wolvesinwinter's Journal, 18 May 2011

I saw this post the day you made it, but wanted to take my time in responding, to make sure that I didn't say anything that may upset you. This is because I care about you; I want to see you be successful in your efforts to lose the weight and get healthy. Please trust me on this. I want you to go read this article: http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/jillian-michaels-weight-loss-program These four rules really are the truth. Weight loss will not happen without following those rules. That means that, no matter how much it sucks, how hard it is, you have to get into the habit of recording everything you eat. You have to be accountable for what you are putting into your body, and really, the only way to do that is to see it in writing. Use the Calorie Counter app, use this website, use paper and pencil, but it needs to be in writing so that you can see exactly what you are putting in. Exercise is the other important element. It sucks (probably worse than the food journaling), and it is hard, but it has to happen. If your foot is bothering you (incidentally, it sounds like the same issue that I have been living with since my marathon training- a neuroma, which is a thickening of tissue around a nerve ending between the bones in the ball of your foot leading to your toes), take advantage of low impact exercise options- yoga, or modified versions of other exercises. Walking is great, but you have to get your heart rate up to really make calories burn. A couple of strength training workouts a week will build muscle to help burn more calories. I know you don't have a lot of time, but start out by committing just 30 minutes every other day to getting moving, getting your heart rate up, and challenging yourself. Maybe it will mean that you have to get up a little earlier in the morning; it is a sacrifice that you will thank yourself for. Ultimately, you just have to make yourself, and your health, a priority, and COMMIT yourself, one hundred percent, to making the changes you need to make. Your health is worth it, and YOU ARE WORTH IT. Healthy eating and exercise are one of very few investments in our lives that we get out of it exactly what we put in: if you commit and apply yourself 100%, you will see a 100% change. Is it instant and overnight? Nope- it takes a couple of weeks to start seeing changes. But stick with it!!! Our family loves your family, and we want to see you beat this. Love you, girl. You can do it. :) 

Hi there. I wanted to write to tell you I applaud you for your honesty. This journey is not always smiles and days can be tough. Your progress is nothing to make light of. You have lost more weight than some people do in a lifetime. I know you have more to go and so do I and we CAN do it. I want to tell you about a recent experience of mine that will hopefully illustrate the importance of a progressive and steady weightloss. I recently went to Brazil land of the bikinis and I did a fast to drop weight before I went. Yes I did lose 10 pounds but guess what? It all came back. What didn't come back is the 25 pounds I loss prior the old fashion way. My problem has always been hey I ruined the day already by eating that so I might as well keep going and start tomorrow. Oh I already ruined two days, I might as well start next week and so on and so forth. Just remember every single time you eat or exercise is a new and isolated chance to make better decisions. Don't worry about what you did an hour ago because that is the past and focus on the present and future. Finally, I just want to tell you that this site is great and we are all here for support. If we all were good at this weight loss thing, we wouldn't be here so keep your head up high and start a new day and feel free to lean on me if you need support. :)