Don't Lose Weight to Look Better

So many times when I've posted progress pictures on my personal Facebook I've gotten comments on how great I look. That's awesome! And I have to admit that I do look better than when I weighed 375 pounds. But that's not the reason I'm on this mission.

My health had gotten pretty bad. I was in the early stages of heart disease, I was borderline diabetic, my cholesterol was high and I just felt like poop. And the icing on the cake is that I was only 38 years old. I wasn't ready to die.

I was always tired. I never felt like playing with my kids. My biggest goal for the each day was to get stuff done for the day so I could do my favorite activity: sleep. 

But that's not living- that's dying. 

So I started this journey. And not at one time, even though I was embarrassed by my outward appearance, was my looks the goal of this.

Excess weight puts a strain on every organ, joint and bone. Imagine how hard my heart had to work to pump blood through my 375 pound, 5' 4" body. I'm really surprised that my knees didn't just give me a two week notice. 

Now that I've lost 146 lbs, I can climb stairs and not have to stop to catch my breath. I can sit in the floor without having problems getting back up. I can even jump on the trampoline with my kids. Also, I'm no longer borderline diabetic! The list goes on and on.

Yes, I do look better but I think it's because of the new healthy me glowing from the inside out and that's just a bonus of better health.

Beauty is only skin deep!

**************************************************

Today's bonus tip: don't use the scales as your only measure of success. Take measurements of your neck, chest, waist and hips and retake them monthly. 

Transformation Tuesday

Here's a few recent pictures

March 2009, June 2011 & November 2014

Three months can make a difference. From August to November this year.

Doing it for you

I'm sure at some point before I began this journey I thought that I definitely needed to lose weight in order to attract someone to date. Back around the time all of this began on July 6, 2010 my mind was filled with so much negativity because of my weight and the health problems that the weight was causing.

Four years later I realize that I am the number one reason for this lifestyle change. For once in my 42 years I'm putting ME first.

As much as Mark and my kids love me, and will benefit in many ways from a new healthy me, they don't have to live inside the prison of my unhealthy (mentally and physically) body. 

I'm doing this for me and you should, too.  You're so worth it! 

I'm willing to bet that you gained weight and became unhealthy because you put other people's needs, feelings, etc ahead of your own. When we put ourselves on the bottom of the totem pole, our health suffers. Make yourself your first priority.

And you know that saying about if you can't love yourself, how can anyone else love you? There's a lot of truth to that. When all of these changes for the better started taking place, I started really loving me. And you know what happened? I met the man of my dreams and we're building a life together.

Do it for you and everything else just starts falling into place.

**************************************************

Today's bonus: don't hide from cameras! You're gonna want pictures of yourself for proof (even if it's for yourself) of your progress. 

10 Things You Must Know

I've said many times in the past an I'll say it again: I'm no weight loss expert or medical professional. But I'm always willing to help based solely on my experiences.

If you're just starting your weight loss journey, I think there's some things you should know. And I'm NOT saying any of it to discourage you. I really wish someone had been this honest with me in the beginning.

Starting on Tuesday, I'm gonna blog each day about my top 10 things you should know. Here's a quick rundown:

10. Do it for you. Sure, you owe it to your family, kids, significant other to be the healthiest version of you but make yourself the number one reason for getting healthy.

9.  Don't do it to look better. Do it to feel better. Beauty is skin deep but when you're healthy, you glow from the inside and that's just beautiful.

8.  Be prepared for injuries, plateaus and other setbacks. To be blunt, shit is gonna happen and it's ok. Let your body heal if you get an injury, re-evaluate and shake things up if you plateau. 

7.  Know that everyday isn't going to be perfect and that it's 100% ok to have a cheat day now and then. I honestly believe that's why I really haven't had to deal with a long lasting plateau.

6. Drinking water and pretty much all but giving up sodas, even if they're diet, is gonna help you BIG time. A soda now and then is fine and we won't even talk about coffee.

6.  Know that there are magic pills, shakes or other gimmicks. Do you really want to take those diet pills or drink those shakes the rest of your life? (Not included in this is weight loss surgery because it's a wonderful tool if it's medically necessary)

5. Get rid of all the negative in your life, people included. They're only gonna destroy you. I'm not saying end all of your lifelong relationships but only keep those who support you close. A support system is essential. And expect haters.

4. You have to move to effectively burn the calories you consume. No couch potatoes.

3. Weight loss is nearly if not as much mental as it is physical.

2.  Set small, attainable, realistic goals along the way instead of one big frustrating goal.

1.  Realize that this isn't a "diet". This is a lifelong healthy lifestyle change.

Come back on Tuesday where I'll start with a break down of #10!

Thank you Nikki Sixx

So last night's Alice Cooper & Motley Crüe concert was epic but I've just gotta share something that Nikki Sixx said. He told us the story of how Motley Crüe was born. He began by saying that nothing happens because of luck or magic or any other reason. It happens because YOU make a decision. I don't know if he knew how true those words are for every aspect of your life but they are. Weight loss, my friends, is not luck or magic.

You have to make that decision to put one foot in front of the other. You have to make that decision to not eat that candy bar or whatever your kryptonite is. You have to make that conscience decision to make your life better whether it's weight loss, career, relationships, etc.

There is no magic.

On July 6, 2010 I made that decision to lose weight. I didn't use pills, shakes or any of those other gimmicks out there. I've stumbled along the way but because of that conscience decision I've went from a size 32 to a 14 in jeans. I've went from a 4x to an L in shirts. (The girls aren't shrinking)

I'm not even close to my goal yet but I'll get there. Slow and steady win the race. 

So in closing, I just want to say that when you're not losing the weight but the person you're watching lose weight is, don't think that they're lucky. I'm willing to bet you that somewhere along the way they made that decision to make things happen.

Last night before the show.

My daughter & I at the concert 

Mark & I just before Alice Cooper came on stage.

I Have To Get This Off My Chest

From day 1 of this journey I've never put beauty as a reason from losing weight. It's a bonus but not my reason.

I have no problem with fat people, I don't think they're ugly or anything like that but what I do think is that they are unhealthy. 

There are guys who prefer the amply blessed, super sized sweethearts, big beautiful women or whatever you prefer to call them. That's awesome but at the same time disgusting because those men are encouraging those women to live a very unhealthy, damaging lifestyle.

There's pages dedicated to the overweight that go so far as to tell it's likers that it's okay if you're big. Where are all the pages telling you it's okay to have a heart attack because it's sexy? And believe me, if you stay on that collision course that's where you're headed.

Self confidence is wonderful but being healthy, not gaunt, is a better place to be at to have that confidence.

That's really about all I have to say on that matter.

Here is a new before and during picture:

Progress

Today I decided to try on a pair of short term goal jeans. When I held them up, I thought there was no way they were going over these hips. Well guess what Shakira? Hips do lie!

They're a size 16 jeans and they fit. They're a little tight in the thigh area but I think it's because of the loose skin. 

I was wanting to wear them to the Motley Crüe concert on the 21st of this month and by George, I can! 

There's a lesson to be learned in this: don't always use the scales to measure your progress. Sure, it's nice to see those numbers go down but inches matter too! I really wish I had started taking measurements in the very beginning of this journey. And in all honesty I'm wondering if the tape measure would have reached all the way around my waist and hips. Yes, I was THAT big. 

My starting weight was 375 pounds. Imagine all of that on a 5' 4" frame. At that time my jeans size was a 32 and they were a little snug. 

In jeans, I'm half the woman I used to be, but not in pounds. And I'm ok with that.