It's Worth It!

Sometimes it's good for me to go back and re-read some of my earliest blogs, just to remind me of where I was less than six years ago.  When I started this program and wrote my very first blog, I had NO idea that so much would change in the course of a few short months.  Looking back, I'm thankful that I decided to start a blog to record my thoughts and my progress.

I came across this blog, first written on September 24, 2007 - three months to the day after starting the program.  I hope that what I wrote then will be an encouragement to you today!

Yesterday started my 14th week on Take Shape for Life/Medifast and I have lost 40 pounds so far!  I'm also down 3 pant sizes (and my current size is getting mighty loose) AND my formerly elevated blood glucose level has returned to normal.  That is so much WONDERFUL progress in such a few short weeks!  I am getting not just thinner but HEALTHIER, one day and one meal at a time.

Last night was our bi-weekly small group Bible study and, as always, there was dessert - last night it was hot apple crisp with ice cream.  And no, I didn't have any - not a bite!  The amazing thing is that I really didn't even WANT it.  What???  That is the honest truth.  I had a Medifast meal just before we left, so I wasn't hungry (that helped!), but more than that, I took a look at the dessert and knew that it would not help me reach my goal.  It was easy to say no.  Who would have thought such a thing of me a few months ago? 

Never before have I had a mindset where I could easily and readily turn down food (that probably explains why I started this program weighing 260 pounds!).  Every other diet I've ever been on automatically included "off diet" meals or days for me, as I couldn't imagine not ever straying off plan.  But this time is different for me, and now I can't imagine NOT staying on plan.

What's changed?  Seriously considering weight loss surgery made me realize that I had turned desperate, and I found information on Medifast while researching weight loss surgery options.  It seemed, and I firmly believe, that God led me to this program when He did to show me there was another, better way for me.  I was looking for what I thought was an "easy" solution (as if permanently rearranging my insides was the easy solution!), but what I found instead was a plan to truly change my life.  I also knew that I had spent the last 20 years of my life battling weight, and I didn't want this to be one of the defining factors of the rest of my life.  Having four precious grandchildren (4, 2, and 10 month old twins) makes me want to be healthy so that I can be a truly FUN grandma.  I want to be around and healthy so I can dance at their weddings and eventually rock THEIR babies :-).

Committing to this journey has resulted in a different mindset for me.  It didn't happen all at once, but as I have made deliberate decisions each day to make wise and healthy choices, it's become easier and easier, and now it's second nature.  I am finally learning the joy of self-discipline (even 55 year old grandmas aren't too old to learn new habits!!), the satisfaction of delayed gratification, and the sheer pleasure that comes from knowing, deep down, that I'm doing the right thing for my body and my health.

I have a LONG way to go until I reach my goal, so I have not in any way, shape or form "arrived" - physically or mentally - but I'm getting there, one meal and one good decision at a time.

Those new habits that were beginning to form 14 weeks into this program took root and not only brought me to my goal, but have enabled me to maintain my weight loss for almost five years :-).  The choices I had to make certainly weren't always easy, but I have no regrets!  The four grandchildren I referenced in this blog are now 10, 8, and 6-1/2 and they have no memory of me being obese; we've also added five more grandchildren since then (yeah!!). All our grandchildren know is that they have a healthy grandma who loves chasing them around and having fun with them - and I really DO look forward to dancing at their weddings and rocking their babies someday!

Losing the weight and maintaining requires the same thing: staying focused on what we want and then, one meal and one day at a time, making the decision to choose wisely :-)