So you CAN be more like Josephine....we all can. In those moments when you have the food in your hand, think of her and what she would choose.
If you had asked for an amen, I woulda given you one. The progress Jo has made is incredible and awe-inspiring... and if it has shown us anything, it's that such progress is attainable with the right level of commitment. I know that's how I see her whenever she posts a success - an example of something to strive towards, not a reminder of the progress I haven't yet made.
I am back from my vacation up to Ontario. We had a fantastic time, visited with a ton of friends, got a couple of feel-good comments on the WL front which was nice, especially since I'm not far enough along with it to get many comments from people who see me regularly. I weighed this morning and received a 197 - which is far better than I could have hoped for, I've only gained about half a pound. I have til Saturday to rectify the situation I figure drinking my water and hopping back OP with the food and exercise should take off what I gained pretty fast. I had the best intentions of exercising while on vacation - I packed all my gear and yet didn't go jogging or do one single push up the whole time. So back to that today, I'm itching to get back into it!
That's it for me for now, hope everyone had a great weekend!
Gang, I tend to be silly and snarky and post mostly happy or goofy stuff. But I don't want to give anyone the impression that this hasn't been really frickin' hard! I'm not some magical fairy creature that this is just happening to with no effort. As a binge eater, I'm still counting EVERY SINGLE DAY (today is Day 117) that I go without a binge (and probably will count forever). And sometimes I'm counting the minutes because as we all know, some days are just TORTURE. I have the same struggles, the same temptations, and the same difficulties changing my habits as everyone does. Nothing is coming "easy". I say this to make it clear that I'm not some freak of nature who just loses weight without trying. I'm not. I'm working at it HARD.
I do think I've had such good success because I've simply committed 100%. Not to a "diet", but to a new way of life. I haven't put a single off-plan thing in my mouth in 117 days. I've made really, really significant and permanent changes to my lifestyle, mostly my eating. I've consistently made food choices based on "food as fuel" and "food as health" versus "food as entertainment". This has been a HUGE switch for me. I dropped diet sodas, dropped artificial sweeteners, dropped sodium (very significantly), and went from vegetarian to vegan. Of course I stopped binging and I started planning my meals, which I have recorded every single day of this challenge in our menu thread. Pretty major changes.
The exercise I do is cool, yes, but in my opinion, it is way secondary to eating. I'm mostly around an hour a day now, except on weekends when I do more for fun with my husband (mostly because our hobbies are sports-related). But I am very consistent and focused, which I think does count. A hour a day is PLENTY of exercise. But I was a fat athlete when I came to this site -- I wasn't as focused as I am now (because it is hard being a fat athlete) but I was biking and walking and occasionally running carrying that extra 67.8 pounds around. And those pounds weren't going away, they were gathering friends.
Exercise wasn't going to save me from being fat. Changing my food habits IS going to save me.
I guess the reason I'm blathering on is to say that what I am doing, YOU CAN DO, TOO. If you choose to. It isn't magic and I'm not a "special case". Is it hard? Yes. Does it take focus? Yes. Is it impossible? No. Does it get easier? Yes. It definitely gets easier, not that there won't always be those super hard days when making good decisions takes EVERYTHING out of us. But the more days I stick to my guns, the fewer moments are quite THAT hard. I just don't want people to dismiss the possibility that they can make these changes too, because YOU CAN. If I, Miss World Champion Binge Eater Extraordinaire, can make these changes, anyone who really wants to do it can, too.
I cringe when I look at my March pics (particularly the face shot in which I am so sweaty and nasty from pigging out and boozing it up during a poker night), but here ya go. It is reality. And even my awesome hat doesn't save me from looking terrible.
Jo: Thank you for sharing. I find it far too easy to get caught up in the "Well of course she can do it, it's easy for her" mentality and I really appreciate hearing that you've come from the same place as the rest of us. It's all about decisions.
I know it sounds silly, but honestly, losing the weight faster would only be a perk in my mind--my goal would be to head off my diabetes. Being only 25 at diagnosis, I have a LONG time for diabetes related complications to occur. If I'm going to do a major surgery like this, I want to do it now while I'm not yet married and don't have kids. At first, I thought it felt selfish to have the surgery just to help with something I currently have under control anyway, but the more I thought about it, the more selfish I felt for NOT doing it, as my reason for not having the surgery would basically be so I could be a hero, ya know? I could lose the weight and control the diabetes and lower my blood pressure all by myself! Well, that might be all well and good for the next few years, but 20 years down the road when my diabetes becomes more difficult to control and then I DO have kids...I need to take care of me now so I can take care of others for the rest of my life.
Sorry to babble so much about this--it's sort of been consuming my mind for a few days now
That doesn't sound silly at all. Quite the opposite actually, it sounds smart. I am happy that you are more concerned about being healthy then getting smaller. It is a big decision, one that requires a lot of preperation...mostly mentally. Talk to you doctor, getting information can't hurt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyler Durden
Gang, I tend to be silly and snarky and post mostly happy or goofy stuff. But I don't want to give anyone the impression that this hasn't been really frickin' hard! I'm not some magical fairy creature that this is just happening to with no effort. As a binge eater, I'm still counting EVERY SINGLE DAY (today is Day 117) that I go without a binge (and probably will count forever). And sometimes I'm counting the minutes because as we all know, some days are just TORTURE. I have the same struggles, the same temptations, and the same difficulties changing my habits as everyone does. Nothing is coming "easy". I say this to make it clear that I'm not some freak of nature who just loses weight without trying. I'm not. I'm working at it HARD.
I do think I've had such good success because I've simply committed 100%. Not to a "diet", but to a new way of life. I haven't put a single off-plan thing in my mouth in 117 days. I've made really, really significant and permanent changes to my lifestyle, mostly my eating. I've consistently made food choices based on "food as fuel" and "food as health" versus "food as entertainment". This has been a HUGE switch for me. I dropped diet sodas, dropped artificial sweeteners, dropped sodium (very significantly), and went from vegetarian to vegan. Of course I stopped binging and I started planning my meals, which I have recorded every single day of this challenge in our menu thread. Pretty major changes.
The exercise I do is cool, yes, but in my opinion, it is way secondary to eating. I'm mostly around an hour a day now, except on weekends when I do more for fun with my husband (mostly because our hobbies are sports-related). But I am very consistent and focused, which I think does count. A hour a day is PLENTY of exercise. But I was a fat athlete when I came to this site -- I wasn't as focused as I am now (because it is hard being a fat athlete) but I was biking and walking and occasionally running carrying that extra 67.8 pounds around. And those pounds weren't going away, they were gathering friends.
Exercise wasn't going to save me from being fat. Changing my food habits IS going to save me.
I guess the reason I'm blathering on is to say that what I am doing, YOU CAN DO, TOO. If you choose to. It isn't magic and I'm not a "special case". Is it hard? Yes. Does it take focus? Yes. Is it impossible? No. Does it get easier? Yes. It definitely gets easier, not that there won't always be those super hard days when making good decisions takes EVERYTHING out of us. But the more days I stick to my guns, the fewer moments are quite THAT hard. I just don't want people to dismiss the possibility that they can make these changes too, because YOU CAN. If I, Miss World Champion Binge Eater Extraordinaire, can make these changes, anyone who really wants to do it can, too.
I cringe when I look at my March pics (particularly the face shot in which I am so sweaty and nasty from pigging out and boozing it up during a poker night), but here ya go. It is reality. And even my awesome hat doesn't save me from looking terrible.
Wow, sorry for the long post.
You look fantastic, you sound fantasitic! I am very proud of you. I have watched as you post loss after loss and you are truly an ispiration. I am honored to have you as a fellow blue team member
What never ceases to amaze me is how 2 things consistently happen to people when they lose a trunk of junk. 1. Their eyes get huge and 2. Their hair appears thicker. I kinda get the eyes - I mean, if your face isn't all puffy and squishing your eyes shut, your true eye shape and size is revealed. I don't really get the hair thing. Is it nutrition? Is it just a smaller and less puffy face makes it visually appear there is more hair - like it's relative to each other? Anna, maybe you can explain this for us!
OK, so I was obese on both pregnancies and didn't go into bedrest or get complications, but I was on the low end in the low 200's. Just wanted to put that out there. I did have a c/s, but I did labor for 18 hours and push for 2-3. Unfortunately, every time she came down, she also went back up, like a zipper. I think the 14" head was the culprit as she was born with a nasty cone even tho she was a c/s baby in the end. We finally decided to get her out bc I developed a fever and honestly after 18 hrs I was a little, ok alot, like Linda Blair, "get oooooooout". But I don't recommend obese or even overweight pregnancies for anyone - that last month of carrying an 8 or 9 lb baby (w/o gest.diabetes) just can really bring you into exhaustion like you've never imagined. Anna, if you can share more on the kidneys during pregnancy & with diabetes that you mentioned, would love to hear more. As you know, I'm a fan of the amazing kidneys lately. Considering starting a class action suit against Coca-Cola actually.
Can't remember where I read it, but a trainer was interviewed who said that losing weight is 90% what you eat and 10% exercise.
YES! Have heard this many times. Jessie from "Workout" was on one of the entertainment shows last nite being interviewed bc he is going to culinary school during the "off season" of the show. When asked why, he mentioned that it's a natural complement to his training career and specifically because of what you just said Anna. In fact, I believe he actually said 5% working out and 95% nutrition!!!!! So all those hours working out don't quite cancel the bad food. Reminds me of the extra cheese pizza with a diet coke that girls used to order in college!!!!
Just wow, Jo. Awesome. Your commitment is astounding!
I called my insurance company today. I have to have my doc call their "[re-certification" line to find out what I need to do to qulify for the procedure, but the rep I talked to from my insurance company said that as long as it is deemed "medically necessary," they will cover it 100% like any other surgery--no copay, no deductible, nothin'. Next step is to talk to my doc, who actually used to work for a batriatric surgeon, so she should have some good info and/or contacts.
I called my insurance company today. I have to have my doc call their "[re-certification" line to find out what I need to do to qulify for the procedure, but the rep I talked to from my insurance company said that as long as it is deemed "medically necessary," they will cover it 100% like any other surgery--no copay, no deductible, nothin'. Next step is to talk to my doc, who actually used to work for a batriatric surgeon, so she should have some good info and/or contacts.
That's awesome! Let us know when you talk to your dr. and what they say.
Don't forget to weigh in before 11:59 pm tonight. This week is the last time you can use a vacation freebie week. If you need to use one, please make sure that you've been chatting weekly and that you PM me.
I posted a 3 lb loss this week... let's hope I can keep it off!
As far as Daniel, we found out that he has IBS, hemrodal flare and celiac sprue (wheat gluten allergy). The doctor said the last 4 ft of his colon is bright red from his horrible eating. So that means no more fast food and a huge limitation to things he can eat. Its odd because since he's been sick, I started noticing my own eating to bowel movement relationship and I think I may have the same thing since we both eat the same. We have a list of the basics he can and can't eat, so we are working on changing his diet gradually.
Well the boss is in the office. I better look busy!
I posted a 3 lb loss this week... let's hope I can keep it off!
As far as Daniel, we found out that he has IBS, hemrodal flare and celiac sprue (wheat gluten allergy). The doctor said the last 4 ft of his colon is bright red from his horrible eating. So that means no more fast food and a huge limitation to things he can eat. Its odd because since he's been sick, I started noticing my own eating to bowel movement relationship and I think I may have the same thing since we both eat the same. We have a list of the basics he can and can't eat, so we are working on changing his diet gradually.
Well the boss is in the office. I better look busy!
Congrats on the loss! Sorry to here about the bowel issues with you both. I hope the change in food will make a big difference.
Hi everyone,
I forgot to weigh in so to be safe I will just post what I weighed last week. If I go home and weigh at 5:30pm that won't be accurate anyway.
Congrats on the losses!
Kelly--Didn't do much exercise last week but have started again this week. Doing the 3FC 5K yesterday was an eye opener.
The progress Jo has made is incredible and awe-inspiring... and if it has shown us anything, it's that such progress is attainable with the right level of commitment. I know that's how I see her whenever she posts a success - an example of something to strive towards, not a reminder of the progress I haven't yet made. 
I figure drinking my water and hopping back OP with the food and exercise should take off what I gained pretty fast. I had the best intentions of exercising while on vacation - I packed all my gear and yet didn't go jogging or do one single push up the whole time. 
So back to that today, I'm itching to get back into it!
Thank you for sharing. I find it far too easy to get caught up in the "Well of course she can do it, it's easy for her" mentality and I really appreciate hearing that you've come from the same place as the rest of us. It's all about decisions.
