OneSmartCookie -- My story

[onesmartcookie]

Onesmartcookie – My Story.

Yesterday, I sat in front of my computer and cried. I felt tired, frustrated and most of all – fat. The 240 pounds of weight that I carry with me has become not only a burden on my organs, health but now is affecting my life.

Two years ago, I suffered for two months with excruciating pain that was not diagnosed until I was admitted into the hospital to have my Emergency surgery to have my Gallbladder removed. Until then, I had never been in the hospital or had any time of surgery. How did this happen?

Ignorance.

Memories of my childhood included KFC and picnics. Christmas dinner with sweet trays, sausage stuffing with the turkey, baked pumpkin pies with a pastry that included lard and the after dinner event of lying on the couch with your top button undone. Almost every meal consisted of meat, potatoes and vegetables. Sunday dinner was always roast beef, gravy, mashed potatoes made with sour cream, green beans from a can and for dessert, J-ello! Vegetables were for dip or usually came out of a can or bag from the freezer. Breakfast consisted of arguing with my Mom and telling her I wasn’t hungry. I was told to sit there and eat every Shreddie until the bowl was empty. Her family lived hand to mouth and many times their family had very little for the children to eat. To this day, I feel nauseated at the thought of breakfast cereals. This is how I grew up knowing food. Food was always predictable and boring. Just like that plate of white rice, spareribs and yellow kernel corn.

To be active or inactive?

Exercise. I haven’t seriously exercised since I was in Grade 12 Gym Class. Gym glass was push, push, push. I’m not a lazy person by nature but exercise is not something I enjoy. During the day, I’m constantly on the move from 7:30 AM until 6:00 PM at night. If someone asked me to do something for someone else, I would or if someone needed my help then I would. If I was asked to complete a task for a project or assignment I’m on it. I am determined, persistent and focused. When was the last time I did something for me that didn’t involve me treating myself to the decadent chocolate or tempting cheesecake? Just desserts…


If you’re an overweight person, then you are most likely suffering from muscle aches, pains and joint pain. For many years, I would eat Tylenol and the pain would temporarily go away. When you don’t feel great, exercise is the farthest thing from your mind. It’s much easier to rest, sit or lie down to give you comfort. Sit in front of the TV long enough and you will soon buy into all those pizza commercials!


Refuel or Indulge? You’ve just home from work and you’re tired. Who wants to cook? Order takeaway! It’s fast, tasty and will leave you with the food hangover you’ll forget about as soon as you fall asleep on the couch!

It’s all about Choice. My decision to lose weight came when a young boy on the bus shrieked at top of his lungs, “Mommy, why is that lady so faaaaaaaaaaaaat”. His Mom shushed him and I picked up any shred of dignity I had left. Sure, I was fat but not THAT fat! I wanted off the fat bus.



Combined with poor choices came with the temptation of diets that claimed proven results with minimal effort! I hoped to undo what I had done over the years and save my body. Not only did I lose the weight but this was short term and has now resulted in me now looking to release additional weight!

This brings me to this point… right here, right now. This is my choice. I am ready to change. I want to be healthy and I want to live my life.

OSC

[Lucie]

Amazing ! You WILL do it ! You CAN do it...you just made a really important, I'd say "crucial" step...everything will be easier from now on...and I know what I am saying... and I know what you've been through..so I KNOW you can do it !

Welcome aboard and tks for sharing !!!!

Lucie xxxx

[photogirl67]

Onesmartcookie – My Story.

Yesterday, I sat in front of my computer and cried. I felt tired, frustrated and most of all – fat. The 240 pounds of weight that I carry with me has become not only a burden on my organs, health but now is affecting my life.

Crying can be a great release of energy - now you are free to move on and make changes. I cried for months after my divorce, but I needed to in order to move on and let go of it.

Two years ago, I suffered for two months with excruciating pain that was not diagnosed until I was admitted into the hospital to have my Emergency surgery to have my Gallbladder removed. Until then, I had never been in the hospital or had any time of surgery. How did this happen?
Ignorance.

Please don't be so hard on yourself. Ignorance is not a pleasant thing to say - how about lack of knowledge instead? Now that we can change.

Memories of my childhood included KFC and picnics. Christmas dinner with sweet trays, sausage stuffing with the turkey, baked pumpkin pies with a pastry that included lard and the after dinner event of lying on the couch with your top button undone. Almost every meal consisted of meat, potatoes and vegetables. Sunday dinner was always roast beef, gravy, mashed potatoes made with sour cream, green beans from a can and for dessert, J-ello! Vegetables were for dip or usually came out of a can or bag from the freezer. Breakfast consisted of arguing with my Mom and telling her I wasn’t hungry. I was told to sit there and eat every Shreddie until the bowl was empty. Her family lived hand to mouth and many times their family had very little for the children to eat. To this day, I feel nauseated at the thought of breakfast cereals. This is how I grew up knowing food. Food was always predictable and boring. Just like that plate of white rice, spareribs and yellow kernel corn.

Umm and you and probably most of us here! I grew up eating pancakes with white flour, fake syrup, whip cream, etc for breakfast. Or pumpkin pie! Yes that's right, my mom used to give us pie for breakfast. or cake. or muffins. or cookies. She is always baking and is a great baker. Not so great a cook - as I learned later on. Now she wants to learn to cook like I do. I was a sugar addict big time! Then I started on my journey, started eating better, starting eating Sunrider - and my cravings went away. I don't crave coffee, pop, sugar, desserts - in fact if we're out eating I'll likely ask if they have just fruit for dessert - or skip it and eat some at home later. I honestly don't want the stuff now.

Let me recommend a book/DVD for you called the Pleasure trap. It's about how we've become accustomed to eating high fat, sugary foods and it makes the veggies, grain, and beans not that appealing to us. But if you can get off the food addiction and get to the other side you'll actually really enjoy healthy foods again - I know it has happened for me. I drool over raspberries and cherries and mushrooms - cheesecake makes me wanna hurl!

http://www.drmcdougall.com/store_pleasuretrap.html

It comes as a book too, you can find on Amazon if you'd rather read. I'm more a lecture person myself and it hits home faster and easier and you can watch it over and over.

To be active or inactive?

Exercise. I haven’t seriously exercised since I was in Grade 12 Gym Class. Gym glass was push, push, push. I’m not a lazy person by nature but exercise is not something I enjoy. During the day, I’m constantly on the move from 7:30 AM until 6:00 PM at night. If someone asked me to do something for someone else, I would or if someone needed my help then I would. If I was asked to complete a task for a project or assignment I’m on it. I am determined, persistent and focused. When was the last time I did something for me that didn’t involve me treating myself to the decadent chocolate or tempting cheesecake? Just desserts…

Yeah me too. I never even did grade 12 gym, I got out of grade 10 gym with a lame excuse I had a bad hip. I was never overweight until after 30, but I was never, ever as fit as I am not at age 40! I couldn't run up one flight of stairs without collapsing before - now I'm running 10km on Saturday (2 years later). If I can do this - you can too!

Okay so let me ask you two questions:

1 - are you ready to take action?
2 - on a scale of 1-10 how committed are you to your health? (not losing weight but your health)

If you’re an overweight person, then you are most likely suffering from muscle aches, pains and joint pain. For many years, I would eat Tylenol and the pain would temporarily go away. When you don’t feel great, exercise is the farthest thing from your mind. It’s much easier to rest, sit or lie down to give you comfort. Sit in front of the TV long enough and you will soon buy into all those pizza commercials!

Be aware of the language you used in the above paragraph. Lots of "you" this and "you" that. Don't you mean "I"? Go back and put "I" in everywhere you wrote "you" and own where you are right now. Don't pretend it's someone else. Once you have the awareness of what you are doing now - you can also say "I" statements of what you are doing now to change that. And if you are going to do affirmations (familiar with those?) avoid the words "I will" instead say "I am now". Here's an example of an affirmation:

"I am now making healthy choices and putting myself first"

if that resonates with you - write it in big letters on a poster board and put it somewhere you will see it many times a day. Take a few minutes each morning to read it OUT LOUD 10 times. Then again at night so it's the last thing in your head. You can even get a meditation or motivational CD to listen to. A friend of mine is a hypnotist, he has CDs like this at:

http://www.marketerschoice.com/app/aftr ... fid=604577"

Refuel or Indulge? You’ve just home from work and you’re tired. Who wants to cook? Order takeaway! It’s fast, tasty and will leave you with the food hangover you’ll forget about as soon as you fall asleep on the couch!

It’s all about Choice. My decision to lose weight came when a young boy on the bus shrieked at top of his lungs, “Mommy, why is that lady so faaaaaaaaaaaaat”. His Mom shushed him and I picked up any shred of dignity I had left. Sure, I was fat but not THAT fat! I wanted off the fat bus.

Are you from the UK or NZ? "takeaway" gives me a clue.

So instead of cooking what about making a green smoothy, or a big salad? If you always have stuff chopped up ready to go - it takes 2 minutes. Ever had a green smoothy made with a whole bunch of greens like spinach, kale, chard? I can tell you how, it's yummy and so nutritious. There are also poor choices and better ones for takeaway. How about Indian food - skip the butter chicken, get a good curried veggies and chick peas and brown rice if they have it. Or put the rice one after you order so it's done when the food arrives. You're right - it is about choices and finding some alternatives.

Combined with poor choices came with the temptation of diets that claimed proven results with minimal effort! I hoped to undo what I had done over the years and save my body. Not only did I lose the weight but this was short term and has now resulted in me now looking to release additional weight!

This brings me to this point… right here, right now. This is my choice. I am ready to change. I want to be healthy and I want to live my life. OSC

awesome - so what's your first action plan step?

[Blush]

Excellent choice.

WHat a fantastic place you have found to help you with any questions along the way.

I am behind you 100% on your journey towards health and fitness

[onesmartcookie]

Takeaway. I live in Edmonton! I think I've been watching Coronation Street too much. Heh.


I will check out the Pleasure Trap. Thank you for your suggestion.

Yes, I am ready to take action. How committed am I? Eight out of ten. If you asked me before I would say 6.

My revamped message:

I am an overweight person. I suffer from muscle aches, pains and joint pain. For many years, I would eat Tylenol and the pain would temporarily go away. When I don’t feel great, exercise is the farthest thing from my mind. It’s much easier to rest, sit or lie down to give you comfort. If I sit in front of the TV long enough and I wiill soon buy into all those pizza commercials!

I am now making healthier choices. Today I made Roasted Cauliflower Soup which I ate for lunch and put the rest into containers for the freezer. I made brown rice and veggies. I made lentils for the first time. I have bought raspberries, blueberries and bananas. I have fresh vegetables from the garden including carrots, onions, cabbage, green/yellow beans, and lettuce. Instead of eating rice cakes I chose those Ryvita with roasted tomatos, olive oil and basil. I am more aware of how important water is and have now been drinking 5 bottles of water per day minimum. I will not leave the house until I have eaten breakfast.

OSC

[photogirl67]

Well OSC I'm in Edmonton too, as is Blush and Rob!

so support is closer than you think! When Rob gets back he's going to set up a Sunday morning exercise in the park routine for anyone that wants to come. Do join us!

[Michele]

OSC, good for you! We are behind you all the way!

[onesmartcookie]

I'm ready to post my meausurements. Which ones should I use? Explain where on the body they are. This reminds me I need to go to my doctor for my yearly physical. I have been putting it off because of my weight.

[Blush]

post the ones you have

When I measure, I do these:
upper arms
chest (across boobs)
chest (under boobs)
waist (across belly button)
hips
Thighs
calves

[photogirl67]

yup and neck if you want

you can also do hips over the fleshiest part of your butt

if someone else is doing it for you - get the same person all the time for consistency.