Every step I take

Thanksgiving 2011 (10 weeks of healthier eating and 28 pounds down)

I woke up Sept 19 2011 and began my food journal. I decided to try to stay between 1200-1500 calories a day and do this 45 minute workout. The first week I contemplated suicide because surely it had to be better than a growling stomach, burning thighs, and knees that felt like they were giving out. But I pushed through.

At the end of the six weeks I had lost 18 pounds and multiple inches. Those MEK jeans I ripped? I needed a belt to hold them up. I dug out all of my old jeans discovered I only had one pair in a size 12 that fit. (I kept all my jeans then regardless of them fitting or not)

(Sidenote: I was laid off from a job I truly loved at the end of those six weeks. I began to take my anger out on the treadmill and exercising and kicked it into high gear. I honestly now can thank God for losing that job because it gave me lots of free time to focus on me and my health. I would never say I wanted to lose a job, but if there was a silver-lining, it was that I could fully dedicate my time to this weight-loss journey)

My parents saw how committed I was to calorie counting and exercising. They bought me a treadmill. I began a fast walk on the treadmill 7 days a week, 45 minutes a day. I began also to see that I could enjoy foods I liked, just in moderation. I would allow myself 200 calories a day to “splurge” on something decadent I knew I would truly savor.  The best part was, I could see physical changes almost weekly. I would model all of my now ‘fat’ jeans and try to fit in my old ‘new’ ones again. I decided I wanted to weigh 150 by my birthday at the end of November. I also had a pair of size 10 Gap jeans I wanted to wear on my birthday. I was 155 the week before my birthday. I have never lost more than 3.9 pounds on any given week. My sister thought I was crazy for trying to lose five in a week, especially because I wasn’t at the very beginning of a weight-loss regimen when weight comes off easier. I was determined though and buckled down.

I ate very healthy that week and even replaced my 200 calorie splurge with an apple or a fat free hot chocolate. My birthday rolled around and I got on the scale…149.8. I ate two slices of pizza and my birthday cake too. I really could have it all.