Monday, January 17, 2011

My Journey Begins

Okay - so let me begin by telling you where my journey pretty much started - I have for years been on the heavy side - I mean the really, really heavy side.  I have successfully lost and gained hundreds of pounds.  Gained more than lost .  I have tried...almost....everything on the market.  So, when I got the news that my liver was gonna kill me - or more like I was killing my liver which was going to kill me - I thought about my son.  I took a week (or two) to decide my options.  1.  Gastric bypass- I would out eat it before I lost ten pounds.  2.  Lap Band - same thing - won't teach me a different lifestyle.  3.  Pills - with a side of fries - tempting, but I couldn't remember birth control, how would I remember this?  4.  Diet and Exercise - not my two favorite words.  But, I chose the diet and exercise route.  What did I have to lose....weight?
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5 comments:

  1. PaperWingsJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    Hi Abby. Lori Ball Ingalsbe here. I went through the same thing 2 years ago but without the health scare...years of up & down losing & gaining the same damn 75 lbs...over & over & over. I've finally figured it out..although I've lost my weight slowly & still need to lose as much as I've lost already. I lost 63 lbs so far on my own melt away mom journey...without surgery & without starving. I basically just decided that losing smaller amounts over time will work better because my life change wasn't so unbearable that I couldn't keep it going. I've manged to lose the 63 lbs & not go back up in the past 2 years...I've had some time where I plateaued because I needed a break from exercise (too hot/cold outside), but I didn't gain & just got back on the wagon without sabotaging myself. I could have lost more if I had exercised a lot more, but you can't dwell on that. Most of the changes I made were small changes, but cumulative.

    #1. Stopped buying anything that is not real food...i.e. Candy, white pastas (I now buy dreamfields), boxed/frozen meals, cookies/chips etc. I shop only the perimeter of the store with the exception of things like salad dressings, bulk nuts, hot chocolate (my secret for chocolate fix), Special K with red berries (still eat some carbs) etc. I buy hte jennie o roasted turkey breast & make chefs salads a lot or just have some at snacks for a dose of protien. I also eat fruit/frozen fruit as dessert quite often (or the Edy's fruit bars)...dole's frozen mango chunks & their dark cherries are delicious! I also eat smaller meals (order better at restaurants & take half home) & have healthy snacks after a few hours (string cheese & grapes, turkey & small amount of walnuts) It's amazing how not having sugar makes you less hungry & just knowing you don't have long until you can pick something to eat again makes it easier to eat healthier. I still splurge at parties etc, just don't go overboard like I use to.

    2. if I question whether I should eat it, I just don't, it's not worth it...minute on the lips lifetime on the hips.

    3. I get my winter exercise with my Wii (fit plus has a step aerobics that you can watch tv while doing..I put the balance board on 2 real step aerobics risers. Sometimes use my treadmill, but find that uninspiring. In the spring/summer/fall I walk a lot & ride my new bike with my son in a bike trailer...I do all my grocery shopping walking there & back...I look like a bag lady with bags inside & out of my son's stroller, but oh well.

    4. The biggest thing is mindless snacking because grabbing a handful here & there adds up. I look at calorie content & try to keep my bigger meal to 5 to 6 hundred calories or less & I consider 100 calories a good goal for my snacks.

    5. Drink your water! I make lemon water...half a lemon to 64 ounces of water with 5 teaspoons of Sun crystals (all natural sweetner with stevia that doesn't have that weird flavor like truvia etc.

    Good Luck...let me know if you need anything!

    Lori

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  2. PaperWingsJanuary 17, 2011 at 10:01 AM

    Sorry, one more thing...I eat my frozen fruit & "bad" stuff in a teacup...& I eat on smaller plates too so the food looks like more...& I never eat seconds!

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  3. KellyJanuary 17, 2011 at 7:17 PM

    Abby--I love that you started a blog!! And especially about this!! I am just starting my journey again!! So I would love any recipes or tips you could post. You also inspire me to get back to my own blog and update it!!

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  4. Abby M.W.January 18, 2011 at 4:31 AM

    Congratulations both Lori and Kelly! I am so excited that you are both melt away moms too! I will post lot s of websites that may help and recipes too!

    Here is one to start with:

    Veggie Soup: In a pot add the following -
    1 can diced tomatoes (don't drain)
    1 can mashrooms (don't drain)
    1 can quarteres artichokes (drained & chopped)
    1 can spinach (drain)
    1 zucchini (chopped)
    1 yellow squash (chopped)
    1 large scoop garlic (minced)
    Crazy Salt (optional)
    Low or fat free / low sodium chick broth (top off the veggies so there is enough liquid)
    Cook until desired tenderness.

    Have fun!!!!

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  5. Abby M.W.January 28, 2011 at 7:35 PM

    I forgot onion!

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