Come on!!!...What has really changed???

I am 2 days shy of being a month into my journey for a healthier lifestyle, and taking a hard look over the past 4 weeks I thought to myself, "Ok Hope, what has really changed?" After thinking about this for a while this is what I have come up with to my own surprise.....
:indifferent:
The first thing that has greatly changed is my eating habits! It has been nearly a month now since I have eaten fast food, and guess what? I don't even really miss it all that much. Sure once in a while I see a commercial or drive by one of my favorite places like Taco Bell, or Peking and think ohh yummy! But within seconds after that my brain turns into its own calculator that is more similar to a spinning wheel totaling up those big number calories that I have been trying so hard to avoid! I remember when I was young my mom was in weight watchers and I had joined with her. (We are talking teen age years). We would go and after every meeting we would go get ice cream as a treat or go eat out and spoil ourselves with a naughty high calorie meal. At the time it was great and so yummy! So my first week after weight in I figured this tradition I would follow and that is exactly what I did. By week 2 after weigh in I was sitting at the computer excited planning where I would go and have my celebration meal and went straight to the database on here and tallied up a couple different places I would like to eat and just how many calories my little celebration meal would cost me! Low and behold I almost fell over looking at what the consumed calories would be, and that was my dead stop to my little celebration meals..lol. One meal from any one of my favorite places would cost me almost my whole days worth of calories!! Did I really want to starve all day just for 15 or 20 minutes of pleasure. My answer to myself was NO! Instead of going out I prepared myself something at home and felt so much better about myself, and I didn't have to starve all day...I guess this would led into my second thing changed!
:noway:
The second thing that has changed I would have to say is my atttitude and outlook! My attitude before of course was ...What can one meal hurt? What can one donut hurt? What can one candy bar really hurt? On and on thinking.. What can it hurt? It's just one thing here and there! Yes, it is only one thing here and there but here and there can add up really fast to a whole lot of extra calories and pounds gained instead of lost. This would only make me further away from my goal of a healthier lifestyle! My attitude now is do I really need it? Do i really want to keep putting these things into my body? Do I want to continue looking and feeling the way that I have for so long now? Will it benefit me or hurt me? Obviously the answer is.. It can hurt me, I don't want it in my body, I don't need it, and I don't want to look and feel the way that I have for so long! I guess this now brings me to the third thing that has changed!
:noway:
The third thing that has changed is my choices!!! I have not had fast food in nearly a month! I have not had a single chip or cracker in nearly a month! I have stopped something that I never dreamed in a million years that I could stop....I STOPPED drinking pop altogether!!! I was addicted to Diet Mountain Dew! When I say addicted I mean ADDICTED! I didn't think I could live without it period! It was my wind beneath my wings!! lol. I can almost taste that explotion of flavor, and the rush of pleasure each sip gave me..lol. But..I have stopped, and it wasn't nearly as tough as I thought it would be! SHOCKED! ? Yes, I am totally shocked..lol. I have avoided junk food like the plague and gues what.......IT DIDN"T KILL ME!! lol Now I have talked alot about FOOD..but what else has changed??? On to the fourth thing that has changed!
:huh:
The fourth thing that has changed!
I am a Diabetic! My blood sugar is now well on it's way to under control!
I have High Blood Pressure! My blood pressure is now under control!
I have Fibromyalgia!! This will never be under control of course however the weight I am losing makes less stress on body and can only benefit me! One huge problem with Fibro is total and utter lack of any energy! Guess what? Even thoough Iwill never be at a normal healthy persons energy, I now have more energy than I have had in YEARS! Granted it's not like everyone elses, but for me it is a huge improvement! Moving on to the fifth thing that has changed!
:bigsmile:
Number 5!! What could it be?? MY BODY! Mind you I am only almost a month into my lefestyle changed so don't expect huge results! However with that said, there has been a change! I have not lost a ton of weight but I have lost a little. Discouraging not to see low numbers fast...ohh yes, but at the same time the numbers are getting lower little by little and not staying the same. Just like calorie intake it only takes a little to gain and it only takes a little weight lost to make a difference! I like to think of it in baby terms! I think of a newborn baby! If I look at it that way I have already lost the equivilant to a 7.5 pound baby! Carry one around all day....that is alot of weight and pressure on your body! Baby steps are steps and that is all that matters! On top of weight what else has changed about my body? Well I have lost 1 1/2 inches in the waist, 1 inch in the hips, and 1 inch off my neck! Not alot right but better than before and another step in the right direction! My clothes are fitting bettter! Ican't wait to try on something that didn't fit before and to have it fit! An exciting moment that will be, and it will only give me encouragment to keep going!
:happy:
Looking out the window a minute ago and it is snowing! Ugh...but that to will change and blossom into full summer soon and what a beautiful thought that is! You and I can do whatever we put our minds to! Don't stop, Don't give up! No one ever said it would be easy...but worth it all in the end? YES!!! Will there be set backs? Will there be times it seems impossible and that its not working? YES!!! But giving up is not an option or change will never come, not positive change anyways!
:flowerforyou:
Best wishes to all of us who are struggling! Hope's & dreams for a healthier tomorrow, longer life, and happiness! :heart:

Replies

  • You're doing so well. Keep it up . It was so nice to read about the change in you :smile:
  • Hope1971
    Hope1971 Posts: 110 Member
    You're doing so well. Keep it up . It was so nice to read about the change in you :smile:

    Thank you so much!! :)
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    Great post, sounds like you have the bug now haha. Thanks for sharing :smile:
  • MrsSorenson
    MrsSorenson Posts: 450 Member
    I was having a pretty crappy day until I read this! Thanks for the boost, and good job to you!!
  • FinallyFindingLisa
    FinallyFindingLisa Posts: 222 Member
    Kudos for looking to the positive instead of the negative - you're on the right track and thanks for reminding us all that it really DOES make a difference
  • dlynnkind
    dlynnkind Posts: 134 Member
    Awesome post! The mindset change is half the battle. You are well on your way to your goals and healthy lifestyle. Yay!! And you had me really laughing about your Mountain Dew :)

    Good luck on you journey!
  • Hope1971
    Hope1971 Posts: 110 Member
    Great post, sounds like you have the bug now haha. Thanks for sharing :smile:

    I think you might be right about having the bug now...lol. However , this is one bug I don't have any desire to get rid of ever..:) lol And thank you!:smile:
  • Hope1971
    Hope1971 Posts: 110 Member
    I was having a pretty crappy day until I read this! Thanks for the boost, and good job to you!!

    Thank you much, and if it made your day even just a little better then I feel even better about it!
  • Hope1971
    Hope1971 Posts: 110 Member
    Awesome post! The mindset change is half the battle. You are well on your way to your goals and healthy lifestyle. Yay!! And you had me really laughing about your Mountain Dew :)

    Good luck on you journey!

    LOL and thanks! Yes that darn Diet Dew is a addictive little bugger for sure..and for some reason when I think of it, it makes me want to start singing a song I learned at summer camp growing up that i relate it too ...can't remember all the words but.....

    They call it that ole mountain dew Lord, Lord
    And them that refuse it are few
    Gonna hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug
    with that good ole mountain dew!!!

    Yup, its offical..I have lost it!! LOL :laugh:
  • This was an awesome read... I am so proud of you for all the changes and you're inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work! I'm behind you 10000000%. =D
  • MrsGreenTea703
    MrsGreenTea703 Posts: 300 Member
    Awesome! You are well on your way, one day at a time. Your mind is in it for the long haul and I'm proud of you! It's like tunnel vision toward your goal! You can do anything you put your mind to and your are determined!
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 833 Member
    Thank you. Over the last few months, I have been struggling with my internal demons that have been keeping me from my goal. After reading this. I am more determined then ever to make the changes needed to reach my final goal.
  • Hope1971
    Hope1971 Posts: 110 Member
    All of your wonderful comments only encourages me further~ At the same time I hope my words also encourage others...after all we all have the same goals to live a healthier life, be happier, be the best that we can be for others and ourselves, and doing anything together instead of all alone makes a world of a difference to everyone! I have met some wonderful people here and thankful every day for being sent to this site and wouldn't trade any of you for anything!
  • ksraider
    ksraider Posts: 107
    Thank you for your post. Today was the day that I had lost all motivation and need this post. Thanks again
  • taylmarie
    taylmarie Posts: 161
    GREAT post! Well done on all of your accomplishments, keep up the good work :):)
  • Kimmb0865
    Kimmb0865 Posts: 7 Member
    Very inspirational and just when i needed it most-been at a plateau for about a month or so now. It was a very good prep talk. Thanks!!! and keep up the good work also.