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Today is the culmination of two unique experiences which have led me to become a premium member.
On Sunday I was feeling down. Maybe it was the situation. Maybe it was just physiologic. Regardless, I “let” myself have a binge. Granted this was a dieter’s binge. I grabbed seemingly all the carbs I had in my apartment. Handfuls of Barbara’s Cinamon Puffins Cereal. Two 100 calorie packages of Keebler Grasshopper Cookies, two Weight Watchers Giant Cookies and Creme Bars. After downing 500 calories I hadn’t planned on, I fell asleep at 3:00 pm. When I awoke at 6 I was still cranky. But I thought to myself “A binge and then a walk is still better than just a binge, right?” I picked up my sorry behind, and I got moving. I walked out 20 minutes, then turned to come home. But instead of coming straight home, I took extra blocks, zig zagging my way back until by the time I returned one hour of steady, intense walking had passed. Way to go! I came home, had a sensible dinner that I planned carefully, and went to bed that night with the satisfaction that I turned a bad situation on its head. To boot, my scale reached a new low the next morning.
Last night I pushed myself to take a walk. I was planning a dinner out with my sister and brother, as well as both of their significant others. I knew that without a walk I would be eating up to maintenance calories. So I took my same route from Sunday. However, as I got to the far end, I started to feel dizzy. Having had symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, which for me causes dizziness and other symptoms) many times before I knew I had to make it back home as soon as possible in order to get myself something to eat. After a harrowing experience struggling home, I ate an apple, some walnuts and some cereal to get my blood sugar back up to par.
Out at dinner that night I thought hard about the best choice on the menu. The chicken came with mashed potatoes I was bound to enjoy too much of. I had a salad for lunch. I settled on the tilapia and asked for them to go light on the butter. I nibbled my way through some of my sister’s Caprese salad, some of her Bacon and Potato pizza, as well as all my tilapia. Luckily I didn’t even enjoy the Risoto on the side of my fish, so I was pretty well home free. I figured that even with the butter on my fish, I couldn’t have consumed more than 400 calories. Not bad considering I was out to eat at an italian restaurant without nutrition facts!
Humming the Motivation to Move theme song in the shower this morning, I decided that today was the day. If at any point in my long journey I needed extra kick, it was now. I’ve dropped over 45 pounds. My weight loss has taken me well over two years so far, but I haven’t ever gained back any weight. I’ve learned to eat in moderation, to choose my battles and to lower my cholesterol.
But now to lose one pound is harder than ascending 1000 verticle feet in ski boots at 14,000 feet with my skis over my shoulder and the wind in my face! (I should know, I live in Colorado and am an avid skier). In order to lose weight at this point, every day is carefully planned, with very little room for extras. This is hard, but maintainable if I get my exercise every day and never go out to eat. However, I don’t live in a bubble and I am faced with challenges every day. Some days I feel too tired to work out. Some days there is no avoiding going out to eat. Some days my blood sugar drops and I take in an extra 250 calories I hadn’t planned on. Some days I am just plain blue. Listening to the podcast is helping me tremendously through these rough patches. I am discovering new strength deep within I never knew existed.
Gone are the days I could go out to eat regularly, drink copiously, have ice cream every night and still lose weight. But the battle is worth it. I am waging war for my health, for my fitness level, for my own satisfaction and to know that I can be the best physically I can be.
I hope to be welcomed with open arms, and I am looking forward to replying to anyone with questions, as well as adding more of my story later on.
Welcome Laura! First of all, great job on losing 45 lbs. That’s a lot of weight and from the looks of your picture you are close if not at your ideal weight. You are going to get so much from your premium membership. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I think we all have little binges every once in awhile so don’t let one time get you down. You turned it around and went for your walk and that is fantastic! Way to go in turning a negative into a positive! I also know how it is when your glucose levels get too low. I call that feeling that you get “The Ick.” It’s not fun. I’m a diabetic so I have to be extra careful when I go out for my long walks and plan a snack to eat about an hour before I head out. I think you are doing great so far. It’s funny that you mentioned humming the MTM theme song in the shower. That has happened to me several times. It’s a good thing. Listening to Scott every day has dramatically improved my life. Sounds like he’s doing great for you too. I look forward to “seeing” you around in the forums. Good luck on your journey.
Thanks for being the first to welcome me. I’ve looked at your journal a bit, and I’ll have to reply a bit over there...I definitely have some thoughts about your BF situation!
I had “The Ick” happen to me once while skiing this winter and had to stop to eat a granola bar in the middle of a run down the mountain! The way I was skiing was scaring me, and I felt it was better to stop and eat than to try to make it down without eating.
Laura,
I was reading in your profile about your situation with high choelestrol. I was wondering how you are doing with that?? I am in a similar situation in that my choelestrol has been way too high. I am starting to work harder toward lowering that by proper nutrition and excercise. My doctor has been very supportive of this decision. Just curious what foods you have had that have helped in this area. Or any other advice to help lower this. By the way welcome to MTM, this place is a great place and I know you will get lots of great support. I think I may open a thread in regards to controlling choelestrol. Thanks
My cholesterol had gotten out of control again this winter, so I added Soluble Fiber back into my diet. Here are the results, after adding about 4 grams/day of soluble fiber into my diet (the rest of my diet was pretty much the same).
What I changed: Added a Kashi Heart to Heart Oatmeal for a snack about 6 times a week (this snack replaced 6 Reduced Fat Triscuits and 1 Tbsp Goat Cheese).
Added a Kashi TLC Pumpkin Flaxseed Granola Bar for a snack about 6 times a week (this snack replaced a Nature Valley Granola Bar).
I also would eat Black Beans and Rice for dinner once or twice a week, which was pretty new for me.
I was so excited when I got the news, I shouted. I brought down my cholesterol 21% in 2 mos! I am very impressed with myself.
This was on top of an already pretty healthy diet. Let me know if you have any questions.
If you don’t like oats, here are some other natural sources of soluble fiber:
Soluble Fiber Contents:
Apples 1.42 g/ 1 apple
Barley 2.76 g/ 1 cup
Bell Peppers .74 g/ 1 cup
Black Beans 4.13 g/ 1 cup
Brown Rice .39 g/ 1 cup
Carrots 1.54 g/ 1 cup
Kidney Beans 2.9 g/ 1/2 cup cooked
Oats 2.34 g/ 1 cup
Orange 2.6 g/ 1 orange
Peach 1.3 g/ 1 peach
Pear 2.2 g/ 1 pear
Peas 2.40 g/ 1 cup
Pumpkin .5 g / .5 cup mashed
Soy Beans 2.3 g/ .5 cup cooked
Spinach .90 g/ 1 cup
Sweet Potato 1.01 g/ 1 potato
Here I’ve mostly listed foods that I eat (I keep this list in a note to myself, which is why I could so quickly pull it up for you). Mostly I looked these up on whfoods.com, which I’ve found to be a great source. Or look up soluble fiber sources on google. Let me know if you have any questions!
Welcome to MTM. Your photo looks great. I know what it’s like to struggle with those last few pounds.
But now to lose one pound is harder than ascending 1000 vertical feet in ski boots at 14,000 feet with my skis over my shoulder and the wind in my face!
I know the feeling - I’ve been in both places. If you’re very active, and it sounds like you are, at least in ski season, you may want to look at % body fat as a better indicator of your progress than simple body weight. I’m sure you have a lot of muscle. I also love to ski, but I haven’t been out as much as I would like in the past few years. The hard water sport has gradually been replaced by a soft water sport - kayaking. I still get out a few times a year, but not like the old days. You can really burn some calories with a full day on the slopes.
Where do you live in Colorado and where do you ski. I’ve been to many of the resorts there. Two winters ago, I was working in Denver. It was kind of funny that I was working out in the hotel gym and I couldn’t figure out why I was breathing so hard, it was just my normal workout - then I realized my sea level body was being asked to work out at over 5,000 feet.
Keep up the great work and I’m looking forward to following your progress.
I am quite active, especially during ski season. Now that the season is mostly over, I am hoping to start hiking in those mountains I love so much!
I live in Denver. The resort I go to the most is Breckenridge, since I have a place to stay in town there.
Actually, I have myself signed up to get a bod pod body fat percentage testing done on Friday. I have had my body fat measured by calipers multiple times, as well as had bioimpedence testing done (both the hand held machine and the electrodes). Bod pod is the most accurate of all testing methods (along with hydrostatic weighing), so I am greatly looking forward to getting a better picture of my overall health. I currently strength train two days a week, focusing on legs, but I mostly am successful in getting a total body workout.
Now that I am no longer at work, I can update with some pictures too. I will post some soon.
Wow, Laura… I really enjoyed reading about your progress and the transformation in your before/after pictures is amazing! You definitely look outstanding!
It is amazing how many of us came to MTM in the middle of our weight loss journey (I came a few months ago after I had already lost 30 pounds or so.), but you have come at the “home stretch” which is very intruiging. You will find a lot of people at various stages of weight loss (or at an ideal weight but here for other reasons) and everyone readily admits to having the “blahs”, having an occasional binge, having a vice (like chocolate for example), etc.... but the important thing is that we all support each other to get back on our feet and get moving when we slip up and allow ourselves to enjoy life and not be flawless with our diet and exercise habits. We are all human after all!
As far as the ole’ cholesterol panel is concerned, that is great that you are keeping on top of that situation. When I first started weight loss, my triglyceride levels were off the chart (450ish!!!!) and a diet and exercise plan along with fish oil supplements brought the number down to 130 or so within three months. Cholesterol has come down from 194 to the 170’s (as of the New Year). Thanks for reminding me to have my cholesterol panel rechecked!
Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!
One more thing… I am happy you made a preemptive strike and posted pics of yourself already. Otherwise, you would’ve met one of the moderators, Bree, and she would’ve relentlessly hounded you to post those pics.
Yes, fish oil definitely does wonders for the triglycerides. Did I mention that I take 8 grams of fish oil a day?
It’s interesting that you think it’s intriguing that I am coming into MTM land at the home stretch. I have had lots of support online before, but addressing the mental aspects of weight loss is new to me as of recently. I’ve found that it is making a huge difference in how I look at food. Often I will see food that I haven’t planned for and I know isn’t good for me, and I will just completely ignore it. It seems there is always free food around at work, and I’ve come lightyears in avoiding eating it. Interestingly enough, I am much better behaved in front of others. When I think no one is watching, that’s when I am much more likely to indulge. However, I’ve been working on my no-fail environment at home, and I haven’t had an ice cream carton in my apartment since early March. This is a great accomplishment given that I used to indulge in Edy’s/Dreyer’s Slow Churned almost every night! Now I just eat my dinner, and for the most part I don’t have anything afterwards.
Having Bree say hello wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?
Congrats on being so close to shedding the obesity label. I was just pounds away from being labeled obese when I started, I plowed my way through overweight, and I am now at a healthy BMI of 22!!
I feel like I have amassed tons of information over my journey, but putting knowledge into action is a completely different ballgame. MTM podcasts have definitely helped me to put that acquired knowledge into action. I really hope to help people too while I’m here. I’m constantly trying to be a motivator to a group online at the site where I track my daily calories. And I’ve pretty much lost all my members save one (granted she checks in with me a few times a week and always routes me on too). They say that we are much more likely to be successful with a support group. So here’s to supporting each other!
Amen to the support! And Tim’s right, I was gonna bug you for pictures, but was planning on waiting for a couple of days. Thanks for sharing.
I’m sure you get this all the time, but where do you still have 5 pounds left to lose? You look amazing. What is your normal routine? I’m nosy, I like to know lots about those who seem willing to share it. And wait patiently to pounce on the shy ones in their moments of boldness. Just kidding, I just like to hear what others are into.
Watch out for Bree - She’ll but you until you reveal your deepest and darkest secrets. Just kidding, but you may have disappointed her by posting pictures before she could nag.
What an amazing difference in those pictures. Thanks for sharing. You’ll be a motivator here for sure.
I love Breckenridge - I’ve skied there many times, mostly when I was living in Florida (of all places). Now that I live in California, most of my skiing is around the Tahoe area, except for the winter when I worked in Denver. I know, I’m all over the country. I’m a computer consultant (short version of the job description) so I travel lots.
I don’t think it’s strange that you are getting into MTM as you reach your goals. Maintenance provides another set of challenges. I know that first hand. I lost over 40 pounds over 25 years ago, regained about 20 4 years ago, lost that, and have been on maintenance for the past 3 years. I also use MTM as motivation to do the workouts I need to keep doing the sports I love - hiking, skiing, and kayaking to name just a few.
These guys know me all too well. I was actually quite happy to see pics, then I can recruit you for my picture asking. Wouldn’t feel right to ask if I didn’t share myself.
Having Bree say hello wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?
I feel like I have amassed tons of information over my journey, but putting knowledge into action is a completely different ballgame. MTM podcasts have definitely helped me to put that acquired knowledge into action. I really hope to help people too while I’m here. I’m constantly trying to be a motivator to a group online at the site where I track my daily calories. And I’ve pretty much lost all my members save one (granted she checks in with me a few times a week and always routes me on too). They say that we are much more likely to be successful with a support group. So here’s to supporting each other!
Of course a “hello” from Bree would be a good thing!! We all love Bree and her pic whoring glory!!
Wow, Laura, you catch on really fast! I think you defined the whole vision of MTM in one paragraph!!
Thanks for the kind words.
One more warning… watch out for the whacky Canadians!!!
