The Journey Begins

I am afraid to say I am beginning this weight loss challenge. In the last 20 years I have begun (and rapidly ended) more diets and life style changes than I can name.

I believe that there are no accidents. God is in control of all things. So this morning when I was reading Elizabeth's blog and saw her entrance into the challenge. I thought maybe this is the nudge God is giving me.

I have been unhappy in my skin for the past several months. I can no longer deny that I have weight issues. Walking, sitting, bending have all become laborious. My husband asks me why I am out of breath after I climb the stairs. If I rush to answer the phone I sound like an obscene phone call when I answer - heavy breathing anyone??

How did I get here? I was never a skinny child, not overweight, but not stick thin either. I did not like to be hot or sweat... I spent a lot of time indoors reading, cross-stitching etc. NEVER exercising!! Both sides of my family contained excellent cooks, as a result family meals were an occasion to eat and eat well. Desserts were a daily treat. Food has many happy memories for me.

In college, I was poor. I ate lots of pizza, ramen noodles, cream of wheat and Dr. Pepper. Please notice....many carbs...no protein, veggies or fruit. I gained more than my freshman 10 and just kept gaining. By 26 I had hit 200 pounds. I was embarrassed to be so large, but quite honestly unless I saw a picture of myself I did not view myself as overweight.

My 28th birthday brought a desire to change. I decided I was tired of being single and overweight. I began Weight Watchers and walking. I did well losing weight and exercising I went from 220 to 195. Hadn't felt that good about myself in years. I got married and started cooking....

My thirties hovered around 220 to 235. When I was pregnant I would lose weight, actually ending with a post birth weight lower than pre pregnancy! Then again at 38 (what is with those 8's?) I decided I did not want to be fat at 40. So I joined a gym, I would exercise it off this time. I went great guns, was faithful for 5 months...made lots of progress in stamina, muscle tone and flexibility and then got pneumonia. The illness laid me flat. I had never been that sick and I was sick for three months. Needless to say all the great workouts ended. I did not gain back my lost weight, but my lung capacity and stamina were shot.

I was just starting back to the gym when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. My life turned upside down or so I thought. In less than six weeks my mother died and then everything I knew changed. I was an only child and my mother was divorced, so there were lots of issues for me to handle. I turned to comfort food....and that would be anything sweet. Food became my solace...though I was embarrassed by that. I typically sneak my food so that my husband and boys do not know how bad I eat. Like they can't see the weight gain!

So here I am at the start of this journey. I do not plan on letting friends and family know I am working on loosing weight. I have done it too many times. I would rather this time they just notice. My family health history is not good....all grandparents died of heart issues, my paternal grandmother and my mother had Type II diabetes, rheumatisim is rappant on my father's side, and mom had blood flow issues. Coming from this type of history I am stupid to not make changes in my life. My weight has already affected my motherhood....there is less room on my lap for my 5 year old, I don't have the energy to play with the boys the way I would like, etc.

Starting weight: 255

Goal weight: 140

May Day Challenge goal: 25 pounds

Measurements:

Bust: 52 1/2"

Waist: 48"

Hips: 58"

Thighs: 29"

Calf: 18"

Upper Arms: 18"

My plans to change are simple...

Week 1

Diet....no Sonic drinks and only one stop at Starbucks. This will force me to drink water. I have already drunk 6 8oz glasses today.

Exercise....Walk 1 mile three times during the week. I did that this morning (1.05 miles)

I have begun....now to stick with it.