Get Healthy World

Today, my friend wrote me that she is down 80 lbs and 20 more to go!!!! I am so excited for her! She has done a lot of hard work. It is inspiring to others and to me. No drugs, no gimmicks. It is awesome. It is a life style change and I am soooo proud of her.

You have no idea what kind of influence you have on others good or bad. Honesty, taking a look at yourself honestly. I can tell you that I would lie to myself about what I had had to eat that day or how many calories it contained. When you get right down to it I just didn’t realize how much I was eating or how many calories were in the foods that I was eating.

When I put it honestly down on paper and I looked a food as fuel for my body instead of some kind of reward or something to enjoy then my outlooked changed. I was eating somewhere between 3800-4000 calories a day just to maintain my weight. When I researched it online it takes an inactive female 10 -12 calories per lb. just to maintain their body weight. So I began to diet and exercise and not lie to myself. I didn’t eat between meals and I measured my portions. (Portion control was important. I had unrealistic ideas of what portions were.)

Walking was my exercise and I already lifted weights 3 days per week with my husband so I continued on that regiment. Walking for 30 minutes per day. Wow, it hurt. I had barely made it a block and my calves were screaming. My husband was ahead of me saying, "Come on." We walked in the rain, in the snow, no matter what. At first it wasn’t very far and I was winded but as I walked everyday the same amount of time I improved. I walked faster and farther always pushing a little harder.

Because of the difference in my diet and exercise, I began to lose weight. It was coming off FAST. I was losing a pound a day. I had never experienced that before and was elated and pumped about losing weight and inches. It made it worth the withdrawals of no caffiene, no sugary drinks, candy, etc. I would weigh myself and see a loss of some weight even if it wasn’t a whole pound.

By the time spring got here I was in a routine where I had it down that I didn’t have to have as much support from my husband. I could get up in the morning and walk by myself. After work I would work with my husband in lawn maintenance. I just made sure I planned all my meals out so I wasn’t out of control hungry and their were foods that I could eat ready during my problem times.

I used little tricks from different places, like eating off a desert plate instead of a dinner plate. Eating out of a small cereal bowl like the size of a kiddie bowl instead of the regular bowls that came with my dishes. The size of dishes have grown over the years and are unneccesary. Most people pile their food on their plate as full as they can and if you fill one of those huge plates full you have enough food for two or three people.

By August I had lost 80 lbs and had begun in January. I went to a meeting with teachers from Juvenile Detention Centers and they almost didn’t recognize me. Of course lots of people asked if I had been hypnotized or was on some kind of medication or what. I could have not been brutally honest with them but I was. I was fat b/c I chose to be fat. With every bad decision I made be that the food I put into my mouth or choosing not to get off my butt and exercise. Little did I know that I would inspire some to get honest with themselves. Hence the inspiration of this blog today: Sandi has lost 80 lbs today!!!!! Way to go!!!!!

Sandi has made this journey and worked very hard for it. The last time I saw her she looked awesome. I get to see her again on Tuesday. I can’t wait!