Whoa. I've been at this for a year, y'all! Don't want to read all 50-something posts to catch up? Well here's the review for you:
On October 7, 2012 I had had enough. I was about to turn 35. No chair was comfortable. I couldn't sit like a lady. (And you all know I am a proper lady) My monster calves had eaten my ankles. I couldn't walk up the stairs or through the parking lot at work without huffing and puffing. The last time I had been on a roller coaster, the Rams were in the Super Bowl and Pau Gasol was drafted by Atlanta.
I was on 4 different medications for different issues. I was wearing a size 26 (sometimes 26/28). I knew I wanted to change things but really had no idea how I was going to do that. -So I started typing.
As I began to write blog posts and receive tremendous report from those close to me and strangers alike, things started to fall in to place. I started to research, move, make different food choices, and try to establish even a hint of a good habit or two. I set some reasonable "loose" goals so that I wouldn't set myself up for failure. My husband supported me 180% (because he's wonderful!!) and I joined forces with two great friends to start Weight Watchers and have a support team in them that cannot be beat! Go Team JAG!
In January I was finally brave enough to join a gym - Anytime Fitness. I could barely go for more than 2 minutes on the elliptical machine. I did have the desire to do things and get stronger, but I realized I needed some help. Enter Big A, the trainer. My coach. My gym security blanket. My homey for life. And, now, a wonderful friend both inside and outside of the gym; along with his family. I started training last winter with Big A and have been challenged and sometimes frustrated. I have, however, gotten stronger and I continue to do new things and get better at tasks I could barely do a year ago. I keep wondering how this is working when nothing else has? First, there was no intimidation, only encouragement. Big A has been a crucial part of my support system. Why? Absolutely. No. Negativity. -And she smacks me down why I try to let anything negative slip out. Second, there has never been pressure about specific goals or specific weights (unless it came from me), but instead he helps me focus on challenging myself and simply getting better every day and remembering where I started. -That simple. He has to remind me of that often. The man also has the 'patience of Job' to be able to deal with me and my bullshit multiple times per week. I will never be able to thank him enough. I share my silliness and my little victory moments with him all the time, but I don't know if he'll really ever know just how much I appreciate him for helping me save my life. Big, big fist-bumps to you, Big A.
Yes, it has put a financial strain on us to train, etc. but it is worth it many times over. Thank God for my sweet husband and his support of all that I do.
Outside the gym and training, I have learned to love running and want to get better at it.
So a year is now behind me. I turn 36 in a few days. My God, 36 seemed like an eternity away even just a few years ago! So I'll spend a few days by the water to celebrate (thanks to the bestest friend ever!) and then I'll get back to work to begin a new year of challenges. I will continue being coached by Big A. I will continue with WW and my Team JAG girls. I'll learn to be a better runner, especially with my new running partner, Bear Cavanaugh. I'll continue to FEEL BETTER and get stronger.
So what else is there to say? Oh yeah - F I N A L L LY -
I hit 50 pounds lost. When I wrote my first post I was sitting at 288 pounds on my home scale. I stepped on that same scale on September 30th, and saw the cutest number ever: 237.5. Exhale! That's huge. Huge! I've never, ever lost more than 5 or 10 pounds and it always came back and them some. This is so, so promising. It definitely doesn't mean that I'm finished. -But it means that I can do it and I can keep going. I have (probably) about 70 more pounds to go before I can say I have reached my weight goal and can start working to maintain that. There's another year or two of work to be done to get there I think. I'm happy with slow and steady; though I still reserve the right to complain every now and then if I'm frustrated. :) Oh, and the Redskins shirt - I'm not quite there yet but almost. It goes over my boobs and my guts now! -Just too tight to wear to the Food Lion, though I'd fit right in on some days. I'll get there. I'm happy with my size progress. I'm now in an 18. In fact, my friend just gave me a pair of size 18 jeans. Button fly. That's never gone on this body before, and I may never take them off. I told her I was so excited because I didn't even have to lay down to try and button them!
Side Story: When we were in high school and even a little after, I was always so sad that I couldn't shop at American Eagle with all of my friends. That store was the stuff in the 90's in Charlottesville. If you didn't have a few outfits from there, at least, you could kick rocks. I owned one, ONE, item from that store back then. It was a men's flannel shirt (I LOVED that thing) that I wore, unbuttoned of course, to death. Guess where those button fly jeans are from, y'all? Now I may be to too old to shop there, but I don't care, I will anyway. I promise, though, not to go out and find a HyperColor body suit on Ebay to wear just because I may be able to.
I'm also happy with my general health progress. I'm taking no meds, except for the unexpected few I had to get this past week. Grrrr! -But I'm done with those and learning to de-stress. Hopefully that won't happen again.
My cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and thyroid levels all came in at "Girl, who are you? Did someone else take this test for you?"-numbers a couple of weeks ago at my latest screening.
I feel good right now. I'm so thankful for all of the support that all of you (who take the time to read my craziness) have given me.
Stay tuned for more updates; major, minor, odd, and unecessary. It's going to be a good year.
I'm not one to wait 'til the end of a project for thank-you's. Thank you all (and I hope I forget no one) for the help, the kind words, the laughs, the Tweets, the challenges, the "just checking on you", the "I'm proud of you", and the thoughts/prayers you sent my way this past year. Many of you have/had more important things to worry about but you took time out for me and I appreciate it.
Puddles, my sweet husband Alfred (Big A) and Julie
My Momma Genevieve
My Momma-In-Law and Pops Sloane
Missy Michelle
Jaime The 2 Angies in my life - Angela & Angie
Corey Erin
Ana Gloria
Rosita Lynette
Sharon Jenna-Jean
Teresa Butch
Amanda Flip
Heidi Justin
...plus anyone I can't think of right now with Sunday brain, and of course many of you who sent me private messages who would kick my butt if I mentioned you here.
On October 7, 2012 I had had enough. I was about to turn 35. No chair was comfortable. I couldn't sit like a lady. (And you all know I am a proper lady) My monster calves had eaten my ankles. I couldn't walk up the stairs or through the parking lot at work without huffing and puffing. The last time I had been on a roller coaster, the Rams were in the Super Bowl and Pau Gasol was drafted by Atlanta.
I was on 4 different medications for different issues. I was wearing a size 26 (sometimes 26/28). I knew I wanted to change things but really had no idea how I was going to do that. -So I started typing.
As I began to write blog posts and receive tremendous report from those close to me and strangers alike, things started to fall in to place. I started to research, move, make different food choices, and try to establish even a hint of a good habit or two. I set some reasonable "loose" goals so that I wouldn't set myself up for failure. My husband supported me 180% (because he's wonderful!!) and I joined forces with two great friends to start Weight Watchers and have a support team in them that cannot be beat! Go Team JAG!
In January I was finally brave enough to join a gym - Anytime Fitness. I could barely go for more than 2 minutes on the elliptical machine. I did have the desire to do things and get stronger, but I realized I needed some help. Enter Big A, the trainer. My coach. My gym security blanket. My homey for life. And, now, a wonderful friend both inside and outside of the gym; along with his family. I started training last winter with Big A and have been challenged and sometimes frustrated. I have, however, gotten stronger and I continue to do new things and get better at tasks I could barely do a year ago. I keep wondering how this is working when nothing else has? First, there was no intimidation, only encouragement. Big A has been a crucial part of my support system. Why? Absolutely. No. Negativity. -And she smacks me down why I try to let anything negative slip out. Second, there has never been pressure about specific goals or specific weights (unless it came from me), but instead he helps me focus on challenging myself and simply getting better every day and remembering where I started. -That simple. He has to remind me of that often. The man also has the 'patience of Job' to be able to deal with me and my bullshit multiple times per week. I will never be able to thank him enough. I share my silliness and my little victory moments with him all the time, but I don't know if he'll really ever know just how much I appreciate him for helping me save my life. Big, big fist-bumps to you, Big A.
Yes, it has put a financial strain on us to train, etc. but it is worth it many times over. Thank God for my sweet husband and his support of all that I do.
Outside the gym and training, I have learned to love running and want to get better at it.
So a year is now behind me. I turn 36 in a few days. My God, 36 seemed like an eternity away even just a few years ago! So I'll spend a few days by the water to celebrate (thanks to the bestest friend ever!) and then I'll get back to work to begin a new year of challenges. I will continue being coached by Big A. I will continue with WW and my Team JAG girls. I'll learn to be a better runner, especially with my new running partner, Bear Cavanaugh. I'll continue to FEEL BETTER and get stronger.
So what else is there to say? Oh yeah - F I N A L L LY -
I hit 50 pounds lost. When I wrote my first post I was sitting at 288 pounds on my home scale. I stepped on that same scale on September 30th, and saw the cutest number ever: 237.5. Exhale! That's huge. Huge! I've never, ever lost more than 5 or 10 pounds and it always came back and them some. This is so, so promising. It definitely doesn't mean that I'm finished. -But it means that I can do it and I can keep going. I have (probably) about 70 more pounds to go before I can say I have reached my weight goal and can start working to maintain that. There's another year or two of work to be done to get there I think. I'm happy with slow and steady; though I still reserve the right to complain every now and then if I'm frustrated. :) Oh, and the Redskins shirt - I'm not quite there yet but almost. It goes over my boobs and my guts now! -Just too tight to wear to the Food Lion, though I'd fit right in on some days. I'll get there. I'm happy with my size progress. I'm now in an 18. In fact, my friend just gave me a pair of size 18 jeans. Button fly. That's never gone on this body before, and I may never take them off. I told her I was so excited because I didn't even have to lay down to try and button them!
Side Story: When we were in high school and even a little after, I was always so sad that I couldn't shop at American Eagle with all of my friends. That store was the stuff in the 90's in Charlottesville. If you didn't have a few outfits from there, at least, you could kick rocks. I owned one, ONE, item from that store back then. It was a men's flannel shirt (I LOVED that thing) that I wore, unbuttoned of course, to death. Guess where those button fly jeans are from, y'all? Now I may be to too old to shop there, but I don't care, I will anyway. I promise, though, not to go out and find a HyperColor body suit on Ebay to wear just because I may be able to.
I'm also happy with my general health progress. I'm taking no meds, except for the unexpected few I had to get this past week. Grrrr! -But I'm done with those and learning to de-stress. Hopefully that won't happen again.
My cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and thyroid levels all came in at "Girl, who are you? Did someone else take this test for you?"-numbers a couple of weeks ago at my latest screening.
I feel good right now. I'm so thankful for all of the support that all of you (who take the time to read my craziness) have given me.
Stay tuned for more updates; major, minor, odd, and unecessary. It's going to be a good year.
I'm not one to wait 'til the end of a project for thank-you's. Thank you all (and I hope I forget no one) for the help, the kind words, the laughs, the Tweets, the challenges, the "just checking on you", the "I'm proud of you", and the thoughts/prayers you sent my way this past year. Many of you have/had more important things to worry about but you took time out for me and I appreciate it.
Puddles, my sweet husband Alfred (Big A) and Julie
My Momma Genevieve
My Momma-In-Law and Pops Sloane
Missy Michelle
Jaime The 2 Angies in my life - Angela & Angie
Corey Erin
Ana Gloria
Rosita Lynette
Sharon Jenna-Jean
Teresa Butch
Amanda Flip
Heidi Justin
...plus anyone I can't think of right now with Sunday brain, and of course many of you who sent me private messages who would kick my butt if I mentioned you here.
 |
| Progress... |
 |
| ...is a good thing! |
