Yearly Blog Update :-)

May 26, 2015

I can't believe it's been over a year since I blogged! It's been a crazy year but I've had a great time.  Last year in the spring and early summer, I was running and did a number of 5k races. Then the summer really hit and I got really lax with my eating and stopped exercising all together.  I reached 199 lbs and I got cocky and started enjoying myself and my new look way too much.  I was going out with friends and eating/drinking way too many calories.  Then I was eating too much junk foods and snack foods and started gaining weight.  I caught myself in August and started back exercising and eating better but old habits die hard.  I was punishing myself and restricting myself so much trying to get back to my lowest weight really quickly that after about 2 months, I went nuts.  I started eating all the wrong things and grazing all during the day.  From the end of September until the end of February, I was eating horribly and not exercising.  And of course, I gained back weight! I was starting to outgrow my clothes again and was unhappy with my appearance. 

I realized that something had to change and just doing a "diet" again wasn't going to cut it.  I had to change my whole outlook on losing/maintaining my weight long term.  Dieting and severely restricting myself just won't work for me for the rest of my life.  That's what I have been doing since I was 11 years old and it got me to 362 pounds.  I still have good restriction in my sleeve but it's too easy to eat around it at 2 1/2 years out. The feeling of being "on" and "off" a diet sabotages me.  So on March 1st, I put a new plan in place and I have been working it almost 3 months now.  It really seems to be working for me quite well. 

I am eating healthy, unprocessed food and focusing on my exercise which is mainly running.  I really enjoy running and it brings me such a sense of accomplishment to be able to run miles at a time without stopping.  Most of the time, I continue to eat the way that most sleevers do which is lower carb but I allow myself a little more wiggle room with the carbs.  I eat a moderate amount of fruits and don't restrict my veggies even if they have a few carbs in them.  I have been trying hard to NOT have the On or Off the diet mentality.  No food is off limits to me.  If I break and eat a handful of Cheezits or potato chips, I don't throw in the towel.  I log it in my food journal and start back eating my normal meal plan with the very next meal.  This is a big deal for me because I've always had the "I Blew It" mentality.  I would completely binge after a small food indulgence because I felt the day (or week) was already blown. I felt like I needed to eat all the bad things that I wanted now before I started back on my diet.  I haven't been doing this and it's made a huge difference in my mind and how I feel about my eating.  I don't feel like I'm on a diet or that anything is completely off limits.  

Another change I have made is not weighing every day or even every week.  This month, I have only weighed twice.  The scale really does determine my moods and with all my exercise and strength training, my weight definitely fluctuates.  I am not putting the focus on weight or the scale right now.  My goals are to eat healthy and exercise 4 to 5 times a week.  I am working my way to completing a 10k in September (I just did a 5k last week) and I look forward to my runs. The exercise and strength training have really made me much more lean in the last 3 months and even though I am still a little heavier than I was this time last year, I feel amazing.  I am starting to see muscles in my arms and legs and my middle is slimming really well.  My hips and thighs are still pretty big but I'm severely pear shaped so whatcha gonna do?? :-) 

Who knows where I will be this time next year but I just want to be happy and healthy.  I have no weight loss goals right now; I don't care what the scale says as long as I know what I am eating and I am getting in my runs and achieving my goals.  

In other news, my stepsons are almost out of school for the summer (one more week) and my husband is doing well.  Work is hectic but doing ok. No major changes there. Summer is already packed with plans for us.  This weekend we are all going to a family wedding.  June has a small surgery on my husband's shoulder and a trip to Charleston with girlfriends for a long weekend.  July we are doing a full week vacation at a beach house with a huge group of friends and I'm so excited about that.  It should be a great time. August will be here before we know it! 

Hope everyone is doing well and I wish everyone great success and weight loss.  Have a wonderful summer!! :-)   

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