Weigh-in day 12!

Yes, I know, I've missed a couple of weigh-ins. AND this one is a day late, but I'm trying my best to post when I can! This week . . . 202.5!! This is a bit of a guesstimate, because Monday at the doctor's office I weighed 202.4, but today at the gym I weighed 202.9 in my non-workout clothes. So, I'm sort of averaging. Nonethless - a step closer! When I weighed in before Texas in March, I was at 203. So, this is good! Once I got back to my (sort of) normal lifestyle, the weight is still coming off, albeit slowly.

I'm about to take another trip to Texas which I'm sure will include some alcohol temptation and also delicious food that I shouldn't eat. These are things that everyone has to deal with on vacation - they can't be avoided. So, I'm going to say a couple of things about TRAVELING while on a diet. #1 - PREPARATION IS YOUR FRIEND!! Don't expect the gas station or the news stand in the airport to have the cereal/snack bars/baked chips you like. Bring your own! There's no airline restriction on how much food you can carry on. As long as it's not liquid, you're safe. If you're staying with a friend, they won't mind you buying some healthy snacks or foods from the grocery store. Family is sometimes a little harder - nobody wants to hurt grandma's feelings by not eating her pie! But if your family supports you, they will want you to succeed. Just say, in the nicest way possible, I just need a couple of things from the store to help me stay on track with my diet! Have a bite or two of whatever they're cooking, and then rave about how delicious it is. Most importantly - don't guilt yourself into eating what you don't want to. In the end, it's your call.
#2 - DRINK WATER! A great plan in everyday life, too, but traveling makes your body retain water. The best thing you can do is stay hydrated and try to flush the salt out of your system, so you won't feel bloated. Steer clear of sodas and even teas (especially sweetened ones) if you can - water's always better!
#3 - Make good decisions WHENEVER POSSIBLE! Everyone likes to splurge a little on vacation. But the key is to plan your splurges. If you splurge at every meal, don't expect to lose weight that week. Eat salads/veggies and fruit whenever you can to help combat the fatty /cheesy/carb-filled things you might want to eat later.
#4 - Be HONEST WITH YOURSELF. If you know you're going to be miserable making "good decisions" all week - then decide BEFORE HAND to maintain or gain a pound or two. Take control of your situation and say, "This is my week to have a little of what I usually can't have, so that I don't feel deprived and I can stick to my diet plan longer." Really, that's the ultimate goal. Nobody can go through life avoiding all desserts forever (ok, maybe you can, and I applaud you!), so it's all about balance. The most important thing is not to lose control - have a little of the stuff you love, and try to push away the plate. Whether it's good foods or bad foods, it's all about portion control. And if you decide before hand to let yourself loose a bit, then you're in control of your diet. Your diet CANNOT control you.

Thanks for reading everyone! Happy vacationing if you're lucky enough to do so!

What Honesty Can Do

Today I'm proud of being honest. After years of hiding my body, of hiding the fact that I hate the way I look, I've been able to start changing my life by being honest. And mostly, I'm proud that my honesty has inspired some of my friends to take control of their life, too. My friend Brittany has started a blog very similar to this one. She even joined Weight Watchers because it's been working for me. In her first week, she lost 6 pounds! As if I wasn't happy enough losing weight myself and continuing to stay on plan, I've encouraged and inspired someone I love to do the same. And she is not the only one that has told me they're working towards a healthier self!!

I'm proud that I decided for myself that my life does NOT have to be mediocre - I do not have to be disappointed every time I look in the mirror. I CAN be as happy as I've ever been; I can spend my life at that level of satisfaction with myself. Bad things happen in life, of course, and that stuff is completely out of my hands. But the person that I am, the person I'm becoming - that IS in my hands. I'm proud that I've realized all this, and I'm proud that I've helped people I care about very much realize it.

Interestingly, the more I work on my health and my weight, the more I see my personality improving. I'm more of the person I hope to be one day. I'm a generally happier and more productive person. I don't snap at people as easily, I don't get as aggravated or angry at little things. I guess for me, the happier I am with myself, the happier I am for other people and all their accomplishments. The easier it is for me to be 100% happy for them, instead of like 5% jealous and 95% happy. I'm not saying that overweight people are selfish. But I know that sometimes there was a voice in the back of my head reminding me that I was unhappy. If someone got new clothes, I would think, "I'll never look that good in that outfit." Or if someone ate unhealthy food, I would think, "How come they can eat that and stay thin and I can't?" Living as an unhappy overweight person is exhausting - it feels like acting all the time. Acting like I'm happy, like I'm confident, like I feel like I belong in a group of all my gorgeous friends. But lately, I've been actually FEELING the way that I've been acting like I feel for years. I know I'm not at the finish line, but I'm feeling great about how far I've already come. Maybe it's that I can feel my clothes getting loser, or maybe it's all the endorphins from the gym - but whatever it is, I like it!

Please ask if you'd like the link to my friend Brittany's blog - I hope we can help her feel the same support I feel!