I can see that there are some people who have read my last post from over 2 years ago, or at least some that have landed on the page. If you are reading, thank you, if you feel like commenting, feel free.
I have decided to start again.
I would like to tell you that I have reached all goals in life, weight, health, career, relationship, etc, but truth is that up until about 4 months ago nothing had changed.
4 months ago I decided to make some big changes. I have been self-employed most of my adult life with only short periods of working for someone else. Although this has paid the bills, and allowed me to make my own schedule, which was paramount when I had a young family, it was a pretty solitary existence. I did hire employees at different times, but primarily I worked alone. As mentioned in my last post, I am a social person and I was lonely. So 4 months ago I decided to get a job working in a retail setting. It is a huge cut in pay, but I am still making enough to pay my bills. The work I did in my own business was hard physical work, and I worked hard, so the hard work of being in this retail setting was not an issue, although there is much more walking, bending, constant lifting and twisting involved. I am a hard worker, so when I am walking somewhere, I am doing it with a sense of urgency. Always walking and working as fast as I can. It is new to me to have my breaks scheduled, so now I am eating on a schedule. Before I would eat when I finished whatever task or job I was working on, sometimes going long periods without eating, then being famished and eating too much. I now have to eat at normal times, at normal intervals.
I decided when I started this job that it was going to be the start of a new chapter in my life and it has. I am much happier being around people. I love chatting with the customers and other staff. I haven't made any actual friendships with anyone yet, (honestly this is not my goal, I have a circle of close friends that I love and I don't feel like I spend as much time with or talking to them as I would like,) but I am friendly with everyone, and they are the same with me. I am definitely smiling and laughing more though out the day than I did when I was spending my days working alone, that is so good for my mental health!
The combination of being forced to be more aware of what I am eating and when I am eating it, being constantly on the move, and working on a more set schedule, which forces me to implement a healthier and consistent sleeping schedule have all been great! As a result of all this, I have lost 40 lbs in the last 4 months.
Obviously I am delighted about this! I am enjoying all the benefits one would expect as a result of this. The cloths I was wearing when I started there simply don't fit anymore. I have more overall energy, and stamina, I feel better about myself, etc.
But... yes, there is a but. I still have a long way to go. I still weigh 194 lbs. I would like to lose somewhere between 40 - 50 more lbs. (I am 5'6" tall.) I haven't lost hope, and I haven't even stalled, or reached my first plateau yet at this point, but I feel like I need an extra boost to keep things going as well as they have been going. That is why I am back here. I feel I can use this as a way to keep myself accountable, if only to me, and a way to track my ongoing progress.
I want to start doing 20 minutes of Pilates every morning when I first get up. As the weight continues to come off, I want there to be lean muscles under the flat. I also want to do some cardio everyday, maybe 30- 60 minutes of hard walking on the treadmill, or riding the stationary bike, or rower. I have all these things in my basement, no excuse not to be using them.
I will be meeting some friends from another city that I haven't seen for a few years on Nov 20 and I would love to be another 10, maybe even 15 lbs down by then. It is 40 days away, so I want to stay focused and on track and see what I can do.
So that's my plan. I am going to try to come here every day or two, and type out how I did that day, or possibly the day before, if I don't make it one day.
I did do 20 minutes of Pilates this morning, and I am going to get on the treadmill before my shift later today, although I may only start with 20 minutes since I am running out of time, and I don't want to overdo it on my first day at it before a long shift this afternoon/evening.
Wish me luck.
