A health, fitness, and weight-loss story.

4.12.2010

Monday Night Update

I am feeling a lot better. Back to normal, I'd say. We had a slow start this morning, but the day progressed--no naps, just laundry, school, working out, cooking supper, paying bills--normal life. Wasn't blue or down or sad. Whew.

My feelings were hurt terribly--but that's life, those things happen. Water under the bridge now, lessons learned, and time to move forward.

I was looking at my goal chart today, and realized I am now in Class One Obesity. Not bad at all, considering I started out with a BMI of 47 and morbidly obese. Now it's 34.5. Almost 30 pounds to being overweight instead of obese. (Not that I give much credit to the BMI as it is skewed, but still...)

I realized today that though I whine that the weight is coming off slowly, it's probably a very good thing. It's hard to get my mind around a changing body. I still hold up my new clothes and think they're going to be way too small. I still see distorted proportions on my body. At the rate it's going, it's not nearly as overwhelming to me--less scary.

Would like to give a heart-felt thanks for all the kind and supportive comments. They are appreciated more than you all would know.

I can and I will. I repeat that over and over and over. I believe it, too!

Monday Morning Weigh-In

207.5
-1

Today, finally, I hit my mini-goal of 75 pounds gone. Yay me.

4.11.2010

Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

Today was better, but not by much. I actually took two naps. My mind was racing with thoughts. I was in a mood. Hubby cooked dinner, thankfully. I did get some cleaning done, but when it was time to work out--I said forget it.

At 9 tonight I knew I would regret not working out. So I dressed up and decided time didn't matter. My son actually joined me, which meant we had to do Power 90 Sculpt 1-2 again. That's all he'll do.

I started feeling a little better. When we finished the half-hour workout, he had his protein shake and I put in The Firm's Not So Tough Aerobics and put in another 40 minutes.

I felt like a NEW person. Can't believe what a magic pill exercise is. Showered because I was a sweaty mess. Had a small protein snack.

And here I am, wide awake due to two naps and working out late.

Diary, I have been a Firm Believer and haven't been doing many Firms as of late. I love Cathe, I love working out with my son which means Power 90, but the Firms are always first in my heart. I think that I need to do more Firms because they bring me joy--and results.

Diary, I have also come to the conclusion that LIFE isn't always a bed of roses. We aren't supposed to be happy and cheerful all the time. There is a whole range of feelings and emotions, and we aren't really living unless we feel it all. So right now I'm feeling a lot of fear, some sadness, some anger. I'm thankful that I am not stuffing my feelings and can actually feel now.

I also had some joy today. Today I was thankful for:

1. My son, who worked out with me.
2. Sitting outside after dinner, enjoying the birds singing, and the fresh spring air--and the fact the neighbor's poodle wasn't out yapping his head off like normal. lol
3. My bed and my bedroom. It is my favorite room of all time. It's comforting to retreat there when I need to.
4. A comment my husband made. When I was done working out in my size Large Nike t-shirt, he said, "That's going to be way too big on you soon."
5. My old Nike/Reebok/Adidis t-shirts that are size 2XL. Couldn't throw them out because they were favorites--and now they are big and long enough to be nightgowns. They're comfy!
6. Another comment by hubby, "You're starting to get loose skin again." And that means I'm losing fat and it takes a bit of time for the skin to catch up. (True to my history, it isn't showing up on the scale, but it is on my body.)
7. I'm thankful for my new clothes. I feel so much better when I go out and about.
8. Out of coffee and filters, I ran to the store and bought filters and decided to try Duncan Donuts coffee. A splurge as it's expensive, but it is yummy. Decaf, of course. What a joy to have some delicious coffee.
9. My new bob haircut. It's a long bob, but it just feels good.

Counting my blessings because I have many. Thank you all for your support, it means a lot to me.

4.10.2010

Down in the Dumps

I am really, really low right now. I am definitely down in the dumps.

My sleep is all screwed up.

I have NOT been working out. (I believe that was the cure for my insomnia!)

I was hurt really bad by two friends this week.

Had a appointment with my accountant this week for our taxes. He is my hubby's age --somewhere around there, and he had a heart attack last year, had a stent that didn't work, had bypass, just had another angiogram because he's not doing well. It hasn't clogged up, but he looks like he's on death's door.

Please say a prayer for him and his family. He has a daughter in college, a son my son's age, and a younger daughter. We were in a mom's group with his wife before the boys started school. We're not friends, but I like him and his family well enough. His health condition really got me.

One, as he was telling his story, it was a flashback to my mom's battle with heart disease. She died at the age of 59. She was so young. It just scares me for him.

Also, I had a panic attack while he did my taxes. I kept myself together, but the minute he got up and closed the door, my heart started pounding. My husband knew why immediately. I was afraid he'd keel over in front of me during the appointment. Why was I afraid of that? Because my mom keeled over in front of me and had a heart attack, went into a coma, then died. Then again, two years ago, Dad keeled over in front of me and had a heart attack, and died a couple months later. So my panic was a reaction--a learned response--and I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. And I mean absolutely no disrespect to him at all--it's just my own issues.

It just really hit me hard.

I slept most of the afternoon today. That's not like me. I was just sad, in a mood, and wanted to be left alone. Not good.

At supper tonight, (thanks for cooking, honey), I mentioned all the things that were bothering me. A long list of things popped out, including the fact that I have been thrown away by my siblings. That's okay, because they're alcoholics and have mental issues that they really need help with--far beyond my anxiety issues. My anxiety, btw, came to a head just by being near them. But the way they treated me just--I cannot comprehend it. Watching my sister drink a 12-pack of Bud every night was horrifying. Yet she insists she doesn't have a problem. She was extremely violent as well--in front of my son. It makes me sad, I hurt that I have no one to mourn my parents with. It is what it is, and my life is better without them in it--until/unless they get help. It hurts, though. Even though they were nasty, I still have love in my heart for them. Yet I refuse contact anymore.

There's a lot more to it than that, but that's all I'm willing to share here. For now, I guess. That has been eating at me for two years.

Ugh. I just feel really crappy right now. I think this ovary issue is hanging over my head, has me scared to death. Living with the pain for the last three and a half months has really crushed my spirits. I do not know how people carry on with chronic pain. My hat is off to them. At least I have hope mine will go away.

Seeing my accountant in the state he was in, him telling me how exhausted he was, and him looking like he was on death's door scared me. That could be me--had I not started to lose weight, eat healthier and exercise. It was a dose of reality that touched me beyond measure. It still could be me, with my history. My parents both had heart disease. I still have high triglycerides, which means fat is building up in my arteries. I'm anxious to get that tested again soon.

I'm so tired of living my life in fear. Everything I do is fear based. I fear a lot. It's not healthy. It's not living. It's consuming me right now.

I need to get it together. Tomorrow, no matter what, I'm putting in a good workout. That helps me on so many levels. One step forward. I don't know what to do about fear. I think that's why I wrote this post, just to get it all off my chest. I guess that's another step forward.

Life is full of ups and downs. Feeling blue tonight, I looked at my weight loss photos. It might be coming off slowly, but damn, I've built muscles that I can see, I've gone down several sizes--so that was a great, much-needed pick-me-up tonight. Just need to keep my eye on the prize: health.

I can and I will. Even when I feel crappy. I did not overeat today, came right in on calories. Actually feeling things--feeling them deeply! lol So another step forward.

I can and I will.

4.07.2010

Jo's Day Out

So Tuesday arrived and I couldn't get my son in to see the orthodontist until Thursday. Hubby was home sick, sweet son was miserable, so what does any good mother do? Leave.

I hopped in the car, drove an hour to civilization, and went shopping.

Hit some thrift stores and found nothing.

On to "real" stores. First up, Kohl's. Humbling. Tried on a few pair of size 16 capris and couldn't get any to zip. Was rather disgusted with the selection, though, as they all seemed to be the low rise versions with 2-inch zippers. I bought one nightgown which was on sale.

Next up, I went to a strip mall. I bought four pair of capris at Dress Barn. On sale, nice and cool for summer, and light cotton so they'll be cool. Size? 14-16. Talk about vanity sizing--after not being able to fit into a 16 at Kohl's, then going there and fitting into a 14-16, I just have to laugh.

Next I went into foreign territory. Old Navy. I've been into an Old Navy once for about three minutes. The store intimidated me. It was hip--too hip for me. Plus I was too big to shop there. I decided to put my brave on and go in anyway. I ended up getting three shirts there. I liked it--cheap clothes, but on the other hand, it was cheap clothes. lol It felt really good to walk through, find my size, try on and have things fit. Small victory there. I will shop at Old Navy, but it's not my favorite store.

By this time it was well after lunch time, I was tired and hungry. I am NOT a shopper. I do not enjoy it, I hate trying clothes on, and I get tired. My mom, who had heart disease, could out shop me every single time we went out. I was in my 20s back then and a lot thinner, too. It's just not my thing.

I filled up on a burrito and a taco at Taco Bell. Yum. I brought my own caffeine-free pop and ate in the car. It was nice--peace and quiet!

Then I hit Herberger's. I don't know if that's a nation-wide chain or not, but there are Herbeger's everywhere I've lived. Nice quality clothing, many old ladyish, but good sales. I dug deep, found a few tops and left happy.

It poured rain the entire day. I was tired, cranky, and cold so I stopped for a decaf at Starbucks. Yum...enjoyed that the whole way home.

When I pulled into town, I stopped at Wal-Mart. I found two more pair of capris, $5 and $10 each. I bought a few more tops and a nightgown on sale for $5. (The nightgowns are in case I have to be in the hospital overnight--want my own, new stuff to wear.) I also picked up a couple of shirts at $5 a pop, and two pair of velour sweat pants. They don't have regular sweat pants in stock right now, so I bought my two pair at $3 apiece. Hubby had fun making fun of those: "My MOM wore those. I bet your mom did too, didn't she?" Umm, yes, she did, and she had the matching top to go with. I don't care, I'm cold and they're comfy and dagnabit, they were $3 each!

So now I have clothes to wear. Yay.

I must say the dressing room experience was odd. You all know those big mirrors that show everything, and I mean everything. I still gasped, ewwed, and looked away fast when undressing. Then I decided to open my eyes and really look. Yup, I'm still fat. However, I can really see changes. I can see possibilities. I have hope! lol I was able to say to myself: Yup, you still have a ways to go, but damn, girl, good job! I kept thinking back to what I looked like at 282. It really helped put all those lumps and bumps I'm still seeing into perspective.

I'll make it. I can and I will. It may be slow going, but it's going!

Good scores, good sales, and I didn't spend that much money. Size 16s for all the bottoms (except those funny 14-16s) and XLGs for tops. Boobs and tummy make most larges just too tight. I did not shop in the Women's department except at Wal-mart--I did buy one top that was a 1X there. Otherwise, I didn't even look in that section.

No one looked at me funny, I didn't even feel uncomfortable. I put on my confidence hat and wore it proudly. That felt great.

So what was the first outfit I chose to wear today? Pajamas--an old pair. I've come down with the same crud hubby and son have. Felt miserable all day, took a long nap this afternoon, and just zoned. Sweet son did work out with me this afternoon, bless his heart. I wouldn't have, otherwise.

So I faced Old Navy, the "regular" department, my loathing of shopping in general, and dressing room mirrors. Came home with some decent clothes that should get me through summer--time will tell. Enjoyed Taco Bell and loved my Starbucks. Not a bad day.

4.06.2010

Ugh

I was excited tonight. Hubby is taking the day off, and since he and DS are still sick, and we can't do school *well* when he's home, I called the day off. *I* was going to have a ME day. I was going to drive to the city and hit the thrift stores there, then Kohl's, TJ Maxx and maybe the mall in search of a few pieces of clothing, eat lunch at Taco Bell (once every few months isn't had), and just have some quiet. I was even thinking of dropping by the beauty school for a pedicure or manicure or something fun, when all of a sudden...

I was in bed, DS was in his bed, and he came running into my room. "Mom, one of my brackets fell off--it's the one my headgear attaches to." So we put it all in a Ziploc baggie, and now he'll be going with me if we can get in tomorrow.

I love my son, I love spending time with him--which is a good thing because we are homeschoolers, but I was so looking forward to a ME day. I don't get them often at all. So I'm kind of down in the dumps now.

I'll still hit a few stores, but any fun factor will be gone because I know DS will be patiently waiting while I search and try on. You can only ask so much of a kid, and that's definitely not fun for him. Plus, he's not feeling well which would be unfair to him--and I probably shouldn't drag him into any store as that's a pet peeve of mine, people going out when they're sick, spreading the germs.

Oh well. I just bought some new exercise DVDs to make me feel better. One of the few times I told DH before I bought them. lol

4.05.2010

Monday Morning Weigh-In

208.5
-3

I absolutely *have* to go shopping sometime today. I have no clothes. My tops are too big and I have one pair of jeans. My sweats are too large, and the only other thing I have to wear are exercise capris--which I have the proper size, but those I can't really wear in public.

Imperative that I get some shorts/capris to wear.

The weird thing is buying size 16s. They can be found in both the plus size and regular department. I still have that mindset that if I go searching in the regular sizes, people might look at me and wonder why I'm in there. When will that mindset leave me? Just like being stuck on the size 18 capris I donated--they're too large, I couldn't wear them even if I hadn't donated them. My mind needs to grasp my body's size.

And for what it's worth, I don't really care what people think...so perhaps it's not being afraid of people wondering why I'm in the regular size department, perhaps it's just me not feeling....worthy? lol I don't know. I do know I need to get over it and fast because I am at the stage where getting dressed in the morning is not an option because I have nothing to put on.

You know, this is actually a good feeling, knowing I've shrunk so much I have no clothes. While I don't want to spend a lot of money at the stage of the game on clothing, I sure am in desperate need of some jeans/capris/shorts. I'll check our two thrift stores first, then I'll hit the mart stores.