One day at a time

Hi. I’m Sherri, and I’m overweight. There are many issues leading to the place I currently find myself; but the most important for me to realize is that I did this to myself. For whatever reasons… lack of exercise, eating too much, medications, depression…I did it. I ate all the wrong foods and for the wrong reasons. I was living to eat instead of eating to live.

It’s taken me a couple of YEARS to actually come to my current realizations. I know the past is the past and what matters is what I do now, what decisions I make now. And that’s what it is, isn’t it? The decision to have the apple or the donut…the water or the soda…to work out or not.

I’ve been lurking on mfp for a couple of months now and in that time I’ve lost 11 lbs. I’ve learned quite a lot in the past few months: most notable of which is that not all peanut butter is created the same; that cool whip is basically condom lube; that a portioned serving of breyers all natural ice cream is much better than anything loaded with chemicals and synthetics and that real cream in my morning coffee is wonderful. I’m not “clean” by any means; but much, much better than I ever have been – and getting better the more I learn. I’m beginning to wrap my head around many other important items I read on mfp.

My physical activity has picked up tremendously. I’m trying the c25k program…and feeling like I’m accomplishing something. Weather permitting, I walk a mile at lunch time just to get up and move; otherwise I “do” the stairs at work. I can now do 4 flights of stairs 6 x in 12 mins…leaves me huffing and puffing, but I now look at huffing and puffing as a good thing.

I need to get into weight training…I have attempted in the past, but I wasn’t really comfortable with it. I’m going to research the “new rules of lifting for women” and take it from there.

My 11 lb lost hasn’t been fast…but I’m not discouraged. I’ve not gained and in fact have a definite downward trend going on. It’s just taking a bit longer – and that’s ok. I know it’s because we eat out a lot and my exercise habits have been stop and go. I have lost 2 inches in my hips and 1.5 from my waist. I feel much better both physically and emotionally. I think cutting out the processed carbs/sugars have helped to regulate my hormones – pms is nowhere near the drama it used to be.

Anyway, thanks for reading… and more importantly…thanks to all of you for sharing your stories and wisdom.