WLW: Updates

Yes, I know it isn't Wednesday...but I didn't manage to post yesterday so git over it. :)

It was a good week - I lost two more pounds. Even more exciting is that is, right now, as I type I'm wearing a pair of jeans that I haven't been able to fit into in more than a year. Now THAT is what I call progress.

So far I've lost a grand total of 38 pounds but honestly, I don't see it. I know I feel much better, have less pain in my knees, have more energy, but I don't see it when I look in the mirror. A friend said my face was thinner and my response was 'That's nice but a smaller face will only make my belly look even BIGGER." LOL!

That's why I'm excited about wearing the jeans. I could wear them this time last year, but breathing was optional and if I was bending over - it was impossible. Now I'm not going to say they are totally comfy now - but I can breathe this time around so I'll take that as a victory.

So who caught Oprah on Monday? One of her guests was Erik Chopin from The Biggest Loser 3. In total, he lost 214 pounds and now, three years later, he's gained 107 pounds back. IMO, Erik is the reality of weight loss.

Statistics say that 95% of people who diet and lose weight will gain it back. In most cases, they will gain what they've lost and thensome. That's certainly been the case with me. I've lost at least 600 pounds in my lift and I'm still 200 pounds overweight. Did I weigh 1000 pounds? Nope but sometimes it feels like it.

It started in high school. I was around 230 and I was 5 foot 11 inches. (I say that because I'm SHRINKING DAMMIT!) I lost 70 pounds by not eating and taking diet pills. Three years later I was in the mid two hundreds...went to Weight Watchers and back then the scales only went to 250 and they made me feel like crap because they had to jump through hoops to weigh me. I'm still not a WW fan but if it works for you - go for it. :) Lost weight...gained more back... In my early thirties I went to Jenny Craig...lost 90 pounds...gained more back...I think you get the picture. I think I'm like most people when it comes to weight loss. We're of the idea that once we get 'it' and we lose the weight then we're done - the problem is cured. Oh how wrong we are.

After watching Oprah and Erik's conversation I have finally (well hopefully its the LAST time) decided that weight is something to be managed like a serious illness. People can live with AIDS or Lupus or CFS because they work their lifestyle to take their illness into account. They actively work to be healthy, to stay healthy, to get enough rest, take vitamins etc.

Weight loss is something to be managed, not overcome. I will never be free of needing to watch what I eat and chances are neither will you. Sucks doesn't it? But here is the deal - embrace it now because if you wait until after you've lost weight then gained it back plus another 15 - you'll be kicking yourself hard like I did. And that really sucks.

So how was your week?