We're back!

Hello!

I know that it's been a really long time since I was on here. There've been a lot of ups and downs and a lot of disappointments in our journey to lose weight and get healthy, but we're ready to get started again!

There has been too much happening to catch everyone up on everything, but I'm going to attempt a few things.

First of all, Lee had found a great walking partner who was able to go walking with him almost daily for quite a long time. I wasn't able to join him very often because of work, but I would try when I could. They had gotten to walking 2 - 3 miles every day! Wow! He hasn't been walking for a while, though, because his partner had to stop because she started a new job. He knows that he could walk on his own, but we all know it is very hard to be motivated to do things on our own. Once winter has passed, he wants to start walking again. If there is anyone we know who can walk with him in the mornings, please let us know (wink, wink, lol).

Another really big event in trying to lose weight was that Lee had Gastric Bypass surgery in January last year. We're really impressed that we were able to do all that was needed for the surgery. I joined in all of the dieting that was necessary, as a support for Lee. I didn't think that it would be fair for me to eat normally when he couldn't, and I figured it would be good for me, too.

We started out having to do 2 weeks of a pure clear liquid diet, with several proteins shakes per day, and nothing else but clear liquids such as water and broth or even sugar-free jello. At that time, Lee had his surgery. He then had to do 2 weeks of 4 - 6 oz of full liquids, adding things like applesauce, pureed cream soups, 1% milk, sugar-free pudding, smoothies (specific recipes to stay healthy and in the guidelines), etc. By this time, after 2 weeks of nothing but pure liquids, this was pretty easy.

After this, we moved on to 2 weeks of Soft Solids. This included foods like eggs, some seafood, canned chicken and deli chicken/turkey, beans, no sugar added canned fruit, bananas, cooked veggies, etc. No red meats yet, lol. We were so happy to move on to this stage, although we were still eating 6 - 8 oz of food. Finally, 5 weeks after his surgery, we were able to eat Full Solids.

This was the hardest time because once we started eating the full solids, the temptation to start eating the way we used to was eventually too much. We don't follow the diet that we used to, but I am proud to say that we are still eating so much better than we were before all of this started. We still eat about half of the amounts for our meals than we ate before Lee's surgery (in fact, we can't imagine how we used to eat that much; it's so weird). We also learned to appreciate Stevia and still sweeten some things with half Stevia/half sugar. We've also learned to eat a more fiber-rich diet, and less red meat.

Overall, we lost a combined total of almost 100 pounds, and although we have gained a lot of it back, we haven't gained it all back.

Sadly, our exercise routine has been sporadic. We'll do really well for a while, then stop for a while. That, too, is something we want to get back to doing.

So, back to now. We have set a goal to lose about 150 lbs (combined) this year. Our plans to accomplish this are as follows:

• We have started back to doing cardio every other day, right now by dancing to Just Dance 2018.
• We are going to the gym every other day where we are doing some cardio and some weight machines. (I love the weight machines so much more than the cardio, lol. I never imagined that!)
• We are going to try to severely limit our soda intake.
• We would like to start shrinking our food intake. Counting calories is too hard for us because we either get discouraged or forget to do it. Reducing our intake will automatically reduce some of our calorie intake.
• We would like to cut back on our sugar intake and start adding more Stevia again as a replacement.
• We are going to start tracking our weight and measurements again.
• We are going to try to be forgiving of ourselves if we make mistakes, but still push ourselves to be better.
• I have started this blog again to share our experiences.

and . . .

• Lee would like to see about doing a video blog on YouTube if we can figure out how to do it! His aim is to be an inspiration to others who go through the struggles that we have while trying to get healthy and lose weight, as well as helping him to stay focused. He has relied on other YouTube videos to help him, but he hasn't seen very many men, and especially no one who is as big as he is. If we can get this going, we'll let you know!

This will be a full-time job for both of us, but Lee is approaching 40, and I'm already over 40, and it's time to get healthy so that our future will be easier and we can have more fun!

If you have anything that you would like to share with us about your struggles, please feel free to do so! Thank you for your support!

The determination to keep going!

I don't know how to start this post today. I've sat here for 5 minutes and started, erased, and started again five times. Even now I'm still not sure what to say. The thing is, it's not really hard to talk about, I just don't know where or how to start. I guess I'll just start by going back to the last post and telling what has been happening since then.

Around mid-October Lee started going to school! He's taking night classes at Stevens-Henager. For the first few weeks it was quite hard to find time to keep going to the gym. I was working all day, then we had a little more than an hour and a half to get dinner and for him to get ready before he had to go to school for a few hours. By the time he got home, it was too late to go. He was doing homework even on the weekends. Unfortunately, we started using school as an excuse.

At the first of November when we went to get weighed, we discovered that both of us had lost weight! We didn't really feel much joy, though, because we realized that we had probably just lost a lot of the muscle weight.

We fell back into old routines. We stopped walking in the mornings because it began to get cold and too dark to see. We tried to start doing Sweatin' to the Oldies 2, like we did last winter. We were successful for a little while, but soon stopped doing that, too. Because we stopped exercising as much as we should, we didn't realize that we started slacking on our eating habits, as well.

When we checked our weight this month, we discovered that we had both put back on a significant amount of weight! When they tell you that it has to be a lifestyle change, they aren't kidding! We discovered just how easy it is to backslide and get into old habits.

This month, we decided to get back on track. Lee is now only going to class two nights a week so we have a little more time to go back to the gym. We also started doing Sweatin' to the Oldies 4-6 mornings every week. We're trying to get back on track with our eating, as well. It's a little slower than we would like, and not having money to eat healthy doesn't help (snack foods and instant meals are so much cheaper than fresh foods!), but we've tried to start adding some vegetables and fruit back into our diet, as well as starting to limit our intake again.

It's been physically hard getting back to the gym, hard on our bodies. We leave the gym in quite a bit of pain, haha, but we discovered something amazing: we missed going and are loving being back! Even now, I find it really strange to think that I actually like going to the gym! Will wonders never cease!? It's kind of funny. For a while we thought that we would have to give up going because we couldn't afford it. I was so sad about that! It still amazes me. I'm still not a huge fan of cardio of most types, but I love doing the weights. I also love how I feel after I leave the gym. It helps so much with our physical health, but also our mental health. It really does help to go work out frustration and stress at the gym, and almost like taking a mini-vacation from the world. While working out, you don't have time to think about all of the bad things in life, all you can do is focus on the workout. It's refreshing.

We've got years to go before we're satisfied with our physical health. We know this. It's a daily battle of ups and downs. We're going to have more setbacks, more backsliding. That's reality. But we've got something we've never had before now: the determination to keep going!

I know, I know, it's been way too long. Once again, I have reasons, but no excuses. In any case, the biggest reason would probably be laziness, but other factors would include disappointment, stress, and the ups and downs of life.

As always, a lot has been going on here since I last wrote. I guess all I can do is just start typing and try to get everything up to speed.

Lee and I decided to go back in July to get weighed. Our results weren't as bad as we thought they would be, but there really wasn't any loss, either. It's was pretty disappointing, but it seemed to add a little more to our motivation. We also added something new to our efforts: we joined a gym! Really! Us! Honestly, I never thought that we would ever join a gym. I used to think that we could do well enough on our own. Don't get me wrong, we have done pretty well. However, we realized that we had hit a wall, or plateau, if you prefer that term. We need some extra help that we can't get on our own.

We experienced the fear that so many overweight people have: that they will be looked down upon by the other patrons at the gym. Trust me, there really are more skinny people at the gym than fat people, but there are also others who like us if you look hard enough. After signing up, on the first day we went, we almost gave up. Psychologically it was quite hard. We actually did leave, but sat in the van in the parking lot and said a prayer and talked things out. Lee decided that we needed to go back, so we gave it another try. When we got inside we ran into a guy who talked to us about his experience (he also used to weigh a lot more, but now looks SO much better) and he gave us some encouragement and advice. He told us to just ignore everyone else and pretend that it's just us and the machines. If we make that our focus, it will be easier. He was right. It made all the difference!

I guess I should say how it started: well, actually, Lee and I just decided on a whim to at least go check out the Sports Academy. After all, it really doesn't hurt to look. We talked with their membership person to get some information, and managed to get a great deal! It was too good to pass up. When we found out how much the normal rates are for two people (over $100 a month!), Lee asked if there were any deals that we could make, such as sponsoring. The nice young man called his manager and when he came back, we were offered a 2-for-1 deal if Lee would agree to be sponsored! That basically means that they will track his progress and Lee has given his permission for them to use his results in advertising.

It's also really cool that we were able to get a deal where we pay basically 2-for-1. Lee and I are a package deal when it comes to this weight loss thing. We do it together. Before we started working together we didn't have any lasting success. Since we finally decided to do it together, we've kept at it much longer than we ever have by ourselves. It also helps going to the gym together.

We have actually met some really great people at the gym! Most of the people we have talked to have been very kind and even helpful! There are still those times where it gets uneasy when people look at us, but overall it's been a great experience.

We get a few free visits with a personal trainer, as well. We got 3 from signing up, and another two as part of our deal. Our trainer also arranged for us to pay for further meetings at a discount. Rob is a good guy. He's been in our situation himself. He was once morbidly obese and has not only lost a lot of weight, but come to enjoy what he was doing and wants to help others, as well. It's nice having someone who has been in our shoes because he can understand, sympathize, and encourage us.

We've started seeing some changes for the good, too. Lee is at his lowest weight in years at 508 lbs, and I'm back down to where I was in November at 288. Not my lowest, but I'm going back down. The biggest positive results we've seen is how we feel. I'm really surprised at how much we enjoy going. We don't go as often as we planned, and some weeks are better than others, but I'm quite surprised at how we've stuck with it! Honestly, I am also quite excited that I can now go swimming more often!!

We took a few pictures but they didn't work out so we'll try again and post them later.

That's it for now. I promise to try to keep up with this more frequently! :-)

Frustrations, more ideas, good news, and . . . ducks?

May 25, 2016

May 25, 2016

I have so much to say, but I don't know where to start. I guess I'll just start typing, and I can edit so it makes sense, right?

I've been getting very frustrated that I haven't been able to lose weight or any inches. I had some inspiration the other day that we've been making efforts to work on.

First, I have a very hard time drinking water. I believe I've mentioned it before, but I really don't like drinking water. However, the thought came to me the other day that that could be a lot of why I'm not losing any weight: I don't drink enough, of anything. I paid attention to how I drink during the day, and realized that I probably drink a total of 16 - 20 oz of any liquid on an average day! I just don't think about it. Now, there are days that I might get about 40 - 50 oz, but my water intake usually stays around 20 oz. The daily recommendation is at least 64! That has to change.

Sorry if it's not a completely clear image.

I've set an alarm to go off every hour to remind myself to drink some water, now I just have to make myself take more than a swallow. I think that's why I don't drink more. When I'm thirsty, I take a swallow or two of what I'm drinking, it satisfies the thirst (or so I think), and I move on.

When I'm at work, I have a lot harder time on certain days. On the days we do exams (I'm working in an optical store and the Optometrist is only in twice a week), I'm usually so busy that I don't sit down at my desk for more than a minute or two at a time; and sometimes it's so hectic that it's at least 30 minutes before I can even take a breather. On those days, I often can't even stop for lunch, just snack when I get a chance to take a bite or two. I think I'll just have to be more diligent before and after work, and on the days that we aren't really busy.

The second idea that came to me is that we eat too many processed foods. We eat a lot of frozen foods, boxed foods, and instant foods. A lot of this is for convenience, and time restrictions, but the biggest reason is because it's cheaper. We want to cut back on pre-made foods, as well as starting to limit our carb intake. We won't be going fully paleo, but cutting back. The difficulty that we're going to run into now is that our food stamps (Yes, we're on food stamps. I'm not going to get into it so don't start. We don't make enough to pay our bills and buy food so we get help with food so we can pay our bills. Enough said.) have been cut by about 1/3 of what we were getting. Now we have to try to pay for fresh foods, which can be so much more expensive. I know that it's going to be worth it for our health, but it's not going to be easy.

Speaking of not easy, we started calisthenics this week. Can I just say a big fat "OUCH!!!" Just 20 minutes of calisthenics left us sweating, out of breath, and feeling more worn out than either walking or aerobics! The after-effects didn't just leave us sore, I was in literal pain! We are going to keep it up, but I can now say that I must be a glutton for punishment . . . or just very determined to lose weight.

Ok, enough of that. Now I want to tell you a story about our walk today. We went out for our 1.5-mile walk, and almost half-way through we found a female mallard duck making a lot of noise on the side of the road, but staying right by the corner. If you haven't guessed already, her babies were trapped down a storm drain!

Not picture from today.

Not picture from today.

We couldn't just ignore her, so we called the city dispatch so that they could send out Animal Control. They weren't on duty yet, so we had to just walk on and hope that they would help her when they could. I'm still hoping they were able to help her and her babies! Sadly, it's such a common occurrence that you can find a lot of pictures about rescues like this all over the internet. Maybe I'll take a moment after I finish this to make sure they're not still there.

Finally, for the best news of all: we took our measurements this weekend and compared them to a year ago when we started charting it. The results: Lee has lost a total of 4.5 inches in his waist! He is looking so good, and everyone is commenting on how they can see the results. Unfortunately, Lee can't see it, himself, but we usually are the last to see things like that on ourselves. I am so proud of him! Weigh-in is next weekend; we're crossing our fingers.

Adrenaline junkies?

I have a few things to talk about today. The title mentions one, but there's more. I'll start with our walk yesterday.

Yesterday morning started out pretty bad for me. I won't go into personal details, but let's just say that I was VERY depressed. Lee took the chance to use one of the tools that he has learned for dealing with stress and depression: he suggested that we go for our walk. As I said in the last blog, usually we go walking on Saturdays around 8, yesterday we left around 7. We weren't going to wait. It didn't take long for the exercise, serotonin, and adrenaline to do the job. Let me just say for those of you out there that suffer from depression: while it doesn't solve your problems, a regular workout program does wonders for the mind, body, and soul; and if you are feeling really bad, get up and move, no matter how you do it. It really is hard to focus on what's bringing you down when that serotonin starts working.

While we were walking, we decided to try some different types of moving to mix it up, as well as exercise other muscles. We basically just experimented with different ways to move our arms, and different ways to walk. One example is to pump your arms as if you are running, pushing your arms back and forth further than they move naturally. Another example is to do jumping jack arms, another is to just hold your arms out to the sides and let resistance work on your muscles. We also tried walking backward and sidestepping, as well as other ideas. We decided that on weekdays we don't have time for any of these, so we'll just work on alternating speeds on those days. On weekends, however, we have more time to spend on other types of movement.

Today we started out with the intention of taking a leisurely walk in the rain. Let me just say this: I don't think we know how to walk leisurely anymore, lol. Before long, we started doing some of the arm movements we discussed; then after a few blocks, we started some of the walking alternatives. We talked about it and decided that we must be adrenaline junkies now. We like how we feel after exercising and it just doesn't feel right anymore to take time off. Any day we can't exercise for reasons beyond our control, we get down and are up and ready to go the next morning.

Our efforts are paying off again. We did measurements and were weighed again yesterday after our walk. I am at least maintaining my measurements and weight, but I'm excited to say that Lee has lost 1-2 inches from his waist and chest and has lost 3 pounds in two weeks! We've realized that the biggest and hardest obstacle that we have to overcome now is our eating habits.

We've made efforts to limit our intake and add fruits and vegetables, but now it's time to really make some changes. We have decided to take most of our snacks out of our daily diet. We won't be purchasing anything in bulk anymore because that just leads to binging on it because it's there. We will only have snack foods in limited quantity, and try to avoid purchasing them until we want them. Of course, we aren't going to take anything away from our diet, just severely limit them. For example, yesterday we went on a date to Aggie Icecream and got single scoop cones instead of buying a half-gallon which we might binge on. Today we're making cookies and only baking 3 per day and freezing the rest.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to lose the weight that I want to. I've worked so hard over the last year and more, and have actually put on weight. However, I've maintained my overall measurements and I'm feeling so much better, have more energy, and most of the time I'm happier. I'm not giving up, but I'm going to try to not let it get me down.

Unexpected inspiration!

Today we had some unexpected inspiration. It's Saturday so, of course, we went on the mile-and-a-half walk this morning. We got out a little later today because we went out to eat breakfast for a mini-date, then stopped at the weekend outdoor market on our way home. We were originally going to go out around 8/8:30, as we usually do on Saturdays, but this morning we didn't leave until about 10:00. I think it might have been inspired.

As we were about 2.5 blocks from the end of the walk, a car approached us from behind, then pulled up next to us. A man we don't know leaned out of the window and started talking to us. He told us with a smile that, "Thanks to you guys, I've joined a da** gym." He said that he and his wife see us walking every day, and we have inspired them to go walking every day now, as well. He laughingly told us that he can only get around the block a time or two because he's so out of shape, but that we need to keep it up because we are an inspiration. He then said goodbye, did a U-turn, and drove away.

We were a little awed by the experience, and a little bit in shock. We have had so much support and encouragement from all of you who read this blog, and we are so grateful for that support. However, we didn't know we were an inspiration to complete strangers in our own neighborhood. We don't know who he is, but he has now inspired us to keep going. We've talked before about our religious beliefs; today we discussed it, and we can't accept that the timing was coincidental. If we had gone out at our normal time, we may not have had this wonderful experience.

It gets hard sometimes to keep going. Weather restrictions, health, mental health, and even pure laziness are, at times, very BIG obstacles. We started this blog last year as much for our own inspiration as to inspire others. We hoped that if we had the responsibility of keeping up the blog, it would help us be more motivated to keep going. It has worked out that way, too. We also hoped that we could inspire others, but mostly that we could show people that they aren't alone in their struggle to get healthy. You have all shown us that we aren't alone, either.

I'll close with another "Thank you," and the pictures from today's walk.

New disappointment, and new motivation.

We went out for our "long" walk this morning. It was a beautiful day and we were so excited to be able to go 1.5 miles instead of the mile we do weekdays due to time constrictions. After the walk, we were so excited, feeling really good, so we decided to do our monthly weigh-in. Good feelings gone.

It was so disappointing. Lee and I both went up in weight by another pound. Ok, so it's just a pound, but we were so sure that the muscle we've been developing would have started helping us to lose weight, not put it on.

I should say, however, that the exercising and eating better must be doing something for our attitudes and mental health. We didn't stay disappointed for long. Within minutes we turned it around and started to discuss how to use it as motivation. We also started discussing how to get past this plateau and step it up a notch.

This is one of my motivators. I'm a little nervous about sharing it, but it's real. I hope it helps others, as well as us.

Tomorrow we do our measurements. Crossing fingers, hope it will show better results.