vandev10

Well, I guess I expected fireworks or a musical fanfare or SOMETHING but, when I stepped on the scale this evening, all I saw was 100 pounds less than 8 months ago.

This is so not about the weight anymore. I mean, I’m not going to lie and say I don’t think about losing weight and I’m not happy being slimmer – people who say that are probably lying. But, I’m even happier that I’ve developed a new, more fulfilling lifestyle and I’m a healthier person for it.

And now I read article after article about how losing the weight is the easy part (easy?!? yeah right) and that 95% of people who lose a lot of weight will gain it back. It’s terrifying. Listening to the studies, you’d think I have no choice but to fail. I bet I’m not the only one who hears how hard the whole long term weight maintenance thing is and gets really discouraged.

Don’t.

Don’t spend one second worrying about things you can’t control. So the studies are saying that the odds are against us. Well, guess what… You’ve already beaten the odds. You’ve taken the initiative to start a new lifestyle. You’re on here, getting and giving support with others, and working on getting in shape the healthy way. That’s something most people will never, ever do. Sure, everybody flirts with the 24 Hollywood Miracle Diet or popping pills to cut the fat. But very few people ever really commit to changing habits and turning over a new leaf. So, you’ve cheated probability before and you can do it again.

There isn’t anything genetic or biological about why people gain weight back after they lose it. They gain it back because they see the weight loss as a battle and the final, lower weight as the victory point. Of course, that ain’t the case. It’s a lifelong change. That means there’s bad news and worse news. The bad news is: you need to be committed to this until you die. The worse news is: if you keep up this healthy lifestyle, you won’t be dying anytime soon. :)

And that’s where people start to freak out. And by people, I mean me. I have such a hard time making it week to week, how can I make it for the rest of my life? And then I remember, take it day by day. I can’t do anything to control what decisions I’ll make in 30 years or 30 days or 30 minutes. All I can do is focus on right now; making smart decisions as we speak.

That’s my big rant. To everyone who posts here and shares your successes and your missteps, thank you so much for being so inspirational. I love reading your advice and your encouragement. If I could offer any advice of my own, it would be not to sweat stuff you can’t control. Don’t let the future freak you out and NEVER EVER EVER stress out about what’s in the past. So you broke down and pigged out yesterday. So you haven’t exercised in two weeks. What’s done is done – forget about it and move on. You can only control what you’ll do today… and doesn’t today seem like a nice day for a run? :)

So, I’ve been reading and commenting on this page since I started in January but have never posted. I figured, since you all are brave enough to bare your souls, I may as well follow suit!

First, I LOVE this page. Hearing all your stories and finding out that so many of you are experiencing the same things is unbelievably helpful. Especially the success stories! So many people are doing amazing things…

I don’t know exactly what clicked in me in January but thank God for whatever it was. I started eating healthy and exercising and I haven’t looked back since. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been bumps in the road. Right now, for example, is finals week. But, I figure that I’ve come sooo far I’ve earned a little wiggle room while I try not to fail all my classes. :)

I started 2007 weighing about 265 pounds and, as of today, I’m at 198. Crossing 200 even earned me a Coldstone. :) To those of you who are just getting started – hang in there. Just being able to say that you’re sticking with it is so much more rewarding than any amount of weight loss. And I’m not just saying that because it’s the right thing to say. I’m seriously still overly obsessed with weight loss. But being able to say that I’ve been living a healthy lifestyle for the past 4 months makes me much more proud. Overall, it does get easier. Some days it’s still horrible. I can actually HEAR the burrito joint down the street calling to me. Other days, it’s as natural as breathing. To those of you who are further along than me, I hate you. Just kidding! Thank you for your stories and encouragement! You guys are amazing.

I know these last 30+ pounds will be even harder than the first 70. The weight loss has definitely slowed down. But, if it hadn’t, I’d be dead right now so that’s a good thing. I don’t care if it takes me 5 months, 9 months, or 2 years – I’m just happy to be doing what I’m doing at this point. And, of course, the true challenge is living this way the rest of my life. When I start to think that this isn’t a one-time deal, this is a way of life – that’s when I start to get a little nervous. Then I center myself and worry about the next day instead of the next 30 years. I can’t control what I’ll be doing 10 years down the road, only what I do today. And that’s hard enough.

I’ve rambled enough. I hope everyone is enjoying the onset of summer. Maybe we’ll cross paths on our daily walks/runs now. :) Thank you again to everyone who shares their successes and missteps on this site. You’re helping me more than you know!