Hi!
My name is Darcy and I'm new to the site but looking forward to meeting everyone here. I've been lurking for a few days and it just feels like home.
Thought I'd share my story before jumping in on other posts.
I'm in my late 40s and I feel like I've been playing with the same weight range forever. I got down to 150 for my wedding, but gained it back afterwards, as I was back to 177 or so when I found out I was pregnant with my first baby 2 years later. Then I lost after delivery (to about 165?) but over the next couple of years gained it back again -- and was at the same 177 when I got pregnant a few years later. Lost it after delivery, again -- and gained it back, again -- and found myself at the same starting weight when I found myself pregnant my third and last time. And yes, lost that same weight again after delivery...and, surprise -- gained it all back again!
In 2005 I found myself in agony one morning, in horrible pain in every joint, hands that didn't function, and unable to sleep because of the pain. I went to my new internist and he was so unconcerned about my symptoms being the priority but kept talking about blood pressure and blood sugar. Of course they were elevated, I was in pain! So he gave me this threat about losing weight. lowering my blood pressure, and controlling my mildly elevated blood sugar, or I'd be on 5 medications the rest of my life. Ugh! He gave me 3 months to do it. The first 6 weeks I couldn't exercise because of the pain and was barely moving, but I lost 6 pounds. At that point, I was diagnosed by a rheumatologist as having rheumatoid arthritis. I was put on prednisone and still managed to lose 10 more pounds in the next 6 weeks. My blood pressure was down pretty consistently, my blood sugar was down, and I was feeling pretty darned good about my accomplishment while being sick. I was down to 160 when I went back to my internist. He walked in the room and said, "You need to lose at least another 10 pounds if you have any hope of controlling this with diet and exercise alone." I was crushed! I said, "Did you not notice I lost 16 lbs through all of this?" To which he replied "Oh, yes...well obviously you've been working at it." So patronizing! I left his office with a prescription I never filled, in tears, and vowed to never set foot in his office again. I obviously was losing the weight for him and his threat and not for me, so with his attitude, I self-destructed that very same day and unfortunately gained it all back.
In 2007, I tried Weight Watchers (a friend gave me my daily points and info on the program, as she had done it before and was doing it again) and while she was losing consistently every week, I was stuck. I went more than 2 months only losing a half a pound and got so frustrated. Neither of us could figure out what was wrong. Hearing her losses weekly sure didn't help matters! I stuck it out for another 3 months but only lost about 5 pounds (and that happened while on a cross-country drive living on fast food and sitting most of the day -- go figure!). I gave up when I got back home, figuring I couldn't lose weight no matter what, so why try (I know, bad attitude!). My body just really loves 177 -- but I was so ready to change that love affair!
In Nov 2009, I had bronchitis, after having had pneumonia in March of 2009. I was coughing so much and feeling so bad every time I moved that I wasn't eating as much or as often. By the time 3 weeks had passed and I was finally better, I was down 5 lbs. Hmmm.....maybe I could at least keep it off! And I did. On Christmas Day, horrible case of the stomach flu...and a week later, I was down another 5 lbs. Not that I would recommend this as a great weight loss program but hey -- after all this time, at least I was seeing a loss! And that 10 pounds really motivated me. So, I'm running with it and doing it for all the right reasons this time. No more opportunities for anyone to sabotage me, because I have ME in mind. Since then, I've slowly dropped another 5 pounds. I'm so busy with work that I haven't found time to figure out what I want to do in terms of a weight loss plan, or finding the time to follow one, but for now I'm just continuing to eat less and trying to make healthier choices little by little. This weekend, I added in walking and am looking forward to that becoming part of my regular routine now -- I've missed it!
I'm so excited that I've finally jumpstarted my body and I'm seeing weight loss that I'm able to maintain. I found myself wanting to take the stairs today when I was out running errands, I am so easily able to bypass food courts and places that would have lured me in before, and none of this has been hard or made me think twice. Too cool!
As for my daily life, I'm married, mom to 3 wonderful boys (ranging between 1st grade and 9th grade) who love to explore and hike and go places, and I'm so looking forward to having even more energy for that. I work long hours from home for a medical transcription company as a manager and a transcriptionist, so I spend way too much time sitting at my computer -- another reason the walking will be great!
I'm so glad I joined, and I can't wait to get to know more of you. The short time I've been lurking and reading success stories has been so motivating, and knowing there is so much support here and experts who walk the talk is wonderful. I really feel I can do this now, for good, because I'm not doing it alone! :-)
Darcy
Looking Forward to Getting to Know Everyone
