Posted by Bobbie | Posted in Excercise, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss | Posted on Thu November 12, 2009
I can say I’m putting forth the best possible effort that I personally can to get healthy. Every other time I would go on a “diet” (I really hate that word) I would inevitably fail. I’d cheat, I’d eat something off plan and then I would stay off plan for the entire day or week. I would rationalize with myself that since I’ve already failed TODAY, I might as well fail for the REST OF THE DAY. That included continuing bad food choices and absolutely no exercise. I would drown my sorrows in my Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies as a big fat blob of obesity on the couch. Then, if I wasn’t still lost in my failure I would start anew the next morning. But more than likely my day of failure would turn into a week of failure. Then a month of failure. And so on. You get the picture.
The word “diet” sucks
This time around, I have refused to use the word “diet” in my daily vocabulary. I’m not on a diet. I’m changing my lifestyle – for the rest of my life. I’m selecting produce that is healthy and grown fresh. I’m focusing on whole foods when I go shopping. But if I want that occasional Lean Cuisine or can of soup, then I’m going to eat it and not beat myself up about it. I’m trimming down my portion sizes so they are human-like. My trainer told me that a good guideline is a portion that is the same size as my fist. It’s an easy way for me to measure my foods.
Exercise is my friend too
My new daily effort includes exercise. And I’m not talking about parking far away from Wal-Mart so I can walk an extra 200 feet. I’m talking about busting my ass and working up a hardcore sweat in the gym and on walks with my dog. And hurting. Badly.
Ibuprofen wants to be friends as well
When I played sports in school I don’t remember hurting this badly. Then again, I was in decent shape back then – and not 100 lbs. overweight, so I’m sure that doesn’t help my case this time around. Ibuprofen has become my friend this week. If it weren’t for that bottle of good ‘ole Ibuprofen, I don’t think I would have been able to sleep last night.
It’s not easy (no one said it would be though)
I asked my trainer the other day why it’s so easy to get fat and so hard to get fit. He said it’s just as hard to get fat. He said that if 
I think of all the time and energy it took to NOT get off of the couch and to put the junk food in my mouth, I’d find the journey was just as difficult and painful. I never looked at it that way, and I think that is a very interesting take.
I know getting healthy is not an easy road or a pain-free path when I put forth the effort in the gym. I know the pain is temporary and that it will turn into a beautiful gift. The gift I will receive is one of physical health and accomplishment that I did this with effort. Effort is my best friend, after all.
Thu November 12, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Hey great blog and I wish you success in your journey- I’m sure you will succeed and it is absolutely GREAT to have another weight-loss blog to enjoy reading!!!
I do love the 3D photo progress – I have done the same at the beginning and every 8 weeks but haven’t gotten around to dropping the images into photoshop to actually complete the widget- I too saw this on Pasta Queen and thought it was really neat.
Will be checking back to see how it’s going
Good luck!!! C xxx
[Reply]
Thu November 12, 2009 at 10:28 PM
I never use the word diet anymore. It’s all about a healthy lifestyle because that’s what the end result needs to be for me. And besides if you change your lifestyle, then it becomes a normal part of life. I think your going about it in all the right ways. Good luck to you, I’ll be following you on your journey! :-)
[Reply]
Fri November 13, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Carolyn, I really had fun doing the 3D photos. Of course it wasn’t fun SEEING them – although it helped bring me out of my denial – but making it work was cool. I’m glad Pasta Queen posted the tutorial on her website. :)
And Melissa ITA with you, I won’t use “diet” anymore. It just reminds me of something that you start that you will eventually go off of sooner or later.
Thanks to both of you for the words of encouragement, it means a lot! :)
[Reply]
Fri November 13, 2009 at 11:01 AM
[...] lbs this week. Normally I’d be so defeated that I’d quit and go back eating my favorite cosmic brownies, but this time I shrugged it off. I wanted to quit a bunch of times this week and take the easy [...]
Tue December 08, 2009 at 10:48 AM
[...] Today I decided to hop on the scale since today is officially my one month lifestyle anniversary. The last time I weighed in I had gained three pounds and was not happy. I’m pretty sure that weight gain was from drinking some brew at our local tavern (I know, I know, not on my list of healthy consumables). But my journey this time is all about being REASONABLE and not doing the “all or nothing” eating plan. If I want to have a few beers once every other month, I’m going to do it – and learn not to be ridiculous about it by binging on cosmic brownies. [...]
Thu December 10, 2009 at 11:04 AM
[...] – my kryptonite is sugar. In fact, anything with sugar but in particular baked goods, Little Debbie’s cosmic brownies, cheesecake, etc. You get the picture. I have to be very careful with sugar free substitutes and [...]
Tue December 29, 2009 at 9:01 AM
[...] Case in point: on Christmas Eve, my mom presented a peppermint cheesecake. Not on my agenda, but I did have a small piece. I’m not going to restrict myself from having a controlled piece. I know what would have happened if I had skipped the cheesecake that. I wouldn’t have been able to stop thinking about that piece of cheesecake. I would have gotten home and found something sweet to binge on. Cosmic brownies anyone? [...]