Wednesday, July 16, 2014

It's a Marathon, not a Sprint

So I get asked all the time, You can really eat that on your new diet?

What's so funny to me is from the beginning, I have never said I was starting a "diet". I actually despise the word "diet"...unless its Diet Coke. (Shhhhhhh) For years, like most overweight people, I would sit on the couch, eating my comfort food, wanting a "quick fix" that would just make me skinny and happy. Cause skinny people are automatically perfect and happy right? WRONG.

It started for me right after I turned 29. I was determined I would be at a sensible weight by the time I hit the big 3-0. I knew it would take some time and long term effort, but even my willpower was not great at starting things. I had the "I will start over tomorrow disease". I call it a disease because I perfectly maintained a weight of 220 for years simply by starting every day with an "I'm going to do this attitude" only by lunch and dinner time I would make bad choices and say..."well I will just start over tomorrow." I was great at maintaining. That was easy. But when I finally decided I was going to really do it this time, BOOM. I got pregnant.

Of course.

So, because God knew what he was doing, and I certainly didn't, I took those nine months to eat what I wanted. My last hurrah so to speak before I really lost the weight for good. I knew that once the baby was born, it was not going to be easy, but I was going to have my mind made up to do it.

So I gained about 30lbs or so with my pregnancy, which at the time put me almost at 250lbs! I had an almost 10lb angel and after I was released from the doc from my c-section, my journey began. I still remember my first day on the scale. 229.

229? Everyone would say, but you are tall. Everyone wanted to justify why I was fine being overweight because I am 5'6. "Just imagine if you were 5'2' they would say. You would really look heavy, but you don't look bad." I remember these kind words over the years ring in my ears. How did I let myself get here? Oh yeah I remember. I love food. I am seriously probably a food addict. I love it, it loves me. I eat when I am hungry, I eat when I am bored, when I am sad, happy, or angry. I eat food SAM I AM, I eat it and love it.

First thing I had to do was realize I was in control. As much as I felt out of control like I had to eat that cheeseburger or cupcake, I had to tell myself, what do you want more? Health, or 30 seconds of yummy taste? Sometimes I chose good and sometimes I chose not so good. The great thing about a lifestyle eating change, is its a marathon, not a sprint. I had downloaded the MyFitnessPal App a year prior to this, but never really kept up with it. I am the worlds worst with finishing things I start. So I got the app back out and I put my info in and began an eating regime of 1200-1400 calories a day. At the beginning, I strictly watched calories. As the days and months have passed, I have began to pay more attention to fats, sugars, sodium, fiber....etc.

I started my journey in September 2013 and have lost 46lbs.


Have I eaten lettuce everyday and done killer work outs till I couldn't breathe or move. No. Have I made conscious efforts to try and move more and really focus on portion control as well as better choices? Yes. Have I seen the scale go up and down over the last 10 months? Yes.

Do I still drink soda. Yes...... Is it good for me? No....... esp since its "diet" (haha)

Do I know that I have to work my way there or I will not stick with it? Yes!

I can not imagine going the rest of my life without a Hostess Cupcake or a yummy cheeseburger, or having to get up everyday for a grueling hour workout. There has to be some balance. As I continue this journey to hit 50lbs lost and possibly 75 lost, I hope you stick around. I am not sure what all we will get into, but maybe this place can be a place of hope, strength, whiny rants when the its that time of the month, and hopefully inspiration.

I'd love for you to stick around.....

Just remember, You Can Really Eat That.....

2 comments:

  1. I am very proud of you!!! It was very wise of you to get a hold of this before you were older. As you can see my journey on myfitnesspal, that the older that I get, the harder it is.....Keep it up because you GOT this!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Lisa! None of us are getting any younger and it is even harder for me than it has ever been. One day at a time! :)

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