I was talking to DH yesterday about how warm weather is only a few weeks away here in the South and I have nothing to wear. I don't want to spend any money on clothes in my current size, however, when I know I'll be wearing these clothes until October. I want to drop one more size before I spend any money.
However, that size is slow in coming. I'm losing about three pounds a month. Right now, that means my current clothes are getting loose, but I still haven't dropped down. I seem to be in a small plateau.
My chiro says no exercise for a couple more weeks. I tried to cheat yesterday and was sorry. I simply can't lose any kind of real weight without exercising. I've lost all my muscle mass that carried me through the first phase with my injury. The Tanita says I'm down to 92 lbs of muscle. At my all time high in August I was at 104.
I try to have an attitude like Tawa Chihuahua about just living a healthy life and letting the pounds fall as they may. I'm not sure that's going to work for me until maintenance, however. If I don't keep my mind focused on it, I find myself eating too many little treats. Just this weekend, DH and I ate out four times! We were out doing a lot of things and couldn't make it home to eat. As a result, I'm up a pound--a pound that took me weeks to lose--and I don't think it's water weight.
Several of my EP buddies have lost a lot of weight only to put a big chunk back on in the blink of an eye once they lost focus. They're struggling to get back on track. I'm afraid to take my eye off the ball for that very reason.
I know that when I get pregnant sometime later in the year that I will have to gain weight, and I want to get down as low as I can before that so I have less work to do after the baby is born, because then I won't have the time or energy like I do now. Plus, I suspect my priorities might be elsewhere.
This weekend really made me think about that. We had to do some car shopping to replace DH's smashed Subaru, so we weren't home. Because of this I couldn't follow my weekend routine of grocery shopping, laundry and cooking. Last night I had no on-plan food for dinner in the kitchen--plenty of carbs, but no protein and few veggies. Eating healthy requires preparation. You can't just wing it.
I'm really afraid that once the kids come I'm simply not going to be able to keep this up. It only works if I don't do anything else on the weekends. I am so afraid of backsliding! I am positive that having time to devote to exercise and food prep was one of the keystones of my success. What happens when I lose that time?
Once you break the routine, that's when the backslide begins. If you allow yourself to not exercise or not prepare your food for the week. Or in my case, can't exercise or can't prepare food. Either way the result is the same.
I know that worrying doesn't solve problems, but it seems this is the only way I know to stay mindful of my situation.
Posted By: ashleyb
Comments to this post:
02/19/2007 14:30
Making Time
You are so right Ashley- having time to plan is the key! After I got engaged Aug. 30th, then renewed my weight loss battle on Sept. 16th, I started planning the wedding and lost all time to do much else other than go to work! Without the time to think out my food choices and plan exercise in my day, it led me back to 25 lbs of fat on my body! I cried my tears about gaining and now have the mindset to find the time! My DF has 3 small children whom we have every other weekend, and most of this week since there isn't school, and let me tell you- finding the time is hard- and I don't even have them around that much!
The fact is, you are smart to want to get to goal and maintain a bit before getting pregnant. You will be in a great frame of mind with a healthy body to boot! And after the babies come, you will make the time to eat healthy. I know this because you will want to teach your children to eat that way so they don't have to deal with the heartache that we all have- dealing with obesity! I can just see you scouring the market for organic baby food!!
I know you are upset that your back is not cooperating and is hindering you from exercising. I have feet issues and have to be especially careful not to overdo with the walk/run program I've just started, so I hear ya. Just listen to the chiro. You will be able to go back to your beloved yoga soon. Let your body properly heal. You'll just have to be more diligent with what goes into your mouth! Try to eat home more, maybe! Easier said than done, I know! Chin up girl! Look at that awesome graph of yours when you get discouraged. Or you pics! You are kickin ass!
Like Twinkle said - anytime you get discouraged take a look at where you've come from!!! You've done a phenomenal job getting healthy & you are so close. As far as clothes go, you'd be surprised...buy something one or two sizes too small and hang it up to try on once a week. One day it will just FIT then the next it will be TOO BIG!
I too, have really got to get on the ball with buckling down and getting more organized - I seriously think I'm going through some mid-winter depression here in Philly! Gotta get past it and push on through though - I am not giving up!
Yesterday at WW someone said that anything about "I don't have time to . . ." or "I just can't fit x in" was just an excuse not to try. When I was in the meeting I really wanted to haul off and hit her because 1) sometimes I really do not have time and 2) she is one of those frozen-meal hungry-at-night WWers, persevering to reach her goal through conveniently packaged malnutrition.
That said, I didn't gain just because I was busy. I gained because I chose to reward my efforts at work with poor food choices. That seemed like the only option I had at the time, because retail therapy and exercise and time with friends require TIME, and decent chunks of it. I willfully undid what I worked so hard to achieve. Another factor was stopping running because of injury and lack of time, but if I let that excuse stand I will never lose weight because life ain't getting any slower.
I guess what I'm saying is, it sucks that you can't exercise and yuo didn't have time to cook, but don't let that slow you down any more than it has to. Don't let it snowball into "if I don't have any lean protein in the house, we might as well go out for double bacon cheeseburgers with large shakes." Because that's what losing focus means. Lost time can't be controlled, but lost focus can be disastrous if it's not.
On the summer clothing front, I suggest linen or microfiber drawstring pants/skirts/shorts that will look fine a little tight now and look fabulously baggy, as opposed to dumpy, in 15 lbs. Same with loose tanks and light shirts to wear over them--something with enough tailoring to look flowy and not frumpy when they're a little too big. Easier said than done, but a few pieces can probably hold you till mid-summer and hopefully by then you can buy smaller things?
I'm one of those EP buddies that re-gained after losing focus, so I totally understand your fears! AND, as far as babies go, apparently I'm on a time clock now, too. I blogged about it, won't get into it here, but I'm understanding the need to focus and go as low as possible before the possibility of a baby shifting my priorities away from my personal and selfish needs, too. You're doing so great, though and I'm sure that you will have no issue sticking with it if you keep your attitude positive, you have such a great self-insight already. As far as clothes, get things that are adjustable that can make do for a couple sizes, you deserve new clothes after all that weight loss! Thanks for the Lucy link, btw, I really like the clothes!
I know what you mean, we have decided that putting ourselves through the "heroics" process is not for us, either, and that if it doesn't happen naturally, adoption probably what we'll do. I talked to DH, thankfully we are on the same page, and granted 6 mos wasn't our initial time frame, but try doesn't mean succeed, and we both love each other and want children, so sooner or later, we're going to go w/the flow and let the cards fall as they may. I was afraid that he would be like "no way" but he understands the situation and we're in this together! "Talk" to you later.
i think i m in a plateau period as well...its sooooo hard to make it..and i feel frustrated and disappointed always becoz the speed of losin weight is so so so so so so slow...i realli know i cant be impatient and to stressed but losin weight is realli a HARD and STRICT work!
but hey, look at ur great job! u succeed in doin a such gud jod before so no worries at all! u can make it!
I'm sure you've probably already thought of this...
but do you have a semi-decent discount shop nearby that you could get a few staples just to get you through.
I totally relate to refusing to take my eye off the end for the precise reason you have already mentioned. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, will stand between me and reaching goal. And like you, I wish it would just hurry itself along a little quicker. I would imagine it must be really tough for you to be so close and teasing you. You'll get there. I have no doubt. You've already proven yourself in this exercise in tenacity.
Thanks for mentioning me but surely you've noticed by now how completely neurotic I am! I have suffered angst for the last two months at the scale being 135.something instead of 133.something that it was before Christmas. However, that hasn't stopped me stuffing chocolates and biscuits in my face at work!
I'm sorry you can't exercise, but I have no doubts the healthy eating thing is doable. While they are not ideal, frozen vegetables will come to the rescue on those days when there's 'nothing but carbs in the house.' Be sure to keep a few bags of frozen veg on hand and when you have to use it, remember to replace it. A frozen vegetable and tofu stirfry with brown rice has been my rescue meal MANY times! Never run out of soy sauce! That's my tip for today.
I cried my tears about gaining and now have the mindset to find the time! My DF has 3 small children whom we have every other weekend, and most of this week since there isn't school, and let me tell you- finding the time is hard- and I don't even have them around that much! 
Chin up girl! Look at that awesome graph of yours when you get discouraged. Or you pics! You are kickin ass!