The Story So Far (as of Aug 2016)

Hey.   If you're new to following me and haven't gotten around to reading all the old posts or you don't want to read them  or better yet-you just want a refresher, this page is for you.

Dieting. I hate that word.  I hear it and all I think of is pain and suffering.   My whole adult life I have been up and down weight wise.  Most of it was just "slightly overweight" (1 size bigger than I was).

Christmas 1999

The first time I truly dieted was the summer of 1999.  I was meeting with a dietitian and watching my portions.   Additionally I was heavily into Tae Bo.   I had both the time, energy, and space to do my workouts along with my portion controls.  I lost 20 lbs in 3 months.   Not too bad. I didn't look overweight at all.

As time wore on and we moved down to Pensacola, I didn't work the first few months that I lived there.  We only had one car and the only exercise I got was walking the dog.   I was first introduced to Atkins while I lived there and that is what I was on when we moved back to Ohio.     I only did it half halfheartedly, but still made progress.

Pensacola 2000

I used to think I was HUGE in this picture..to go back 2002

Slowly, as things do, weight started to creep back up.   Slow and steady. Up and Up and Up. By the end of 2002, enough was enough.  I had relative success on Atkins, how about I do this  for real? 


This was the time of the "Low Carb" craze, so I had all sorts of tools and foods to help me out.  In 7 months, I had dropped 70 lbs and according to everyone, I was looking fabulous.  

However THAT didn't last long.
up down up down up down. Year after year.

In later 2009 I wasn't feeling well. I was tired and exhausted.   By 2010 I was exhausted, stressed and sick.    Enter Fibromyalgia and the time it took to diagnose and then find a set of meds that helped me out.
I was EXHAUSTED. I was in pain. I had no energy to do little chores here and there.  I had back pain and knee pain from the weight I put on. I was just barely mobile.     Once the right meds were found, the damage was done with the weight gain.  I now had more energy, but the weight was hindering my physical activity.  Now let's throw in depression.

By the spring/summer of 2013, my doctor asked me to consider weight loss surgery.  I considered it. I got the consult and did the mandatory weight loss in order to get approved.  I was only supposed to lose ..heck  I can't even remember what I was supposed to lose in 3 months time. I think 18 lbs?  (go back and read if you REALLY want to know).   I lost like 35.  Doesn't matter, the point is that I lost more on my own. Diet and walking- and then I DECLINED the surgery.

I met with a dietitian all Fall, Winter and Spring of 2014. I walked and walked. I was put on Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) to kick start more weight loss.

oct 2014

 

By August of 2014 I was down 100lbs! I was a inspiration to all my friends. I was a diet expert. I knew what I was doing.

Leave it to me.........I can no longer tell you the reason.  An icy winter to stop my walking outdoors.  An achy knee to stop my walking in doors.   Muscles aches in my back that made walking painful.   And eventually, I didn't have it in me to find any motivation. None.

By fall of 2015--it was all back. All 100 freaking pounds.    Talk about self sabotage.

Brings me to July 1 of 2016 and I'm 100 PLUS pounds over what I was in August of 2014.
A group picture at a wedding on July 2 was the catalyst.   A sister in law who just went through an amazing weight loss and was a coach with beach body, gently prodding.

I started this time on my own with a 5 lb loss success and morphed into 25 lbs and at least 9 inches lost-only 6 weeks later.

The pic that motivated me

Why am I confident this time will work.  No dieting. Lifestyle change.  This is about eating healthier alternatives. Eating more often with smaller meals.   This is about being really physically active for the first time since 2000.  I'm making smarter choices, but still allowing myself to make those not so smart choices and not kill myself for it.

This is about feeling the best that I have in a very long time.   And you're now caught up