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Hitting My Weight Loss Milestone
Posted on Mar 9th 2011 11:00AM by Ashley WisniewskiFiled Under: Motivation, Tipping the Scales
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I know they are just numbers, and I am very happy that I am finally able to gauge my weight loss by things other than what the scale says; however, it would be amazing to be able to say that I'm no longer in the 200-pound range and that I am no longer obese. Being so close to something that is so important to me has been a huge motivating factor.
When I talk about my weight loss journey with others and bring up my goal to no longer be obese, sometimes people give me odd looks and comment that I don't look obese. Since I'm 5'9", my weight is a little easier to disguise because of my height. Even with my height, the area of my body that I've never been able to conceal is my stomach. I'm blessed that I inherited my mother's long legs. Where my mother and I differ is that she has a long torso and I have a short, scrunched middle section where weight loves to gather.
When I first started trying to lose weight, I really did not like looking at myself in the mirror. I would quickly get ready in the mornings to avoid having to look at my body because I was ashamed at the reflection staring back at me. Lately, I have actually enjoyed noticing all of the changes happening, and I find myself taking time to appreciate the areas that have always provided such insecurities to me. My stomach and waist area continue to look smaller, so I brought out my measuring tape. I was absolutely floored when I realized that I have lost 8.5 inches from my waist and that I actually have a noticeable waist!
My husband and I have decided to go meatless for the month of March. We are really interested in seeing how our bodies react. The two biggest concerns are that I will be tired because of the lack of protein and that I'll have a hard time feeling full.
The only meats that I eat on a regular basis are chicken and turkey (it's been more than 10 years since I've had red meat or pork). I don't think I will miss chicken or turkey too much during this month, but it will be a challenge to find nutritional, portable and easy-to-make lunches and dinners. We rely heavily on sandwiches for lunch and one-dish meals for dinners. We made the decision to have a Meatless March back in February, so I have been gathering recipes. I am not an excellent cook, so I'm looking forward to growing my culinary skills.
I have also started using a training plan with my running. I searched online until I found one that fit my needs and into my timeline. Now I go into each run with a target mileage or time. I also plan my rest days, which helps keep me accountable on the days that I have a scheduled workout. With the 5k and 10k coming up in the next few weeks, I've used the deadline as extra motivation. When I feel like stopping or when I don't want to stick to my training plan, I remind myself that the registrations have been paid and that I have a friend depending on me to complete the races with her.
My goals for the month are to lose the last few pounds keeping me from being less than 200 pounds, go without eating meat and fully run my 5k. I'm looking forward to providing a successful report for April!
After decades of dieting only to gain it back, two That's Fit readers have decided to finally rethink their relationship with food and exercise over the next year to move toward a lifetime of fulfilling, healthy living. Come by every week as Ashley and Lee share their successes and challenges as they tip the scale.
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