22 Months and Still Going Strong

Well friends, today marks 22 months since I started on my weight loss journey and I’m happy to report that I’m still going strong, and continuing to learn things along the way!  For month 22, I lost 6.6 pounds, which brings my grand total to-date to 165.3 pounds lost!

Back in January, I came to a point when I decided that I would purposely go into maintenance mode for a while, instead of trying to actively lose weight.  To be honest with you, there was a little part of me that wondered how I would handle maintenance.  Would I feel like I could splurge more often and end up gaining some of the weight back?  Would the thought of eating more per day feel scary?  Would I truly be able to maintain my losses?

Well, the answers came in a good, well-balanced way!  I have spent the last three months in maintenance mode, and did not go overboard with it.  I basically ate the same things I eat in loss mode, just a little more of it.  I continued to track my intake and to weigh-in daily.  Through the process, I discovered that my habits really have changed for the better, and I am not the same person I was before I started losing weight, where my personal health and nutrition are concerned.

About two weeks ago, as I was nearing the end of my planned maintenance season, I began to ask myself if I really wanted to jump back into losing mode or just stay on in maintenance indefinitely.  After all, I reasoned, losing over 160 pounds without the aid of surgeries or specialized programs was a significant accomplishment, all of the symptoms of my back injury and reflux have been gone for a long time now, I weigh less and wear a smaller size than I did when I was 13 years old, and I have complete freedom and mobility.  I asked myself if it was worth the effort to keep going on the weight loss journey.

Quickly, I realized that the answer was a resounding yes!  Why?  Because, I am worth it.  I am worth being the best me I can possibly achieve, and part of that includes not giving up on my goals, be it with weight loss or in other areas of my life (which is why I continue to read hundreds of pages of textbooks each week and write more papers than I can count, because I WILL finally earn my degree!)  And today, I want to encourage you as well.  Let me remind you that you are worth pursuing your goals.  Don’t give up in the middle of your journey because you’re tired, or it seems too big of a job to finish.  Don’t get complacent and satisfied with the progress you’ve made part-way and never make it to the finish line.  Don’t lose sight of the dreams you have in your heart and the goals you’ve set for yourself, because you can accomplish them!

I have just 59.7 more pounds to lose until I reach my goal of losing 225 pounds!  What’s your goal, and what are you going to do to make sure you reach it?

DON’T FORGET:

I would love for you to check out my Facebook page and to Like it while you're there.  Just click this link to go directly to the page (you'll have to log on to Like it) and then don't forget to hover over the Like button and check the box for "show in news feed" so that you don't miss any of the posts:

www.facebook.com/FromPolyesterToSpandex

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

Give Up and Gain

In a recent conversation about my weight loss someone asked me, “What was the hardest thing for you to give up?”  As I thought about it, there’s no one particular food item that came to mind as being particularly hard to give up.  Aside from fast food (which I talk about here), I haven’t really cut many things out completely.  Instead, the past 19 months have been teaching me how to live my life with a healthy balance in my food choices, which is something I’ve never had until now. 

There are things I have definitely cut way back on.  Butter, sauces, dips, and dressings are what I consider trouble served in a little cup.  Think about it…in a restaurant, these items are served in innocent looking small portions on the side of a plate, but they pack a huge calorie wallop with little to no nutritional value, and I’m just not willing to accept that any more.  While I may occasionally have a tiny amount of one if it’s very a good quality, I’ve found that most food actually tastes much better if it’s not swimming in a pourable or spreadable topping!

I really can’t think of anything else that I’ve completely eliminated.  I have made more healthy substitutions and swaps than I can keep up with, and as a result, I haven’t ever felt deprived of things I really enjoy. Throughout my 156 pound loss to-date, I have eaten out at restaurants at least a couple of times each week, I’ve had cake at birthday parties, and survived several church potluck events.  My family and I eat the same meals for dinner together every night (except when I swap broccoli slaw for pasta…I haven’t gotten the kids on board for that one yet!), and we make homemade pizza every so often.  Portion control, more nutritious ingredients, and overall healthier choices have made all the difference!

As I think about it, I guess I have given up some other things, but in doing so, I’ve gained so much more…

- I have given up spending time in front of the television…and gained lean muscle and functional strength by going to the gym to workout!

- I have given up fast food…and gained freedom from severe reflux problems!

- I have given up a negative self-image…and gained a sense of empowerment!

- I have given up the idea that I can do this on my own…and gained a new understanding of Philippians 4:13 that tells me I really can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

- I have given up living in a constant state of denial…and gained a clear sense of reality!

- I have given up feeling out of control…and gained a peaceful balance!

- I have given up overeating…and gained my mobility!

- I have given up defeat…and gained victory!

The value of what I have gained far outweighs what I’ve given up.  There’s just no comparison!  What will you gain if you make the choice to give something up today?

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

Fast Food Flashbacks

I have mentioned from time to time that I used to eat a lot of fast food.  By “a lot” I mean, in the five years (or more) before I overhauled my lifestyle in June 2011 to reflect healthier choices, I went through the drive-through anywhere from 10-12 (sometimes more) times each week.  Most days Monday through Friday, I would pick up breakfast to eat in the car on the way to work, and then run out again to get something for lunch.  Saturday lunches were handed through the window quite often too, especially during our busiest seasons of rehearsals for our drama productions at church, and many Sunday mornings found me in line yet again to get breakfast on the way to service.  It’s hard to write about this, because admitting your bad habits is never easy, especially in a public forum.  My hope, however, is that by sharing my experiences, other people can find that change IS possible!  The fast food addict is who I used to be, but it is definitely not who I am today!

As I look back, I’ve realized that my addiction to all things served in a paper bag began years ago, when I was still a teenager.  With the independence of driving and having a little money in my pocket came the ability to eat a burger and fries just about any time I wanted to.  It was easy enough to dispose of the trash before coming home, so my parents never knew just how much junk food I was consuming.  As someone who has been involved in music since I was 12 and theatre since I was 14, I’ve always had evening rehearsals and performances to attend.  Once I started going to those on my own, I developed a terrible habit of getting things like milkshakes and fries late at night on my way home.

Since I’ve been in rehearsals for “The Music Man” for the last few weeks, as I’m driving to and from the theatre, I pass by 10 different fast food restaurants (that I can readily think of to count right now), and typically I don’t give them a second thought.  One night recently though, I had what I call a “fast food flashback”.  It was a little thought that I could pull into one of the places for a “snack”.  Now, what’s totally absurd about this is the fact that I have only eaten something from a fast food restaurant 4 or 5 times in the last 19 months, and those have been when we were traveling out West and literally had no other options, and then I only got simple fruit cups or plain grilled chicken and we went inside and sat down (to avoid the drive through itself).

As quickly as the thought came, I was surprised by it, but immediately pushed it aside.  I smiled at the strength I felt as I drove on by, knowing that I truly have no desire for that kind of food anymore.  What it made me realize even more, however, is that temptation will rear its ugly head now and then.  The key to overcoming it, I believe, is threefold.  First, I am determined to see my commitment through to my goal weight and then continuing on to live a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my days.  Second, I did not entertain thoughts of giving in to the temptation.  I didn’t start thinking about how good it might be “just this one time” or how much I “miss it” (I really don’t miss it, and actually, the smell of fast food makes me sick to my stomach if someone around me has it these days).  Lastly, I opened up and told someone I’m accountable to about the temptation.  Even though it was no more than a fleeting thought and I felt no desire to actually run through the drive-through, I told both my husband and my sister about it.  Talking about it with someone I can trust helps strengthen my resolve and re-emphasizes my commitments. 

Have you ever had a "flashback" of a prior habit?  How did you overcome it?


(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

Firecrackers and Pilot Lights

As we’re now a little more than a week into the new year of 2013, I have to admit that the sheer number of television and radio commercials dedicated to weight loss products and services is a bit overwhelming.  In addition, retailers are on the proverbial bandwagon as well by putting all things workout-related on sale this month.  It’s as though the whole country starts a collective diet and exercise plan about the time the last of the Christmas dinner leftovers have been eaten or thrown out.

While I’m obviously a strong advocate for eating healthy foods and exercising, and sincerely applaud anyone who decides to make healthy improvements in their life, I can’t help but think of all the money that will be spent for gym memberships that will only be used a few times and forgotten about, and all of the trendy workout clothes that will be purchased only to be donated to the local thrift stores in a few months.  So many people go into the new year with the best intentions for their “resolutions” of diet and exercise.  Sadly, a majority of those resolutions go unfulfilled.

The way I see it, a person can make a resolution regarding changes they want to make in their life, and they’ll either become like a firework or like a pilot light.  Let me explain…

Fireworks are exciting!  They are typically displayed at important times of the year, most often during the holidays or at a big celebration.  Fireworks go off with a “BANG!” and because of this, they draw a lot of attention.  They get the “ooohhh’s” and “ahhhh’s” of onlookers and infuse the air with energy…but only briefly.  You see, that’s the thing about fireworks.  After the initial flash, they sizzle through the air as the spark burns out and they fade away.  There's no long-lasting comittment with a firework.  Fireworks are the perfect example of the expression, “well, it was great while it lasted”.

A pilot light, on the other hand, is not very exciting at all.  Honestly, most people don’t really think about a pilot light all that much.  It’s small and usually hidden away underneath or behind an appliance like a hot water heater or a stove.  No one boasts, “Hey, have you seen my pilot light lately?  Come on out to the garage a take a look!”  The beauty of a pilot light, however, is that it has an ongoing job to do and it just keeps on burning.  Did you catch that?  It just keeps on burning…

Resolutions can be like the exciting, but temporary firework, exploding into the new year with lots of pizzazz but forgotten about rather quickly.  Resolutions can also be like the ho-hum, yet continually burning pilot light that stays committed to getting the work done, day in and day out.

Me?  I’d rather be a pilot light than a firework any day!

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

Happy 2013!

Wow!  When I look back over 2012, it was an incredibly full year!  Some of the health and weight-related highlights for me included:

- Losing 92.1 pounds during the year

- Not having to take reflux medicine even once this year

- Regaining strength in my back and reclaiming my mobility

- Joining a gym

- Discovering that I actually enjoy working out

- Running a 5K distance in the local park in under 46 minutes

- Going down FIVE sizes in jeans (from a 32 to a 22)

- Going down from a size 30/32 to a size 18/20 in tops/dresses/jackets

- Teaching my “Reflections” Bible study series to a great group of women

In my blog from 11/1/12 titled “2012 Year End Goals” I listed 7 specific goals I made for myself to accomplish between 11/1/2 and 12/31/12.  Here’s my list of hits and misses:

1) Lose 15 pounds (this will put me exactly 75 pounds away from my final goal weight!) 

            RESULT: I lost 19 pounds across November and December!!!

2) Work out 3 times a week, even on holiday weeks

            RESULT:  As I noted in a previous post, I am in rehearsals for a show called, “The Music Man”, which I am having a fabulous time with, however, it has thrown my gym schedule into a tizzy!  I have not been in the gym nearly as often as I would have liked to have been, however, I’m getting in some cardio in dance rehearsals, and I’m getting ready to start the 30-Day Shred video workouts at home.

3) Increase the intensity of my workouts (higher weights, increased sets/reps, etc.)

            RESULT:  My trainer at the gym has reformatted my workout to help me accomplish this, and as soon as my show finishes, I’m going to head into my new routine.  For now, the videos at home will at least provide a fresh approach and keep me moving.

4) Register for my first 5K run

            RESULT:  I had planned to register for the local zoo’s 5K, which is held in January, however, I’ve got a rehearsal I can’t miss on the day of the run, so I’m going to look for a 5K for March or April instead.  I just need to find one now and get registered!

5) Increase my running speed/endurance (move from running intervals to extended periods of running)

            RESULT:  I have been making improvements in this area, but still have a long way to go!  This will be an ongoing goal.

6) Go down one size in jeans

            RESULT:  Yes!  I was in a size 24 on November 1^st, and am currently in a size 22, and  am not too far from moving down again to a size 20.  The last time I wore a size 20 jeans,  I was in the 7^th grade!

7) Pay attention to and appreciate the people and interactions at holiday gatherings more than the food

            RESULT:  I had one of the best holiday seasons I can remember having!  I truly enjoyed my time with family and friends and didn’t stress over food.  I wasn’t fixated on the goodies, but I wasn’t scared to eat either.  I kept things in balance far more than I indulged.  I had more hugs than cookies, and that equals success!

How was your holiday season?  Did you accomplish your goals?  What are you working on for 2013?

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)



Hello Facebook!

I am excited to tell you that I have set up a Facebook page for my blog!  I would love for you to check it out and to Like it while you're there.  Just click this link to go directly to the page (you'll have to log on to Like it):

www.facebook.com/FromPolyesterToSpandex

This will take you right to my page, where you can click to Like it, and then don't forget to hover over the Like button and check the box for "show in news feed" so that you don't miss any of the posts.

I'll be posting links whenever I have written a new blog, as well as fun updates from time to time.  I promise not to overwhelm your newsfeed! 

When I first began my journey to lose 225 pounds through healthy choices in food and exercise, I had a hard time finding others who had succeeded in doing what I was trying to accomplish.  I found many examples of folks who had lost 100 or even 150 pounds without surgeries, programs, fad diets, or other extreme measures, but those who have lost over 200 pounds "on their own" so to speak, were a lot fewer and farther between.  Although I'm still working towards my goal (down 147 pounds so far!), I hope that my story can be an encouragement to others.

Please feel free to share the link on your own Facebook page and help me spread the word about From Polyester to Spandex!

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

Out to Lunch

I just finished a quick lunch time grocery shopping trip to Publix to stock up on items for my breakfasts, lunches, and snacks I eat at work and was thinking about how drastically different my lunch time “run out to pick up something” routine is from a year-and-a-half ago.  Before I made my changes to living a healthier life, I didn’t think twice about running through a drive-through to grab a biscuit and hashbrown on the way to work, and then hitting the drive through yet again for a burger and fries, or tacos, or something equally as bad for me. These days, that has all changed.  Now, I stock up my work fridge and cabinet and eat in my office.

Here’s what I bought today:

3 cases of bottled water

2 jars of no-sugar-added pickles

2 bowls of deli-made peach-mango salsa

3-pound bowl of seedless watermelon

1 pound of strawberries

3 packs of turkey sausage patties

2 cartons of blueberries

1 pack fiber granola 90-calorie bars

1 dozen hardboiled eggs

2 pounds fresh cut pineapple

2 bananas

1 pound cut broccoli

1 loaf healthy life bread

1 pack flat out light wraps

Looking at this list makes me very happy.  Is it completely unprocessed?  Nope, but most of it is, and the things that aren’t still represent decent choices for their respective items.  These things, along with a few things I already had on hand at work left over from my last shopping trip (including some deli turkey, hummus, carrots, tuna, chicken, and other things), will carry me through my daytime meals for the next two work weeks or so.

When I compare a lunch meal from before with a typical lunch meal today, it looks something like this:

THEN  - 1,630 Calories and 72 grams of Fat              

Bacon Cheeseburger C-790; F-39                              

Large Fries C-500;  F-25                                           

Caramel Sundae C-340; F-8                                       

NOW – 377 Calories and 9 grams of Fat

Turkey Sandwich – C-130; F-1

1 Cup Broccoli – C-25; F-0

2 tbsp hummus – C-70; F-6

2 cups watermelon – C-92; F-5

1 oz. sugar-free pickles – C-0; F-0

Sugar-free pudding cup – C;60; F-1.5

The difference in the two is really amazing!  What more can I say about it?  It costs much less for me to eat healthy, it requires less time since I’m no longer waiting in drive-through lines twice a day, and the reduction in calories and fat grams (not to mention, sodium, carbs, sugars, etc.) is HUGE, and in the end, my overall health and weight are significantly improving as a result of the changes.  You just can’t argue with that!

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

Why Wait?

Having spent my entire life as an overweight person (seriously, I was way too heavy for my age even as a toddler!), I always knew that I needed to do something to get my eating habits under control.  An entry from my journal when I was 13 said, “I am going to start watching what I eat and get skinny…” The following day, my next entry expresses clearly that I didn’t know how to do that, and had failed miserably when I wrote, “Mama made macaroni and cheese with little smokies for dinner tonight.  I ate a whole plate of macaroni and 6 sausages and then had seconds.  Guess I’ll always be fat.”  While I can remember ALWAYS wanting to be thinner, it took me until I was 39 years old to actually DO something about it.

Knowing and doing can be worlds apart…but they don’t have to be!  I knew I had reached my all-time highest weight back in June 2011 long before I ever got on the scale because I was wearing the biggest clothes I had ever owned.  No one had to tell me that I needed to make some healthy changes.  No one reaches a size 34/36 without realizing that they are huge and have some issues they need to address!  I had decided that I was going to start implementing changes right after my 39^th birthday passed and start fresh at the beginning of the next month, on July 1^st.  On June 16^th, however, I was out shopping and found a great scale on sale that had one of the highest weight limits I had ever seen available for a personal home scale, so I went ahead and bought it in preparation for my big day on the 1^st.  I also downloaded the MyFitnessPal app onto my phone that morning so I could play around with it and learn how to use it properly. 

While trying to get everything set up for a day in the future I had tagged as my “start date”, the combination of tracking the calories of the food I ate that day, along with setting up my new scale and facing the truth of how much I actually weighed caused me to forget about waiting until July 1^st.  I immediately began weighing and tracking daily, and I have continued to do so diligently for the more than 500 days since then. 

It is easy to say you need to do something to improve your health, be it losing weight, making better nutritional choices, beginning a workout program, or something else, but if you convince yourself that you’ll start it on Monday, next week, next month, or with a New Year’s resolution, then chances are, you’ll lose the drive and motivation, or talk yourself out of it, and never start. 

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through the last 17 months is to identify the changes that need to be made, and then don’t hesitate, just make them!  The ideal time is now, because if you wait for the perfect time, excuses will get in the way and that perfect time will never come.

My motto now is, “Why wait?”

So…What are you waiting for???

(Just a reminder/disclosure…I am not a medical professional or certified trainer, so anything I write in this blog is not intended to be taken as advice, guidance, or recommendations.  It is simply a journal of my own personal experiences.  Thanks!)

A Happy and Successful Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! 

For the last few years, my sister, my sister-in-law, and I have taken turns doing the cooking and hosting of the three major winter celebration holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.  It makes it easier on everyone to only host one big meal, and we all really enjoy the one we each do.  My sister-in-law does Thanksgiving dinner at her house, which really helped me stay on track this weekend.  I didn't do any of the cooking, which meant no temptations to sample the goodies while they were being prepared, and it also meant no leftovers staring at me from my fridge the next day.  I call that a win-win situation! 

I had planned a few weeks ago to allow myself to go up to maintenance calories instead of my loss level on Thanksgiving Day, because 1300 calories was just not enough for a holiday!  I stayed true to my plan, and had a healthy breakfast, followed by some turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes, and had lots of good veggies like green beans (plain, not a casserole!), steamed broccoli, and carrots, and topped it all off with a small slice of pumpkin pie for our big lunch.  At dinner/leftovers time, I had a little more turkey and a spoonful of pasta and called it a day!  I was full and content, but did not overeat or make myself miserable as I admit I have done in years past.

My favorite part of the day came after lunch.  Before we began eating, my sister-in-law asked each of us to go around the table taking turns offering the prayer and giving thanks for whatever was on our heart.  Our boys didn't want to participate, and we didn't force them to.  After the meal, I could not resist the urge to get up and move!  I decided to go out for a long walk around the neighborhood, and the boys gladly came with me.  As we walked, I suggested we play the "thanks game" and each take turns saying things we were thankful for and why, and they were so excited to play, that their lists were endless!  We walked and talked for 30 minutes, covering 1.5 miles (distance recorded thanks to my mapping app I actually remembered to turn on when we started), and we were still naming things as we finished the walk.  Some of the things the boys named were pretty deep considering they're only 6 and 7, while others were just plain fun!  Some of my favorites included:

Thankful for toys, because they keep us from being bored
Thankful for Jesus dying on the cross to forgive us
Thankful for shoes, so we don't hurt our feet when we're outside
Thankful that Daddy didn't die when he was sick and in the hospital
Thankful for our family, so we don't have to be alone
Thankful for candy, because our mouths like it
Thankful for our dog, Happy, because we love him
Thankful for sunshine, because it feels good on our skin
Thankful for crayons because we like all the different colors God made for us

The rest of the weekend was spent doing things like putting up the Christmas tree, watching movies, doing a little Christmas shopping (I skipped the Black Friday crazy hours and still got everything on my list quickly and easily and without the shopping drama!), and just hanging out together.  Beautiful days, indeed!

Oh...by the way...I also got to move DOWN a size in my jeans this weekend!  There's a certain brand and style that I really like, and when I caught them on a fantastic sale a couple of months ago, I bought 3 pair in each of the next 4 sizes down.  It was a great deal, and that way, I've got the smaller sizes on hand for inspiration, and am also ready for when the time comes that I lose enough to fit into each of them.  Two weeks ago, I tried on the next size down, and couldn't get them over my hips.  This weekend, not only did they fit, they fit well enough I wore them for our annual family photo with Santa!  Being confident enough in a garment to wear it purposely for a photo says a lot for me! 

All in all, it truly was a happy and successful Thanksgiving!

2012 Year-End Goals

I can't believe today is November 1st and we've only got two months left of 2012!  Yesterday couldn't possibly have been Halloween, could it?  I think it was actually Valentine's Day and everyone was just confused...either that, or this year is absolutely flying by!

I guess reality wins out, because today I'm thinking about the goals I want to achieve between now and the end of the year.  For so many years in my past, Halloween was the kick-off to the prime food and goodies time of the year that involved several holiday parties and get-togethers over the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, and wrapped up with our annual family New Year's Day bash, guaranteeing each new year was started by trying to find my way out of a food coma.  But, by golly, times have changed!

Last year, I did really well throughout November and December by maintaining my weight, and actually losing a pound or two during that time.  I had only started my weight loss efforts in June 2011, so by Thanksgiving, I was only 5 months in with 56 pounds lost, but was determined I wouldn't blow it over the holidays.  To that end, I made a conscious decision to raise my daily calorie intake from loss levels to maintenance levels for those two months.  That allowed me a little wiggle room but still kept me in check as I continued to log everything I ate.  Yes, I even journaled my food on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day!

This year, however, things are a little different.  I'm now 16 months in with a loss of 136 pounds, and I really don't want to give up making progress for the next two months just because it's the holidays.  I've decided to go to maintenance levels (which affords me a few hundred extra calories per day) only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days, not for the entire season this year.  The fact is, I like wearing smaller clothes and feeling better far more than I like pumpkin pie or yeast rolls!

That being said, I'm heading into the final weeks of 2012 with specific health and weight goals I want to reach and with a plan in place to achieve them, and I thought I'd share a couple of them with you here.

November & December 2012 Goals
1) Lose 15 pounds (this will put me exactly 75 pounds away from my final goal weight!)
2) Work out 3 times a week, even on holiday weeks
3) Increase the intensity of my work outs (higher weights, increased sets/reps, etc.)
4) Register for my first 5K run
5) Increase my running speed/endurance (move from running intervals to extended periods of running)
6) Go down one size in jeans
7) Pay attention to and appreciate the people and interactions at holiday gatherings more than the food

So, there you have it!  Those are a few of my goals.  Have you started thinking about the end of the year yet?  What kind of goals are you setting?  I'd love to hear from you!  Let's finish this year off feeling great about ourselves by making healthy choices!

Questions & Answers

At this point in my weight loss journey, I get asked a lot of questions from people who have been watching my transformation.  I thought I'd take the opportunity to answer a few that I get pretty often.

Question: "What are you eating these days?"
My Answer:  Lots of whole foods, very little processed foods, no fast food, keeping between 1400-1500 calories per day.

Question: "Did you have weight loss surgery?"
My Answer:  No, I lost over 90 pounds in the first 11 months through changing my food habits, and have continued to lose as I upped my game by joining a gym to add cardio and strength training since May 2012.

Question: "How can you give up sweets/chocolate/bread/etc.?"
My Answer:  I haven't!  I can't imagine living the rest of my life without bread or mashed potatoes, but I don't eat them every day, and I've found healthier alternatives I've switched to that I love.  

Question: "Do you ever have a 'cheat day' and eat whatever you want?"
My Answer:  No, I don't have anything or anyone to cheat but myself if I were to eat something crazy.  I'm not on a diet program, so I have no specific restrictions.  My focus is on eating in a well-balanced manner each and every day.  For example, my sister makes the best cakes with fondant anywhere, and I enjoy some of that at family birthdays.  I'm not cheating by having a small piece.  I know it's coming, and I plan ahead for it to fit into my calories.  I don't eat a huge chunk of it.  A small piece is enough to enjoy! To put it into perspective, I eat broccoli 5 or 6 days a week, but I have eaten cake maybe 5 or 6 times in the past year.  I AM eating whatever I want to, because I truly want to eat the way that I am these days!

Question: "Don't you crave junk food once in a while?"
My Answer:  No, not really.  Once I was about 6 months in, I realized my tastes had completely changed.  My biggest craving now is watermelon!  If I haven't had any in a few days, I find myself making a lunchtime run to the grocery store and loading up on 2 or 3 pounds of seedless watermelon and I eat it over the next couple of days.  I buy it in the pre-cut bowls in the produce department, and that's my big splurge!

The question I get asked most often, without a doubt, is two-fold...
"How did you make the decision to lose weight, and how have you stuck with it so long?"

I'll answer it in my next blog post, so stay tuned!

The "P" Word

One of the things I always want to convey through this blog is the real-life aspect of weight loss.  While I do not advocate using a public forum to vent frustrations or complaints, there are definitely real challenges to face when you set out to lose weight, especially when the amount you intend to lose is significant, and I believe it’s important to share those things as well. 

For the last two weeks, my scale has not budged downward.  In fact, I’ve had daily fluctuations, but stayed within the same 3-pound range for the last 17 days.  I have not strayed from my food plan, and continue to eat between 1400-1500 calories per day.  In addition, I’ve been doing great at the gym and have not missed a single workout.  So what’s going on?  Let me tell you…

(Before I go any further, I know that many people believe you should only weigh-in weekly, or even monthly, to avoid the emotional highs and lows that can be a part of daily weigh-ins.  For me, however, daily has worked for the last 13 months, so I’m sticking with it.)

Because of the detailed progress spreadsheet I keep, where I track my daily weigh-ins, I can look back and see that this is not the first time I’ve reached, what most would term, a plateau.  The term “plateau” (according to dictionary.com) has several meanings, all having to do with reaching a place where progress ceases to rise.  There are two definitions, however, that really stand out to me.  The first one reads, “remain at a stable level of achievement,” and the second one calls a plateau, “a period of little or no apparent progress…” (italics mine).

When you know you’re doing the work, yet you’re not seeing the expected results, it’s important to remember that word “achievement.”  Just because I didn’t lose 2 pounds this week doesn’t take anything away from the 115 pound loss I have already achieved!  When you reach a plateau, that’s a good time to look back at how far you’ve really come!  The second important thing to think about is the second definition I mentioned.  Just because your progress doesn’t look apparent on the scale doesn’t mean you’ve come to a screeching halt!  For me, it’s a signal that my body is ready for me to change things up a bit.  It’s time to increase the incline on the treadmill and add in more interval training, it’s time to change around the order in which I perform my strength training exercises.  It’s time to flip around what time of day I eat my larger calorie meals vs. my smaller calorie meals, etc.  From experience, a few small changes will go a long way in getting things kick-started back up again.

Another interesting thing I realized about my plateau periods.  Each one has come when I’ve reached a weight that I maintained for a long period in the past.  For example, the last plateau I experienced came when I got back down to the size I was 10 years ago.  I had been at that weight for the better part of 5 years or more.  Right now, I’m made it down to the size I was in my last two years of high school, which I continued to be throughout college and for a few years after that.  Each of these plateaus came when I reached a point that my body was comfortable in for a long time in the past.  While my body may want to stay here to visit for a while, I’m packin’ it up and movin’ it on down the street to a much smaller address!  The eviction notice has been served!

With each of the plateaus I’ve went through previously, as I come out of them, I’ve hit great new loss levels quickly.  That being said, I am poised and ready to break through to new lows very soon!

My take-aways from plateau periods include:

1)     Plateaus will happen, they are inevitable!

2)     Don’t give up just because you’ve hit a plateau!

3)     Plateaus are a chance to realize how much you’ve already acheived!

4)     Plateaus should not become comfort zones!

5)     Scale progress may not be apparent in a plateau, but there are other kinds of progess!

6)     Plateaus are a chance to change things around and make it more interesting!

7)     Don’t slack off when you reach a plateau, keep working and you’ll break through it!

“Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

~ Galatians 6:9 ~

Taking Inventory

Our children are getting ready to start back to their new school year in just a few weeks, and in preparation, my husband and I have been talking about what new school clothes we need to buy for each of them.  Since our school district wears uniforms, our kids have to have two wardrobes, one with their shorts, slacks, and polo shirts for school, and one with their jeans and t-shirts and play clothes.  Since they haven't been wearing their school attire for the last couple of months (and have grown considerably over the summer as kids tend to do), we've been taking inventory this week to figure out what pieces each of the boys need for the new school year, and what garments they can still fit into from last year (which isn’t very much!)

So what does this have to do with weight loss?  I'm glad you asked!

It all comes down to this...

You have to figure out where you are before you can determine where you're going.

I can’t appropriately buy my kids the new school clothes they need unless I know what they’ve got in the closet.  I can think they are good on slacks and not buy any, then when the weather turns cold, find out all they have is one pair of pants that have the knees worn out of them.  In the same way, a person can think they're doing all right with how they're eating because they're “balancing” things with a diet soda and a salad occasionally, or bypassing a second trip to the buffet, or eating grilled chicken with rice from time to time, when in reality, their body is not getting the nutrition it needs to thrive, they're gaining weight from all the junk food, and all they’ve really putting into their body is coming up short!

When I first started on my path towards a healthy life through weight loss and exercise, I began my food journal.  I did not make any changes to what I was eating, but simply logged the calories (and other nutritional data) into the food journal app I have on my phone.  The reality of the number of calories I was regularly eating astounded me!  I promised myself I would never treat my body that poorly ever again.

Before I started losing weight, I was not someone who ate multiples of food (sometimes you'll hear of overweight folks who eat like 8 eggs, 12 pieces of toast and a pound of bacon for breakfast, or an entire pizza, 2-liter of soda, and whole bag of chips for dinner).  That wasn't me.  I ate “normal” meals, in that I was eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, with little to no snacking, and not eating tons of food at each meal.  My problem focused more on what food items I did eat.  I was eating fast food meal combos for breakfast and lunch most work days, and often having full-sized restaurant meals a few times a week for dinner.  When we cooked dinner at home, we used to eat lots of pasta and other heavy entrees and never measured out proper portions.  As a result, back then, it was nothing for me to eat more calories in one meal then I do in an entire day now without even considering the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of what I was eating.

Taking inventory is an important first step to losing weight.  Let me encourage you to start a food journal of your own.  There are lots of great websites and phone apps available that make it very simple and easy to keep track.  The one I use takes me less than 5 minutes a day to track everything I eat and drink.  When you come face to face with the true number of calories you’re consuming each day, along with the amount of sodium, cholesterol, fat, sugar, and carbohydrates you’re actually taking in, you may be as shocked as I was.  It may not be pretty to see the numbers, but it’s worth it if it causes you to start making healthier choices like it was for me!

Changed Thinking About Food

Is everything in my life now sunshine and roses because of my weight loss efforts so far?  Nope, I can’t say that it is, but by making healthy changes, I’m better equipped to function and handle each and every day.  I have the strength, stamina, and endurance for whatever comes my way, and the exercise helps me reduce stress and sleep better.  I have to say that making strides towards a healthy weight has brought nothing but benefits to my life!

There have been challenges I’ve faced in this process through this year though.  The biggest, I believe, has been in changing the way I think about food and getting a grip on how my thoughts and actions are so inter-connected.  Getting my mindset aligned with good nutrition and proper serving sizes has definitely has been the hardest part.  Once I got it, though, I really got it! Because I do eat in restaurants a couple of times each week, let me use that to give you an example…

In the past (old habit days), when I would eat at a restaurant, I would immediately scan the menu, looking to see what I could order that gave me the best value for my money, while filling my taste for rich, savory, “comfort” foods.  I wanted to make sure I got the most for my food dollars.  That typically resulted in some kind of deep-fried meat, with gravy, and two or three side items (can you say “macaroni & cheese” and “french fries”!) and some kind of bread basket, which I admittedly allowed to waiter to refill. 

Now, however, I go straight to the light or low-calorie section of the menu, looking for grilled meats and steamed vegetables (which I order to be prepared without butter or oils).  I occasionally have a piece of bread, but limit myself to one, and have the waiter take away the basket and skip the refills.  Instead of trying to get the most food for my money, now I’m trying to get the lowest calories and healthiest choice for my money!

Interestingly enough, it did not take a long time for me to implement this changed way of thinking.  Once I decided enough was enough (literally!) there was no looking back.  Initially, it was difficult.  I had to make the healthy choices whether I felt like it or not.  I had to force myself smile while I ordered the steamed vegetable medley instead of the loaded potato.  It was hard to pass up the dessert menu when the rest of the table was ordering cheesecake.  However, when the meal was over, I left the table physically full and satisfied from good foods, but more importantly, I felt empowered because for the first time in my life, I had control over food, rather than letting it have control over me! 

After just a few weeks, I no longer felt the tug-of-war between what I wanted to order and what I knew I needed to order.  Not only had my thinking and my actions changed, but I found that my tastes had completely changed as well!  I can honestly say that I really don’t crave the foods I used to eat anymore and it doesn't bother me in the least when others around me are eating high-calorie indulgences.

So, if you’re trying to make your own healthy choices, I would tell you that making a drastic change IS possible, but only if you change how you think about your food.  If you think about healthy food as the enemy, like it’s keeping you from what you really want to eat, or there’s no way you could possibly enjoy it, then you’ll have a long, hard road ahead of you.  If, however, you choose to remind yourself that you’re worth treating your body well, commit to making healthy choices, and start seeing good foods as your friend instead of your enemy, you’ll set yourself up for success!

Surviving Vacation

It has been a very busy couple of weeks!  Our family recently returned from a ten-day road trip to visit with family and friends that spanned over 2,200 miles.  We stayed in three different hotels in various parts of Kansas and Arkansas, as well as a few nights with my husband’s parents.  Did I mention we made the trip with our two boys, who are both under 8 years old?  Oh, and our dog, I can’t leave out the dog!  (Note to self: don’t ever feed the dog sausage from the hotel breakfast buffet right before getting on the road…it’s not pretty!)  We had a fantastic time, and when we got home we all still liked each other, so I consider the trip a success!

Being on the road and eating at restaurants and other people’s homes for so many days is difficult, at best, when you’re trying to maintain a 1,600 calorie per day eating schedule and wanting to get in a few workouts!  Through some creative planning ahead, and the understanding of my mother-in-law (who didn’t mind that I brought in groceries and prepared some of my own meals while we were with them), I managed to keep within my calorie budget throughout our vacation and to eat very much like I do when we are at home.  I feel very accomplished!

Eating right on this trip was probably the biggest challenge I have faced with maintaining my daily food goals since I began nearly a year ago.  Truth is, I was very nervous about it before we left on the trip.  By planning ahead and letting family members know beforehand that I would be eating differently, however, it helped to alleviate the stress.  Also, we eat at restaurants enough normally that I already knew what choices to make when we ate out while travelling and cooking wasn’t an option.

Through our travels, I was also able to get in four good swims in the hotel pools where I swam enough laps each time to get in a good workout.  So, even with travel, I purposely made time for exercise, something I would have never dreamed of doing a year ago! On the final day of the trip, after we got home and everything in and settled, I ran up to the gym for a while and knocked out a good strength training workout along with an hour of cardio. 

In the end, like everything else in life, it all comes down to choices.  You can choose to throw off all restraint because you’re “on vacation” and indulge in too many high-calorie foods, using the excuse that you, “want to enjoy yourself.”  Most likely, you’ll later regret that decision as you feel awful from eating such things, and/or, when you get home and step on the scale you’ll have a lot of extra work to do to play catch up for the pounds your indulgences cost you. Nothing sucks the enjoyment out of something like an upset stomach, or worse, a 5 pound weight gain!  But, you have another option...You can choose to eat with moderation.  You can take a few minutes to plan and build balanced treats into your day (yes, I had a couple bites of my mother-in-law’s Kansas Dirt Cake and a small slice of her homemade banana bread, but without regret and without going over my calories!)  By making the right choices, you can be proud of yourself for staying true to your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. 

When you choose wisely, you can look yourself in the mirror and know that this is who you have become…a person of balance, who is in control of your eating and able to make good choices that will contribute to your own health and well-being, and trust me, that feels AMAZING!

So...What do I eat?

I’ve talked quite a bit on this blog about the philosophy I’ve taken with my eating habits during my weight loss journey, but to this point, haven’t discussed, in detail what it is I’m actually eating these days.  Someone asked me recently, “So…what DO you eat?”  I thought I’d share a bit about it today!

Since I’m pretty new to this whole blogging thing and don’t know the rules about mentioning name brands (can I do that?) for now, I’ll stick to generalities.  If you want specific brand name information, email me at polytospan@gmail.com and I’ll be glad to tell you more.

First things first, as I’ve said before, I use a website and its mobile app to track my calories on a daily basis.  It takes approximately 5 minutes a day to keep up with, and truly, has been key to my success.  Tracking, along with measuring and making sure I’m actually eating the appropriate sized servings, is what has made all the difference for me.  I have a measuring cup and a cheap digital food scale at home, and a measuring cup in my desk drawer at work.  That’s the extent of my weight loss gadgets and gizmos or accessories!

I entered my height, starting weight, age and gender into the tracking app when I first began, along with my goal of losing 2 pounds per week, and it calculated the total number of calories I needed to eat per day to reach that goal.  It also gave me targets for things like fat, carbs, sodium, protein, cholesterol, etc.  Honestly, I haven’t focused on trying to reach the nutrient goals, because the food choices I’ve made within the calorie goal automatically makes me reach the nutrient goals.

When I first began, I was eating around 2,200 calories per day.  With each 10-pound weight loss, the app would reset my goals and my calorie allotment would go down according to my new weight.  As of today, my goal is 1,610 calories per day.  Because the calorie goal goes down slowly and incrementally, you don’t really notice it and it’s not a big deal.  It’s not like it makes you decrease by 500 calories overnight!

A sample of what I might eat in a day now, taken from my actual food journal looks like this:

BREAKFAST

1.5 cups multigrain cereal 165 calories

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 35 calories

2 clementines 70 calories

SNACK

½ cup diced peaches 35 calories

1 cup blueberries 80 calories

LUNCH

2 slices high fiber multigrain bread 70 calories

1 wedge light cheese wedge 35 calories

6 slices deli turkey 50 calories

15 chips, baked potato chips 120 calories

2 tablespoons hummus 70 calories

SNACK

4oz. high fiber blueberry yogurt 50 calories

1 cup raw broccoli 25 calories

DINNER

6 oz. boneless pork loin 210 calories

1 cup broccoli 25 calories

½ cup corn 75 calories

½ cup roasted garlic mashed potatoes 120 calories

1 slice high fiber multigrain bread 35 calories

mixed greens side salad with cheese, croutons, tomatoes, cucumbers 110 calories

2 tablespoons fat-free dressing 45 calories

SNACK

1 serving drizzled popcorn pack 120 calories

TOTAL 1545 calories for the day

So, there you have it!  I eat all day long, as you can see, so it keeps me from ever feeling like I’m deprived or overly hungry.  It keeps my metabolism running smoothly and constantly, without overdoing it any one meal.  Our family also eats out a lot, so I'll address restaurants in another post some other day.

I’m eating real food, regular food, but in the correct serving sizes, and with attention to the choices I make.  Yes, I love broccoli and blueberries, and eat LOTS of them regularly, but I also couldn’t imagine life without bread or mashed potatoes!  I’ve simply found better options and healthier ways of preparing the things I really enjoy and have them in moderation.  I get to eat the same foods as the rest of my family, and we’re all healthier as a result.  I can live with that!