Weight Loss Progress Report Aug 2012

Well, its been a while since I posted about my weight loss journey. I have been doing pretty good. Since I last posted, I have lost another 13 pounds! I have not been as diligent with my diet, as I was traveling in May and June. I gave myself the freedom from keeping track of my calories during that time period, and then I let it continue once I got home. I figured, "hey, its summertime, live a little!" Well, it's still technically summer, but since it is the beginning of the month, I'm going back to my Lose It! app and program to continue following my "diet."

I will say that I tried to stay close to what I know I should (and shouldn't be eating). I resisted most urges to indulge in heavy desserts or alcohol (except while eating out in Washington DC, I figure all the walking I did there counteracted the calories. Go girl math!).

I have noticed though, that by not counting calories, I have not lost weight in the last month. The good thing, though, I have not GAINED weight. And that makes me happy! This could be in part because I have taken up an exercise routine. I have started walking around my neighborhood every other day. I go every other day, because I feel this is a schedule I can keep up. Marshall has actually been pretty helpful, asking me (everyday it seems) if I have taken my walk. I try and do it early in the day, between 9 and 10AM, when it is not incredibly hot (although this IS Georgia, so it is always humid). The walk only takes me about 20 minutes, and is a little over a mile. I have been doing this for four weeks now, and I am very proud of myself. I will change my route a little, adding more distance, soon.

In my last post, I mentioned that I was excited to buy dresses for my brother's and my sister's upcoming weddings. I bought the perfect dress for my brother's wedding, and was beyond elated when I got it and tried it on. The description said that the dress ran large, so order one size smaller. I ordered a 14/16 which I have not fit in in YEARS! As for my sister's wedding, my mom and I went dress shopping while I was home, and you know how bridal shops have only a few sizes, so they have you try on the larger and pin it all up? The largest skirt they had in the style my sister picked was a 14, and it fit too! These are the type of things I need to document so that when I hit that wall of "I can't do this anymore" I can look back and remember what I have already accomplished and keep trucking on.

As part of my continued motivation, I want to list not only what I have lost in weight, but in inches.

Since I began this journey in September 2011 I have lost the following:

35 pounds

3 inches off my hips

3 inches off my chest

3 inches off my thighs

2 inches off my waist

1 inch off my calves

1/2 inch off my neck

1 inch off my forearms

2 inches off my biceps

I hope that I can be an inspiration to others, as well as myself.

 

December 2011, approximately 230 pounds

 

June 2011, 215 pounds

 

Here's to 2012 Being the Healthiest Yet

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have struggled with my weight all my life. But that struggle is probably what saved my life. Many women would be horrified to share their actual weight with the world, but in this new era of reality TV (with Biggest Loser and Celebrity Fit Club being huge successes), more women are sharing. I am going to join their ranks, as a way to help myself keep losing weight.

First of all, I am doing this without the help of programs like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. The big reason, I love food, and I love to cook. I cannot imagine having prepackaged foods sent to my house weekly. What I am doing is cutting down on, and keeping track of, my calories. This past August, while visiting Orlando, I purchased a Fitbit Trainer. I was looking for a pedometer to keep track of the steps I took while walking around Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. What I got was so much more. The Fitbit Trainer counts your steps, but also calculated distances, calories burned and keeps track of your sleep efficiency. That in itself is pretty cool, but what is truly awesome is the accompanying website http://www.fitbit.com/. The site lets you keep track of the foods you eat. There is a database of common foods, and you can add to the database if what you ate is not listed. You can also create meals, by adding the ingredients. Once I figured this all out, I cut my caloric intake down to 1600-1800 calories a day.

At my heaviest, I weighed 279 pounds. When I first heard this number, I was so disappointed in myself. Granted, in a lot of ways, I had no control of the weight I gained. When I was diagnosed with Hypomagnesemia (a condition where my body is low on magnesium, an essential electrolyte) in September of 2004, I was given daily magnesium infusions. The magnesium was administered in one liter of saline. As you know, saline is salt water. I do not know exactly how many liters of salt water I was given, but I gained so much weight, that in the spring of 2005 I asked my doctor if they could put the magnesium in a smaller amount of liquid. I really wish I had asked this question months earlier, as they were able to administer the dosage in 50 milliliters of dextrose, a sugar solution.

When I got married in May of 2007, I had lost about 15 pounds and was happier with myself. I think that came from the amount of walking I did around Las Vegas, while I was finishing my Bachelor's degree at UNLV. A few more years, and I had gotten down to 250 pounds, which made me feel better, as I was only 10 pounds heavier than what I was before I got sick. At the time, this was a number I could live with.

Today, I weigh 228 pounds. My goal weight (for now) is 200 pounds. My Fitbit website says that I should reach that goal by July of this year. That excites me, because my brother is getting married in October, and I look forward to rocking a great dress. It has been a while since I have looked forward to buying a dress (or any clothes for that matter). My sister will also be getting married in a little over a year, and that gives me an even bigger incentive to get my but in gear and get fit and HEALTHY.

November 2006, approximately 280 pounds

December 2011, approximately 230 pounds

What are some things that you do to keep off the weight, or live healthier after the chemo is done? For those of you still fighting the battle, do you think about what you will do once it is over, or is the focus on the here and now? What about for those who are just trying to live a healthier life? Any pointers, recipes, or just general support is greatly appreciated!

(NOTE: This is not an advertisement for Fitbit. I just love mine!)