I know that you all want to know how I have been doing since I ran my first 5k, and I have to say that I have not been doing so good with my journey.
For some reason I am mentally blocked with my workouts and my nutrition. The journey has become a chore mentally which has caused me to not want to do it anymore. So, I am finding myself eating foods that I know I should not eat, and I don’t care. But then I go to a Weight Watchers Meeting and I am up on my weight; and then I feel bad and guilty for eating the foods that I ate and for not working out which makes me want to just eat. But then I leave the meeting motivated to do better, but then I hear a voice telling me that I am never going to be able to lose the weight so why try. And the negative cycle continues. I have been feeling like this ever since I ran my 5k and I have not been able to shake it off. I am not sure what is going on with me and I am not sure why this is happening, but what I do know is that I like wearing smaller clothes, and I like being able to walk up the stairs at my complex and not get winded, and I really liked the fact that I ran a 5k. So, why have I been mentally blocked as it concerns my weight loss, and how do I get over it?
The last time I was this close to my weight loss goal I was in graduate school and I was so focused on health and being healthy that it was easy to go and workout, but then I joined the real world and my focus changed to paying bills, and becoming a grown-up. I now have a family to think about, and I want to be around a long time, so my focus is just wanting to be healthy, looking good is just a bonus. But lately my major focus (my family) has not been able to motivate me to want to stay on track, and I find myself not caring about my weight loss journey. It all just feels like a big, boring chore; it’s not fun anymore and I am not getting motivated by wearing smaller clothes, or getting compliments. What’s happening and how do I get over this obstacle, because I have come to far to just go back to how I was-depress, sad, really over weight, and just not healthy? Well, I don’t know the answer to my question but what I do know is that I plan to continue to go to my Weight Watchers meeting, tracking what I am eating, and working out, in spite of feeling like it is a chore. Maybe, just maybe, the motivation will come back and I will want to continue to workout and make better food choices and not feel like it is a chore.
If anybody has any advice on how I can move pass this feeling I am open to suggestions, and if you are feeling the same way please know that you are not alone and it is a mental thing and we will get pass it and back on track, just don’t give up. I am telling myself the same thing too…https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5029725650024945545#editor/target=post;postID=3448776774907382198;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=4;src=postname
Until next time……
Blog Post
My Weight Lost Journey: Day 464-1 Year and 99 Days
I decided to do a 5k after talking with a co-worker who has been doing them for a while, and at the beginning of the year I signed up for the 5k in my neighborhood (Super Strive For 5 given by the Mount Prospect Park District). When I submitted the application to register for the race I was excited and very nervous, so I keep it to myself for awhile. After I signed up I also began to do some research on how to train for a 5k, because I did not want to hurt myself trying to run this race. I came across a blog by Jason Fitzgerald (strengthrunning.com). He discussed different types of exercises that I would need to do in order to strengthen my core. Jason stated that he had been doing this routine since college, and he simply called it the Standard Core Routine. See below for the 6 exercises that I did based off of the advise of Jason:
- The Modified Bicycle
- Plank
- Bridge
- Side Plank
- Modified Bird Dog
- Supine Leg Lift
Completed My First 5k Run/Walk |
My Weight Lost Journey: Day 422-1 year and 57 days
Soooooo, I will start from day 1; the day I made the decision to walk into Weight Watchers and start the journey. I was so depressed and I knew I needed to change my lifestyle but all I heard (in my mind) was that it was not going to work and this would be a waste of my money. But I walked into the meeting and began my journey. A month into the journey the weight was just coming off with little activity, I was just doing what I was told to do. But as the days turned into months it began to get harder for the weight to come off, and I could not figure out why. I start working out more, but I also began to go over on my allotted points and guess what, the weight began to come back. So, I began to get mad at myself (because I was over eating) and I was mad at the program because I did not think it was working. But I continue to go to the meetings and track what I was eating. While I was tracking I began to notice that I was a late night snacker and that I had to get that under control if I was going to continue to lose weight. I cut out certain foods and I worked out 6 days a week, and still I was gaining weight. As the weight continue to come back, in spite of what I was doing, I began to get more frustrated. But I continued to go to the meetings and track what I was eating, in spite of my frustrations. And then one day I woke up (mentally) and made the decision to stop snacking at night. Once I made that decision I began to see it on the scale, but I don’t get too excited because I have learned that I need to stay focus on the overall goal and not just the short term goal that was accomplished. Now some of you may say that I should celebrate, but the reason why I don’t do it too big when a short term goal is met is because I go over board with it and then the achieved goal is null and void because I gained the weight back. Let me try to explain what I mean about me going over board.
I have learned, while on this journey, that I really can’t just eat whatever I want when I want because I will gain weight. Which is so frustrating because I want to be able to eat a cheese burger and ice cream (regular ice cream) and not gain weight. But during this journey when I have met a goal weight that I set for myself I would get soooo happy and tell myself that it is okay to have the ice cream and cookies (but I would have 2 bowels instead of 1 bowel) and then I would get weighted in at Weight Watchers and I would up a 1 lb or 3 lbs, and shame, angry, and frustration would come-then negative mind talk would happen-then the cycle would continue. See-overboard….
Losing weight can be sooooo frustrating because there are ups and downs, and at times there can be more downs then ups but you have to make up in your mind to continue to make the right choices (working out, being active, and making health food choices) and the weight will come off. But during the tough times( the downs) you have to be able to motive yourself, so I would suggest finding some positive quotes and putting them up where you will be sure the see them, and look at them daily. My faith in God kept me moving forward (staying active, working out 6 days a week, being mindful of what I eat) during the time when the weight was coming back. I am not out of the woods yet, but I have gain more clarity on why I ended up over weight in the first place and I am willing to work through them to reach my weight lost goal. Until next time…..
My Weight Lost Journey: Day 322 (New Year Reflection)
My Weight Lost Journey: Day 285
Well, how can you be the secret to losing weight you may ask; especially if you have yet to be successful with it? And the answer is, it is your will to want to lose weight that is the secret. Your will is your mind, and in order for you to lose weight you must be mentally ready and mentally strong in order for you to be successful (met your weight lose goal).
Society will have you thinking that there is a magic pill that you can take and the weight will go away, or that plastic surgery is the way. But this is so far from the true because what you may not know is that the magic pill will have a side effect on your body (so you lose weight but now your heart is beating too fast) or all of the money spent to get lipo and 6 months later the weight comes back. So, why is this you be be thinking and that is because the true secret is in your mind. You must be determine and focus on losing weight. And understand that there is not a quick fix to losing weight. It took years for you to gain the weight so,when done correctly, it will take years to get it off.
Now, how does this all relate to my journey you may be wondering? And it relates because today I have gained 3 lbs after losing 25 lbs, and I have to understand that during this journey I will go up and down, but I must continue to put one foot in front of the other and continue to focus on my over all goal. It is soooooooooo easy to lose focus especially when you have people coming up to you and tell you that it looks like you have lost weight. You began to look at yourself in the mirror and say, yeah, I can see it because my clothes are much bigger. And then you start to lose focus on the bigger picture–the weight lost goal that you set at the beginner of the year, month, week, etc, and think that it is okay to eat that doughnut (2 doughnuts), the piece of cake (2 pieces of cake) and before you know it the scale is moving up, and your self esteem is going down. The next thing that happens is that you just stop trying because what is the point you have already gained 5 lbs, and your journey is over (yet again).
Can you see why I say that the secret to weight lost is you????
Because if you aren’t ready to go through the ups and downs of weight lost, the compliments, the baggy clothes, your other inner voice then you will fall off the wagon and gain all of the weight back and then some. And I must admit, it almost happened to me this time around, but I chose to join Weight Watchers, and going to those meetings are honestly helping me remain focus on my weight lost goal (to lost 64 lbs). This time I will accomplish my weight lost goal because through all of my trials with my weight I have gotten mentally tough and wise. I am wise enough to know that it took time to gain the weight, it will take time to lose it, and that I need help. If you have the WILL there is A WAY, I have the WILL and by seeking out help I am finding the WAY……
Share your ups and downs because you never know who will be inspired by your story, and you can also share any advice for me that you may have (or what you think thus far). Until next time……
My Weight Lost Journey: Day 260
I cooked the same food that I cooked last Thanksgiving, but I did substitute some ingredients. Instead of me using whole cheese and milk, I used reduced fat dairy products. For my dressing I used corn bread made from wheat flour. And I made 3 sweet potatoe pies, 2 regular pies and 1 reduced fat. I must say that I was little skeptical about the pie that I made for myself, but it turned out really good; even my husband said it was good and that made me feel great.
The food that was made was not the only thing that was different this Thanksgiving, my inner man was a little different as well. I will admit that I have been a little sad this holiday season but I know that everything will work out for me best, and I just have to focus on the things that God has given me stewardship over (which includes my purpose). I cannot continue to worry about the what ifs in life, because God has already figured it all out for me I just have to trust and believe in God ONLY, and everything will work out for my good. SO, I guess I can say that my inner man was a little stronger this year than last, so I had more self control because of it.
If you take nothing from this posting but 1 thing, I hope that it is this- focus on your inner man, and listen to her(him). That still small voice will never lead you in the wrong direction. We need to all stop worrying about the what-ifs of this life and be thankful for what God has given us stewardship over, and lets focus on groooooowwwwwwing it. The every day stressors of this life will make you lost focus on what you need to focus on until you really think you are doing what you are meant to do. JUST STOP………Listen to that small voice and go with it.
This Thanksgiving I had many things to be thankful for and if I did not stop to hear my still small voice tell me just that I would have been really sad and depress. How was your Thanksgiving? What did you eat or better yet what did you learn this Thanksgiving? Please share. Until next time……
Low Fat Sweet Potatoe Pie (Only 3pts per slice) |
Low Fat Sweet Potatoe Pie (Only 3pts per slice)
Part of what I am thankful for…… |
Lee V |
Lee III and Lee V |
Lee III and Lee V |
My Weight Loss Journey: Day 252
So, let me start by saying that I have gain almost 1lb (0.6lbs), and I am soooooo disappointed with myself. I know what some of you are thinking, come on it is not even a pound. But for someone that has been on this journey for years 0.6lbs up is a big thing, because that could start a downward spiral and cause a person to collapse and just gain all the weight back.
Now, I am not saying that is what has happened but I am saying that it has caused me to lose some focus. So, being who I am I began to question why am I losing focus now? And I think it is because of the holiday season. This was the time when I would go home and lay under my family (my mother, sister, aunt, cousin, etc.), but I haven’t been home in years. And the reason that I have not been home in years is because my mother, my best friend in this whole world, is no longer here in the flesh with me. I grieve her every day, and it gets worst during the holiday season. During this time of the year I just fell alone and lost. And all I want to do is eat. So, I do and I feel better for a moment but that moment quickly goes away. So, instead of me doing what I would normally do I decided to search within myself for the answer. And this week I have really been trying to listen to my body and hear what it is trying to tell me, and what I believe that I am hearing is that I still miss my mother. I miss her and it is having an affect on my weight loss journey.
Don’t be fooled to think that grieve for something or someone will not affect you in your life, because you would be lying to yourself. Like I stated in my previous post about grieving, it never truly goes away. It will get better, and you will be able to deal with it but it will also affect you. And when we all recognized that and accept it we can grow from what the grieve has to teach us. I am not happy that my mother, my best friend, had to leave me so soon. But what I am thankful for is that I have the opportunity to have a mother that loved me unconditionally. She was proud of me even when I made mistakes. She was my biggest supporter and my toughest critique. But I knew and know she loved me no matter what.
Yes, I am disappointed that the scale went up instead of down, but I am not going to quit and throw in the towel on this journey. My mommy would not like that, she would say the winners never quit and quitter never win; so which one are you. She would also say that she is proud of me for even attempting to lose weight, to acknowledge that I have a weakness for cakes and cookies, sweets in general because most people would lie to themselves and continue to do what they have been doing.
I ask my self that question everyday, which one am I? So, now I am asking you; which one are you? There are something in this life that we must fight for, and right now I am fight to lose weight; which will lead to something bigger. Which one are you? And what are you fighting for? I am up now but I will be down, and I will reach my weight lost goal…..
Please share your own personal stories of lost and triumph. Until next time…
My Weight Lost Journey: Day 233
The feeling that I will feel when I reach my goals…. |
My Weight Loss Journey: Day 191
Gift from Weight Watchers for losing 25lbs |
One of my motivating factors-Lee A. Smth, V |
My Weight Loss Journey: Day 177
Reward for meeting my 3rd personal weight lost goal… |