The Beginning

Family Reunion in Myrtle Beach in June. Just 4 short months away. I need to lose weight, get healthier.

Where I am Now: Now I am overweight, borderline diabetic with all the symptoms of Syndrome X: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight apple shape, some insulin resistance. My high blood pressure is borderline, I am not on any meds at this time.

My life is busy, full of stress and deadlines, my doctor was very unsympathetic about that. I am in need of me time to do what I want to do, not what I have to do. I truly believe that mental stress causes physical illness.

Where I want to be: I would like to be 30 pounds less by the reunion. Based on 4 months, or 16 weeks at 2 pounds a week, I will barely make that goal. I hope that the blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes issues will resolve themselves through the healthier lifestyle I will try to lose the weight.

Why I want to do this: My life is speeding by, I am now 41 and have spent the last 20 years bearing and raising children. My youngest is 4 years old and I somewhat still yearn for another baby. Losing weight would make that goal possible as my current state of health is not conducive for a pregnancy. The reunion just gives me a deadline and push to get my self started on a healthier lifestyle.

Why haven't I been successful in the past at losing weight? I've lost, gained, but never truly lost all the baby weight. Identifying the factors that keep me from losing will help me to be more aware and prevent those factors from sabotaging my weight loss.
First would be my will power. When I'm tired or hungry I have no will power to make those good choices. I just grab whatever is convenient and palatable to shove in my mouth.
Second, I also eat for pleasure or pain. This was hard to identify but as I tried to pay attention to why I was eating I noticed if I had a bad day I would turn to food. Food is also part of family celebrations.
Third, I do not get enough sleep. I feel like I have been sleep deprived for 20 years. First with the babies, then with staying up too late just to have some time for myself or to keep getting thing done because I was gone for the evening.
Fourth, I do not like to cook. I have a few recipes that the family seems to like and we eat the same meals over and over. I'm bored but do not know what even sounds appetizing that I would like to prepare. Often I am too tired to clean up after cooking the meal and the mess waits for me till I clean it up.
Fifth I would rather lift weights than do aerobics. I would rather walk outside than ride my exercise bike or dvd's.
Sixth may be that healthy food choices are not available in my house and I need to restructure my grocery list.
the final factor is time. I have lived a life of sacrifice for my family, putting everybody else's needs before my own. I have no time for myself.


This is where I begin.