Over the last couple days I had been feeling kinda blah and not quite myself. Today was different, thank God. I awoke with pep in my step and the bloated feeling I have had was gone. My clothes seemed more baggy than they had last time I wore them a week ago. So I decided to do an impromptu weigh in before work. I am so glad I did, as I reached a new milestone and am now in the 350's...358 to be exact!
My weight had always just kinda popped up on me. I didn't weigh often when I worked a warehouse job in my early 20s, but the physical work kept me at around 280 pounds. Yes, that was way overweight too, but it just didn't seem as dire. I remember weighing in for the heck of it at my works loading dock scale right before I moved from Indianapolis to Kentucky and seen I was at 300 pounds and just felt devastated. Flash forward 2 years later and I joined a small weight loss club with my mom as I knew my desk job had packed on a couple pounds over those two years. I will never forget my first weigh in not being able to get my weight recorded because the scale stopped at 350 and the special little weight that made it go up to 400 pounds couldn't be found. I was so embarrassed, depressed and mad at myself. Within 4 months I was down to the 330s and then just did one of my famous jumps from the weight loss wagon. A few years later I weighed at work and found myself in the 370s. All I could think about is how there is no way I can get to 400. So I dieted hard and then would slip....and then diet hard....and then slip, and basically hovered the 378 pound mark for years. Than my lowest point happened at my largest point. I weighed in at a staggering 412 pounds about 2 years ago. I was scared to be that weight. Unfortunately not scared enough to stick to a common sense weight loss plan. Over the last two years I have tried all the fad diets and lost several pounds, only to go back to eating large servings of crappy food and gain it back. Thankfully, that whole better late than never thing kicked in with me.
So here I am 5 weeks into my new life that I started with my family and a crew of friends on my weight loss support group. My reaction to 358 pounds is quite different than the first time I seen that number. I gave a cheesy fist bump and smiled ear to ear. There is a lot of road in front of me, I know this, but knowing that over the last few weeks I have busted through the 390s, 380s, 370s and now the 360s completely inspires me to keep up the fight and get this fat off of me for good. I know I can do this and not just temporarily.
Protein power, low carb, low fat, low calorie, vegetarian, vegan, shakes, cabbage soup, South Beach, Slim Fast, Adipex, Hydroxycut, and the 1,500,000 other weight loss products/books/plans/ideas can be great. Unfortunately, too many of us spend time and money looking for the magical solution that will make us lose weight fast and still let us eat those delicious, yet horrible for us, foods. I wish I could have back the money I have spend over the last 18 years of my adult life on the weight loss fads/pills/programs and put that money towards exercise equipment and running shoes. Hopefully someone reading this who is looking for that magical solution for weight loss will find it here: Eat lean meats, vegetables and fruits in moderation...drink a lot of water everyday...exercise each day, even if it is just walking...stop eating processed foods like crackers, chips, soda (even diet sodas), sugary snacks and fast food.
Some may say this is awful preachy and reminiscent for someone who still has over 100 pounds to lose. But this weight loss thing is very important to me. I want my friends and family to get healthy that are doing all the things I used to think would lead to weight loss that only were keeping me in a cycle of looking for something better. I also know that I am only a bad meal away from my old habits, which is why I post small proud moments like this on here so often now, because it reminds me of how far I've come and that I have done too good to turn back now.
Thanks for bearing with me on my reflecting about my weight climbing and my sermon of healthy eating and exercising. I love you all and hope you find the desire to make those necessary changes for a healthier you or that you keep doing what is working for you to reach that goal you want most.
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