Inspiration

What was my inspiration to lose weight?

I got to the point where I had wanted to lose the weight for a few years. It wasn't until I was at the doctor's office in July of 2010 where I weighted in at my heaviest ever, 188!

I felt awful about myself, my neck, waist, legs, thighs, arms were all huge. I hated the way clothes fit on me. I tried to hid my body with jackets. Swim suits were all about the skirt and tank tops. Anything to cover the fat and make me look okay. My back was killing me and I had to do something for me!

I was telling myself that I really wasn't that fat. I didn't have folds of skin. I was just solid, a solid sausage as Steve likes to tell me now of how I use to look. I stopped being in denial when I had to hop on that doctor scale and look at that large number staring me down.I didn't start to diet the next day. It took a month. It wasn't like I kept staying tomorrow I'll lose the weight.

I wanted to lose the weight, but didn't have a plan. I got that plan the day we went to the State Fair in August. The worst time to be on a diet with all the food. Isn't the fair all about the food? It's the worst time and the best time I'd say to lose weight. I looked around at all the people gorging on fried foods. Saw the fat people walking by and just thought, I don't want to be that group any longer. I decided I could taste some of the fair food, but that was enough. I did not have to eat a whole item. Just a bite of what I really wanted. I tried a bite of baccon on a stick and I think I did have corn on the cob and a taste of pretzel and one cheese curd. That was it! I still was able to enjoy the fair and lose weight. We walked and I felt great! Not deprived!

My new thinking was to eat, no starvation diet for me. I could taste everything and eat nothing. So, I still had a taste of my favorite junk foods. I just didn't go beyond a taste! I ate veggies and a lot of them.

I didn't add in exercise or working out at the gym until I had lost 30 pounds which was by the end of November. I lost the rest of the weight by keeping busy when I usually sat on the couch and ate. I did anything to be out of the house in the afternoons. I cross country skied, went back to the gym, shopped just to keep busy.

I still ate a normal dinner, but again only put a spoonful of whatever was served on my plate and completely cut out bread 100%. I never felt hungry and I never felt like giving up. I didn't have that bad self talk if I did eat something that was not a diet food. I kept it positive!

So now while my diet today isn't as perfect as I'd like it. I do now eat bread (toast, a slice at dinner) but I don't keep eating slice after slice or use it as a snack. I make it a treat to have bread. I now cheat and have my favorite junk, food cookie dough and cake, but I try to limit that too. I'm not always very successful. I want to have junk 3x's a day and sure I workout enough to eat it, but I won't lose any fat. I just make sure I don't get down on myself. I keep it positive and with exercise I do that. It's okay to have a day where I'm enjoying food. I don't have to be "good" 24-7, but I do have to exercise 7 days a week.

So figure out what works for you.. Think of it as a healthy life style. A good one that you can live with!

Oh and weight for the day gym scale with shoes/clothes etc 136.2.. (or 134.2 with taking off 2 pounds for clothes) 
Total weight loss  188 - 134.2 = 53.8 pounds lost!

I'm hoping to lose a pound this week... will I see 133?????
Note to self.. keep my hands out of the cookie dough! ;0)