For anyone who has known me for a while, it might come as a shock to realize there was a point in my life where I was obese. At my heaviest, I was 205 pounds (10 pounds less than when I was pregnant). I have struggled with weight almost my entire life. My first diet was Weight Watchers when I was in junior high. I was successful back then, but it didn’t last. Then I was successful in high school, and I even had some success in college. Then I got married, and I even had some success in my marriage. However, once I became so unhappy in my marriage, my weight got out of control. About a year or so after my daughter’s birth, I joined e-diets, and in spite of an unhappy marriage, I began to lose weight. But it was more of a protest against my husband. I continued with Kathy Smith’s online diet/exercise plan, but I just wasn’t able to lose more weight. I think I got down to around 170 or so. Maybe even 160-something. I really don’t recall.
Following the divorce, I got involved in a dead-end relationship, and my weight started going back up. I finally got control of myself following that, and this time, I wanted to lose weight for the right reasons. I wanted to do it for me and for my daughter. Something had to change. I had gained back some of the weight, and I realized I needed a lifestyle change. That was somewhere around six or seven years ago. I found sparkpeople.com, and I got really serious about things. I tracked my foods and my exercise. I discovered that I could exercise after my little girl went to bed (yes, I was exercising at 9 at night). For an entire year, I tracked everything I ate online. My daughter started karate, and I was able to join the local community center and work out while she did karate. That helped so much! I had some difficulties along the way, but I was able to lose a good share of my weight. In fact, I got down to where I am now (around 150), and I have maintained that for several years. I realized it was not about a diet but a lifestyle change (as I said previously).
My original goal was to get down to 135 pounds, but I have to admit that has not happened. When I got to 150, I struggled to get below that. I would sometimes flirt with 145, but I always went back up. My doctor has recommended that I get below 150 pounds, but I have not been motivated to do it. I have struggled against tracking my food and exercise, but I know that there is no other way to do it. As I was taking a shower yesterday morning, it came to me that at almost 40 years old, I think the time has come to take off another ten pounds. I have heard that as you get older, you should actually weigh less. I know I have some fat in my middle that really needs to get gone. So, I began tracking my food again, and I am getting back to doing what I need to do to lose the weight. My goal is 140. We’ll see what happens after that. I have gone back to sparkpeople, and I couldn’t be happier. I will do this. It’s for me, and it’s for my daughter.
I will certainly let you know my progress if I have anything to report!
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8 Comments
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Good luck! A calorie deficit along with exercise was the only successful way I lost weight and maintained it. I joined Fitocracy recently to help keep me motivated to exercise.
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Things have been going pretty well for me, so that is good news. I agree 100 percent. It has been exercise and watching what I have been eating that has kept my weight off for the past few years, but I am now faithfully tracking what I eat. I’m going to check out the site you mentioned.
Ruth recently posted…“Rising Sun, Falling Star” by Vickie Hall Book Review
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When you have a reason you can do it. Sometimes your body might seem to fight you but hang in there and you will break through.
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Thanks for the encouragement!
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Ruth,
Dropped in from UBC. You CAN do it!! Right attitude, right reasons and your strategies that work. As someone who found 150 difficult to break, I can vouch for how important it is to do it now, no waiting longer when it inevitably gets harder to lose and easier to gain.
Kate
Kate L Williams recently posted…Freedom and Vulnerability: Choosing an Affiliate Marketing Business Niche-
Thanks for the encouragement. I am quite sure I can do it as well.
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Hi from the UBC! Good luck with your weight loss. It sounds to me like you’ve been successful in the last year. I know that same 50 pounds or so that I lose and then comes back again. It’s a tough battle, but your motivations are strong, so you can do it!
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