December 29 is a celebration day
for me. It has been three years since I
reached a 70-pound weight loss. I have placed a lot of pressure on myself this
past year, as I have been “maintaining” a weight about 2 pounds above that
70-pound-weight loss number. I have been
completely and totally hung up on THAT NUMBER!!! As I start this blog post, I don’t know what
the number will be on December 29, because I start writing this memory actually
on December 27. I’m starting now because
I really want to focus on the past three years, instead of THAT NUMBER!!!
I started my wellness journey on
April 7, 2014. I didn’t really have a
goal weight in my mind, as the program that I participate with (HMR program) does
not assign you a target weight number.
But as I got closer to the end of that year, and also got closer to the
70-pound weight loss number, I thought how nice it would be to hit that mark
before the end of the year. Sure enough,
as I weighed in on December 29, 2014, I
hit that 70-pound-weight loss. I had in
my mind that I would lose another 10 pounds, and then I would be content to
maintain.
Things can change with what you
might have in your mind that you want to accomplish. I did lose a few more pounds over the next
several weeks, and I maintained that weight loss for several months. However, it became evident that it may not be
a “true weight loss.” In my efforts to
concentrate on a particular number, I was exercising a lot, but not keeping the
nutrition balance appropriate for the amount of exercise. Brandon, my health educator worked with me,
tirelessly, to add in more lean proteins, more whole grains, and to up my
calorie content a bit. I did so, and
even though I hate to admit it, felt better, had more strength, and more energy
… but I also “gained” a few pounds over a period of months. This is terrifying. Anyone who has battled weight, been on
“diets”, etc. will know exactly what my thoughts were … “Here I go again! I’m going to gain it all back!” It truly is a mind game. But I can report that over the past year
to year and a half, for the most part, I have been within 1 pound of the same
weight, often within a quarter of a pound or half a pound of the same
weight. WOW!!! Talk about maintaining.
I’ve learned (almost) that
numbers are numbers. While you may
think you want to weigh a certain number, your body will find it’s sweet spot
and stay right there, as long as you are doing your part with proper nutrition,
exercise, sleep, stress management. To
prove this point, I actually went back in Phase 1 of our wellness plan. Phase 1
is “boot camp” so to speak, and this is where everyone starts out initially in
our HMR program. Well, I went back in
Phase 1 for a total of 6 weeks!!! Guess
how much weight I lost … ¼
pound!!!!!!!! My body absolutely loves
where it is right now. I still have
that magical number in my head, but I am slowly, ever so slowly accepting my
status quo.
When I start to regress and fret
over THAT NUMBER, I remind myself of this:
·
Off all blood pressure medications
·
Lower cholesterol and medication dropped in ½ of
dose prior to my wellness journey
·
My body exercises and does things that it hasn’t
done in 40 years
·
I rarely, if ever, have a cold, headache, or
seasonal illnesses
·
I shattered a shoulder, but I healed from the
surgery in lightning speed time and amazed my doctors and therapists.
·
I have walked three half marathons, a number of 10
milers, 10K’s, and 5K’s, and actually ran a 5K for the first time in my life
this year, at age 64!!
·
I made the commitment to lift heavier weights
this year, and working with Brandon, my trainer and health educator,
accomplished this commitment. My claim
to fame is 165-pound deadlift. Not bad
for a 4’9”, soon to be, 65-year-old
lady!!
·
During one weights workout this year, in 10
minutes I did 10 reps of 7 deadlifts of 95 pounds and 7 chest presses of 65
pounds. Doing the math that is 70 x 95
and 70 x 65 …. That is 11,200 pounds in 10 minutes. Seriously ???
·
And, probably the most humbling … when someone
tells me they joined the HMR program, joined the gym, and are getting healthy because
I inspired them!!!! Wow!!!!
So, as I celebrate this third anniversary,
on December 29, 2017 of having lost 70 pounds, I’m going to be happy regardless
of what THAT NUMBER is on the scale. I
know it will be within 1 to 3 pounds.
Heck that could be muscle weight, and I’m not naïve enough to think it
may be a little weight gain with the holiday temptations of the past few
weeks. But, whatever THAT NUMBER is, I’m
one happy and blessed girl. Three years
of health, fitness, and maintaining of an awesome amount of weight loss.
As I started this past year, I
knew I was just one year shy of hitting the big age of 65!!! I made a commitment to myself that I would
live boldly in 2017. I’m happy to say I
accomplished that goal. I’ve learned a lot
this year, exercised a lot this year, maintained healthy
habits a lot this year, travelled to different parts of the world this
year, and have thoroughly enjoyed life a lot this year. I
want to continue that “a
lot“ into 2018. So my goal in
2018, and I’ll turn 65 on February 9, is to build from that live boldly to
stating the fact that I am 65
and joyfully bold!!!! I will
continue to live boldly, building on what I’ve learned this past year, and
carrying that knowledge into my 65th year!!!!!! You are never to old, never to big, never to
small, never to anything to not LIVE BOLDLY and go for your dreams. Dreams do become reality. I know it!!!!
God placed me in the right place,
at the right time, with the right people.
I am forever grateful and blessed!
