Weight loss and how you go about it is somewhat personal I will say that. Sandy hasn’t followed the same regiment that I did. I didn’t do the same thing that anyone else did. We all are different that is true but one thing is constant. You have to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. It is just that simple. Your body has certain needs as far as vitamins and minerals go and you need water.

When I set out it wasn’t just about the numbers. I will admit that I had a number in mind. But if I concentrated on the number it became overwhelming b/c I had so much weight to lose. So I set many different kind of goals. Goals that were measureable and attainable. Like I wanted to be able to run a 10 minute mile. I wanted to be able to do a one arm push up (still working on that one). I wanted my weight to be 130 lbs. I chose that # b/c it was right in the middle of the range for my height and I thought no matter what I wore or had to eat on that day I wouldn’t be overweight when I went to the Dr.’s office. ha. ha. For some people it is about a certain size and they will purchase a smaller clothing size and try to get down to that size.

Staying motivated and up about something that can be so hard to do is just hard. There’s no way around it. I guess that is why I am so inspired by Sandi. This has not been an easy journey for her nor a quick one and here she is 82 lbs. down and 18 more to go. She is determined to continue this journey and then to keep it off. She’s doing a great job and all of her hard work is paying off. Because like I said before she looked GREAT yesterday and I am so proud of her.

Tonight our JV team will take on the Searcy Lions. Good luck. Once again, I will be there to help cheer them on. This week is homecoming week in Pioneer Nation. It should be an exciting week.

I love Nelson. He is great! He is like the perfect dog. He’s got his quirks but to me he’s perfect. I originally adopted him to be at the detention but now he’s at my house. I have never had an inside dog before. He is training me somewhat. His previous owners must have taken him to obedience school because he doesn’t chew, bite, or marr the furniture. He pees and poops outside. He has thrown up in the house but that was my fault he was trying to let me know but I just didn’t understand him fully. Now when he acts that way I know. I pay a lot closer attention.

I have always heard people talk about their pets like they were part of the family. Just as important as one of their children. My brother has 4 dogs, 3 that live inside and 2 horses. They don’t have any children. I am sure if you asked them they would consider their animals like their children. But when your dog or cat is with you all the time you grow more attached to them. We had a black lab for 14 years and I loved him. But I spend so much more time with Nelson. I actually feel a little guilty about not spending as much time with Hulk (the lab). I know that they were two very different kind of dogs and different circumstances but anyway now I feel like I cheated him and myself out of some enjoyment.

Nelson is quickly becoming an important part of my family not just to me but to my husband and son too. It is funny how he has become one of us and we are all considerate of him just as he seems to know our feelings and are considerate of us. Example, last week, I wasn’t feeling well. I went to bed and shut the door b/c I didn’t want to have to deal with "loving on Nelson". Nelson laid at the bedroom door so my husband let him in. Instead of demanding attention he came and laid beside the bed. He didn’t go to sleep like I did, he just laid there watching over me. When we leave to work and my son is at home with Nelson doing homework. Nelson will go into his room and curl up under or beside his desk just to be with him.

He won’t let you ignore him. He will get your attention. He loves to be petted. He loves to go for a ride and to go through doors. He’s lazy and when we are home all day we wear him out. I think he is just one of the coolest dogs I have ever met. I am so glad he’s come home to be a part of my family. 

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!

I greeted each student this morning with a smile on my face and song in my heart. In turn they smiled back and seemed to have a little more to smile about. You see, I work at a juvenile detention facility and sometimes it is just hard for them to have something to smile about. It is amazing how much effect your mood can have on others.

Please don’t lose hope but get up, get moving, and change your lifestyle. www.sparkpeople.com is a great free resource to help you with planning everything out there and tracking it all the only thing it can’t do is actually get you up off that couch or out of that chair or make you quit lying to yourself and others about what you have eaten. I am not downing anyone I have been there myself. Let me tell you the kudos you get from people that you haven’t seen in a while when they see you is amazing. It is not too late.

There is no sense in putting it off until tomorrow. Start now. Start today. Being unhealthy is addictive. Overeating is addictive just like drugs and alcohol. The difference is you have to eat to live. My journey by all means was not an easy one. My husband especially during the first few weeks thought of moving out. Ha! Ha! Because it was like a smoker giving up cigarettes. But if I can do it you can too. There have been several of my friends who have taken my lead and have dropped 50 -70 lbs. Just because we were lying to ourselves. We wanted there to be a "magical cure" out there the cure was with us the whole time.