The Weight Loss Journey Continues

Good health is something we often take for granted. I know I did. That’s until I had my first of several health scares. You know…your heart starts beating fast and you can’t catch your breath. Or you can’t get rid of a headache for a few days because your blood pressure is elevated.

All warning signs.

All nudges from your body that something isn’t quite right and to make some changes.

For many, weight loss helps lower the risk of certain diseases. I think we’ve all seen and maybe grown numb to the commercials that remind the obese of their impending doom.

But I know doing something about it can be difficult.

I remember watching an episode of My 600lb Life with my hubby and it was clearly obvious that this one character wasn’t ready for change. She had the surgery and everything and still gained weight. She lied to herself and said she was doing everything she knew to do. She cried big crocodile tears as my grandmother used to call them. I saw through it all. I know it well because I’ve done the same thing. Trust me…#ThisWomanKnows.

I’ve tried lots of stuff to lose weight.

And yes praying to be skinny was one of them. Hey I was 13!

I was successful on two…WeightWatchers and Fen-Phen.

First Fen-Phen.

Oh. How. I. Loved. Fen-Phen.

For those that don’t know, Fen-Phen was a drug cocktail doctors prescribed by doctors to help you lose weight and that stuff worked. I remember taking it and I never thought about food. I had to remind myself to eat and I loved not being obsessed about my next meal. I loved looking at a tray of donuts and saying, “nah, don’t want ’em.” Oh my God I was hooked! I loved not being controlled by food. It was empowering and I felt free!

But then my heart started racing while taking those things and it scared me. So I stopped taking them and the thoughts of food returned and I succumbed to the tray of donuts (OK not the whole tray…maybe two or three).

Good thing because the drug cocktail was causing serious damage to lots of heart valves out there. Thankfully I checked out just fine.

Then There Was Weight Watchers.

Weight Watchers didn’t do for me what Fen-Phen did and that was take my mind off of food. Now I was constantly thinking about it. Counting points. Planning meals from menus when I knew we were going out. If I worked out, I could add points back and then there were the bonus points. I did this for about a year and lost 60lbs. But then the strangest thing happened. I got scared. I didn’t recognize the slimming person I saw in the mirror and I retreated. All the attention, all the stares, I wasn’t used to it and I just wasn’t accustomed to living life as a small person so I started putting back on the weight.

And my dear husband loved me as he helplessly watched me ascend back up the scale.

It’s been back and forth since then.

[tweet_box]Start a program—see some progress—get happy and eat. Start a program—see little progress—get discouraged and eat.[/tweet_box]

Eating RAW.

Of all the things I’ve tried, this was the most difficult. Now, not only were there restricted foods but there were preparation restrictions.

I will admit that I felt great after about a week or so of eating like this.

But maintaining a raw eating lifestyle in my opinion was expensive and didn’t work for my family of three. Plus I got bored.

This is however, probably one of the healthiest ways to eat and we did plant a veggie garden so we could incorporate more fruit and veggies in our diet. Not that we weren’t, we just want veggies that actually have taste…not the bland mass produced stuff at the store.

So What’s Next?

Weight loss surgery? I honestly would if every member of my immediate family hadn’t voted against it. Even if the surgeries are routine now, it’s still major surgery and things happen. None of them are willing to take the risk of losing me. I guess its kinda sweet actually. And it’s not like I haven’t been successful in the past when I did what the experts say…watch your diet and move.

So weight loss surgery is out.

Hypnosis? I’m seriously considering and doing my homework on this one. The brain is pretty powerful and breaking old habits and patterns can be tough. I learned that your brain really doesn’t like anything new. It likes predictability even if that means the outcome is detrimental to you.

Inner work? Did that. I know my whys. I know my triggers. I can pretty much pinpoint the time in my life when food became my source of comfort.

So I’m back at the gym working out. Strength training is my best friend. Cardio in moderation (gives me the munchies which kinda works against my goal). And I want a punching bag…mounted to the two by fours in the ceiling so I can beat the crap out of something that doesn’t constitute as assault.

I know this much, stroke, heart attack and diabetes are not options.

So less processed food and more stuff out of the garden (please let everything sprout and grow). This whole backyard gardening thing is more than a notion!

More water and I’m not a water drinker. Even with all the berries and cucumber and melon infused concoctions…it’s still water but I know my body needs it.

Supplements…I’m not opposed to these and right now the Iaso (TM) NRG supplements from Total Life Care work. No jitters. No spiked blood pressure and I’m not thinking about food so this is a win for me. I looked up the ingredients and it contains phenethylamine (an organic compound…it’s a natural stimulant), dark cocoa, natural caffeine and minerals.

#ThisWomanKnows the weight loss struggle is real but it can be conquered.

So whether you opt for surgery, hit the gym, go vegan, go raw, just remember to take care of yourselves and speak kind to yourself during the process.

The journey continues.