The end of the year always seems like a great time to reassess my progress of weight loss. I will admit I've gone up and down like a yo yo but as of a few moments ago, I am at 317. It wasn't where I expected to be just short of my 38th birthday but that is changing starting now. I bought a smart phone recently and now it's one of my most valuable tools in my journey of weight loss.I downloaded the my fitness pal application that helps me keep track of calorie intake, weight loss or gain, exercises each day and I absolutely love it. I resisted for months keeping tack of my calories but now that has become so much easier and even fun. I believe that I fell into the trap of thinking that losing weight involved eating like a rabbit and that is no fun at all. I realized that making myself feel non-human is not the way to go. I am the first to say I enjoy food and losing weight should not include being miserable when I eat. My mother introduced me to Quinoa an incredible whole grain that is packed with fiber, iron, and essential amino acids. It helps me feel as if I'm eating rice or mashed potatoes but much healthier. It's easy to prepare and tastes fantastic. I feel that eating in moderation is key to success. I don't believe that food has been my enemy but it's been myself burdened with emotional wounds and self-hatred. I used food to comfort myself and now I find new ways to feel better that don't involve food. I play with my dog Abby, listen to audio books, anything that keeps my mind off food. I
I am wearing fifty inch waist blue jeans down from fifty four and fifty six inch waist jeans. I've made lots of progress but I'm excited to keep working towards my goal. When my birthday arrives soon, I intend to be happy and excited about all the good things coming my way. My life has truly turned around during the past year. Last year (2010) was one of the most miserable of my life but not anymore. The most important key to my weight loss besides diet and exercise is feeling good about myself. Those of you that know me know that I've struggled with self-image my entire life. I have to feel good about who I am and love myself and stop beating myself up. Losing weight is an emotional experience and it's been challenging but I'm overcoming the obstacles. Life is good and I am determined to not give up. I have the best friends and family to help keep me encouraged. Be blessed and be well.
