tolerable. I look at what we have in the house, and plan out dinners for the week, and we buy what we don't have. This allows me to know in advance what I'm having for dinner each night, rather than stopping for pizza after work when I'm hungry, tired, and cranky! The best part is that, since Jeff usually gets home before I do, he does the cooking (my second least favorite activity!)

I've been doing a lot of walking because that's what I feel like doing right now. I tried getting back into yoga, but my favorite teacher left at the beginning of the year to have twins, and I just haven't found another that I like as much. The main reason that I stopped was because of my carpal tunnel syndrome and subsequent surgery. I've tried to get back into it, but my scars make it very difficult for me to be on my hands for long periods of time. I lift weights sporadically, but I've never enjoyed weight training. While the weather is still nice, I'm going to focus on getting out and walking as often as possible. I know once the winter comes I'll need to mix it up a bit.

I'm taking it slow, and doing things that I feel fit into my new life, and that I can sustain long term without feeling deprived. It's only been 2 weeks, but it feels good.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Starting Over...Sort Of

This is a difficult post to write, and I thought about just waiting until I was "done" before I wrote again, but that wouldn't be honest. Since Jeff and I started dating (8 months ago today), I've gained about 25 lbs, and am now back up to what I was when I started WW in March of 2009. I am in a slightly smaller clothing size I think, and I attribute that to the fact that I have continued to exercise, more or less, even while my eating has been out of control.

This year has been amazingly wonderful, but has also turned my world upside down. I started a new relationship, dated sort of long distance, and now Jeff is in the process of moving in...he's here, but is moving his things in slowly, and will have his apartment until his lease is up at the end of January. He has also changed careers, which means we're adapting to a new schedule. I have been single for a long time, and have lived alone for over 8 years. I have never grocery shopped, or shared food or meals, with someone else. I always knew that losing weight was easier for me in that respect...I bought and ate what I wanted, no thought to what anyone else wanted or needed.

About a month or 2 ago, I canceled my Half Size Me Community membership. I think I just needed a break from talk about food and weight loss. I had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery in June, and in August I was diagnosed with a herniated disc in my back, and had chronic pain for 6-8 weeks. I did little to no exercise over the summer, and ice cream because a dietary staple.

Jeff and I are slowly but surely getting into a routine, although his school schedule has been crazy, with Back-to-School nights, and holidays, there hasn't been much of a rhythm. We're figuring out where to put all of his stuff, and have renovated one bathroom, and are working on turning the laundry room and closet into a mud room (although that process has been stalled by a leak we found, which required Jeff to remove a large part of the ceiling...all because I decided to repaint!) Anyway, things are coming together slowly, and I'm proud of how calm I've been able to stay, in spite of all the changes...I don't do well with change!

There are a bunch of things coming up: my cousin's baby shower, a trip Charleston, SC at Christmas to visit Jeff's best friend, the AFJROTC military ball in January, a trip to Vegas and the Grand Canyon at Easter, Jack and Mady's Communion in May, and hopefully a trip to Germany in July to visit some of Jeff's friends, and some of mine. Marriage is also in the cards at some point. I could certainly do all of these things at the weight I am now, have a wonderful time, and be happy. Jeff loves me the way I am, that I know for sure. I used to think that if I lost weight, I'd find a boyfriend. Well, I lost weight, gained some back, found a boyfriend, and gained back the rest. He's still here, and we're still happy. However, I want to get back down to a weight where I feel more comfortable, and can wear at least some of the clothes that no longer fit. My goal now is not to lose 40 lbs again...that number is not sustainable at this point in my life. My goal is to lose the 25 that I've gained over the past 8 or so months. I've rejoined the HSMC, started tracking calories on My Fitness Pal, am going for walks, starting back to strength training (mainly arms and abs), and Jeff and I have started taking a yoga class on Sunday mornings. I'm looking at my journey in 5 lb blocks. My focus now is to lose 5 lbs. Easy peasy!

Jeff and I have our first formal event coming up in a few weeks...his friend is getting married. I'm looking forward to dancing together...we both love to dance, but have never had the chance to do so together. I know I have to go and buy a new dress, because the ones I have don't fit. I'm not thrilled, but know that I will find something that I feel beautiful in. I no longer see myself as a fat girl. I'm a thin girl who's gained some weight, and needs to get it off. I will. Slowly but surely, I'll get there. I would not change the life I have right now for all the weight loss in the world, but who says I can't have it all???

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Catching Up

I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since I've posted. I've wanted to write for the past few days, but haven't had a chance. Then this morning Jeff asked if I still had a blog, and I knew it was time! 2 weeks ago I decided to go back to counting WW points. Because I was at goal for so long, I have free eTools until April of 2016. For now, I'm taking advantage of that, and not attending meetings. Eventually I will need to weigh-in at a center if I want to keep using eTools, but I have 9 months free for now. I certainly want to be back at goal before then! In the past 2 weeks I've lost 2.6 lbs. This past week was terrible, but I still lost a pound, probably because I should've lost more last week, but was retaining water. I'll take it!

My exercise has been limited to walking since June 18th, when I had surgery on both hands for carpal tunnel surgery. I got my stitches out about a week ago, but my wrists are still very sore, and gripping things is somewhat painful, so it will be awhile before I can lift weights again. On the VERY bright side, the surgery was a success, and I no longer have numb hands for large chunks of my day, nor do I have to sleep with wrist guards for the first time in over 2 years! I'm so happy that I decided to have both hands done at once.

Jeff and I leave soon for a week-long vacation in Vermont, and I CANNOT WAIT!! It is the first "grown-up" vacation I've had in years. We'll be staying about 30 minutes southwest of Hanover, NH, and I am so excited to show Jeff Dartmouth. We are also meeting my best friend Toni and her husband for dinner one night. Once Jeff meets Toni, I will feel like he's met my WHOLE family. I'm leaving the dogs with a petsitter, and am a little nervous about that. It's significantly less expensive than boarding them, and being away from home for such a long stretch is hard on Annie and Fred, who will turn 11 and 12 this summer. I keep trying to explain to them that I'll be back...yes, this is definitely going to be harder on me than it will be on them!

I'm still active in the Half Size Me Community, and have a friend named Caia who has become my accountability buddy. We actually live about 20 minutes apart, and I'm looking forward to finally getting to meet her when I get back from vacation.

As of today I have 17 lbs to lose to get to my goal weight. Jeff and I are attending his friend's wedding at the beginning of October, and I want to be at my goal by then, and wear a dress I have in my closet. It's a very doable goal, as I'd only have to lose 1-2 lbs a week, which was my average when I lost my weight 6 years ago. I definitely needed a break from the WW plan, but it feels good now to be back.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Creating the Life I Want to Live

I want a life free from weight obsession. To have that, I need to stop obsessing about my weight! I've realized that, for me, that means no numbers...no tracking of points or calories, just pictures of what I'm eating to keep me mindful. It also means no scale. My success will be based on changing my body composition by increasing my strength, by getting out and walking with my dog, because it clears my mind and gets me outside. It will be based on nurturing a wonderful relationship with an amazing man...something I have waited for for SO long! To find him, I went WAY outside my comfort zone, and in doing so, I have created the life I dreamed of. To fully enjoy it, I need to step further out of my comfort zone, and ditch the numbers!

I've started listening to some new podcasts, namely Lift Like a Girl with Nia Shanks, and Fearless Rebelle Radio with Summer Innanen. Like Half Size Me with Heather Robertson, these podcasts promote being happy with yourself NOW, not waiting until you get to some future ideal to live the life you want to live. They all understand that this journey to self-love and self-acceptance looks different for each person, but the main ideas are the same. Let go of the idea of perfection, figure out what you are willing to do forever, not just for 3 weeks or 6 months, eat what makes you feel good, eat when you are hungry, and realize that food is JUST food. Exercise because it makes you stronger, releases stress, and improves your health, not with the goal of getting skinny. The biggest lesson I'm learning is that I should do things that make me MORE, not things that make me less (smaller, lighter, less noticeable, quieter, etc.)

I started doing Nia Shanks 3x3x3 weight lifting program, and I love it! I love feeling stronger, love seeing muscles develop, love being able to put MORE weight on my bar, rather than focusing on seeing LESS weight on the scale. I've actually put my scales away, and I have no idea when, if ever, I'll get back on. I took my waist and hip measurements today, and will take them again next month. I hope to lose inches but, in the meantime, I bought myself some jeans and pants that fit me NOW. I'm really trying to enjoy the journey...enjoy getting stronger, enjoy my walks, which is when I get outside, listen to podcasts or audiobooks, drink my coffee, and clear my head. No matter what size I end up, I will be stronger, and I will be happy. That I know for sure.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Freedom from Numbers

I've made some pretty big changes since I last posted. The biggest one is that, starting last Tuesday, I no longer count calories or points. I don't weigh my food, but do still measure certain things with measuring cups and spoons. I felt a desperate need to get away from the obsession with numbers that I've had for most of my life. I noticed that when I knew I would be over my calorie allotment, I would just say "screw it", and go WAY over (like every weekend.) I started by not tracking my exercise, because I had started to see it as a means to eat more, and nothing else. It also seemed to give me license to overeat. Once I stopped doing that, I decided to stop counting calories period, but the idea of not tracking at all scared me. I found a free app called Two Grand, which I love! All I do is post pictures of everything I eat, track my water, and track whether or not I achieve any goals I've set (the app provides lots of suggestions.) It sounds strange, but simply stopping to take a picture of what I'm eating, and knowing that those who follow me on the app will see it, makes me much more mindful of what I'm putting in my mouth. I haven't binged since I started! Not to say I haven't enjoyed myself and eaten treats, sometimes more than I would've liked, but it's kept me from going off the deep end. I also love tracking my water and my goals. The app makes it so easy and fun! I started simple, with a goal of 48 oz of water a day, and not eating after 9 pm. I've achieved both goals everyday since I started!

I've also dramatically changed my thinking about exercise. I've started taking a 1.5-3 mile walk each day (usually about 2 miles) with Marty. I'm not sure which of us looks forward to it more! I get a 24 oz coffee from Wawa, listen to a podcast, and we enjoy the (finally) beautiful weather. I had gotten back into strength training, and then started listening to the Lift Like a Girl podcast, hosted by Nia Shanks. Last night I decided to order and download her 3x3x3 strength training program, which I started today. 3 exercises, 3 reps each, 3 workouts a week, for 10 weeks. Today went well, and I can't wait to see where I am at the end.

I don't feel like I've lost any weight in the past week, nor do my clothes feel different. Of course I still want to fit back into all of the clothes in my closet that don't fit, and hope that that will happen sooner rather than later. However, I'm starting to accept the fact that, if I continue to eat the way I'm eating now (in a mostly healthy, not restrictive, still enjoyable way), and get in my strength training and walks, and those clothes STILL don't fit, then I may have to buy a size 8 jeans. I'm pretty sure I'll live. For the first time in a long time, I just eat, I just walk, I just lift. I'm not counting anything, I'm not worrying about it, I'm not training, I'm not planning. I'm just living, and I'm loving it.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Cutting Ties

I cancelled my WW Monthly Pass this morning, and I'm not going back. I had a great Wed/Thurs/Fri, an ok Sat, and a could've been better Sunday in terms of eating, and have been rocking my exercise plan...running, weights and walking. I got on the scale this morning and was basically the same as Wednesday. I'm sure a lot of it is the salty meals I had out this weekend, but immediately my mind kicked into "Ok, I've got to starve until Wednesday" mode. I got in the shower and decided I was done. I lost my weight weighing in on Friday mornings. I could then relax a bit over the weekend, and still undo any damage by just eating normally for the week. Because of my work schedule, I can no longer attend Friday morning meetings. I tried Thursdays (too far), and Wednesdays (too soon after the weekend). I realized that I am paying $45 a month to just go stand on the scale and have someone tell me what I already know, because I just weighed myself at home. I then leave and go work out...I don't stay for meetings anymore, because I get nothing out of them. I am going to do this on my own (with the help of the HSMC), or I'm not going to do it. I came very close to saying that I'm not even going to track anymore, because I'm so sick of thinking about what I'm going to eat, what I did eat, what I didn't eat, what I should eat, etc. After 37 years of this, I'm tired! I'm not quite ready to try intuitive eating...yet. I don't track on the weekends, and that's as much as I can let go now. I just want to eat what makes me feel good, workout to get strong, and enjoy this amazing time in my life. I'm ready to make something other than my weight the focus of my life. It's time.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

3 Habits and a Goal

I went to WW today, and the scale did not cooperate. Nothing terrible, and I'm blaming it on Easter. I'm not too upset though, because overall I'm on the right track, and I know it. I finally realized that I had set My Fitness Pal at an activity level that was higher than my actual level. Therefore, it was telling me that I could eat far more calories than I actually could. That could partially explain why, since I've been using it, I haven't lost any significant weight. I finally figured it out, and reset it, so I think I will have greater success.

I decided last week that I am not going to run the half marathon in June. The one I ran last June was incredible! The one I ran in October was ok, but the training was torture. I had not run farther than 3 miles since that time, and didn't miss distance running at all. When I trained last summer, I swore to myself that I'd never do another race longer than a 5k. For a number of reasons, I signed up for the race this June, the same one I'd done last June. As training time approached, I began to dread it. Last weekend I ran 4 miles, and this past weekend I was to run 5, and build from there. I started to have anxiety about the long runs. I HATE distance running! I also realized that the long runs would eat into the limited time that Jeff and I have together, and that afterwards, I'd be exhausted. I asked myself why I was doing it, and I had no real answer. Yes, I'll lose out on the $75 registration fee, but I'll gain so much more. I am very much at peace with my decision.

A few days ago I wrote down 3 habits and a goal that I want to focus on. I was very proud of the fact that none of them involve calories, points, or the scale. The first is to drink 2 large (33.8 oz) or 4 small (about 16.8 or so) bottles of water a day. I am very bad about getting enough water, so this is something I really need to work on. The next is to do three 3-mile runs a week...pretty easy for me to stick to. The final habit is to not eat chocolate or ice cream when I'm alone. I've identified them as my 2 main binge foods. If I stick to eating them with someone else, either at my house or out, I figure that I won't binge on them. I've been tested this week with my solid chocolate basset hound that I got for Easter sitting on my counter. However, the fact that eating him feels somewhat like eating my children has made him easier to resist! The goal I set for myself is to fit into my jeans comfortably by Memorial Day. I have an idea of how many pounds I'd need to lose for that to happen, but I'm not positive. Of course I'd love for it to happen before Memorial Day, but that seemed like a good date to pick.

Overall, life is SO, so good! I was out walking with Marty this morning and felt like, even though it was cold, the winter doldrums have lifted, and I'm back to enjoying being active. I am so excited about the upcoming Summer, and if I can look and feel my best, it will only be better!