Speed bumps....

The most difficult part of this darned journey to get healthy are the speed bumps in the road and tolls you have to pay to be on this journey.  These tolls and speed bumps serve as warning signs and speed traps along the way, and they are the most difficult part for me to "get over".  I really enjoy working out these days, I love to sweat, it feels good to get out of breath and know that I am doing something to help myself at this point.....the problem is, my speed bumps, tolls, and speed traps are all food related.  The fact of the matter is, my eating habits are the only reason that the scale isn't showing the decreases that I would like to see.  I need some serious help with food.  I am a foodie--I love to eat!!  I like how I feel when I eat sugary stuff, I hate to tell myself  "no" and I LOVE food about as much as my body hates it.  I eat what I want, only to feel like crap a few hours later and miserable the next day...then the guilt sets in.  "I'm a failure", "Why did I just do that?", "Why did I just let myself eat that?"  The sad part is, as smart and well-educated as I am, this is the biggest hurdle I have to overcome. 

I have a cruise to be on in 5 short months and would really like the reflection I see in the mirror to be one I am happy with.  I am supposed to be running a half marathon on February 26 of next year, but there isn't a chance in the world that I can run 13.1 miles at the 240.2 pounds that I am tipping the scales at at the moment.  I just have no idea how I'm going to get over this particular speed bump in my health and fitness.  The fact of the matter is, at this point, I'm not even eligible for individual insurance because of my weight (Even though I have NONE of the typical and expensive co-morbidities that go with Obesity). 

I NEED HELP!!!  So, I have decided to change personal trainers.  The new trainer is also a certified nutritional counselor.  This is an uphill battle for me with my history, as well as the fact that I have 1 child who has sensory integration disorder and can't eat meat, or pasta, or most anything except chicken nuggets, yogurt, cheese and chips without vomitting.  Add to that the next child who won't eat anything her big brother doesn't, and a job schedule that leaves my poor darling husband home 2-3 nights/week with 3 kids that he has to figure out how to feed, bathe and tuck into bed before their exhausted Mommy gets home and you have the perfect storm of circumstances for frozen, easy, overly-processed and preserved foods and you get a ridiculously unhealthy family!  This trend has GOT to change. 

I will gladly accept any advice that anyone has to offer with the exception of surgery or meal replacement shakes, and the like.  Surgery is a very good option for many people, but as a woman with a clotting disorder that makes it 120% more likely I will have a blood clot that the average person, major surgery is just NOT a good idea.  As far as the meal replacement shakes and things go, again, another valid option for many, but not something I can feesibly do for the rest of my life, so not something that will work long-term for me.

Thanks!

krista

Progress....

As anyone who has ever undertaken a new journey as large as the one I have started can attest, there are moments where you wonder if it is worth all the effort.  With weightloss, because you see yourself in the mirror every day, it is difficult to notice any changes.  I have started to feel drastically different in the last few weeks and I was wondering what changes, if any, were noticable to anyone else.  Well, massive changes are happening, and i now know that the changes MUST be visible. 

I started working out with my trainer in late February, right before my birthday.  We did my first measurements on March 1.  I weighed in at a frightening 267 pounds.  I have made drastic changes since then, and the results are very clear. 

1st, I finished a 5K last weekend, in a total of 50:49 minutes.  I had set a goal of finishing in under an hour, and obviously reached that.  I have also been bitten by the running bug, and am looking forward to a half marathon training program that begins at the end of this month.  I will be running a half marathon in February, and possibly in October. 

2nd, I have lost a total at this point of 26 pounds, so I am down to around 241.  I am about 1.4 pounds from the 230's, which is very, very exciting!

3rd, I have lost an eye-opening total of 38.75 inches off of my body in the last 3 1/2 months or so.  I fin that number hard to even process.  I have set a goal to lose 20" in the next month, and hopefully another 10-12 pounds. 

4th, and most importantly in my opinion, any time you make these kinds of drastic changes in your life, there will be times when things happen that make you want nothing more than what USED to comfort you, like eating away your sorrows.  The reality of it is, there is no amount of food, ice cream, or anything that will make the situation better or easier to deal with.  In fact, one of the best things to get stress in control is exercise.  So--from here on out, when I have a HORRIBLE day, like I had on Tuesday, I will choose to run/exercise instead of eating.

Krista