Notice I've been busy lately?

So, have you noticed that I have been incredibly busy for the past couple of weeks?  That is what happens when school starts back and you are a teacher!  Last week was the first week of class and the two weeks before that were pre-planning.  However, even with the craziness that is work starting back I have done pretty good with keeping up with my calories and exercise.  I would LOVE to be able to be able to go to Curves and do Curves Smart 3 days a week and 1 day of Zumba but here lately I've only been able to do 2 days of Curves Smart and 1 day of Zumba.  However, I have still managed to loose a total of 13 pounds and 13 inches!  I weighted into Curves Thursday so it is official now :)  I am going to do my normal weekly weigh in today so we'll see if that changes...
The best thing I have found with all this craziness is that it is still easy to continue to loose weight.  What I use to think would be a huge inconvenience is not!  I think the biggest thing that has helped me stay on track is that I have made a lifestyle change and have not been on a DIET.  I am hoping that things will settle down at work and I can get back to blogging more though :)  !

Motivation, making excuses, and the heat

I have found in the last couple of days that I have been totally unmotivated to write for my blog.  I read recently on a website that said motivation and willpower are the offspring of desire.  I think this is very true.  I am more motivated to do something when I have a strong desire to do it or for the results of doing it.  I make less excuses when I am motivated.  Making excuses can be my down fall in all this.  Usually making excuses becomes a habit and I stop exercising, eating right, and doing other things that I know are good for me.  It has happened in the past and I have to work very hard to see that it doesn't happen in the future.  One of my favorite excuses I could use here lately is the "it is too hot to exercise".  Even with a heat index of 106 degrees that is still a pitiful excuse and really complete BS.  It may be to hot to do anything outside like bike riding but it is not to hot to go to Curves and exercise inside in the air conditioning!   Even in this extreme heat I have to stay focused on my goal, looking better with less clothes on ;)  which will be nice in the heat.  I have to keep my desire and motivation alive in the heat and not let excuses get in my way!  Stay tuned after my weight loss ABC's for motivational Monday.  Here is a sneak peak of the kind of stuff it will feature.

Lazy

A couple of posts ago I listed a few first impressions some people had of obese people.  One of those impressions was that obese people are lazy.  Am I lazy?  YES!  It has taken me DAYS to write this post!  I have been completely unmotivated these past few days.  I have been working out this week though.  Today was workout 22 at Curves!  :)  I think anyone and everyone is lazy at times regardless if they are short, tall, thin, or fat.  I think the key is not to be lazy all the time or in all aspects of your life.  I see no problem with being lazy some days.  We all deserve some down time.  Today, for instance, I have been pretty lazy, I took a nap from about 9:30 am - 1:00 pm.  After my nap I did go workout though and as soon as I got done drafting this post I cooked dinner  So, not an all day lazy day.  I am finding it is more and more difficult to be lazy ALL DAY LONG since I have been going to Curves more!  I have much more energy now.  My guess is that the reason obese individuals are perceived as more lazy than the general population is because we have less energy.  Energy begets energy and movement gives you more energy in addition to the food you eat.  When I eat junky, unhealthy, foods and I don't move around I get lazy.  When I eat right and move more, even when I don't want to, I am less lazy.  I know it can be hard to get off the comfy couch to walk or exercise.  I know it can even be painful at first  But just DO it!  You will feel better afterward I promise!

Joints/Knees

I have never really had any major health problems associated with my weight until after my son was born.  Ever since he was born in 2008 I have been having trouble with my knees.  There are times it is painful to move and that can make Zumba difficult.  Sometimes I can actually hear them creak when I move or walk.  I know my weight puts more strain on my knees and my other joints and my heart.  I also know that I am getting stronger and my knees are getting stronger since I have been going to Curves and watching what I eat.    I am only 28 it is too soon for me to be having knee trouble and unless I want more health problems I had better get in shape now!

Impressions and Judgement

There is no second change to make a first impression.  That statement is so very true and unfortunately  you have no choice in what that impression is.  I have not done a scientific study, I have not posted a poll on Facebook but I have been trolling the interwebs and here are some of the first impressions people get of overweight individuals: they are undisciplined, lazy, they smell bad, they eat all the time, sympathy, disgust, they are weak, they are spineless, they are greedy, hatred, they sweat a lot...
To know that this is how some, not all, people think of overweight individuals, like me, really gets to me and makes me a little depressed actually.  First impressions and judgement go hand in hand.  We all make snap judgements and I know that loosing weight will not stop people from judging me any more than it will stop me from judging others, yeah, I know you're shocked right?  I just don't want people to judge me the way they do now.  I want to change some of that judgement.  Many of the impressions people have, that I found on line, are really misconceptions... and some of them are not, at least for me.  I am lazy, I am undisciplined, I can be greedy, and at times I eat all the time.  In addition at times I am emotionally weak and I turn to food.  However, I don't smell bad (unless I don't shower and anyone would smell unless they shower) I'm not spineless, and I don't sweat any more than any other normal human being (stay tuned for a future post on that topic).
Now disgust, yeah I feel disgust.  I am disgusted with myself.  I don't like the way I look or the way I feel.  I am disgusted by how I act and how I am showing my kids to eat and treat food.  At least I am still here and, other than the being overweight, I am healthy.  I am capable of, and am, changing my life for the better!

Inspiration and God's Grace

So, for the past few days I have been catching up on the A&E show Heavy.  My post earlier today was about the show.  After writing the post I watched a few more episodes.  On one episode there was a woman, from Atlanta Georgia, who started at around 250 pounds like me.  In six months she was down to around 160.  One of her motivations was her mother who had passed away because of cancer.  She took her mother's bike with her to the facility and was able to get one of the coaches there to ride bikes home with her, back to Atlanta, an almost 350 mile trip!
I didn't go to Curves today, it is my anniversary and I figured I would take it easy.  However, after watching that episode I was inspired to get out on my bike and go for a ride.  My goal was 30 minutes of riding.  So, off I go.  I do my usual route and make it back to the library where I started and it had only been 14 minutes :(  I decided to try to make it to 20 minutes at least and maybe, after making it to 20, it would be easier to get to 30 min.  So, off I go again, this time down a different road.  And at the end of this road I see this:

It was like God was saying, come on, you can do this!  It was so inspiring that I kept on going.  I made my round one more time and got back to the library with 4 minutes to go.  I started heading home thinking well, if I get there a minute early that is ok... Then, NO!  I will not cheat myself out of one minute because I'm lazy!  So, I went around the library to make sure I got in my full 30 minutes.  I made it!  With some inspiration and God's grace I was able to do it!

Heavy

There is a show on A&E called Heavy.  The show follows two individuals on their journey to weight loss and healthy living.  They spend one month in a facility and then 5 months at home continuing their journey.  If they fail to make progress they have to return to the treatment facility.  I think the name of this show is very appropriate.  Not only does it deal with heavy people but also with their heavy issues.  I really like that this show deals with real people in real life and they have to learn how to deal just like I do.  It really illustrates how it is not all about the food.  My problem is not eating.  The way I eat is a symptom.  My problem is not knowing how to handle my emotions.  Just about everyone on the show is an emotional eater just like me.  They just won't admit it.
Later in the series they focus on a different facility Hilton Head Health.  I think this is cool because this facility is really close to where I live!  This is a different format though because instead of spending 5 months at home the participants spend the entire 6 months in the facility.  I don't really like this because I wonder how this affects they dealing with issues in their home environment.  I really believe the the key to long term weight loss is a life style change.  How can you change your lifestyle if you are not really living your life?  Anyway, I do see the benefit of it though.  Six months seems like a long enough time to form new habits which will hopefully carry over when they leave the facility.  I have not watched enough episodes to see if they eventually switch back to the other facility.  I still really like the show.  If these people can do it then so can I!
A quote I heard on one of the earlier shows that I really like is " Your body needs to know you are alive" and that is so true!