I had a day off yesterday--wonderful! And got a lot of Catherine's shopping done. We also went to a Mary Kay "Spa" party. Just not my thing, and it sure showed how easy it is to send mixed messages. The party included a pot-luck dinner brought in by the MK people. It was basically garbage--iceberg lettuce with ranch, carb loaded tortilla wraps and lasagne and lots and lots of desserts. After eating this we went to learn about skin care. Brother!! As I told Catherine later, the best thing you can do for your skin is to drink a lot of water and eat lots of fruits and veggies! Do that and protect your face from the sun, and you won't need a bunch of expensive products. So silly.
I've been thinking, as I've been mostly off-track lately, how grateful I am to have finally figured out that the SPEED of this endeavor is up to ME. NOT weight watchers, not Jillian Michaels, not the ladies I work with, not other bloggers but ME. I was 186 this morning and the only reason that that isn't completely discouraging is because when Catherine goes I'm going to make a push to see 170, and when I hit 170 I know I'll be happy and excited and successful!! Sure, it would have been nice to have hit that goal a year earlier, but this is a long term project and in the big picture when I reach my goal isn't nearly as important as that I DO reach my goal.
The iron-man is going well! I ran another 2 miles yesterday. I wonder how far I can go? Doing it the first time was a big deal--now 2 miles is the norm. Could 5 miles someday become the norm? 10? I'm sure it's only my mind holding me back---that, and crushing boredom. How do athletes do it? I only have 3 more pool sessions thank goodness. Talk about boring. The running would be better, but I'm doing as much as possible on the treadmill---it seems to be working, my left leg isn't giving me nearly as much trouble. Maybe doing these miles is strengthening whatever needed to be strengthened. I'll keep at it.
Losing weight in spite of myself.
I began this blog in February 2011 as a way to help me not quit trying to lose weight, and to learn a few things. It's been an interesting and powerful experience. It certainly confirms what I've long suspected--that although I am a genuinely happy cheery person in the main, I am NOT a happy cheery dieter. I DETEST losing weight. I resent being overweight in the first place and I am a virtuoso in the art of self-sabotage. And YET--I'm doing it! I'm fighting and kicking and EATING all the way down, but the weight is finally going down. The plan I was following in February was a half-baked one largely based on wishful thinking. I gained a little weight and decided to get real. I knew I couldn't just join weightwatchers or count calories or do any one plan and expect to be successful. I decided if I was going to bother to make the effort to lose weight I was going to throw everything I could think of at the problem. And so I do. My real "Day One" for this blog is April 1, 2011. I joined weight watchers, I joined caloriecount.com (awesome website), I read the blog losingweighteveryday.blogspot.com religiously, I keep this blog faithfully, I joined the health programs sponsored by my insurance, I use the principles from overeater's anonymous, I use my church's 12 step program as well, I subscribe--and use--Healthy Cooking Magazine.
The result of all this? Painfully slow progress (About 20 lbs in 10 months). But it IS progress and like the little engine that could I keep on trying in my rebellious way. I have no intention of quitting. This is by far the longest sustained weight loss effort I've ever made in my life. Successful I think, because for the first in my life I've done this MY way--which I've discovered, involves a lot of pizza and restaraunt food. I'm convinced this is the only way to lose weight. For me it must be MY way. For you it MUST be YOUR way. Not weight watcher's way, not your doctor's way, but YOUR way. Any plan or idea I use is only a tool.
The latest plan to lose weight my way began on Oct 29, 2013. It really is my own crazy plan. As you'll see if you read that post. I've implemented the best ideas of all sorts of eating plans and thrown out the scale. A couple of months in and I'm definitely healthier. I'm actually enjoying myself. I won't weigh until April 1, 2014, so I'll see then if this works the way I hope it will.
There is no magic weight loss bullet. But there IS a great deal of magic in the discovery of what I can happily live with (very different from what weight watchers tells me I can happily live with) and still have the body and health I want.
Good luck to all of us on this journey. It's quite a trip!
The result of all this? Painfully slow progress (About 20 lbs in 10 months). But it IS progress and like the little engine that could I keep on trying in my rebellious way. I have no intention of quitting. This is by far the longest sustained weight loss effort I've ever made in my life. Successful I think, because for the first in my life I've done this MY way--which I've discovered, involves a lot of pizza and restaraunt food. I'm convinced this is the only way to lose weight. For me it must be MY way. For you it MUST be YOUR way. Not weight watcher's way, not your doctor's way, but YOUR way. Any plan or idea I use is only a tool.
The latest plan to lose weight my way began on Oct 29, 2013. It really is my own crazy plan. As you'll see if you read that post. I've implemented the best ideas of all sorts of eating plans and thrown out the scale. A couple of months in and I'm definitely healthier. I'm actually enjoying myself. I won't weigh until April 1, 2014, so I'll see then if this works the way I hope it will.
There is no magic weight loss bullet. But there IS a great deal of magic in the discovery of what I can happily live with (very different from what weight watchers tells me I can happily live with) and still have the body and health I want.
Good luck to all of us on this journey. It's quite a trip!
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