The Awful Truth

Veronica2

Veronica2

New member
I wish I knew what the first sign was, the first thing that should have told me that I was gaining weight. Was it my clothes digging into me? Getting out of breath climbing the stairs? I don't remember.... Isn't that sad?

I can, however, tell all of you the thing that started recently that 'woke' me up. My knees have started giving out from under me when I try to stand up. I always thought that only happened to people who were 300 lbs overweight, NOT to me. And now that it is happening, I am starting to remember all those awful signs I missed along the way. Apparently my road trip into obesity had a million billboards along the road that I somehow ignored, told myself that they weren't referring to me. ME? The woman that has never been overweight a day in her life!

Unfortunately, I turned a cheek to all of them and am paying for it now. So here's my devastatingly real recap of what those signs were:

Unable to tie shoes with ease
Having to shop for pants in the plus size section
Swapping my Victoria's Secret bras for sport bras for comfort
Wearing Spanx every day under everything!
Chaffing
Being out of breath carrying in the groceries
Watching my underarms jiggle as I wave
Heartburn
Sleeping more
Depression
Ignoring social calls due to weight
Avoiding every picture taken
Inability to sit Indian style or cross legs
Having to roll out of bed

Just to name a few...

So here's the jist of my situation. I have always been 125 lbs, at least for the majority of my life. At age 30, on my honeymoon, I fell down a flight of stairs and spent the next 12 months in a wheelchair and physical therapy. Of course, I gained weight while being stagnant especially since I was hyperactive before the fall. My weight blossomed to 175 lbs during that time and I used the accident as an excuse for the weight. The problem is that I used that same tired excuse for the next five years all the while gaining more weight. I told myself that I was scared to work out for fear of reinjury, of feeling that pain and setback again. But that's a bunch of crap! I know that now.

So here I sit, the day before resolutions begin.... contemplating what my resolution should be... I want to lose weight but it is more than that. I want to regain my self respect, my desire to live life to its fullest again. I want the skinny me that thrives on fashion and frilly accessories that draw attention to me instead of hiding behind heavy coats and frumpy sweatshirts. I need a new life, a new way of eating and exercising that still feels like living because this body feels like a prison.

At 35 years old and 225 lbs, I know I have a huge task at hand. I hear it echo in my head...100 lbs....100 lbs... It seems so daunting. But I am going to conquer it, one stubborn pound at a time. And for those of you that are willing to read along with this oh so monumental ride, thank you.

Wish me luck!
 
Don't think even think 100 pounds overall. Go with 5-10 at a time.

The Out of Breath and Depression is what got me into it the most. I started out simply by walking every day. A little more each day that turned into better fitness and adding more exercises to my routine. You live in GA, so you might be able to take advantage of moderately nice weather and get out there enjoying the outdoors. For Example : Take a digital camera and head to the Wildlife Refuge (if it's open now). It's an 8 mile trail you can hike and take pictures. Blending another hobby in with fitness can make it more fun. (I used to live in St. marys, and miss the beauty of the nature around there.)


Good luck!
 
Hi Veronica,

I'm starting just like you are and I have a whole lot more to go than you do. I know how it seems so daunting but we can do it. Like Dustin said, don't look at the final number. First steps and I won't even suggest 5-10 pounds, I'd suggest like I am doing, make one change and focus on it.

Since starting work, I have an 1 and half drive home each night. I get hungry and I had been getting Wendys every day. That's not good at all. So, my goal is simple. Today, I will not stop. And I will do it tomorrow..and the next day..

I will focus on other things as well but that one thing can start the ball rolling.

With the walking, just do 15 minutes at the least. Don't swing for the fences, just get a small victory and move forward.


As far as the self image, one thing I'm going to do is once a day, write down 1 positive thing that isn't related to physical. I think it is too easy to sabatoge yourself if it's about the look.
 
Welcome, Veronica.

I had a similar wake-up call when my right knee starting distinctly "crunching" when I would go to stand up. It is frightening, but it will get better, and you will probably be surprised at how soon.

My suggestion is to not even worry about the lbs. lost right now anyway. If you've been inactive for a long time, the first step is to get back into the healthy habits ... then once you're there, watching the scale will be a great tool to know if what you're doing is working. But, in the beginning, there are plenty of ways to know it is working without depending on the scale to tell you. Especially when just getting back into activity again -- the scale can be misleading and can sabotage your initial success.

When I started, I cut out soda and kept a food journal. Just seeing what I was eating was enough to get me to cut back considerably. After 2 weeks of that, I started to incorporate regular exercise. I was losing weight just fine, but what really mattered is that I felt so GREAT. I felt ... alive. I had no idea how sluggish and tired I had been feeling until I started to make the changes and now it's like night and day. Making simple changes toward a healthier you will change how you feel, and then the results will follow, and it's like an upward spiral.

A healthy goal for you right now is about 2lbs. loss per week, and if you can do that, after about a month you'll have already lost 10lbs.

Remember, scales, BMI, fat percentages, your pants size ... these are all just tools and indicators for health, the real proof is in the way that you feel once you get into a routine of healthy habits.

Best of luck to you, I look forward to reading more :)
 
Ah another 100lber, welcome to the club, remind me to show you the secret handshake ;)

The people here all have some good advice and others have past experience in this, its a good resource to have handy.

Find what works best for you in your goal setting. Average healthy fat loss starts to max out at 2lbs of fat a week for most, so remember, every ounce lost is a win. Maybe you want to make your goal monthly, or quarterly, or even yearly with milestones (my 100-ish plan is spaced over 2 years with milestones) or something even more exotic. Remember, the first one is the hardest. Lost 10 lbs? Good, now you have practice at it and a system that works, all you have to do is repeat it until you get to the final destination. That is the perception of reality to have.

One other thing to keep in mind when facing what seems like such a daunting number.. whats the difference in routine between someone who has to lose 100lbs or 5lbs? nothing, nada, not a damn thing. It still comes down to: eat right, drink water and exercise. Guess what else, you'll both lose pretty much the same amount over the same time, because that's just how our bodies work.

There ain't no expiration date on this stuff either, this isn't like those 0% interest for 1 year credit cards. if you don't reach your goal weight in 365, you don't get double your weight back. If you lose 10 lbs, then just go and maintain it for a month before starting on the next 10... ask yourself, did you gain weight? no? ok, that's a win, now repeat and succeed.
 
Recovery from injury and fear of getting injured is rather common, It was one of the reasons I gained my weight, think about loosing in stages rather than looking at the big number of an over all goal. Remember the scales are not everything, take measurements and photos for those time when the scales don't seem to be moving but your shape will be changing.
 
Wooo! What a killer honeymoon... dang.
So there are ALWAYS goals and suggestions and ideas, etc. when it comes to this journey, but keep in mind that underneath it all, you're still you. If you've EVER had any sorta fight in you before, you've still got it :) its not gonna be the most pleasant experience(as I'm sure a lot of people will tell ya lol) but you WILL feel good again... Its taken me a long time to realize that myself.
I look forward to reading up on ya and following along :D
 
Word.

Veronica said:
I wish I knew what the first sign was, the first thing that should have told me that I was gaining weight. Was it my clothes digging into me? Getting out of breath climbing the stairs? I don't remember.... Isn't that sad?

I can, however, tell all of you the thing that started recently that 'woke' me up. My knees have started giving out from under me when I try to stand up. I always thought that only happened to people who were 300 lbs overweight, NOT to me. And now that it is happening, I am starting to remember all those awful signs I missed along the way. Apparently my road trip into obesity had a million billboards along the road that I somehow ignored, told myself that they weren't referring to me. ME? The woman that has never been overweight a day in her life!

Unfortunately, I turned a cheek to all of them and am paying for it now. So here's my devastatingly real recap of what those signs were:

Unable to tie shoes with ease
Having to shop for pants in the plus size section
Swapping my Victoria's Secret bras for sport bras for comfort
Wearing Spanx every day under everything!
Chaffing
Being out of breath carrying in the groceries
Watching my underarms jiggle as I wave
Heartburn
Sleeping more
Depression
Ignoring social calls due to weight
Avoiding every picture taken
Inability to sit Indian style or cross legs
Having to roll out of bed

Just to name a few...

So here's the jist of my situation. I have always been 125 lbs, at least for the majority of my life. At age 30, on my honeymoon, I fell down a flight of stairs and spent the next 12 months in a wheelchair and physical therapy. Of course, I gained weight while being stagnant especially since I was hyperactive before the fall. My weight blossomed to 175 lbs during that time and I used the accident as an excuse for the weight. The problem is that I used that same tired excuse for the next five years all the while gaining more weight. I told myself that I was scared to work out for fear of reinjury, of feeling that pain and setback again. But that's a bunch of crap! I know that now.

So here I sit, the day before resolutions begin.... contemplating what my resolution should be... I want to lose weight but it is more than that. I want to regain my self respect, my desire to live life to its fullest again. I want the skinny me that thrives on fashion and frilly accessories that draw attention to me instead of hiding behind heavy coats and frumpy sweatshirts. I need a new life, a new way of eating and exercising that still feels like living because this body feels like a prison.

At 35 years old and 225 lbs, I know I have a huge task at hand. I hear it echo in my head...100 lbs....100 lbs... It seems so daunting. But I am going to conquer it, one stubborn pound at a time. And for those of you that are willing to read along with this oh so monumental ride, thank you.

Wish me luck!
Click to expand...


I can so relate to most everything you said. I imagine I must have been experiencing tempory blindness brought on by insanity to miss all of my own billboards announcing I was entering the land of the obese!!

I wish you nothing but the best of luck, and hope we can both see our goals become reality!
 
Wow. It's so nice to wake up in the morning to such reassurances!

DustinB - St. Mary's to Norway? What a jump? Never been to Norway but St. Mary's is beautiful and you are right, there are plenty of ways to get outside and enjoy the scenery here.

Jericho - I always need to remind myself of that. Small steps are okay because they are steps in the direction you want to go. Thanks!

Addiecakes - It's good to know that this whole knee issue will go away nearly as quickly as it came on. I never thought I would ever be the girl who needs a hand getting up from the floor. Ugh!

BigD - Hmmm...gotta learn that handshake! Seriously though, I like the way you put things... 5 lbs to me being the same as 5 lbs for someone else. Great way to look at it!

Trusylver - Ahhh, a fellow injured soul. It's tough isn't it? You want to be able to block it out of your mind and move forward with no worries but it's always resting there, eagerly waiting to remind you of all that pain. Must learn some cool mind tricks to block it all out!

Jess393 - You're right. I am still me underneath. I know that because when I'm not looking into a mirror, I still feel like the old skinny me. It's not until I catch a glimpse in a photo or reflection that I start to question that. Note to self: don't look and it won't affect you!

PlumpHope - Thanks for the reassurance!

Thanks again everyone for the support!
 
Ok, journal time...

I like writing in the morning because I have now had all night to reflect on yesterday and determine what I want this day to be. Is today the day I push myself harder in my workout? Is today the day that I try to cut out more carbs and add more fruits and vegetables? Is today the day I do both?

I have no excuses. NONE. I do not work. I do not have kids. I have a gym membership as well as a full gym in my house. I do all the grocery shopping so any food here is solely my fault. I cook all the meals so any food prepared is done by my own two hands. I have no schedule to keep. I can sleep when I want if I want. And yet it is all this freedom that prevents me from working out and eating right.

Now I know a bunch of you are probably wanting to hit me over the head right now. I know I am lucky to have this opportunity to do whatever I want when I want. My husband, being the amazing person that he is, has given this life to me. And though I appreciate it more than I could ever tell him, I find that it is hard to stay focused when there is no structure. I was always so much more motivated when I had to 'fit in' a work out versus get off my chair, walk into the room across the hall, and work out. I think it is because I have so much time that I always feel like there will be more. After all, it is 10:45 in the morning, I'm still in my robe drinking my morning coffee and thinking... 'I've got 12 plus hours until I go to bed, surely I will get a workout in during that time.'

Yet I will get distracted doing laundry, playing with the dogs (we have 6), dishes, et cetera and poof, the day will be gone and I will once again be kicking myself for not spending a good portion of the day on my primary initiative. How does that happen?

I know I have gained weight because of this lifestyle. Since I don't have to go anywhere, I spend a lot of time in my PJs which, of course, are elastic. Damn elastic doesn't let me know that I'm gaining until it is ready to burst. If I had a reason to leave the house wearing my nicer clothes with limited waistbands more often... I probably would have detected the problem sooner.

Now don't get the wrong idea. I don't wallow in my house like a hermit in pajamas every day. I am still a housewife which requires me to mow the yards, clean the pool, rake the leaves, clean the house,...you get the idea. I get a lot done around here every day but I wear old jogging pants to pull weeds and baggy sweatshirts to wash the cars. Maybe I need to claim one day a week that I dress up and go out, even if it is to just walk around the mall or meet a friend for coffee...

Anyway, enough of my ranting for the day. My coffee cup is empty, I have a gigantic pile of laundry waiting on me, and a very anxious puppy wanting to go outside. Here's to Day 2!
 
It is always easy to fill up your day outside working out. First thing is remember that things you do during the day is working out as well. Just walking around and such. you also mentioned that you have a full workout system at home.

You don't remember saying that? You sure did. 6 of them. Playing with your dogs can be a great workout as it will raise your heartrate depending on how long and how heavy the play is.

Play is the key word. Don't make the gym or exercise a chore, make it play. Don't beat yourself up, beat the fat up.
 
Veronica said:
DustinB - St. Mary's to Norway? What a jump? Never been to Norway but St. Mary's is beautiful and you are right, there are plenty of ways to get outside and enjoy the scenery here.
Click to expand...

St. Mary's was while I was in the Navy. I made the jump from Los Angeles to Norway. that's even bigger jump.

Good luck with getting motivated. One of the quotes I have in my motivation book is "E Stands for Effort, not excuse". Maybe that can help :)
 
Last of a dying breed

"I have no excuses. NONE. I do not work. I do not have kids. I have a gym membership as well as a full gym in my house. I do all the grocery shopping so any food here is solely my fault. I cook all the meals so any food prepared is done by my own two hands. I have no schedule to keep. I can sleep when I want if I want. And yet it is all this freedom that prevents me from working out and eating right.

Now I know a bunch of you are probably wanting to hit me over the head right now. I know I am lucky to have this opportunity to do whatever I want when I want. My husband, being the amazing person that he is, has given this life to me."

Wow, I thought I was the only woman in the U.S. with a un-schedule like that! No dogs here though. I'm 59, have been a home-maker all 35 years of married life. We had a son when I was 40 but he is on his own already so it's just me and my retired husband. Anyway, as you point out there is still work to do so we just need to make our own schedules and give some priority to healthy eating and exercise, which for you does include playing with those dogs. I do a lot of yardwork in the summer but now in the winter there's not much except a bit of shoveling. I wish you much success and know you can reach your weight goals.
 
New Day, New Year, New Me... at least that's what I am supposed to be chanting over and over again in my head, right? It's just another day, another 24 hours for me to 'think' about getting healthier and possibly do something about it. So far I am 13 hours into this decade and I have sat on the couch watching the Rose Parade while eating 2 slices of french toast and a glass of chocolate milk. Not horrible but not the start I wanted either.

Today was my first official weigh in: 225.6 lbs, 47.5 of which is Fat, 38.3 percent water (which sucks since I should be more like 50% as a woman), and a daily calorie allowance of 2657 calories to maintain my weight. So by starting with cutting my calories to 1600 per day, I save 1000 a day or 2 lbs a week. Add in exercise into this equation and I may be able to lose closer to 3-4 which would be awesome! However, I would be more than happy with 2 per week because it would still allow me to hit my goal THIS year.

My knee is hurting really bad this afternoon so I think I am going to have to skip on any serious cardio which means it is a weight training day for me. Weight training, by far, is my favorite part of working out. You feel the burn, you see the toning, and when you wake up the next day sore, you know it is working. Cardio, on the other hand, feels like slave labor. Step faster, push harder, burn more, and do all of this for 30 minutes to an hour. Ugh. The tragedy!

So I am trying to devise a workout plan based on what I have at my disposal. Here's my support system, so to speak:

Elliptical Trainer
Treadmill
Stair Climber
Recumbent Bike
Total Gym
Ab Lounger
Ab Glide
Medicine Balls in 3 sizes
Kettle Balls in 3 sizes
Free weights ranging from 2-25 lbs
Yoga mats and tapes
Pilates videos
Biggest Loser Dvds
Jillian Michaels Dvds
Tae Bo Dvds
Punching Bag
Speed Bag
Jump Ropes
Resistance Bands
Steps in 3 sizes
Wii Fit
Wii Active
Mountain Bike
Roller Blades
Fitness Ball
Pool
and more!

In other words, I was once a fitness junkie! It was easy to work out when I was thin. Nothing hurt. Squats and lunges were as simple as sitting down and biking felt like a brisk walk. But now everything takes effort and so it all sits in my exercise room and collects dust. That's it! I am a collector of Workout Accoutrements!

So if anyone has a brilliant plan on where to start this journey, which item to dust off first, or hell, which foot should step inside that room first... I'm all ears!
 
Well, it is more work, but that's a good thing. Work burns calories, so it's easier to burn calories the heavier you are.
 
Veronica said:
Elliptical Trainer
Recumbent Bike
Pool

So if anyone has a brilliant plan on where to start this journey, which item to dust off first, or hell, which foot should step inside that room first... I'm all ears!
Click to expand...

I'm not a professional, but I'm at the onset of my weight loss journey. So, I can relate to carrying so much extra weight that my joints hurt when I exercise. In order to avoid injury, I am limiting my cardio to low impact activity. You have a fine list; I'd add walking or hiking on a trail. Getting outside will mix things up for you and at this point bearing your own weight makes for great resistance.
Once I have a lighter load, I'll gradually introduce running and step and other high impact cardio. Resist the temptation to punish your joints and ligaments. Your muscles are going to be sore and hurt plenty as it is. Your heart and lungs will be getting accustomed to this new regimen. Getting sidelined with an injury will only hinder your progress. Good Luck! Stop "thinking about it" and get to it!
 
Take 10

It's great that you enjoy weight training - the time does seem to go faster and you do feel the results. I'm a big fan of 10 minute bouts of indoor exercise. Prevention articles and the book Spark by Glenn A. Gaesser say studies have shown you can get just as good health results from 3 ten minute exercise sessions as from 1 thirty minute session. Of course, if you are biking or hiking outside it seems easy to me to do longer sessions. So maybe you could do 10 minute sessions on the various machines - elliptical, treadmill, bike.
 
As someone who has started from scratch workout-wise, let me share how I started getting into regular physical activity.

I have a bad knee from a high school basketball injury and also a bad shin (on the opposite leg) that I developed a stress fracture in that was undiagnosed for about 2-3 years. So, any high-impact activity scares me to no end.

When I first started, I did all my workouts on WiiFit. It is an excellent tool for beginners, and the strength training portions will work a lot longer than the cardio portions. I'm sure that I would still do just fine with the cardio workouts on the WiiFit, but I don't like doing an activity for exercise if it doesn't really feel like I'm working. I did WiiFit free-step aerobics 3 to 4 times a week for at least 30 minutes on the highest pace, ... the great part about this is that you can change the channel and watch TV or part of a movie and just watch and listen for the cues from the Wii-mote. This got me through my first 10lbs. and I've been going to a gym the past 2-3 weeks and mainly using the elliptical trainer and the stationary bike for cardio. They are both excellent for people who need something low-impact. I usually do about 30 minutes and I do intervals, which are fun and add an element which you can measure to watch yourself improve.

Most of the time, the 30 minutes flies by before I even realize it. It isn't the activity that is hard, it's the getting there. I find that if I can motivate myself to get to the gym, then it's all downhill from there. So if you can get yourself on one of your machines, you will probably find that getting yourself to work out for 20-30 minutes is a lot easier than the initial hurdle of getting yourself to get on the machine.
 
Addiecakes said:
Most of the time, the 30 minutes flies by before I even realize it. It isn't the activity that is hard, it's the getting there. I find that if I can motivate myself to get to the gym, then it's all downhill from there. So if you can get yourself on one of your machines, you will probably find that getting yourself to work out for 20-30 minutes is a lot easier than the initial hurdle of getting yourself to get on the machine.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, this is how I am too. Spend an hour telling myself to get my butt in the car and to the gym, and as soon as I get TO the gym, I'm fine. can go for hours, lol.
 
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