loosing the old me

[adopteeme]

August, 2007 back "home" in Seattle

I am 218 lbs - a size 22

Just a few weeks ago...I'm 150 lbs and can squeeze into a 6.  I'm still a fat girl in my head and heart.  Cant resist those cover me up and hide me clothes.  lol. 

I have always been an emotional eater. Eat when I'm upset, angry, bored, happy and celebrating.  I can count on one hand how many times I'd ate a breakfast in a six-month period.  It was always coffee and ciggs for my breakfast.  I do catering for work- and so- I'm always around food.  I'm not able to take a lunch break and sit down and eat......so I'd snack and sample all day long and then come home FAMISHED. I'd be hungry enough to eat cardboard even before dinner was ready.

It all caught up to me.  This past fall I started waking up with terrible headaches. It was so bad, I was certain that our furnace was leaking carbon monoxide and we were slowly being poisoned.  I got in to see the doctor. He took my weight and temp and blood pressure to begin the appointment.  My BP was 180 over something.......he had a fit!!  The headaches were from the high BP.  He immediately put me on BP meds, and Metformin (to help me drop a few pounds) My glucose levels were also in the high range- pre-diabetic.  He said quit smoking, loose 10-15 lbs and come see me again soon.  That was the beginning of the end of many of my unhealthy habits.

The metformin was terrible on me.  I was just certain it had me develope Crones disease. I started  being really careful about when, and where I ate, because 10 minutes later, I was in the bathroom. It was awful.  I lost my appetite - and in just a few months- 23 lbs.  In Feburary, my daughter moved out and away from home.  I had alot more time on my hands (go figure LOL)

I used to spend alot of time at adoption.com in the chat room online.  I 'met' a PAP who was living close-by me in the chat room.  She was hoping to adopt from foster care.  We had made plans to meet face to face a few times, but something always came up.  She told me she was starting to attend a Weight Watchers group that was nearby. I knew the day and time she'd attend, and figured I'd stop by and at least introduce myself to her.  Well. I went in with her to that meeting.  Things havent been the same ever since.

Weight Watchers works for me for many reasons.

The being accountable- by weighing in weekly. And tracking all my food- every lick- every taste.  I had no idea how much tasting what I was sending out for work was adding up for me. 

The education about learning just how many calories are in the foods I was choosing to eat.  Did you know a TALL mocha latte is just a drinkable BIG MAC??!?

Portion sizes.....this is a big one.  Whens the last time you've looked at those nutrition lablels on the foods you eat.  ACK!!  A serving of small, individual frozen pot pie is HALF the pie!!!  Who the hell eats half a pot pie?!?  I never ever would have before considered portion sizes- I just always assumed that they packaged foods in portion sizes. wrong!

The other lifestyle changes and healthy habits that weight wachers has brought to light for me......drinking plenty of water, eating regular meals at regular times....and...exercise.

I bought myself a treadmill and began using it faithfully and hour a day. I started to experience a cold or numb feeling going down my right arm. It scared me enough to once again get in to see the doc, and then a cardio doc. Long story short- I passed the stress test, but have also been dx'ed with high cholesterol. more pills to swallow........sigh. I hate taking pills, so this means war for me. I am determined to get healthier- and get OFF any and all meds that I can! 

My goal is another 20-25 lbs. 

I did something new today for exercise. You wont believe it......it was so much fun!  Can you see adopteeme doing exotic dance workout on a pole?!??  OMG- I don't know if I can handle the stiletto shoes and spinning around a pole- but the floor/chair workout was awesome!  I really felt worked over after finishing.  I'm pretty sure I'll go back for more of this class.. it was a blast to move and act sexy - laugh with the other women......and get in a good workout!  amazing.

 

 

 

[stillamom1213]

Sep. 20, 2008 at 11:58 PM

You look beautiful! I think you'd make a great pole dancer!LOL. I'm so proud of you for taking care of your health. It just shows how wise you are.-Beth

[Cynthia38]

Sep. 21, 2008 at 12:20 AM

You are amazing, god bless you for being able to lose it without surgery or pills.  I am so proud of you for doing it on your own with just weight watchers.  You are truly beautiful in and out.  Good for you, keep it up.  Have a blessed and peacefull week.  Cynthia in California

[cjaw1018]

Sep. 21, 2008 at 12:22 AM

I want to see the video.

[Southernroots]

Sep. 21, 2008 at 12:30 AM

Good for you! How great you look! You should be so proud of yourself for what you have accomplished.

[orangeorbie]

Sep. 21, 2008 at 5:20 PM

Good for you, Mel!  You look fantastic!  And happy!  Keep up the habit of working out--once you don't for awhile, it's tough to get back into it.  I hadn't worked out for a month and I was breathing heavy after climbing 3 flights of stairs yesterday, haha.  It sounds like a hot class, I wanna see the video, too : )

[onethentwins]

Sep. 21, 2008 at 6:17 PM

That's a great story. Not only did you lose pounds, you look like you lost years too!

[Pepper1222]

Sep. 27, 2008 at 9:45 AM

ok, so I want to learn to do the work-out too!! lol. However, I don't think it would be the most manageable during pregnancy.

Congratulations on losing the weight, and your sheer determination to get healthier!! You are an awesome person!