Tuesday, February 1, 2011

80 Pounds GONE FOREVER!

Today I'm celebrating a great milestone.

I've officially lost 80 pounds (80.2 to be exact)!  That is 20/4lb bags of sugar!  Or 8/10lb bowling balls. 

Along with that 80 pounds lost, I've also lost 70 inches.  Did you hear that?  70.  So for every 10 pounds I lost almost 10 inches.  That's alot of FAT. GONE FOREVER!

So today I weigh 204.8.  I started at 285.  Man, that feels good to be able to say.

I remember being 285 and wondering if I would ever see 270, or 250, or 225, or dare I dream of 219?

And today I can literally almost see 199.

199!  Wow.

Wherever you are today, right now, in this moment, you can be somewhere better in a few months, a year.  You can change your own blueprint, one small tweak at a time.  It's not only possible, it becomes easy with time.  Did I just say easy?  Yeah, I meant it.

It is way easier for me to stay in control with my eating now, a year and a half into the journey.  Why?  Because I really genuinely like healthier foods now.  I like the way they taste, the way they make me feel.  I like the fuel they are for my athletic endeavors.  And I didn't just cold turkey completely change my eating habits.  I did it gradually.  I made small changes.  And then more changes, and then a few more changes.  And I'm sure I'm not done tweaking!

I keep trying and finding new healthy foods I like.  My "favorite foods" once consisted of chicken fingers slathered in some kind of sauce, typically honey mustard, because fried chicken on its own didn't have any flavor.  It was just oily and fried.  And I thought I loved it.  It made me feel bloated, greasy and unhappy.  I never felt comfortable unless I was completely stuffed to the gills.  I didn't know what "full and satisfied" was. I was just so afraid of hunger that I didn't allow myself to get hungry even a little bit.

Today, hunger isn't the norm, I eat when I'm hungry, but that is just the point - I eat when I'm hungry.  I don't eat because it is 11am, I eat because its time for lunch, according to my tummy growling.

Does it mean you won't ever catch me noshing or snacking for no reason?  Of course not.  I had my share (and yours) of dark chocolate today.  There are days like that.  But of all things to have a few ounces of, that's a good choice.

I no longer crave the fried chicken fingers.  I like a piece of fried chicken every now and then (and when it's $1 at work - lol).  But I don't typically crave it and when given the choice, I ALWAYS choose grilled.

And every time I make that choice, I feel more empowered and in control.  And able to make the choice again and again.  And I feel good about the choice. I no longer regret my food.  I don't hate myself for making bad choices.  Because most of my choices are really really good.

A healthy lifestyle works, my friends.  I'm living it.  And in 39.8 pounds I will reach my goal weight.  I'm 2/3 of the way done with my weight loss.  So I sort of know what I'm talking about here.

Enough ranting for tonight - going to get a good night's sleep so I can get an early start on that next 40 pounds!

~Clara

5 comments:

Precious 3 said...

Congrats Clara! I love watching you hit each milestone, and can't wait to cheer with you when you hit 199!

Beach Bum said...

Clara, tonight I have been reading a few of your posts and I have been moved to share this with you. As you know, Jennifer has been extremely motivated by you and the lifestyle changes that you have made over the past two years. She in turn has been motivating me to do the same. Tonight, as I was reading your posts something finally clicked! I have to make the decision! Granted I am not incredibly over weight, but I am heavier than I would like to be. My eating habits are terrible, and up until recently I had little to know physical activity in my daily life. A few months ago I started the couch to 5K program, and last week completed a 3.1 mile run. I was overjoyed. However, I have been frustrated because I am still sitting at the same weight as when I began the program. Today, I was contemplating this problem. I have 15 pounds to reach my first goal, and the scale has not moved a bit since I began the program. I do feel better, I have a great amount of energy, and I am more aware of my eating habits, however I'm not a stickler towards my eating. I too love food, and enjoy everything that is "non food" and despise the things that are "healthy". All that to say this, I have been deeply motivated by your journey. Thank you for starting this journey and logging your path. My family has been changed, Jennifer is continuing to loose weight, is smaller that I ever remember, and this is strengthening our marriage. I am in the process of seeking out my new blueprint. I thought that a little activity would be all I needed to change in order to change my weight and appearance, however I am learning from Jennifer and you, that it will take more to see the weight begin to fall off. You see, I thought that not eating, lowering my calories for the day, and running 3 days a week would make me loose the weight quickly. Boy was I wrong, instead I was starving myself(eating one meal a day), and making myself miserable. I changing my eating habits, eating several times a day, broadening my horizons of food that will be on the spectrum, and increasing my exercise activity level to 4 or 5 days a week. Thank you for all the sharing you do on this blog. It is all beginning to finally make sense. I pray that as you continue in your journey that you will continue to find the motivation you need. The Lord is using your journey as a ministry to others, and this ministry is touching many more than the followers you have on this blog.
Carl Newman

Alex said...

Nice work, Clara, Congrats!!

Love,
Alex

Unknown said...

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!! That totally rocks!!!!!! You rock for keeping at it! You have inspired me to change my own blueprint!!! Keep rockin because I will be reading!!!!!

ClaraB said...

Thank you everyone for your awesome comments and your support. I can't tell you how inspired I get by knowing that some part of my journey can inspire someone else.

Carl, I'm speechless over your comment and yah, it brought surprise and tears (thanks alot - lol). Thank you for sharing it. Really, the whole point of this blog is to show people it CAN be done. If I can do it, anyone can! Congrats on your running achievements and I will be following your weight loss that IS coming. After awhile your tastes will change and you will crave the healthy stuff - doesn't mean you won't crave the not so healthy stuff but it will lessen enough to help you make a permanent change.

Best to all of you,
Clara