What I have learned...(My 1st year of my new lifestyle chang
kmlt08
Posts: 1,054 Member
Growing up I have always been the chubby buddy, the fat friend, the pudgy piggy. I embraced my body and allowed myself to view my entire life as the fat person. I did nothing to change it. I had no willpower, no desire, no motivation to want to change.
Then I became pregnant with my 2nd child. I noticed how difficult it was for me to chase around my 1 year old due to my weight. I thought well once I have my son, it will be easier.
One night I was in bed. I can close my eyes and remember laying there thinking, just because I am no longer pregnant, doesn't mean the weight isn't going to suddenly disappear. I had barely lost any weight from my 1st pregnancy, wore my maternity pants the entire first year of my daughters life, and here I was over a year later with even more weight. I knew my weight would continue to play a roll in how I parented, played, and taught my children. I felt like I had been walking for so long on that railroad track and luckily a train hasn't come and made my life even more difficult. See besides being overweight and having the normal aches and pains of that, I had no medical issues. I was fortunate, and I knew time wasn't going to be on my side for much longer. I had, HAD to make my health a priority.
So over the next few weeks I started doing research on ways to lose weight. I saw Jenny Craig's website (Psh to expensive, I thought to myself) I saw Weight Watchers (Having 2 kids and trying to find someone to watch them while I drive 30 minutes 1 way into town a few days a week wasn't ideal), I saw the "Drop 10lbs in 10 days" pills, drinks, shakes and wraps. I thought, you know, I will do this but on my own terms. I would make the food that I ate healthy, important, and good. I wouldn't deny myself anything, but ask myself if it was worth eating it or not. Lifestyle changes aren't diets. I will forever watch what I eat, I will forever decide what things work for my body and what things don't. There is no end in a lifestyle change! As my pregnancy progressed I started projecting to others that once my son was here, I was going to get healthier. (You know I am sure they looked at me with their nodding heads and smiles on their faces and thought, "ya right....I don't believe it but whatever you say")
My son, gosh the most amazing little boy was born on Oct. 19th, 2010 and I was admit that it was my re-birth! I set out a goal to lose 100 pounds by Oct. 19th, 2011. Tipping the scales at 350 pounds and being class 3 morbidly obese with a 54.8 BMI I knew I had to start to make the food I ate important (not only for me but my breastfeeding bundle of love).
I quickly decided I would use calorie counting as my means to lose weight. In the beginning I didn't even track my food. Then I came across an app on my phone that was a calorie counter. I quickly jumped on board to using that and joining the community that was established online. I was excited to "plan" my days and most mornings were spent entering all the food I was going to eat for that day. I increased my drinking (removing diet pops almost completely) and gravitating towards waters, teas and crystal light. I forced myself to stay active. I believe within 3 weeks of giving birth I started using the WiiFit Plus.
Fast forward to my 6 week post delivery appointment. I was elated to see I had lost 50 pounds in 6 weeks. Here I was with 46 weeks left and over halfway to my 1 year goal of 100 pounds lost! That right there was a big motivator that was needed! I loved the energy that I was getting, I loved no longer seeing me in the 300's and into the 200s.
By March 2011 I had decided to join the YMCA. It was a good thing for me at the time. They had kids daycare while I worked out or did classes. The downside to joining and ultimately what forced me to stop our membership was due to the location and having to drive an hour to get to it. My kids kept getting sick because others didn't care and brought their kids (sick) in and my children would catch it. So come May 2011, I was hardly going at all. I still was counting my calories, and my kids kept me very active. In June 2011 I joined our local 24 hour gym and try my best to get there when time permits. Most of my activity comes at home running around with my kids.
July 6th, 2011 will be a memorable day for me. It was the day I stepped on the scale and saw 250 pounds. I had done it. (let me repeat) I HAD DONE IT! 100 pounds lost in 8.5 months. No Jenny Craig, no Slim Fast, Me....by myself through hard work and determination I had lost 100 pounds. I had hit my goal 3.5 months before my son's first birthday and my 1 year lifestyle re-birth. No quick fixes, no denying myself any foods. I had done it. For people who have lost a considerable amount of weight I am sure you can relate. Elation was one of the many words to describe how I had felt!
Moving forward I had decided to leave my goal the same. Now, so far all I have mainly talked about are the positives, I would like to for a moment talk about the low points, the downsides. There has been quite a few days, weeks even a month where I have made poor food choices. Where I have gained back 5-10lbs. I didn't care, didn't have the energy and could probably list 100 other reasons why I allowed myself to not care. But I am living proof that, no matter how much you fight it, tomorrow is a brand new day. Do I want to continue with the same destructive pattern I had been on the previous day, or would I make a change. Even just changing 1 thing that day. Life is difficult. It's not a bed of roses where everyone sings and prances around. Stuff happens around you that you have no control over. Medical issues may arise that make losing weight even more difficult. You get through it. You don't throw in the towel. Keep moving towards a size healthier.
October 19, 2011 my son's 1st birthday and my 1st year of my lifestyle change and I had lost 120.5 pounds! I exceeded my original goal by 20.5 pounds. Now I could sit here and think negatively about all those times when I didn't my good food choices and how I "could" have lost more but I won't. Why, because I don't think like that. I think...120 pounds wow. That is amazing. Look what I can do once I put my mind to it. The tools....the gimmicks are in your mind..Your in control. Once you put your mind to it, you (YOU!) can do it. I am living, breathing, walking, (sometimes) running proof that you can reach your size healthier!
I now have a new goal of becoming half the person I was the day my son was born and my new goal is to be 175 pounds by Oct 19th, 2012. Yup, you read that correctly HALF the person I was. I am still the same Khera. Just a version who now has gained respect for her body, has decided to change her life and be a role model to her children on the positives and negatives of what food can do for you.
I often get questions about what my "ideal weight" is and that is where the size healthier comes into play. I am in uncharted territory here. Remember I have always been the chubby buddy. My entire adult life I have been 275-290 pounds. I am discovering each day the changes from my hard work and perseverance are doing to my body. I am starting to look forward to going shopping and wearing more form fitting clothing. I actually don't cringe when I stand in the bathroom after taking a shower and see myself in the mirror. I also have people ask me how I lost so much weight. If you have gotten this far, your likely to have read, but a summery would be: Through portion control, increasing liquids, making the food I eat important for my body, not denying myself anything but keeping it within moderation and finally staying active.
Wednesday Dec 7th, 2011 I have lost another 10 pounds. I am down to 219.8 pounds. My BMI is now 34.5 (which is 20.3 points lower than it was 13.5 months ago) and I am a class 1 obese person. I am no longer morbidly obese. Its an amazing feeling!
I am eager to get under 200 and reach/exceed my goal for my 2nd lifestyle change date! I encourage you to share this! I truly do. I appreciate all the amazing kind words that people say to me. It really helps keep me motivated. I am always eager to answer questions or concerns.
~Khera
Then I became pregnant with my 2nd child. I noticed how difficult it was for me to chase around my 1 year old due to my weight. I thought well once I have my son, it will be easier.
One night I was in bed. I can close my eyes and remember laying there thinking, just because I am no longer pregnant, doesn't mean the weight isn't going to suddenly disappear. I had barely lost any weight from my 1st pregnancy, wore my maternity pants the entire first year of my daughters life, and here I was over a year later with even more weight. I knew my weight would continue to play a roll in how I parented, played, and taught my children. I felt like I had been walking for so long on that railroad track and luckily a train hasn't come and made my life even more difficult. See besides being overweight and having the normal aches and pains of that, I had no medical issues. I was fortunate, and I knew time wasn't going to be on my side for much longer. I had, HAD to make my health a priority.
So over the next few weeks I started doing research on ways to lose weight. I saw Jenny Craig's website (Psh to expensive, I thought to myself) I saw Weight Watchers (Having 2 kids and trying to find someone to watch them while I drive 30 minutes 1 way into town a few days a week wasn't ideal), I saw the "Drop 10lbs in 10 days" pills, drinks, shakes and wraps. I thought, you know, I will do this but on my own terms. I would make the food that I ate healthy, important, and good. I wouldn't deny myself anything, but ask myself if it was worth eating it or not. Lifestyle changes aren't diets. I will forever watch what I eat, I will forever decide what things work for my body and what things don't. There is no end in a lifestyle change! As my pregnancy progressed I started projecting to others that once my son was here, I was going to get healthier. (You know I am sure they looked at me with their nodding heads and smiles on their faces and thought, "ya right....I don't believe it but whatever you say")
My son, gosh the most amazing little boy was born on Oct. 19th, 2010 and I was admit that it was my re-birth! I set out a goal to lose 100 pounds by Oct. 19th, 2011. Tipping the scales at 350 pounds and being class 3 morbidly obese with a 54.8 BMI I knew I had to start to make the food I ate important (not only for me but my breastfeeding bundle of love).
I quickly decided I would use calorie counting as my means to lose weight. In the beginning I didn't even track my food. Then I came across an app on my phone that was a calorie counter. I quickly jumped on board to using that and joining the community that was established online. I was excited to "plan" my days and most mornings were spent entering all the food I was going to eat for that day. I increased my drinking (removing diet pops almost completely) and gravitating towards waters, teas and crystal light. I forced myself to stay active. I believe within 3 weeks of giving birth I started using the WiiFit Plus.
Fast forward to my 6 week post delivery appointment. I was elated to see I had lost 50 pounds in 6 weeks. Here I was with 46 weeks left and over halfway to my 1 year goal of 100 pounds lost! That right there was a big motivator that was needed! I loved the energy that I was getting, I loved no longer seeing me in the 300's and into the 200s.
By March 2011 I had decided to join the YMCA. It was a good thing for me at the time. They had kids daycare while I worked out or did classes. The downside to joining and ultimately what forced me to stop our membership was due to the location and having to drive an hour to get to it. My kids kept getting sick because others didn't care and brought their kids (sick) in and my children would catch it. So come May 2011, I was hardly going at all. I still was counting my calories, and my kids kept me very active. In June 2011 I joined our local 24 hour gym and try my best to get there when time permits. Most of my activity comes at home running around with my kids.
July 6th, 2011 will be a memorable day for me. It was the day I stepped on the scale and saw 250 pounds. I had done it. (let me repeat) I HAD DONE IT! 100 pounds lost in 8.5 months. No Jenny Craig, no Slim Fast, Me....by myself through hard work and determination I had lost 100 pounds. I had hit my goal 3.5 months before my son's first birthday and my 1 year lifestyle re-birth. No quick fixes, no denying myself any foods. I had done it. For people who have lost a considerable amount of weight I am sure you can relate. Elation was one of the many words to describe how I had felt!
Moving forward I had decided to leave my goal the same. Now, so far all I have mainly talked about are the positives, I would like to for a moment talk about the low points, the downsides. There has been quite a few days, weeks even a month where I have made poor food choices. Where I have gained back 5-10lbs. I didn't care, didn't have the energy and could probably list 100 other reasons why I allowed myself to not care. But I am living proof that, no matter how much you fight it, tomorrow is a brand new day. Do I want to continue with the same destructive pattern I had been on the previous day, or would I make a change. Even just changing 1 thing that day. Life is difficult. It's not a bed of roses where everyone sings and prances around. Stuff happens around you that you have no control over. Medical issues may arise that make losing weight even more difficult. You get through it. You don't throw in the towel. Keep moving towards a size healthier.
October 19, 2011 my son's 1st birthday and my 1st year of my lifestyle change and I had lost 120.5 pounds! I exceeded my original goal by 20.5 pounds. Now I could sit here and think negatively about all those times when I didn't my good food choices and how I "could" have lost more but I won't. Why, because I don't think like that. I think...120 pounds wow. That is amazing. Look what I can do once I put my mind to it. The tools....the gimmicks are in your mind..Your in control. Once you put your mind to it, you (YOU!) can do it. I am living, breathing, walking, (sometimes) running proof that you can reach your size healthier!
I now have a new goal of becoming half the person I was the day my son was born and my new goal is to be 175 pounds by Oct 19th, 2012. Yup, you read that correctly HALF the person I was. I am still the same Khera. Just a version who now has gained respect for her body, has decided to change her life and be a role model to her children on the positives and negatives of what food can do for you.
I often get questions about what my "ideal weight" is and that is where the size healthier comes into play. I am in uncharted territory here. Remember I have always been the chubby buddy. My entire adult life I have been 275-290 pounds. I am discovering each day the changes from my hard work and perseverance are doing to my body. I am starting to look forward to going shopping and wearing more form fitting clothing. I actually don't cringe when I stand in the bathroom after taking a shower and see myself in the mirror. I also have people ask me how I lost so much weight. If you have gotten this far, your likely to have read, but a summery would be: Through portion control, increasing liquids, making the food I eat important for my body, not denying myself anything but keeping it within moderation and finally staying active.
Wednesday Dec 7th, 2011 I have lost another 10 pounds. I am down to 219.8 pounds. My BMI is now 34.5 (which is 20.3 points lower than it was 13.5 months ago) and I am a class 1 obese person. I am no longer morbidly obese. Its an amazing feeling!
I am eager to get under 200 and reach/exceed my goal for my 2nd lifestyle change date! I encourage you to share this! I truly do. I appreciate all the amazing kind words that people say to me. It really helps keep me motivated. I am always eager to answer questions or concerns.
~Khera
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