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!)



18 Month Update

Hey there!  I'm almost a week late with my 18-month update post, since Sunday was my official check-in date, but I have been really sick with the respiratory junk that had been going around, and just haven't had it in me to sit down and write a post until today.  I started getting sick Sunday afternoon and went downhill from there with the fever, sore throat, chest and head congestion, coughing, weakness, and everything that comes along with it.  I was sicker than I can remember being in several years!  From Tuesday evening through Thursday morning, I didn't even leave my bed for over 34 hours (with the exception of a few trips to the bathroom).  I am finally starting to feel a little better today, so there's still hope for being better before Christmas!  Anyway, on to the update...

As of my 18-month weigh-in on December 16th, for the month I lost 11.4 pounds which took me to a grand total of down 151.20 pounds in 18 months! 

I had a goal of reaching 150 pounds lost by the 18-month point, so I was really excited to see that I had exceeded it!  I cheered when I saw the number on the scale, and then burst into tears.  My sweet husband hugged me and kept telling me over and over again how proud of me he was.  It was definitely a good morning!

Every time I look at the numbers and see where I'm at, compared to where I've come from, I can't help but praise God for the changes He has helped me make in my life.  No, I cannot say that it has always been easy, because change rarely is simple, but I can honestly say it has been easier than I ever imagined it would be, and difficult or not, it has always been good and well worth the effort!

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength"

Philippians 4:13, NLT

(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!)

Another Openin', Another Show

As I mentioned in a previous post titled, "I Like It! I Really Like It!",  I was actively involved in band, vocal music, and theatre throughout high school and college, and even majored in Music Education when I attended college (the first go around) right out of high school.  I have always had a great love of performing.  There is something about telling a story, be it through word or music, that has always been dear to me.  The conveyance of thought and emotion via the arts is simply a part of who I am.  With that in mind, I just love how God brings the pieces of our lives together!  I have been very blessed to have served for the last 20 years in the arena of church drama ministry, and have worked as the Creative Arts pastor for my church the last several years.  It has been one of my greatest joys to share the Gospel in this manner.  My passion for sharing the thruths of God's Word has been blended beautifully with my love of the arts, and I am so thankful for that!

Recently, an opportunity came up that has returned me to my traditional theatre roots!  I had heard that a local theatre was holding auditions for one of my all-time favorite shows, "The Music Man", and after some prayer and discussion, my family decided that my oldest son and I would both audition.  I am happy to say that we were both cast!  This is proving to be a great time for me to sharpen my skills and learn from others, as well as to expand my network of friends who are locally involved in the arts.  Plus, I love that I'm getting to share this experence with my son!  We've only had a few rehearsals so far, but we're already having a blast with it!

As I think about actually performing in this type of show again, I cannot help but realize that 146 pounds ago, I would have never even considered auditioning.  Oh, I would have wanted to very much, but my physical condition would have kept me from it.  I wasn't sick or battling any illness, but there is no way I could have stood on my feet through the long rehearsals or had the endurance to make it through 15 performances over three weeks.  Not to mention, there is a good amount of dance that is involved in this show as well.  Just the small section we learned at auditions would have been enough to do me in back in the days before I started losing weight.  Now, I'm actually finding myself looking forward to starting the choreography work in the coming rehearsals!  I'm thinking I need to wear my HRM to dance rehearsals so I can track how many calories I burn! 

Day after day, I am realizing how much better my life is becoming as the extra pounds fade away.  Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying that losing weight is making me into a better person or changing who I truly am.  I'm still the same person, with the same heart as before.  But what it is doing however, is allowing who I really am to come out of hiding.  Each pound lost represents a restriction that I break through.  I can psycially do more than I have in years, and I'm loving every minute of it!  Even though two years ago I would have argued that my weight was not holding me back from living and enjoying my life, I was wrong, but I couldn't see it until I started making changes.  I am able to do things and actively participate fully in life in ways I didn't realize I had been missing out on until now!

If I feel this good now, I can hadly wait to see what life is like when I reach my goal!

(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!)

Lost a Person

When I first set out to lose weight, I knew it would take some time to reach my final goal of losing 225 pounds.  After all, a person doesn’t gain that much weight overnight, and I didn’t expect it to disappear that fast either.  I have always been very realistic about my approach, and planned from the onset for it to take around 2-and-a-half years.  My projections have been right on target so far, as I am 17 months in and am about 64% of the way there (okay, yes, I’m a numbers geek, I admit it!).  When you’ve got that much weight to lose, and know it’s going to take a while, finding creative ways to evaluate your progress helps keep things interesting.  For instance, you could say that I have lost the equivalent of:

- 28 (almost 29) 5-lbs bags of sugar

- 32,535 M&Ms

- 16 (almost 17) gallons of whole milk

- 6 cases of 24 bottles of water

- 12 bowling balls (12 pounds each)

Once I had lost around 120 pounds or so, when people found out how much I had lost, I often heard comments like, “Wow!  You’ve lost an entire person!”  This remark has never felt more appropriate to me than it does today…As of this morning, I have now lost 144.6 pounds, which is more than my husband, who comes in at 143.3 pounds, weighs! 

When I put it into this perspective, before I started losing weight, it was like I had my husband taking a piggyback ride on my shoulders all day, every day!  It’s no wonder I was tired all the time and didn’t have much energy!  Although I love my husband dearly, I’m not altogether sure that’s what the vow, “to have and to hold” was really talking about!

Only 80.4 pounds left until I reach my goal…hmmm, that’s about the equivalent of one of my kids plus my dog’s weights! 

(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!)

Face Photos

Just a quick comparison photo set today!  From six months before I started losing weight, to today, down 143.5 pounds in a little over 17 months!  Looking at the old picture, I can't help but see the huge difference in my neck and chin.  Sometimes, despite the numbers that show up on the scale, I have to go back through photos to remind myself of how far God has brought me on this journey!

(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!)

Procrastination & Goals

As a quick follow-up to yesterday's post "Why Wait?", I just wanted to share a few of my own personal thoughts on procrastination and goals...

- Procrastination never got anyone to their goals.  Progress requires action!

- In my life, I've known a lot of people who were great at setting goals.  I, however, want to be known as someone who reaches her goals!

- People who say they are going to do something do not impress me.  People who have done what they set out to accomplish both motivate and inspire me.

- I do not want to get so stuck in thinking, dreaming, and planning, that I never start moving, reaching, and doing!

- Making a list of goals without taking action is nothing more than doodling!

Have a great day...and DO domething with 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!)

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!

Shopping Adventures

Shopping for clothes has always been something I've enjoyed...well, to a certain extent.  I love seeing the new styles and fashions for each season, and I love having and wearing clothes that make me feel good about myself.  When you're wearing sizes at the top end of the plus sized lines at the specialty stores, however, shopping seems to lose some of its appeal.  When you're in very large sizes, shopping can become more of a frustration than a pleasure when you try on piece after piece, only to have it be too small, or just not look right due to your body shape. 

Can I have a brief soapbox moment?  I must say that I really don't appreciate the trend that goes on in the catalogs for most of the exclusively plus-sized clothing companies where they use models who are probably wearing a size 6 or 8 to show their garments.  In my personal opinion, I think there are a couple of reasons why this happens.  One possible explanation is that showing the clothes on women without weight issues convinces overweight women to buy the clothes, because it makes them think they're going to look like the women in the photos when they wear it.  I can assure you that a woman who wears a size 18, 24, or 32 will not look the same in an outfit as a woman who wears it in a size 8.  Case in point...I tried on a sweater dress in a store recently that looked very cute on the model in an advertisement I had seen.  My conclusion?  Whoever made that particular style of sweater dress for a plus-sized woman apparently never saw a plus-sized woman actually wear it!  Not flattering in any way!  Another possible explanation may be that, for the most part, our society doesn't tend to recognize plus-sized women as being as beautiful, or as marketable, as their smaller sized counterparts.  Sad, but unfortunately true. 

Okay, stepping off the soapbox now...

With my weight loss, shopping has become a bit more interesting.  For my birthday back in June, I was given a gift card to an upscale department store.  While I was appreciative of the gift, I didn't think I could use it to buy any clothes there.  My first reaction was that perhaps I could find some accessories, or shoes (because I can ALWAYS buy shoes!!!), because surely nothing would fit me in their clothing department.  All I've known for most of my life has been shopping at one or two exclusively plus sized stores and from a couple of catalogs. 

On a whim, I decided to go into the women's section and take a look around.  It's interesting though, how being overweight can cause a person to feel like they just don't belong in certain places.  I felt like I had somehow snuck in and someone would discover me and throw me out.  While I was looking through the racks, I kept feeling like a store clerk would come up to me at any minute and say something like, "Are you looking for a gift for someone else?"  Because, surely, I couldn't be shopping there for myself...or could I???  Imagine my delight when I realized that I could actually wear their garments!  Honestly, I was a little bit overwhelmed by it.  I stood in the fitting room, looking at myself wearing an adorable dress I had seen on a mannequin, and broke into tears right there in front of the mirror. 

Since that day, I 've been back a couple of times and had fun trying on different outfits and experimenting with different styles I've never been able to wear before.  The sweetest victory in it?  The pieces I bought in that first shopping trip there are now way too big for me and I just took them to the consignment store last week to re-sell them and I'm ready to move down another size!

Down 141.1 Pounds with Comparison Photos

As of today, I’m down 141.1 pounds!  I have just 83.9 pounds left to lose until I reach my goal!

I realized that today I am wearing an outfit very similar (although several sizes smaller) to one I wore in one of my early weight loss photos.  I guess, no matter what size I am, I’m comfortable in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt!  Anyway, I thought I’d post some quick side-by-side comparison photos! 

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!

My Workouts

From time to time I get asked what kind of workouts or exercise that I’m doing, so I thought I’d share a bit about that part of my journey today.

When I first started my transition into a healthier lifestyle in June 2011, mobility and endurance were a struggle for me.  I was dealing with a sciatic nerve injury, which was intensified by the extra weight I was carrying on my body.  There were many days when it could literally take anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes for me to go from a laying down position to standing up from my bed in the mornings simply due to the pain being so bad and making it so hard to even move.  Once up, standing or walking for more than just a few minutes was out of the question. 

This being the case, in my mind exercise seemed out of reach for me when I first started making changes, although I knew that I needed to somehow find a way to get myself moving more.

For the first 11 months, from June 2011 – May 2012, my exercise was sporadic, at best.  From time to time I would do a brief workout with a video, or would go outside to walk during my lunch break at work, but that was about it.  During that time, I really focused on learning to eat right and get my nutrition into balance.  Self-control in my eating habits became my primary goal.  I knew that I had to get that area under control before exercise would do me much good, because I didn’t want to work myself silly in the gym just to try to keep up with my eating. 

The personal discipline I have learned in my food habits has now transferred over to my exercise.  As I have posted about previously, I joined a gym in May 2012, and have been going strong with it ever since.  I’m finding that I love pushing myself a little bit farther with each workout, be it through a faster speed or higher incline on the treadmill, or by increasing weights or reps in my strength training.  Most of all, I am continually thankful to no longer have the mobility issues I used to suffer with. 

These days, my workouts vary, typically between in the gym and at home workouts, based on my schedule.  I am pretty adamant about exercising a minimum of three times per week, and sometimes get in four in a week.  I know a lot of people swear by 6-days per week workouts, but I know what will realistically work for me, and setting challenging, yet obtainable goals has been key for my success thus far, so right now, my goal remains 3-4 per week.  What do those look like right now?

At the gym:

- My gym routine changes every month or so to keep things fresh, but always involves 30-40 minutes on the treadmill.  I do intervals with my speed, ranging from 3.3mph to 5.0mph with the incline ranging from 1.0 – 8.0.  In addition, I do strength training in the circuit using 12 different machines, lifting/pushing/pulling weights from 30-120 pounds with reps ranging from 25-40.  I also have two additional machines I use that are targeted towards helping the sciatic issues specifically.  When I can catch an extra day in the gym, I’ll swim laps for 30-60 minutes.

At home:

- Running/Walking up and down our hill – We live at the top of a fairly steep incline and our street is just over 1/10^th of a mile long.  As my heart rate monitor (HRM) has proven, making laps back and forth up and down the hill provides a great cardio workout and burns a lot of calories! 

- There is a park close by my house and I’ve just recently started making use of their pathways for walking/running

- I have several sets of weights and videos that incorporate both strength and cardio training.  I don’t do these too often, because I much prefer being outside or at the gym, but they’re good for a change every now and then.

That about sums it up! 

(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!)

Changing Sizes

So much has changed in the last 16 months…I have lost over 135 pounds.  I look at the number on the scale and see the drastic difference.  I log my daily weight into a spreadsheet and I see the downward trend that has continued over the months.  The changes I’ve experienced come in so many practical, every day ways.  For instance…

- I have greatly improved mobility, flexibility, strength, and endurance.  Here at 40 years old, I feel far better than I did at 30. 

- I see photos of myself and can’t help but notice that I look younger and healthier.  I’m not afraid of having my picture taken anymore, and am having fun snapping a new picture with every 5 or 10 pounds I lose.

- After our recent travels I realized that I’m no longer someone who eats candy bars or chips from the gas station at every stop, or gets fast food on the road while traveling.  Instead, I’m someone who books her hotel rooms based on which hotel has the best fitness center and carries fruit and healthy snacks from home. 

I am not yet at my goal weight, but I realize how far I’ve come.  I know I’ve lost, as several people have said to me, “an entire person” with the amount of weight I’ve lost so far, but when I shop for clothes, I still have trouble getting my mind around my shrinking size…

I just took several of my winter coats from years past into the consignment store last weekend to sell them.  They all ranged from a women’s size 3X (26/28) to a women’s size 5X (34/36).  As I pulled each of them out of the closet, I laughed when I tried them all on, one by one, seeing if any of them still fit.  Each and every one of them was way too big for me and there’s no way any of them would work for this winter!

After dropping off the coats and picking up a check from some of the other clothes the consignment store had recently sold for me, I decided to go shopping for a new coat.  I found a beautiful, bright blue one that I loved, and grabbed one to try on.  Now, keep in mind, in my life, I’ve always had to look for the largest sizes available and hope for the best.  I knew that the size 3X coats I had just gotten rid of were too big, so I got a size 2X and wondered if it could possibly fit, and was completely shocked when it was too big!  I picked up a size 1X (18/20) and snickered to myself that there’s no way it was going to fit…but it did, and perfectly!  I guess I still couldn’t believe it though, because I switched back and forth between the 2X and 1X three more times, trying them both on, looking into the mirror, and comparing the way they each fit.  I’m still shaking my head and surprised that the 1X was the best choice and the one I ended up buying!

Goodness, I know that some women would shudder at the thought of being a size 18/20 and think that’s huge, but when you’ve come down from where I started from, it is reason to celebrate!  What’s even more fun, is I know that next year at this time, my beautiful blue size 1X coat will be too big and headed to the consignment store rack!

Feeling great in a size 1X!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Whew!  The last month has been a whirlwind!  Here's a few random tidbits of catching up:

- Today is my 16-month anniversary since my change to a healthy lifestyle.  I have now lost a total of 135.3 pounds so far!  I am now just 89.7 pounds away from my goal weight!  Whoo hoo!

- My husband and I recently celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary!  He is a 10-foot-tall superhero in my eyes, and I am so thankful God chose to give us to one another!

- I just finished another one of my college courses in working on my psychology degree and have spent the last several weeks doing a considerable bit of paper writing.  This class was called "Addictive Disorders" and although it focused primarily on substance use and abuse (such as drugs and alcohol, etc.), so much of the class was applicable to food addictions as well.  It provided a great deal of new insight to me in this area. The countdown is on...I've only got 7 classes left until graduation!

- A few months into my weight loss journey, I felt like God wanted me to share my story and to help encourage other people along the way.  One way I've done that is through this blog.  Another way has been through a class I've developed called "Reflections: Healthy and Beautiful from the Inside Out".  While I'm not a dietician or medical professional, I am a pastor, and as such, I've been given the opportunity through my church to present my class in an 8-week small group format.  We're going into Week 4 tomorrow night, and it has been a joy to speak to the women who have attended about spiritual, emotional, and practical issues regarding healthy living! 

- Without going into the details...our family experienced a terrible tragedy in the loss of my brother-in-law in a fatal car accident a couple of weeks ago, and my husband and I and our boys had to take an unexpected road trip to Texas for the funeral, covering over 2,000 miles in 5 days.  Along the way, we saw two major accidents on the interstate (one even had a life flight helicopter land on the highway to help out).  It was a rollercoaster of emotions as we prayed for those involved in those accidents, were grieving our loss, and were thankful for our own safe travels.

Through all of these events, along with many more, such as me continuing to work 40+ hours a week at the investment firm with almost 2 hours a day spent commuting back and forth, teaching a Bible School course on Ethics in Ministry, being out of town for 5 days on our annual pastor's retreat, being sick for two weeks, and keeping up with our kids, I've continued to carve out time to work out and have maintained healthy eating and kept losing weight through it all.

I guess that's the difference between a "diet" and a "lifestyle change" isn't it?  Diets are temporary.  They require strict adherence to work right, and typically have little to no flexibility.  When extraordinary life events pop up, diets can be thrown for a loop.  Making a lifestyle change, however, means learning how to make healthy choices and stick to your commitment, no matter the circumstances or situations you find yourself facing or how busy or hectic your schedule may become.

Finishing What I Started

This weekend I celebrated a major accomplishment!  I went to a park near our house and walked/jogged a 5K!  My total time was 45min 56sec for 3.13 miles.  I missed grabbing a screen shot of the mapping app right at the 5K distance and snapped it at 0.2 after, so I don’t have the time for 3.1 miles exactly.  I actually kept going though and did a grand total of 3.5 miles in 50min 52sec (which included a brief stop for about 10seconds to say a quick hello to some friends from church that happened to be driving by and pulled over when they spotted me).

Now, in the grand scheme of things, I realize that people complete 5K races on a regular basis, and that my speed may not have been all that fast, but let me explain why this is such a great success for me...

In September 2009, our church participated in a charitable 5K event.  My family, along with many others, registered for it.  This was almost two years before I started on my weight loss journey, and the farthest I was walking those days was from my house to the car, or in and out of my office, etc.  I really didn't take that into consideration when I signed up for the event back then, and just figured that since so many of my friends were taking part, I could too.

As we started out that day, I was pushing one of my children in his stroller and thought to myself, "this isn't so hard, I can do this..." but that feeling didn't last very long.  After just a short time, I found myself falling farther and farther behind in the pack of runners, joggers, and walkers.  Within a few minutes, I was the absolute last person trekking along.  Literally.  The LAST Person.  The police escort car assigned to bring up the rear was just a few feet behind me, and the space between me and the other folks in front of me was growing longer by the moment.  I was 37 years old and had been passed by everyone else participating in the race by an embarrassing distance, including children, senior citizens, and three women who were pushing people in wheelchairs!  I gave up altogether.  I dropped out of the course and cut across a parking lot and took my boys into the park where the finish line was so they could play while we waited for everyone else to complete the event.

That was three years ago, and the memory of that day has stayed with me.  I felt like such a failure that morning when I could not finish something I had started.  It was something that seemed so easy in my mind, yet my body simply couldn’t keep up back then.  When I started losing weight in June of 2011, one of my goals was to be able to complete a 5K and finish what I started.  15 months and 131 pounds later, I have done just that!  And...I have my eye on an official event I'm considering signing up for soon!

So, even though I was just at a local park, not participating in an official event this past weekend, it might as well have been the Olympics to me!  I experienced a great victory and I feel incredible about it!