Weekly Weigh In: My Embarrassing Admission

I haven’t written a Weekly Weigh In post for several months now. Just a couple days after my last post I was scheduled for another total hip replacement surgery. It wasn't even a year since my first hip replacement. Thank goodness I only have two hips! While I wasn't looking forward to going through the surgery again, I was really looking forward to being out of pain. It had gotten so bad with this hip that I was on crutches for four weeks PRIOR to surgery. When I hobbled into the Doctor's office for my pre-surgery appointment on crutches, they all stopped, looked confused and said, "wait, you haven't had your surgery yet, have you?" In other words, 'you're not supposed to be on crutches until AFTER surgery'.

The truth is, my surgeon had tried to talk me out of the first hip replacement because I'm "too young". When the pain was so bad that I could not do daily activities, I insisted on the surgery. The day after the surgery, he came in to my hospital room and said, "You were right! Your hip was so chipped up and was bone on bone. If we had gone in to do a 'clean up' I would have closed you up and told you to come back for a total hip replacement." It's not that I wanted to be right, but I have a real high pain tolerance, so when it gets to a point that I can't take it anymore, it's usually way past surgery time.

Second time around was a repeat...again Doc tried to talk me out of it. "You're too young", he said. "The MRI doesn't look THAT bad." Of course, he admitted that the MRI couldn't ever show the bone inside of the joint. Again, I insisted. I agreed to wait long enough to put 12 months between the two hip replacements (almost to the day). Again, the day after surgery, he came into my room, shook his head, and said, "You were right, AGAIN!" Again, I reminded him that I didn't WANT to be right, but I knew my body.

This time I had asked him to take pictures of my hip joint. I really wanted to see what was causing such pain. (I wish I had thought to ask for pics of the first one.) I hope this doesn't gross you out. They're actually very clean pictures; so here are two pictures of the ball part of my hip. They were taken with the Doctors cell phone, so quality wise, we got what we got.

You should have a layer of cartilage that completely covers the ball to protect it. If you look closely, you can see the cartilage on the outside has been worn very thin and the middle has been worn completely off, exposing bone. This just means that every time I moved it was rubbing bone on bone. Oh, is that all? Makes sense, with the amount of pain I felt.

So...my hip replacement was late May. Surgery went spectacularly! When I left the hospital I was weeks ahead of where I was last year physically, same surgery, other hip. Why the difference? Well, that's for another post (too long to put in here). I promise I'll write that one soon because a lot of people have asked me why this surgery went so much better and I am healing so much faster this time. It is really quite interesting...well, I think it is.

But I still haven't told you about my embarrassing admission. Yes, it has to do with my weekly weigh in. I was updating my medical history this morning...when you've had as many surgeries as I have, you have to print your medical history on a full page of paper to give to Dr's for your file. There is no way to even begin to write it in the two lines they give you.

Anyway...I was updating my medical history this morning and I realized that I have had SEVEN surgeries in the last three years and (the embarrassing admission) gained 7 pounds with each one of them!! Seven pounds...okay, not so much. But times that by six...that's 42 POUNDS!!! Wow! I suddenly find myself 49 pounds heavier than I should be.

Five years ago I fought to lose 65 pounds and get back in shape after having 30 weeks of chemo and 6 surgeries in 12 months. I finally felt like "myself" again..strong and healthy. Now I am the first to say that being strong and healthy is a lifestyle, not a diet that gets you there and then you're done. But there is definitely a different approach to losing the weight to get back to that state and maintaining it once you are at that healthy place. I'm also not a huge proponent of aiming for a particular weight. I believe too many people get hung up on a number (or a size) that they have heard should be their ideal weight. Every body is different. I believe you know your healthy weight when you feel good, you feel strong, your clothes fit comfortably (in the appropriate size) and you know (if you are honest with yourself and not being "hollywood critical") that you look good.

So how does someone who loves fruit and veggies, juices every day and blogs about a healthy lifestyle get 42 pounds overweight? Each one of these surgeries left me unable to exercise (including walking) for an extended period of time. I was used to eating the amount of calories that I could handle while running 5 miles a day. Obviously, I didn't adjust my caloric intake once I wasn't able to exercise. Another contributor was all my well meaning friends who brought lots of great treats to "cheer me up" after surgery. Or took me to lunch so I could get out of the house a little.

And so, here I am, with 42 pounds to lose. I acknowledge it. I accept responsibility for it. I don't like it. I don't like how hard I'm going to have to work to get it off, but I'm willing to do it because today I am sick and tired of carrying it around. It drains me of energy and strength. I can't fit into my clothes, and I refuse to by a new wardrobe in a bigger size. Try picking up a 25 pound bag of potatoes and carrying it around your house for a while. I'll bet you don't get very far before you set it down thinking, "there is no way I can carry that all day!". When you gain external perspective like that, you begin to understand the extra stress you are putting on your body by being 25 pounds over weight.

So my question(s) to you is this. Are you interested in taking this journey with me? Whether 'Weekly Weigh In' or 'I'm Losing It, Again!'? Do you have a personal goal to improve your health? Is it motivating to you to read my progress? Would you share challenges with me and comment with your progress to help motivate others?

Leave a comment with your opinion and your thoughts on your personal health goals and what would be motivating to you!

Weekly Weigh In: I Already Blew It, So It Doesn't Matter What I Eat!

I read something last week that said "If you're tired of starting over, stop giving up!" Well, isn't that just about the most applicable statement you've ever read when it comes to taking care of your health and/or losing weight?!

Change happens immediately, but sometimes progress is slower than others. It might be due to curve balls thrown at us (beyond our control) that knock us off balance. It might be due to our own wavering commitment. The important thing is that we continue to move in the direction of our goal. 

You've heard "Rome wasn't built in a day", or "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!" "A child learns to walk one step at a time." These statements are applicable when we have made a change and are working towards a goal. While the "change" happens immediately, the results take a little longer to show up.

Let me clarify. You don't "ease into" making a change. It doesn't take a long time to make a change. It sometimes takes a long time "decide" to make a change, or to be ready to make the commitment. You can think about it for a long time, but the moment you make the decision to change, you've made a change. The change in our thought process and our actions happens immediately. The results, however, don't happen immediately.


Just thinking about it and telling yourself that you "should" eat healthier or exercise more isn't making a change. Even telling yourself that you "want to" or "need to" isn't making a change. Saying "I will" and "I am" and then taking the required steps is making a change. Here are some ideas for implementing Healthy Habits.


When you decide you are going to change the way you eat by adding fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains to your diet, you do it. When you decide to eliminate processed food or fried food from your diet, you do it. You make the change today and your health begins to improve immediately. But it will take a number of days to see the full affect of this change. Educating yourself on the nutritional value of the food you eat is a "step". Each good food choice you make today is a "bite" of your elephant. Each day that you follow the plan that you have committed to is another "day" towards building your Rome.


So you indulged in the fresh apple fritter your husband brought home from the bakery Saturday morning. Or you went out to eat for date night and ate a little, (okay a LOT) too much. Does that mean that the steps you've taken don't matter and aren't helping you reach your goal? Of course not!

When a child is learning to walk, they take a step and fall down. No one tells them to just stay on the floor because it's hopeless and they will never learn to walk anyway! Instead, everyone claps their hands, congratulates them for the steps they did take and makes all sorts of sounds to positively reinforce the child. We then reach down to give them a hand to hold so they can stand up and try again.

So what do you tell yourself when you splurge on something that doesn't fit into your "healthy food" plan? What do you tell yourself when you finish a big dinner and then dessert on top of it and now feel uncomfortable with a full and bloated stomach? Have you ever said, "I already blew it today, so it doesn't matter what I eat the rest of the day!"? (Come on, be honest.)

That's like saying, "I already dropped my phone, so I'll just stomp on it til it's broken!"  Seriously? Don't be ridiculous, you say? I'll just pick my phone up, dust it off and it will be fine.

If you stepped off the curb and then looked up to see that the light wasn't green for you to cross, would you just keep walking into the middle of the street and say, "Oh, well, I'm already off the curb...so what if I get hit."? 

I love analogies! The same principle applies to your goals. So you stepped off the curb of your healthy eating plan. If you stay there you may get run over, and recovery will be a lot harder. Acknowledge that you chose to do it. Then step right back up. I love My Friend Marie's Attitude about running her own race.


In my last Weekly Weigh In I had stepped off the curb and gained some weight. I didn't even weigh because I knew I was up; I didn't care how much, I just resolved to take care of it. This week I lost whatever I had gained, plus another 2 lbs.


I am committed to eating the whole "elephant". I am building a pretty cool "Rome". I am very aware that I am also dealing with some major curve balls being thrown at me right now. But I am committed to my health! I am committed to me! The change is made. My commitment is strong. Each day is a step towards my desired result! Click here for more Weekly Weigh Ins.


Have you committed to change in your health? Do you know what steps you need to take to achieve your goal? To leave a comment Click Here.

Healthy Habits: Roasted Asparagus

Normally, the only time I use canned Parmesan Cheese is to marinate cut up chunks of hotdog overnight to use as good, stinky fish bait the next morning. Wow, that's really appetizing, huh!? For this recipe I thought canned Parmesan Cheese would stick better than fresh grated. It did, and it tasted great!

I have heard of Roasted Asparagus, but never tried it. Since I got two bunches of fresh asparagus last week in my Bountiful Baskets food coop basket, I figured it's time to try it. 

By the way, if you're not familiar with Bountiful Baskets, go to the website and check it out. You have the opportunity to participate every Saturday, or as frequently as you'd like. When you participate your money is pooled to purchase fresh produce in bulk at wholesale prices. It is purchased from the produce companies that supply the grocery store that you purchase your fruits and veggies from every week. You get a basket of half veggies, half fruit, and the selection is different each week.

Anyway, back to the asparagus...

I am a true asparagus fan! I have never met an asparagus I didn't like. I've even been known to eat it raw when I have the munchies. That being said, this Roasted Asparagus is a contender for the best asparagus I've ever had. And it was super simple and quick. I love recipes that anyone can make and get the same results an experienced chef would get. This is definitely one of those!                              

What you need:      

Asparagus

Olive Oil (in sprayer)      

Sea Salt

Fresh Black Pepper

Parmesan Cheese (in can)

How to do it:                                                                                    

Turn oven on to 350 degrees F.                                           

Cut (and throw away) hard ends of Asparagus.

Lay Asparagus out on baking sheet.

Spray lightly with Olive Oil.

Sprinkle very lightly with Sea Salt (don't need much with the Parm)

Grind fresh Black Pepper over Asparagus.

Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese over Asparagus.

Put in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

The amount of cooking time is variable depending on how thick the Asparagus is. Very thin obviously takes less time, while big, fat stalks can take 20-22 minutes.

After cooking the first batch of Asparagus, I removed it from the tray and spread out another batch. I actually cooked three batches of Asparagus one right after the other. I had put foil on the baking sheet; I did not replace or clean the foil between batches. From batch to batch, the Parmesan built up on the foil (because let's face it, even though hubby thinks I'm perfect, even I can't sprinkle Parmesan and have it land only on the asparagus). Each time it went back into the oven, that Parmesan got browner and browner. When I took the last batch out, I rubbed it around in the toasted Parmesan Cheese on the tray. Mmmmm....soooo good!!

That's how easy it is. If you are trying to get more fresh veggies in your diet and don't really know how to go about preparing them, this recipe is definitely one to try. You can serve this for a special occasion and look like a gourmet chef.

For another super easy, fresh veggie recipe try this Warm Caprese or these Roasted Veggies.

What is your favorite veggie? Is there any veggie that you don't dislike, but just haven't found a favorite way to prepare?

Weekly Weigh In: If You Hit Your Thumb

If you hit your thumb with a hammer would you say, "It already hurts, so I'll just keep hitting it because it can't hurt any worse"? Of course you wouldn't.

Have you ever said "It's only lunch time and I've already eaten too many calories for today so it doesn't matter what I eat the rest of the day"? That's like saying I already dropped my phone so I'll just stomp on it til it's crushed.

No one is overweight from having one bad day of eating. It happens when you start thinking that it doesn't matter because you've already blown it...day after day after day.

I splurged on Super Bowl Sunday with Incredible Mac-N-Cheese, Crock Pot Lasagna and Butterfinger Pie. I allowed myself the splurge I had been looking forward to, then went right back to counting my calories and eating clean; fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein and whole grains. I also exercised five times during the week, which helped keep my metabolism up.

I didn't chastise myself for eating the extra calories (and oh, so much cheese), it was a planned splurge. This week I lost 2 lbs. I'm okay with that; I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and moved one step closer to my goal. 

People tell me all the time that they don't really know how to go about changing their diet. The goal is to move towards a cleaner diet. Diet is not a verb; something you do or don't do, something you go on or off. Diet is a noun; the kind of food and amount of food that you habitually take in. Incorporating a clean diet will help you sleep better, lose weight and maybe best of all, have a recognizable difference in energy. Creating one new habit in your diet can have a huge effect on all of those things.

I am going to post a series of tips and ideas to help incorporate a cleaner diet into your day, whether you cook for only yourself or a large family. Tomorrow we'll look at ideas on how to start your day.

Question: Would you be willing to make one habit change in your daily diet in order have increased energy?

Healthy Habits: Not Your Mother's Oatmeal!

Cold winter months are a perfect time to have a healthy bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. Are you thinking, "yeah, I can do that for about a week, then I get bored with the same old oatmeal"?


Today's "Healthy Habits" offers a way to step up the flavor of your oatmeal. Once you try these and get the hang of it, you can make all kinds of flavor creations. Heck, I even know someone who adds a big spoonful of Peanut Butter to her oatmeal. Personally, I don't want to add that many calories to it, but I might try it one day just because it does kind of sound good.


Try these two versions and let me know what you think. Then be sure to share other ways of preparing oatmeal that you like so I can try them.


BANANA NUT OATMEAL   (270 Calories)
1/2 Cup Almond Milk (could use Skim Milk)
1/4 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Oats
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Banana (the riper the better)
3 Walnut Halves


Put the milk, water and oats in a small pot on the stove on low-medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring frequently. Takes about 10-15 min to cook fully.


Meanwhile, smash the half banana in the bottom of your cereal bowl. Break the walnut halves into pieces with your fingers on top of the banana.


When oatmeal is fully cooked, add vanilla and mix completely. Then pour the oatmeal into the bowl over the banana and walnuts. Stir to mix banana in and enjoy!


Note: The riper the banana is, the sweeter the finished oatmeal will be. There is no need to add any sweetener unless you are using a really firm banana,


APPLE CINNAMON OATMEAL  (230 Calories)
1/2 Cup Almond Milk (could use Skim Milk)
1/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Oats
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
Cinnamon, to sprinkle


Put the milk, water and oats in a small pot on the stove on low-medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring frequently. Takes about 10-15 min to cook fully.


Meanwhile put applesauce in cereal bowl.


When oatmeal is fully cooked, pour the oatmeal into the bowl over the applesauce. Stir to mix, sprinkle with cinnamon, mix again, and enjoy!


If you don't have time to make oatmeal in the morning you may want to check out this post on Gourmet Overnight Oatmeal.


Do you have a favorite oatmeal recipe? Please share...I'd love to try it out.

Attaining and Maintaining Good Health is a 3-Legged Stool

Attaining and maintaining good health is a 3-legged stool. The 3 legs are Balanced Diet, Regular Exercise and a Success Mindset. 

Before you say, "Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all", hear me out.

Good Health isn't about a diet you go on for six months (and then go off), it isn't depriving yourself of everything you like, it isn't torturing yourself with an exercise program that you hate because someone laid it out for you, and it isn't getting yourself geared up mentally to give up everything you love and follow some strange eating program for six weeks.

I regularly have people ask me how I lost 65 pounds. They are looking for the quick fix, the pill, the drink; something that they can go purchase that will magically make them lose weight. When I say "I ate less and moved more", they express disappointment and tell me that's not what they were hoping for. That seems like 'work' and no one wants to work for something that is so worthwhile (note sarcasm)!

Leg 1 - Balanced Diet means eating what your body needs and enjoying treats in moderation. It means finding healthier ways to prepare your favorite foods. In 2011 the USDA released a revised food pyramid. It is now a plate, divided into sections of food types and portions making up a balanced diet. 

EATING TIPS:

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Fill up on these foods first, so when you get full you will have eaten the lowest calorie, highest nutrition foods first.

Make at least half your grains whole grains. Flour is not whole grain. If it is a whole grain food you can see the grain.

Don’t drink your calories! Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk for calcium and protein.

Avoid oversized portions. ENJOY YOUR FOOD BUT EAT LESS!! 

Leg 2 - Regular Exercise means MOVE more. You don't need to belong to a gym. I lost 65 pounds by walking. Walk inside on a treadmill or outside; doesn't matter where, just walk. Swim if you have a pool. If you are not a strong swimmer, walk in the pool. If you have joint or back issues, this is a great option. You will be surprised how much of a workout you can get by walking or running in the pool.

You can play tag with the kids, or get your friends together for a game of touch football. Get on your bike and ride, by yourself or with a friend or your family. If it's too hot or cold to ride to ride outdoors, purchase a "trainer" from a bike shop or sporting goods store which will allow you to ride your bike inside. Or use an exercise bike or elliptical machine. Put in a DVD of an exercise routine or dance exercise and let the kids ‘exercise’ along with you.

The choice of exercise is yours. What matters is that you DO SOMETHING to get you moving more! 

Leg 3 - Success Mindset: This is likely the most difficult, but without a doubt most important, factor in your quest to attain good health. Whatever you want to accomplish, it all starts in your mind.

So what is a success mindset? A mind-set is your predominant state of mind day to day. It is the things you think about; it is what you focus on, and what you expect from your daily experiences. For example, if you think negatively, expect the worst to happen, or feel pessimistic about your options, that is exactly what you will draw into your life. On the other hand, if you think positively, expect the best and focus on a successful outcome, you will draw that into your life.

You are creating YOUR reality all the time, whether you are conscious of it or not. The thoughts that you emit, the emotions that you feel, the attitudes you hold, and the beliefs you have are directly responsible for what you will bring into your life.

Too often we let our emotions and thoughts dictate our actions, rather than our actions dictating our emotions and thoughts.

The success mindset is simply the knowledge that YOU are creating your own reality all the time. It’s becoming aware of yourself so much that you are ALWAYS emitting the kind of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that WILL attract success into your life.

It is our mind-set that ultimately determines whether we fail or succeed.

MINDSET TIPS:

Decide what you want

Formulate a plan

Think optimistically

Ask for help

Learn all you can

Acknowledge your successes each day

Believe that you have what it takes

Begin each day reviewing your plan for success

Do your very best

Expect the best

Recognize that each day is a fresh start; be willing to get back up and try again.

We can all use new ideas to motivate and inspire us. What do YOU do that helps you eat less, exercise more or keep a success mindset? 

Frequently after I post, I receive personal messages from many of you through email and Facebook. While I really appreciate your comments, I'm the only one who benefits from those thoughts and opinions. I know everyone who reads this would appreciate hearing your opinions, struggles and ideas as well. Please do share your thoughts, ideas and opinions with a comment below!

So which is it...Quantity or Quality?

Would you argue that the quantity of food you eat is most important? Or would you support the side that says quality overrides quantity?

If you asked me, I would say "it depends!"

If your goal is to lose weight or maintain your weight, then it's QUANTITY that's important.
If your goal is good health, then it's QUALITY that's important.

Right? Well, yes and no.

To lose weight, you definitely need to control the amount of calories (quantity) you take in. If you are at a comfortable weight and want to be healthy then you want to look at which foods will give you nutritionally what your body needs (quality).

But is there overlap between quality and quantity?     

It's true, you can eat three Oreo cookies and get 160 calories. Or, for the same 160 calories you can eat 23 Strawberries or 3 1/2 cups of Watermelon Balls. Which is going to fill you up more? Which is going to be more satisfying?

Most of the time the greater amount of fruit will take care of the sweet tooth and will fill you up due to the sheer quantity you are eating. It will also provide the nutrients that you need for strength and endurance in a stressful world.

For those few times when only the sweet will do, it's important to acknowledge how many calories it has and consciously choose how much you will eat. You can't ignore the calorie count and then complain that you can't lose weight! And you can't eat junk and nutritiously empty calories and expect to feel good!

So, which is it...Quantity or Quality?

If You Bite It, You Write It!

Who's up for a challenge? Only 7 days!
What's the worst that could happen? Nothing changes.
What's the best that could happen? You lose a couple pounds.

There is a debate about whether most people actually realize how many calories we eat or if we seriously underestimate how much we eat each day. The only way to prove one side or the other true is to write down every bite we put in our mouth and the calories in that food.

The side that says we eat more than we think, says that we tend to think that if we only consumed a small amount of food we must have only taken in a small amount of calories. If we use our finger to scrape the leftover cake batter from the bowl, or taste test three times to check the seasonings while cooking dinner, somehow those calories don't really count.

The truth is that every single thing we put in our mouths affects our weight, whether it's a 7 calorie strawberry or 120 calories of leftover cookie dough; well, it wasn't enough to make one more cookie but you can't throw away cookie dough!

So here's the challenge. For the next seven days, write down EVERY SINGLE ITEM of food you put into your mouth. Every bite, lick or drink. You might have a calorie book at home or you can get the calorie count online. There are sites such as sparkpeople.com, fitday.com, mytrainerbob.com. In fact if you go to google.com you can type in "How many calories in ____ (absolutely any food)" and get the calorie count immediately. If you have a smart phone there is a calorie counting app that you can install and carry it with you and track it on your phone. You can't say you forgot to write something down because you didn't have your paper or computer with you. For most people this is a real eye opening experience and can tell you exactly what you can do to start losing weight immediately.

I am looking for your feedback on how this experiment did or did not affect your thoughts, actions and eating habits.
Did you surprise yourself with how many calories you take in that you didn't realize?
Did you find yourself choosing not to eat something because you didn't want to write it down?
Did you eat more? or Did you eat less? Why?

I am starting this 7-day experiment today with you. I will commit to tracking every calorie I consume! Come back during the week and share your thoughts and impressions. Come back when it is done and let me know how the week affected you. Did you change your eating habits? Did you discover that you have great eating habits? Did you lose weight? Are you going to continue tracking your food? Did it make you more accountable? No affect whatsoever?

Leave your comments and insights, (more than once during the week if you'd like-we can learn from your insights), and check back to see what others have to say!

Happy Eating!! (I hope I'm happy when this is done!)

Before and 3/4 way there photos

I'm really stepping outside of my comfort zone here, but I'm going to post 'before' and '2/3 of the way there'  pictures in this post. There aren't too many before pics to choose from. Those who are on this same journey of weight loss and improved health will understand that I did my best to stay OUT of pictures. Maybe I can ignore it a little longer if I don't actually see myself. And more importantly, this is not how I want to be remembered as people look back at the pictures. I'll take pictures after I lose some weight and feel better about myself.

My journey is unique in many ways and yet very similar to others in many ways. I had entered  a new phase of life March 8th, 2001 when I met my awesome husband. (We were married July 31st, 2001. I'll save that amazing story for another post). I will say that my 'weight' challenge began Thursday, Dec 13th, 2001. 

I lived a healthy lifestyle and was athletic. I didn't eat fast food, had a diet consisting mainly of fresh fruits & veggies, lean protein and complex carbs. I drank only water, no soda, juice or alcohol. I didn't smoke, and I exercised regularly. In fact, my idea of a great date was to run Thunderbird Mountain (with a little friendly competition involved), ending at the picnic tables for a healthy dinner picnic of veggies and protein while watching the sunset. (I probably wouldn't have admitted that I ran that circuit every morning after dropping my son off at school until after the date.) I was a regular at the gym and enjoyed feeling alive, strong and energetic from my workouts.

December 13th, 2001 I received the diagnosis of breast cancer. If that wasn't enough, there was two types present...Inflammatory Breast Cancer (very rare-no lumps involved) and Ductal Invasive (very common-has lumps). I will save the BC story for another post, as it is an amazing journey of it's own. There is good in everything, if you allow yourself to see it. But suffice it to say, 12 surgeries and 30 weeks of aggressive chemo in 12 months really took a toll on my body. But the day I was given the okay to begin exercising again, I did. It didn't last long though. While I thought the fight with Cancer was over, little did I know that it had only just begun. The trickle down affect, the consequences, repercussions or fall-out if you will, from treatment received during that year would now begin.


I was given massive amounts of steroids with my treatments. Summarizing a year in a few short sentences: I gained 70 lbs during my year of treatment. I gained weight so fast I could feel my skin stretch...and no, that is not a pleasant feeling. My eating habits changed. The healthy foods I loved to eat made me nauseous. Food with a high fat content seemed to sit well in my stomach. I honestly thought "I'll eat what ever I can tolerate now, and when I'm done with this I will go back to my usual eating habits". Word to the wise: It's not so easy to change habits that you have ingrained for a year.

After completing chemo and being pronounced cancer free, most Doctors like to follow breast cancer treatment with five years of Tamoxifen or Aromasin (or other similar drug). I took Aromasin.This drug began incapacitating me, but so slowly that no one recognized that it was an affect of the drug. My joints would swell until they were unusable. My knees were the size of volley balls. I found myself using crutches or at best a cane. If I sat in a chair where I was sitting lower than my knees I couldn't get up without assistance. One day it would seem to be better, then the next day I was completely unable to walk. For a period of time I borrowed a wheel chair. It affected all of my joints but the most obvious was my knees because they carry the rest of my body. 

Within a couple of weeks of starting this drug I was no longer able to exercise. I continued to take this drug for 18 months while being tested for everything under the sun. I didn't know that there are over 100 different types of arthritis. When I did stop taking it, the damage had been done. The inflammation went down over a number of months...literally months. But my joints never returned to normal. They had received permanent damage.

Jump ahead to 2009. I was now seven years cancer free, but still fighting to recover from the damage that had been done to my body from chemo and other drugs. I was still 70 lbs over weight. Many times I had tried to start an exercise program and had to stop because of 'over use' injuries. Once I started walking to the end of my street and back and developed plantar fasciitis. Ouch!! I thought only tennis pros got that! I had injuries in my elbows from carrying the groceries and injuries in my back and knees from standing too long to do dishes. Three years in a row I was in for cortisone injections in my lower back. I was more than frustrated. This was not ME. I felt like my soul was in someone else's body. I was uncomfortable and lacking energy and I wanted to hide. I felt beaten down emotionally and physically. It was easy to blame all the reasons I couldn't lose weight for how I felt. 


One day, I got tired of reviewing all of the things that stood in my way and the reasons why I couldn't exercise and lose weight; basically all of the things that were  out of my control. I decided to look at what I COULD control. For starters, I could control what went in  my mouth. (It's just hard to be motivated to eat right when you don't feel well physically). Although slowly, I could still walk around the grocery store, so that meant I could walk for 10 minutes. I knew that if I did EVERYTHING that I could do to get my health back and lose the weight and it didn't work, then I had something to complain about. But until then, it was just an excuse.

That very day I cleaned up my diet. What does that mean? Fresh fruits & vegetables. Lean protein (not fried, breaded or surrounded in fat), complex carbs: whole grains (no white flour or sugar). No processed foods from cans, bags or boxes or fast food joints. After about 3 days of having no sugar your body quits craving it. Sweet fruit such as pineapple then tastes like 'sugar' to you and satisfies in a much deeper sense.

That same day I began to walk on the treadmill. If you think you are too heavy or tired to walk, it's not true...listen to how I started. I had just had another series of cortisone injections in my lower back to try to stabilize degenerative, herniated discs. They inflame easily. I got on the treadmill at 1.8 MPH. If you don't now how fast/slow that is, your toddler walks faster than that. I didn't care about speed, I was committed to doing whatever I could. I needed to feel like I had control of my life once again. I could only walk for 10 minutes then I had to get off and lay on ice for my lower back. I came back and did it again that evening. For two weeks I did that, morning and night until I was able to increase my time to 12 minutes. Again, after each short walk I laid on ice to reduce inflammation in my back. 

Slowly, I built up the time as well as the speed that I was able to walk. All the time eating a 'clean' diet as described above. Six months later I had literally walked off 65 pounds. During this six months all I did was eat a clean diet and walk. In the end I was walking 1.5 hours in the morning and 1.5 hours at night. Yes, that is a substantial amount of time. But I was willing to give that time to lose over 10 pounds a month and feel great. If I could run or weight lift or do some other form of exercise that would burn more calories then I wouldn't have had to dedicate 3 hours a day. But I couldn't, so I did what I could do. 

If someone could guarantee you that if you paid them $1000 you would look and feel like you wanted, would you do it? If someone guaranteed you that if you spent 3 hours a day for six months walking, you would look and feel like you wanted, would you do it? Would it be worth that short term sacrifice? That's how I looked at it. Remember, I started out 10 minutes at a time. Six months later it was 1.5 hours at a time. If you don't have similar back restrictions and can walk faster or jog slowly, you can do it in much less time.


I have managed to maintain my weight loss for over a year now. I feel good, but I want to feel great. I realize that I need to lose another 20 lbs (roughly) to feel great. I say roughly because I  don't care what the number on the scale is, it's how I look and feel. I will know when I hit that point. If you are ready to begin or continue your journey to weight loss and better health, begin today with me. 

My next post will be sharing five fabulous tips that I found for losing weight that may surprise you and do not require major changes in your diet or lifestyle. If you are not ready to eat a completely clean diet yet, these five tips will give you results and motivate you to make bigger changes for greater results!

So, here are my before and 2/3 there pictures. I look forward to being comfortable enough to take an 'after' picture soon!!