Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Friends, I have had some exciting news to share with you all for the past week.  Most of you know that about a week ago, a few friends and I completed a 5k.  I think I'll wait to post about that event in a later post.

For now, I want to share with you all that I did it.  Earlier this year I decided to set my weight goal at 145 pounds, or the start of the "healthy weight range" according to the BMI scale.  Today I write you weighing in at 144.  I'm wearing size small and 4/6s.

 

It's strange being here.  I've reached my goal but I still feel like I have quite a ways to go.  I feel so good about where I am.  I am a new woman.  In so many ways I have been reborn.

As a symbolic gesture of where I've been over the last few months, I've done something today that I've been preparing for since the beginning.  Today, I chopped off all my hair.

I've had cropped hair before.  When I was a kid my Granny would cut it up to my chin every summer.  2007 was the last time I had short hair because every time I saw my reflection in the mirror I was horrified at how fat my face looked with the cut.  I kept hearing JK Rowling describing Harry's cousin Dudley as, "a pig in a wig."  Since then I've looked on with envy at all the gorgeous short haircuts out there.  Now, at a healthy weight, I am no longer that girl.  I am in charge of my body, in charge of my cravings, in charge of my hair.  I love it.

So close, but right on schedule

Hello friends!

March is coming to a close and I'm very happy to report an exciting milestone.  I've now lost 40 lbs (and 30 inches!)!  That's right, as of this morning I'm weighing in at exactly 150.0.  This means I'm only 5 lbs away from a healthy weight range.  I can't quite put this feeling into words.  I've never been more proud of myself.  It's like I've climbed a mountain; just over a year ago I never thought I could live like this.  Now this is my life.  I'm the healthy one that people ask for advice.  I'm the one being called an inspiration.  More than that, I'm taking steps towards becoming the person I always wanted to be. 

I always pictured myself as being very active and adventurous, but my weight and accompanying physical limitations kept me from realizing that.  I fantasized about running through the woods, kayaking on the ocean, rock climbing, exploring new territories.  I watched movies about people who did those things, passively exploring the life that I could never have.  That disconnect has been partly responsible for years of depression.  My body wouldn't allow me to be the person that my brain admired.  I know I'm not there yet, but I'm closer than I've ever been.

This hasn't been easy, but I'm so excited for this post next month that I actually start to love the challenge.

What's Changed

As some of you may know, my husband was recently in Uganda for almost two months.  Before he left I decided to take that time as an opportunity to put myself first.  I had been in a weight loss rut for about 6 months and I was determined to get out of it.  I had been pushing myself harder in the gym and that wasn't doing anything for me so I decided to take a renewed look at the way I eat.  I thought about the last time I lost 30 pounds, when I was in high school.  I recall that it fell off with minimal effort.  At the time my sister was home cooking food under the South Beach Diet, and while I was still eating what I wanted away from home the weight came off. 

So I started to do a little research to figure out if it was something I could do again (spoiler alert: I did).  While I still don't claim to know the intricacies of the diet, I do know that it's comprised of three phases.  The first two weeks are the strictest.  During this phase your body goes through detox to help get rid of the cravings for the crappy food you (I) normally eat by avoiding any carbohydrates, certain fats, and foods that are high on the glycemic index, like fruit.  After two weeks you move to phase two where you incorporate some of those foods back into your diet, like whole grains, most fruit and good fats until you reach your ideal weight and then in phase three you maintain your weight by only eating crappy food in moderation (I think that's about once a week, maybe less).

Two weeks didn't seem so bad.  I gave phase one a try and lost six pounds!  The weight just fell off and it really boosted my confidence/determination.  I hadn't intended to continue to phase two but I think I'm basically in phase two now.

Since this time I've been going a different route.  After watching a few amazing nutritional documentaries like Forks Over Knives, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, and Hungry For Change (all of which are available on Netflix), I've started thinking about food a little differently.  I've come to realize that I had been addicted to sugar, and that this addiction was going to kill me.  I stopped trying to maintain the South Beach Diet and instead looked towards transitioning to a whole foods, plant based diet.  Since this time I'm losing 1-2 pounds a week.  Every time I look in the mirror I'm a different person and I'm only about 8 pounds away from the "healthy" region of the BMI.

More than anything I'm just really proud of myself.  I've had cakes, cookies, candies, chocolates all waved in front of my eyes but I've only given in to temptation maybe twice in two months, and even then it was in moderation.  The best part is to discover that once you get started it's actually very easy to keep up with.  It just takes a little planning and creativity, and the key is to never let yourself get hungry.  I know what it's like to eat convenience foods and to allow yourself to give into temptation, but believe me when I say that this is so much better.  I am what I eat.  I used to be pounds of sugar, oils, fats, and meat.  Now I'm closer to a cute little zucchini! 

 Let me know if you're giving this a try!  I have a ton of recipes and a Google spreadsheet of meals and menus that I can share with you for ideas!