In Other News . . . Plus a Weigh-in!

I exercised today!! And man, was it painful! About 30 seconds into it I actually considered turning around and just hiding in the bushes for a half hour. My left calf started to burn immediately and OH MY GOD WHAT WAS THAT PAIN IN MY RIGHT KNEE? It was pathetic. The only thing that kept me going was picturing myself in cuter workout clothes and wondering what it would be like to walk or run and NOT have my thighs rub together.

Beginning “moderate exercise” (which, in my book, is a 30-minute, two-mile brisk walk) when you’re both morbidly obese and you’ve been sedentary for the past several years is a ginormous undertaking. Please PLEASE don’t do any of this without the guidance of a real doctor. I am fortunate enough to work for a company that has a health clinic ON SITE, and all of my vitals are being monitored weekly.

Speaking of which, I have a secret to let out: I really DO know how much I weigh.

The company I work for (Pepsi) started an incentive at the beginning of the year, which required a weigh-in at the time of sign-up. And the reason why I never shared any of this with you is because I didn’t want to weigh what the Pepsi scale said I weighed – I wanted to weigh what the Wii scale said I weighed.

But being that the Pepsi scale is located in a MEDICAL OFFICE, I had to come to terms with the fact that I weighed more than I thought I did. Not easy when you’re touchy about the numbers.

So here they are, in all their splendor – my initial statistics, which were recorded by a medical professional on January 4, 2011:

Height: 5' 8 1/4"

Weight: 292.8

BMI: 44

Body Fat %: 47.0

And now, due to popular demand, are my current numbers – recorded by a medical professional on Thursday, January 20, 2011:

Height: 5' 8 1/4"

Weight: 287.2

BMI: 43.3

Body Fat %: 46.5

Less than stellar, I admit. But things are really going to get cooking in the next few weeks now that I’ve started exercising, and I’m only going to do it more often than less. At least I’m still staying with it!

I also took my first physical since HIGH SCHOOL today. Can you stand it? And talk about another pathetic showing . . . During the strength test, the doctor told me I was “not that strong.” Hilarious, considering I look like I can put on quite a show of force at 5’8” and 287 pounds. Other things I cannot do: Hop on one foot and walk putting one foot in front of the other while not looking down and holding my arms straight out to my sides. How fun is that? Not being able to pass a sobriety test when I’m SOBER?! “No, really officer. I haven’t had a drink since 2010. I know this looks bad. Really, I do . . . Can I offer you some water?” Tomorrow morning I get my blood work done, and next week I should have my results. Not sure I want to see how bad my cholesterol is, but I’d like to know how my thyroid and blood sugar levels are doing.

One more thing . . . I’ve made another adjustment to my journaling. I will track when and what I eat, along with the hunger factor, and add in when I exercise.

This getting healthy business is a little time consuming. . . but I’ll do what I have to so I can look fabulous, feel fabulous, and BE fabulous in 2011!!

It All Started With Underoos

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Last night I started to write a blog post addressing a couple of questions I've received since I started toward my health & fitness goals, then I realized I could just take it to the flip cam!

If you're not interested in viewing, the short version of the story is this:

1. No, I am not pregnant. I'm drinking water only for a year (for thirst) to lose weight and get healthy, not because I'm legally required to do it for an unborn baby's sake. Sheesh. :)
2. Thank you for all of your kind words and comments. If you're going to take the time to visit me, I encourage you to give feedback and submit questions. I was on Spicoli's side -- If I'm here, and you're here, this is OUR time. So make the best of it. Ask me anything you want, and I'll address it. Scout's honor.
3. Renee in Missouri asked me if I could remember when I first realized I was fat. My answer was when I was six . . . I wanted (and got) a pair of "Underoos" (seriously -- I can't believe I admitted that to the world), and since they were two-piece, you can only imagine what I looked like. Six years old, so totally not height/weight proportionate. My mom took a picture. My family got a big laugh. Then when I saw the photo I realized I didn't look like the girl on the package. Crying ensues.

There you have it! :)

But I really encourage you to watch the video. If you are anything like me, then you'll definitely relate.

An Emotional Testimony

Wow -- thank you to everyone who has subscribed to my YouTube channel, posted comments here on the blog, and sent me notes of encouragement via email. I am truly thankful for your kind words; you have no idea how motivating they are!

Today I'd like to address the number one question I receive when I first tell someone that I have decided to give up soda, Starbuck's, alcohol, and soda for an entire year. And that question is: "Why?!"

As in, why would I give up all the creature comforts that make everyone else so happy? How could I possibly turn my back on the things that millions profess that they JUST CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT?? How about this:

1. I'll save at least $1,000 alone in kicking my Starbucks habit. ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. That's $20 per week for 52 weeks. I used to go four times per week, and spend $5 per visit. And that was just on "coffee," and does not include what I spent in addition to the drinks, such as a muffin or scone. How much a week do YOU spend on Starbucks? Why don't you just write me a check for $1,000? At least I'll put it to good use . . .
2. Since we're talking about Starbucks, I'll address what I used to drink four times per week: A "Double Venti, Extra Hot White Mocha with Whipped Cream." Seriously. And I wonder why I'm so frigging fat? Try this on for size: That drink contains 450 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 53 grams of carbs. If you're a point-counter, that's a 13-point drink. Which is more points than a McDonald's Sausage Egg McMuffin!
3. About the alcohol . . . I was more than your average casual drinker. I'd go out for cocktails a couple of times per week, as well as indulge at home. I won't even begin to try to count calories on that one, I just know that (a) I'll be saving an additional $200 per month on drink bills and BevMo receipts and (b) I'll be doing my liver a HUGE favor.
4. I hate my teeth. They're yellow and I've always had problems with cavities. Know why? Because I was addicted to soda. Hopefully kicking my soda habit will brighten my smile as well as reduce my waist size!

Last, but not least: How about, "I'm just tired of being fat."

Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm tired of people looking PAST ME, not at me. I'm tired of how being morbidly obese makes me feel. I'm tired of pretending that I'm happy with shopping at one store because they're the only one who carries my size in anything that looks halfway decent.

Why can't "I'm tired of being fat" be a good reason to drink only water for a whole year? Why can't people understand that I'm not crazy, I'm not pregnant, and I'm not broke? Is everyone so brainwashed that they can't process the fact that there are people in the world who really CAN live without Starbucks and going out for drinks?

*Sigh*

My husband and I have always taught our kids that life is about choices. You can choose to be happy or sad, grateful or selfish, and fit or fat. In the past, I always chose fat, because it was the easy thing to do. It was what everyone else did, right? Easy is awesome.

And after 38 years of choosing easy, I'm learning how difficult it is to re-train my way of thinking.

Not a day goes by where I don't wish I could be drinking a Pepsi. Or a "Double Venti, Extra Hot White Mocha with Whipped Cream." Or a Raspberry Lemon Drop.

I say to myself, "No one will know. You can just have one Pepsi. Or one little cocktail . . . and nobody will be the wiser.

But somewhere between choosing easy and choosing fit, I grew a conscience.

I'll know that I did it. I'll know that I broke down and had some Liquid Satan. And I just can't do that to all those who received a personal guarantee that I'd finish. Or most importantly, to myself.