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Getting healthy update 6/24/13

Several months ago I decided to change my lifestyle and work towards becoming healthier. The first few weeks were great, I lost about eleven pounds and was feeling great. It was hard but I made time to eat more and incorporate more exercise into my daily activities. Everything seemed great until I became obsessed with my looks, again. I would wake up thinking about how much I had lost or how many inches I had lost. It was destroying me once again, it was my husband who made me realize how much I was allowing it to consume me.

I spent half of my life consumed with my looks, convinced that I was ugly and would never be “beautiful”. My obsession with my appearance and the low self-esteem that obsession created consumed me for many years. About a  year ago I finally reached a point of acceptance, I learned that not all women are meant to be thin, including me. You can read more here.

After being faced with the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes just a few short months ago I made myself belive I needed to lose weight because I was unhealthy. The truth is I am healthy despite being overweight.

I lost some weight with the changes I made but I have maintained despite not controlling everything I eat every minute. I am active, everyday. I cannot sit still for more than a few minutes and right now there is so much going on in my life, my days are long about 18-20 hours long, I don’t sleep much.

It’s been great hearing family and friends compliment me on how great I look but I have also realized it was not just my weight but my emotional state.  I have good days where I feel beautiful and then there are those ugly days where self-consciousness overpowers me even if just for a short time.

The truth is, my life is too busy and complicated for me to obsess about how I look. My husband  does not tire of telling me how beautiful I am or how much he loves me even if I don’t want to see it.

In the end staying healthy is always going to be a priority but I won’t allow my obsession with my looks take precedence over that. I look pretty darn good for having delivered six children over the last seventeen years and that is a fact. I am healthy and strong and that is all that matters. I  am no longer a teenager, I am a mom and I will never have that pre baby body again and you know what? That’s ok and that’s good enough for me. Beauty comes in many different colors and sizes.

Getting healthy….one month update

It has been four weeks since I started my Getting Healthy challenge and I feel great! At first I thought it would be really hard but I was able to easily transition myself into exercising and eating right.

I had a targeted weight loss goal of 34lbs that would take me out of the obese category on the medical charts and put me into the overweight one which I am fine with. I am in no way trying to become a toothpick. I am a thick woman, my thinnest after having children has been a size 8 and I weighed 168lbs. Hard to believe but true! My target weight goal is 175lbs or a size 12 whichever I settle into first where I feel happy and healthy. If I happen to get slimmer that would be great but it’s not what I’m pushing for.  This is what I am aiming for (picture below).

Me at 175lbs! Not bad, huh?!

I have lost a total of 9lbs! And let me tell you it may not seem alot but it really is. I have lost 1″ off of my neck, 1.5″ off of my waist,  2″ off of my hips and 1″ off of my thighs. My butt is noticeably smaller, YES!!!

My husband has lost 12lbs and my son is around the 10lb mark and they are feeling great. I have been able to fit into size 14 jeans that I was no longer able to pull up my thighs before now and now they are even lose! My energy and emotional state have improved and I just feel better overall.  I am both happy and proud of myself that I decided to pull myself out of the back seat of my life and reward myself with health.

I will admit I do have some days where I cheat a little but I’m not feeling guilty about it anymore. There is nothing wrong with giving in every once in a while and I must have my occasional specialty drink. If I want some coffee ice cream or dark chocolate I will not deprive myself of it I just discipline myself and not eat it every day. I felt like burgers the other night so I had one with cheese and all but instead of potato chips I made some guacamole for a side. From where I stand it’s all about balance and I think I am doing pretty darn good.