Still Going Down

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to New Year's!

This morning I decided to step on my scale and was delighted to learn that my weight is still going down even with all the holiday celebrations and goodies. My weight today is 174.5, which is down another three pounds since my last weigh-in.

The other good news to share is that I'm now officially wearing my size 10 jeans.

I'm doing the happy dance... again... !

How are you doing with your goals? The holidays can be tough for those trying to maintain or lose weight so don't get discouraged... just keep your goals in mind every time you lift some food to your mouth!

Happy New Year!

K

Another Great Milestone

The holidays are upon us and, already, the goodies are making their way into my home no matter how diligently I keep watch over the front door. The latest entry was home baked persimmon fruit cake. I have a Persimmon tree in my yard and usually give most of them away. In return, I always receive Persimmon baked goodies. This bread is sooooo delicious... I polished the entire thing off myself in less than a week. Oh my goodness......

Thinking about the wonderful bread I finished off last night, I was feeling a little guilty walking passed my scale this morning. I've been avoiding it and that's been on purpose. I don't mind gaining a few pounds during the holidays as long as I don't go overboard.  Five pounds, tops.

With this new thought in mind, I stepped on my scale. I might as well know where I'm at so come January 1st, the damages will be clearly identifiable.

All of this worry for nothing as when I stepped on the scale, I almost fell off as I couldn't believe what I saw.  My last weigh-in on November 4th I was 186.0.  Today.... well, a picture is worth a thousand words!

I almost fell off the scale when I saw this! Happy dance time...

That's 8 1/2 pounds in little over a month.... a great rate for losing unwanted FAT! I'm thinking I could be wearing my size 10's for Christmas!

How are you doing with your goals? I would love to hear from you and offer you some encouragement. Do drop me a note or leave a comment to let me know.

K

The Long Haul

I've been thinking a lot about what it takes to truly stick with something for the long haul. Whether its a career, marriage, civic involvement or something else, what drives a person to keep working at it over the years?

Of course, this question translates into one relevant for this blog: what drives a person to stick with changes they have made regarding lifestyle, especially after they have managed to take off a significant amount of weight?

This blog has documented my ability to achieve weight loss, no question about that, but this blog has also documented my inability to keep the weight off, which in my mind is the real victory. So what's going on?

For me, it all boils down to choices, but what drives those choices?

By far these days, my budget drives my food choices more than anything else. Currently unemployed, I find my trips to the grocery store to be strategically planned and executed. Trust me when I say, with limited funds, there is no junk food coming into my house these days simply because I refuse to spend my money on "junk." I'd rather buy a symphony ticket instead. When I'm working, though, I find that I do tend to purchase the junk and bring it into my home. I consider it a "treat" to have such things around, but is that really the right way to think about it? Instead of it being a treat, I should think of it as poison.

Time available and my current schedule also factor in. What have I committed myself to? Who has expectations of me? Where do I need to go and what do I need to get done? Have you ever asked yourself these questions at the beginning of a busy day? Do you remember also asking yourself when you'll get to take time for you? What will you have time to eat and when will you be able to get some activity into your day?

Finally, priorities is a consideration and, frankly, probably the most important as it applies to both budget and time, as well as many other aspects of our lives. What is your priority? Do you have a "big" priority for your life? Does it translate into your daily priorities? For myself, I find that I do have "big" priorities, but somehow they get lost in the daily needs of everyday life. Budget, time and the needs of others often crowd out what is a priority for me and my world.

I think this is an important realization and one that you may find in your life, too. Getting back to the original question, what drives our choices?, the bottom line becomes priority and what we give our time to each and every day.

Where are you on your priority list today?

K

Size 12

Nothing feels better when you're losing than walking into a trendy store and finding a pair of jeans that fit perfectly and are of a size that feels good to purchase.

This happened to me last week when I purchased a new pair of size 12 jeans at The Gap. I know, I know... some of you hate The Gap. I hate their prices, but their jeans fit me better than any other brand so I paid the money and came home happy.

As I enjoy my new jeans, I am already thinking about my next goal, size 10, which I previously achieved in January of 2010. I have a stack of size 10 jeans purchased throughout 2010 that I haven't been able to wear in months. As much as I like my new jeans, I cannot wait to wear all those size 10's again.

Also, I'll point something out here. Notice how I'm focusing on my "size" and not so much on my weight? I do step on the scale from time to time, but it is my size that matters to me. I know from previous "dunk" tests that I have a LOT of muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat so if I only focus on my weight, I could get discouraged. Using my clothes to gauge my size is a much better way to determine if my body is actually getting smaller and isn't that the goal? You can accomplish the same thing by regularly taking your measurements, but I find it easier just to use clothes for this... no numbers to track!

I'll end by giving myself yet another pat on the back for this achievement. Have you given yourself a pat on the back lately for something? If not, I encourage you to find something about yourself to be happy with - something real you can acknowledge and truly feel good about. I'm sure you'll think of something and when you do, give yourself the love and encouragement you deserve. Feeling good about yourself and your life will help you no matter what your size.

The Scale Moves

I've moved my scale upstairs and out of the dungeon of my son's downstairs bathroom. It will now reside upstairs where I'll see it more often.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating stepping on the scale every day, but by placing it where I will see it more often, I'll remind myself that I'm focused on losing at the moment, hopefully helping me to be more conscious of my choices.

Choices - this is the bottom line. What I choose to put in my mouth and how I choose to live (actively or sedately). I wrote a short poem entitled Choices to help me remember that I alone control the choices I make each and every day.

After relocating the scale, I stepped on for a quick check-in - it's been more than two weeks since I last weighed myself.  The scale settled at 186.0 - down 3.5 pounds - and that includes my thick socks (it's cold this morning!), yoga pants and tank top. I'm delighted as this indicates I'm losing at an optimal rate, just under 2 pounds a week, which hopefully means the weight I'm losing is FAT and not lean tissue. I'll take that and a pat on the back, too.

I'll stop here to ask how you are doing with working towards your weight (fat) loss goals? Check in - I'd love to hear from you!

Weigh In

This morning I decided to hop on my scale to see how I'm doing. The scale read 189.5, down another three pounds since my last weigh in.

Of course, this is too much weight lost in too short a period of time and completely due to unrelenting stress within my current circumstances. The hardest part of each day is simply finding the appetite to eat anything.  I wake up with a stomach ache and go to bed with my stomach tied in knots.  All I can do is try to get enough in me to maintain my energy and that's it.

Everyone reacts to stress differently.  Some people eat there way through stressful situations, others drink and/or do drugs.  Certainly there are many activities we can do as a result of stress in our lives, some being healthier choices than others. I'm trying to stay calm by starting each day with meditation and prayer, envisioning for myself a peaceful existence and calm surroundings. Throughout the day, I remind myself of this mental picture I've created for my life, praying that as time goes by, I will move closer to that reality. This method is not foolproof, but it is helping me at the moment.

What do you do to combat stress?  I'd love to hear from you, but in the meantime, remember to take care of yourself regardless of the circumstances you're living in.

Back to the Couch

It's been eight days since my outpatient surgery. I feel fine, though still a little tired. Nonetheless, I needed to speak to my doctor yesterday due to symptoms that have persisted since the procedure.

After a brief conversation with my doctor's nurse's assistant, I've been instructed to go "back to the couch" for a much needed reduction in activity.

Insert heavy sigh here.

I have a list of things that need to be done.  I'm also in-between job contracts, which means back to searching for a new one.  I could sit here and wring my hands with worry, but instead I'll enjoy the comfort of my couch and the company of my Netflix membership.

What's the point?

Each of us as individuals must be responsible for caring for ourself.  Actually, that's better written as "caring for our Self."  This means making decisions each day that indicate YOU are a priority.

Today I'm giving my Self this gift by lounging on my couch and watching movies.  This is what my body needs today and probably for another 3-4 days to completely heal, but what about after that?

My physical body needs care every day. Yours does, too.  Eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, stretching and exercising and getting plenty of rest - these are the daily activities that keep our bodies running well, but we can't stop there.  We must consider the "Whole Self" - our minds and our emotions must also be cared for.

Having a healthy physical body can give us a great foundation to feed the other pieces of our Whole Self, but again, it is our duty as individuals to know what nourishes the person within.

I have much in my life that nourishes my inner Self and with each day, I discover new things that bring joy and light into my world.  I hope you can say the same and if not, I hope you will start discovering today all that nourishes you, both inside and out!

Resting Easy

Since my last post, my life has been (once again) turned upside down.  Personal upheaval coupled with outpatient surgery has left me tired and stressed.  In response to this, I am caring for myself with tender loving care, all the while remembering that my body is my vehicle for this life.

I climbed on the scale this morning to reveal a 192.5 weight.  I'm down 2.5 lbs. from my last weigh in... I'll take that with a pat on my back.

When I'm feeling more myself, I'll write more, but in the meantime, take care of yourself and don't expect anyone else to do that for you - you MUST do it for yourself.

The Cruiser

I recently made a quick jaunt to Santa Barbara and while there, my son and I had the chance to ride a couple beach cruiser bicycles around town. We had a blast riding down to the end of the pier, up and back State St (or was it Dr - don't remember) and then around to 3 Pickles Deli for lunch. At one point I thought I could go no further, but then... further I went.

The minute I arrived home I started checking craigslist.org for used beach cruisers (I'm unemployed again so forget paying retail!) and now to my delight, I'm the new proud owner of an old, beat-up Electra 3-speed cruiser. It is white with pink flames on the fenders and pink wheel rims.  How do you say no to that?  You don't.

After a quick stop at Sprockets in Santa Cruz for a new kick stand, pink basket and colorful biking helmet, I am ready to cruise my way to less FAT!

It's going to be a fabulous ride.... will you join me?

"FAT, FAT, FAT"

Those were his words.  My horror was that they were directed at me.

Nothing could have been more motivating.

The scale this morning reads 195.0.... that is my starting point this time and there's no looking back.

Stay tuned and welcome home.

The Scale Finally Yields

It's been almost a year since I started on the gaining path, which led me to a place I don't want to be - over 200 pounds!

It seemed everything I tried wasn't working, even going back to the basics of measuring and tracking everything.  I actually starting writing the blog again to help me get back on track and even that didn't help.

I had to let go and let go I did (with the help of some serious and heartfelt prayer - see this post on how I'm using prayer to help me).  I stopped worrying about it and turned my focus to something else.  Luckily, I had just started a new job and also picked up a new hobby - knitting, which I wrote about last time.

Well, the scale finally yielded and in about a four week period, I'm down nearly eight pounds.  I could tell I was losing long before I stepped on the scale as my clothes were fitting better.  Initially, I resisted stepping on the scale and that's okay.  We don't have to feel chained to the darn bathroom scale.  But today I felt confident and actually wanted to check my progress... and I was pleasantly pleased with the confirmation.

Are you struggling with your weight?  I know how awful it can be, but know that you are not alone in this war... I'm here with you and together, we can do it.

So - anyone out there have a new hobby?  =)

Keeping My Hands Busy

Have you ever noticed that when you are caught up in an activity that you absolutely LOVE, you rarely notice you are hungry?  In fact, there have been times when I've gone an entire day without eatting just because I was so busy doing something that completely captured me - heart and soul.

Why can't each day be like this?

I guess each day can be like that as long as we ensure to not allow the mundane to rule our time.  Does this mean I'll never clean my house or do laundry again?  Probably not, but we should work to remind ourselves that life isn't just about chores.  Bottom line: we have to shake things up from time to time to keep things interesting.

I'm creative and love to paint, draw, and crochet.  One thing that I've always wanted to do (and have tried several times) is to knit.  Yesterday I decided to take another dive into knitting after finding a fabulous little yarn shop not far from my new office (yes, I just started a new job this week, too).  The shop turned out to be as delightful as I had anticipated and I left with a new skein of yarn, new knitting needles and new enthusiasm in keeping my hands busy.

Once I arrived home for the evening, I immediately retrieved my yarn.  It was quite a bit later before I realized I was hungry and wanted to eat something.  And even with that realization, I was only interested in grabbing a quick bite so I could get back to my knitting.  You see, my new yarn, new knitting needles and new enthusiasm had completely captured me and that's a good thing.

For me, this is key in understanding one reason why I overeat... frankly, most of the time it's simply because I'm bored.  So here's to not being bored and keeping life interesting every single day. 

Cheers!

Leap of Faith

Since returning to the blog, I've had Einstein's quote regarding insanity in my head and it's making me realize that I need to apply something different this time around if I'm going to win this struggle with my weight.

I certainly know what doesn't work.  The next question that comes to mind is what haven't I tried?

[insert moment here to ponder the question]...

It took me a long time to come up with something I have not tried, but after several days of consideration I have an answer:  using my faith to help me.

Okay - some of you will check out now and that's okay.  I get it that faith in something unseen isn't for everyone, but it does work for me.  My faith gives me great comfort in times of despair.  It adds to the immense joy I find in most days. 

My faith also helps me with challenges.  When I feel I have no strength left to manage an issue, my faith helps me to be strong.  When I'm unable to find forgiveness for a wrong committed against me, my faith helps me to soften.  When I'm tied up with anger, my faith helps me to loosen fury's grip.

Even with all this evidence of how my faith helps me, I've never used it in my weight loss efforts. This is something I could try that's different.

[insert another moment here to consider the idea]...

It doesn't seem unreasonable to apply my faith to this challenge, too.  So I'm going to take a leap of faith and incorporate faith into my losing fat efforts... let's call it faith-based fat loss.  I'll start with a daily prayer that simply asks for help: 

I can't do this alone, Lord... I humbly ask for Your help.

K

King Vegetable and Queen Fruit

I recently watched the royal wedding along with the rest of the world.  This event prompted me to think about food in terms of royalty.

What would make a food "royal" - you know, really, really special.  My answer for this would be how well the food nourishes you.  Others might argue that taste would be a better gauge or maybe how the food looks - it's presentation.  Those items are important, but ultimately food is for nourishing the body and I think this is the most important.  And when it comes to nutrients packed in each bite, nothing compares with King Vegetable and Queen Fruit.

Nutrients per calorie are unmatched in vegetables and fruits.  There is no better food to eat when it comes to providing your body with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber.  I don't know about you, but I just feel better when I get a lot of fruits and veggies.

Think about it and it makes perfect sense.  Humans are primates.  What do primates eat?  Fruits, leaves, berries, roots, shoots and other plant material - this makes up the majority of their diet.

The only question remaining is are you eating enough?  Probably not.  Try this as a model for getting more:

Fruit for breakfast.  Lately I've been eating an apple, orange and some strawberries for breakfast.  It's amazing to me how long this meal keeps me satisfied.  Substitute grapefruit, kiwi, grapes, berries, pineapple, mango, banana or whatever is in season locally.

Salad for lunch.  A large salad that isn't drenched with a high fat dressing.  Make the salad so big, you can't finish it and add some beans and a handful of nuts and/or seeds.

Salad with dinner.  Another salad with dinner (or make salad the main dish!) coupled with steamed vegetables and a piece of fruit for dessert ensures by the end of the day, you've had plenty of fruits and vegetables.

I'm definitely getting more each day keeping this simple approach in mind.

K

Now What?

I know you've been here before - so have I - that place where the idea of yet another attempt at taking off the pounds presents itself.

Einstein comes to mind:  "The definition of insanity: repeating the same process over and over and expecting a different result".... or something like that.

Yesterday's post indicated the importance of permanency in whatever changes I make and, obviously, all the previous changes didn't "take" for the long-term.  Now what?

I can't answer that yet, but I must admit I'm intrigued by Dr. Fuhrman's Food Pyramid.  I continue to read his book, Eat to Live.  You should be reading this book, too.

K

Finding the Courage to Stand Back Up

Woman vs. FAT has been silent for more than a year.  In my last post, I indicated I was going back to work and for a while, I was able to maintain and keep losing.  But I'm sad to say that, in the end, my weight has crept back up and I'm now back to where I started.

How many times have I done this before?  Let's just say this isn't the first time I've lost a significant amount of weight only to gain it back again.

Disgust and embarrassment abound.  These are emotions that are self destructing if they are allowed to fester.  I won't have any of that.

So here I am, back to the blog, finding the courage to stand back up, brush off my disappointment and declare that I'm not giving up.  My longevity is at stake.

So step #1 is the recognition that diets don't work.  Whatever I do, it has to be permanent.  With that in mind, I'm re-reading a book I picked up in March - Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. .

There are two things compelling about this book and Dr. Fuhrman:

1.  The over 2000 medical studies referenced by the book and fully listed in a Notes section more than 40 pages in length

2.  Dr. Fuhrman's success rate and the case studies presented in the book.  Pretty remarkable.

Read more from Dr. Fuhrman at his blog - some very interesting stuff. 

Maybe this is something that could work - permanently.


Stay tuned... time will tell.

K