You CAN do it...baby steps is the key to success.

I have been seeing so many posts on social media lately about how people have gained so much weight and are sick of themselves. They post that they have 25lbs, 50lbs, or like me even 100lbs to lose and are stuck on the big numbers looming over them. It is so scary when you look at the whole picture, and it can be darn right discouraging. "I'll never lose all that weight!" And, if you look at it that way, you are right! You won't lose it because you are setting yourself up for failure! I have been down that road! I have done any number of diets and lose weight quick products. The thing is they really don't work. The best thing to do and remember is BABY STEPS!

 Baby steps has been the only way I could face what I am doing to get myself healthy. I don't think of it as a diet. I certainly don't think of it as a way to make myself look good for my man or fit into smaller clothes, or feel better about myself as a human being. If you don't love yourself at 200lbs, you are not gonna love yourself any more at 120. You will just find a different thing about yourself to hate on. LOVE YOU FOR YOU! Don't let anyone tell you that you are not beautiful or sexy or whatever you need to hear. The only person you need to impress is yourself.

 Ok.... so back to the baby steps thing. I am going to say this again...Do not look at the big picture and get discouraged. Set a small realistic goal and meet it. I use 5 pounds as a goal. It is big enough to make an impact on the scale but not so big that I can't do it. And every time you hit a goal celebrate it big time! If you have someone that knows you are getting healthy, tell them you hit your goal! Write it down on the calendar, or treat yourself to a non food item! Whatever it takes to make you feel like a winner ( and you are) do it.

 Don't beat yourself up either! This is a big one to learn. We all screw up, no one is perfect. So you wanted some of that halloween candy that is all around you. Have a little and move on. You are not a failure because a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup went down your throat. I eat Chinese food once a month, I have sugar free ice cream probably 3 times a week and I have still lost weight. Now, don't go off the deep end and sabotage yourself if you can help it, but even if you go on a week's eating binge and gain a couple its OK. Just get back on the healthy road and continue. Again the only person you will hurt with these negative thoughts is yourself. Learn to forgive yourself and love yourself. 

 Learn to log all your food so you can see what is healthy for you and what isn't. This is extremely important. You need to journal it all and you need to weigh the portions if possible. A kitchen scale has been my new best friend. You may think you are eating a small portion of something, or one serving and when you weigh it out, it is more. Also sub out not so healthy foods for better ones when you can. I have learned to love Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt. Where I used to down 2 Hot Pockets and a couple of bags of chips, I now eat a carton of greek yogurt and a cut up apple for lunch. Instead of a huge tuna sandwich with tons of mayo on a roll, I eat a scoop of tuna with little or no mayo mixed into a salad for lunch or dinner. You can do it, lose weight and not starve yourself.

 You will figure out what works for you as you go along. I was not a water drinker and I still don't like plain water. But I found I could take 2 ounces of Arizona Zero Green Tea and 20 ounces of water and drink it. I now drink 3 or 4 bottles of a water tea blend every day and have given up my Diet Dr. Pepper. I have also given up a lot of beef. Not because of any real health reason, but because of the cost. I love chicken and it is healthier for me anyway so I eat chicken probably 3 to 4 days a week. I also eat lean pork again because it is cheaper than beef. My salads used to be romaine, shredded carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Good but very boring to eat. Now they have broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, red bell pepper, onion, and the romaine lettuce and shredded carrots. By changing it up the flavors are different and I am getting more fiber and vitamins than I was getting before.

 Lastly get out and move! I have started a new job in the last month in retail so I am now on my feet 6 to 8 hours a day 4 days a week. All I am doing is standing and walking around the store, but it has upped my weight loss. I have lost an average of 2 lbs a week since I started. Now I am not saying walk for 6 to 8 hours, that is crazy but do something a few times a week. Even just dancing around the house is moving and will help boost your metabolism and help tone you up. Do something you like to do and can be consistent at. It will be hard at first and maybe you can't do more than 5 minutes. That is OK! Don't beat yourself up or feel like a failure. It is more than you were doing and you will build up. Again....baby steps.

 Ok, that is it for today. Your mission is to set small goals, log your food, get up and move a little, take baby steps in everything and LOVE YOU FOR YOU! Btw as of today I am down 39.7 lbs. I am at 235.7 and my next goal is 230! May treat myself to some smaller pants at that point. I will let you know! xoxoxoxoxox to you all. 

Time for an update on my progress

It has been about 2 months since I posted. I am sure most of you have forgotten me or figured I gave up. NOPE I just haven't had much to report. I went to the doctor in July as I think I already blogged and I was at 251lbs. In the last 2 months I managed to lose another 10 pounds and get to 241. Actually, I did that in the first 6 weeks but was really struggling the last two weeks to get below 240 which was another small goal of mine.

Remember, I try and set a yearly goal of 50lbs and then break it down into two 6 month goals of 25lbs each. Then I break those 25lb goals into smaller goals of 5lbs at a time. 5 lbs is totally doable in my mind and it feels good to celebrate each small goal I meet. I really try not to focus on the big picture because then it sometimes feels discouraging. But anyway, I was struggling to get to the 240 mark and was really getting pissed off because I would almost hit it, then go up a pound or 8 oz then back down. I felt like my body was teasing me. I tried cutting back on my food, and that didn't work plus I was feeling deprived when I did that. It was just a very frustrating 2 weeks.

So, out of the blue I got a phone call about a job that I had applied for two months before. I hadn't heard back so I figured that I was too old and they didn't want me. It was a part time cashier job at our local CVS Pharmacy at minimum wage pay. I have been out of work for 2 years and have been relentless in my pursuit of employment. So, they called me in for an interview and I got the job! Last week I had my new colleague orientation, and I had my first 4 hour shift on Wednesday. It is a very busy job and I am entirely on my feet for 4 to 6 hours depending on my shift. So I jumped on the scale today after a week of work. Lo and behold, it FINALLY DROPPED! I hit the 238.6 mark this morning! Not only did I hit the 240 mark but I went below it. I lost 3 pounds in a week!

So yeah I am pretty stoked this morning. My new small goal now is 235lbs and I am getting closer to my second 25lb goal for the year. I have 14lbs to go to hit my 50lbs by my birthday in January and 3.5 months to do it. I am certain I am going to hit it and might even hit it earlier than that. Maybe my Christmas present to me will be new smaller clothes. We will have to see what happens but it feels like good things are happening to me on many different fronts. New job and a new me for the foreseeable future.

The moral of the story my friends is do not give up your fight. If something isn't working and you are stuck then try something new. Change up your exercise routine, go for a hike, drink more water, dance in the rain or whatever else you can try. If you are watching your food intake, drinking water and exercising you are taking care of you. The rest will follow, but sometimes things just slow down. Eventually it will catch up with you and start moving again.

Rottie