Less than six weeks to go

I feel like hitting the panic button - there is less than six weeks to go on the Greatest Thriver. I have lost 33 pounds so far (24.5 inches) and have said goodbye to 200 pound mark FOREVER! I feel like I have accomplished so much and yet, I still have so far to go.
I will miss the teamwork portion of the Greatest Thriver journey when we are done. I truly believe that we have become a team on this journey and have encouraged each other along the way.
I also believe that I have learned new skills that will carry me on to the final weight loss goal that I desire. I, like others, will have to continue the journey on for the rest of my life to be successful.
In the past, I lost pounds with a special diet and then eventually got tired of the food and began to add my own personal diet plan to the mix. Hopefully, I have learned to eat sparingly the things I like so I won't go overboard and gain all of my weight back.
This week, I had my yearly check-up at the doctor's office. My doctor was so proud of me and my blood work was really good.

I would say to anyone who wishes to sign up for Greatest Thriver next year to definately get your name in at the Henry County Health Fair. That is where I signed up last year.

The Greatest Thriver has been a wonderful experience for me. I have learned new exercise skills and learned to control my eating not with a specific diet, but by eating wisely the things I love.

Come to the Henry County Health Fair, June 13 at the YMCA and start a new healthy lifestyle!

Remaining Faithful To Myself

I have been reading about how everyone is getting into action and really making this last two months count on our Greatest Thriver journey. That is really great! As for me, I have continued to work out 5-6 times each week and find that whenever I leave the exercise routine behind I miss it. I guess I love routine. Somehow it makes me feel safe.
I still have a lot of weight to lose in the next two months and realize that I won't even be close to the goal weight I desire by the end of the Greatest Thriver journey. That is scary for me. It makes me want to go on a very strict routine, a fad diet or something, and not stick to what I know works for me.
I have to look at the progress I have already accomplished and realize that this "routine" is forever. I can not go back to the lifestyle of my former self and expect to have positive results. Someone said, "If you do what you have always done, you can expect the same results as you have always had."
I watch The Biggest Loser and have noticed that the minute the contestants get an opportunity to eat starch and sugar they always seem to over indulge. They never seem to learn. (even when the cameras are rolling)

My prayer and greatest desire is that Greatest Thriver's experience and the coaching of Lauri Stonerock will remain with me throughout the rest of my life. I want to be a different person and remain faithful to myself and my lifestyle change forever.

The Easter Eggs Got Me

Well, it finally happened. The chocolate Easter eggs got me and I gained .8 of a pound last week. I know better than to mess with chocolate temptation, but unfortunately I did it anyway.
Because I am such a slow loser and don't lose but one pound or so per week, a whole week's progress was thrown out the window. But that was last week and now I am walking the straight and narrow again. See you at the scale!

Exercise well worth the effort

The beautiful sunshine of the last two days has been an inspiration to me. I am inspired to shop. Yea, I get to get a whole new wardrobe this spring because I have nothing that fits. In most years, that is because I have outgrown my clothes. But this year is different, I have shrunk! Hurrah!
The Greatest Thrivers experience has been a good one for me. I have learned to exercise at least 4-5 times each week, watch what I eat and control my portions. So far since September I have only gained one week and that was .4 of a pound. So I am slowly taking off the excess weight.
I have lost weight numerous times in my life, but this is the first time that I have undergone weight training. I have learned that even though muscle weighs more - it sure looks better.
The winter has always been an extended time of depression and overeating for me. When the sun doesn't shine, neither do I. This winter while exercising at Health Ridge, I have made it through the bleak weather with less depression time because I have exercised.
Exercise is the key to success in my book. A routine exercise program has relieved my stress, increased my mobility and lifted depression.
I wish I could say I love it, but I don't. I only say that I know I MUST exercise. It's like flossing your teeth. Few people get up each day and say, "Wow, today I get to floss." The same is true with exercise. Although exercise is hard - it's well worth the effort!

Husband on the mend

My husband, Mike, just got home today from having surgery at Reid Hospital. He had prostate removal surgery last Thursday so I spent five days in the hospital trying to keep him company.
We are both glad that he is at home and on the mend.
As for me, it was hard being in the hospital and eating the food that was available. I admit I didn't keep 100% to my healthy eating plan. I kept the exercise up though so I hope I don't have a weight gain.
Well, at least I'm back at home and ready to get serious with the food plan again.

Kick it up and smile

Winter is almost over and it is time for us to start thinking about spring. Spring always means a time of new beginnings.
As a farm girl, I always look forward to spring when we begin a new crop year. It is a time when the sun begins to shine and so does my spirits. It is a very busy time of activity.
I want this spring to be a time of new personal beginnings for me with my diet program. I have found in the past two months of cold, snowy weather that I have fallen back into patterns that are not the best for a person who wants to be successful with their new healthy lifestyle plan. I have dipped into the chocolate candy dish too often.
It is time to get serious and tough for us on the Greatest Thriver program. I don't want to be a Survivor. I want to be a Thriver, don't you? There is little time to waste now. We are well over half way through our program and I am not half way to my goal weight.
I am happy that I have lost 27 pounds through the winter months, but that rate of loss will not get me to the goal weight I so desire to be at come June. So I plan to kick it up a bit this month and smile all the while.

Old Dog Learns New Tricks

In the past year, I took a course with Clarian Health to learn how to help people quit smoking. The task of breaking an addiction is very daunting. I learned that the nicotine from tobacco can be flushed from your body in 72 hours, but the habits that you have acquired make the smoker want to smoke for much longer. These habits are called triggers. Triggers are everyday habits you do without thinking that make you think you want a cigarette. Like having a morning cup of coffee.
Dieting is much the same as smoking. We develop habits that make us want to turn to chocolate or cookies or chips. Personally I have always been a stress eater. Of course I don't eat stress, but I am someone who turns to food for comfort in times of stress. "Afterall, I deserve something special..." Does that sound familiar?
Several days ago, I attended a particularly long meeting in Indianapolis. It had been a snowy drive to the conference and I was extremely nervous about the traffic. The day was long and I was feeling overwhelmed at the task before me. When I got in my car to travel home in rush-hour traffic, I had the intense craving for McDonald's French fries. In fact, I thought I was gonna' die without McDonald's French fries. The feeling grew with each passing mile. I HAD TO HAVE SOME FRENCH FRIES!!!
I thought of the advice I so freely give the people who want to quit smoking. I smile and tell them to put off the act for as long as you can.
Taking my own advice, I passed the first exit that boasted of having a Micky D's and decided to try to make it to Pendleton exit. The traffic was slow and it took a while to get to the exit. By the time I got there, I decided to put off my purchase until I got to New Castle. Well, you guessed it. By the time I got to New Castle, I had come to my sences. I drove on by McDonalds and came home to fix an evening meal of Lean Cuisine.
This little episode taught me a good lesson. When I am in a stressful situation, I absolutely can not turn to food. I have to retrain myself to sing or pray or laugh. Anything but eating will do. I guess even this old dog can learn new tricks!