MY BOGGY BLOG: find your way through the murk

Blogging in My Head Doesn't Count

Honestly, I've been blogging in my head a lot, but obviously not writing any of it down. It doesn't count? Sorry about that. I'm going to try and rectify that.

Today I've been thinking about the changes that have happened for me physically in the last 6 months. Last fall, I got a fortuitious mailing from Fairview Clinics, where I go for medical stuff. They were offering a weight-loss program, free to the first 200 applicants who qualified, which would involve a session with a nutritionist to get you on an eating plan, and then sessions with a health coach every 2 weeks for 6 months to help you fine tune and problem solve as you working on eating healthy and getting some exercise. You had to have a certain percentage of body fat (which I did) and fill out some forms. So, even though I wasn't sure just what they would be recommending, it was free, so I signed up. Having one-on-one attention was a plus, since I've tried doing stuff on my own for so long and always fumbled.

The eating plan turned out to be very sensible, do-able and really focused on healthy eating-- basically counting servings of food categories a day, so many proteins, so many vegetables, and encouraging whole grains and discouraging fake diet foods like frozen diet meals or artificial sweeteners. That really fit with my own philosophy. So I made changes and have found that I feel 100% better than I used to. I have tons of energy, my mood is very stable, and I seem to have helped my brain chemistry too, because I haven't been depressed like I used to be. I appreciate food a lot more now, too. I can work treats into my plan, and when I have them, I really take the time to enjoy them.

Today at church, I was going with the 7th graders on their visit to the Zen Center, which is about a 10-block walk from our church. I was thinking as I walked with them what a difference there is in my body and what it can do. A year ago, I was having such knee pain and back pain, I had no stamina and just walking 2 blocks would be hard for me. I would feel exhausted. But I've been exercising regularly, and very slowly working up the amounts and exhertion so that my knees could get stronger. Now, I could agree to go on this walk, no problem, no fear that I wouldn't be able to keep up, that I would be in pain the whole time, that I would be winded. I have some confidence in my body again, that I can do things, that I can keep up! Let me tell you, when you are very fat and out of shape, you lose that confidence and it is so very humiliating and scary. I have a new appreciation for my body!

I still have a long way to go. Since November, I've lost 28 lbs so far, and since my very highest weight a few years ago, I've lost 42 lbs. I'm confident that I can stick with this plan for good. I feel so much better eating this way. Now I'm just waiting for summer to come and the new rounds of fresh veggies and fruits that I can get at the farmer's markets. I could use the variety!