Chris Johnson is Coming to Town

Chris will be speaking at all three healthplexes and I will also be telling my story. I will be telling my story first and he will be on after me. I’m glad that I’m first because he would be a hard act to follow. I have never met him but I have talked to him on the phone. I‘m very excited and can’t hardly wait to meet him. If you have been following my blog you know that Chris Johnson’s book “On Target Living” is what turn my life around. I think one of the things in his book that helped me is he said take baby steps. Don’t give up everything all at once. He also has a target with the best foods in the center and they get worse as you get away from the center. Eating the right kind of food, and exercise goes together.

I will be very nervous when it is my turn to speak because I’m not used to speaking in front of an audience but I hope that everyone shows up. I need all of the support that I can get. We will be at Western Hills Healthplex on Jan. 15th at 4:00 pm, at Fairfield Healthplex on Jan. 16th at 9:00 am and at Anderson Healthplex on Jan, 16th at 1:00 pm.

Update on clothing size

It has been a long time since I changed my clothing size. I checked back in the blog and it was July 27th when I got into a size 14 slacks and I weighed 208.4 lbs. At that time I reset my goal. I wanted to get below 200 lbs and I wanted to get down to a size 12 slacks. It has been almost five months and I’m now down to that size 12 and I weigh 191 lbs. I want to be in the 180s by the end of the year. It is hard to lose weight over the holidays.

Why I Write The Blog

Almost a year ago I was ask to write a blog to tell my story. I agreed to do it because I thought that it would help others that are overweight like I am. I wanted to let them know that there is hope for them. Since I started the blog I have talked to a lot of people that have started losing weight after reading my story. I always said that if I could help just one person it would be worth doing. I was very happy to hear from so many. I have had some comments on the blog itself and I encourage people to feel free to make comments and ask questions. If I don’t have the answers I will find someone that does.

Eating over the Thanksgiving Holiday

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the worst holidays for people that are trying to lose weight. I was invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving but I had a very bad cold and had to cancel. Clarence went out and bought what we needed for dinner and we ate at home. We had turkey breast, dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy and pumpkin pie with sugar free whipped cream on top. This was a real treat for me and as I said you need to treat yourself once in a while. I didn’t overeat. I watched my portion sizes and I actually lost weight over the holiday. I’m now 193.8 pounds which is the lowest that I have been so far. That’s 136.2 pounds that I have lost!

My Accident

I tripped and fell at the mall on Wednesday the 11th of November. I hit my head and was knocked out. I was taken to the hospital and after a CT scan and some blood tests they determined that I was ok. When we got home I had a lot of pain in my side when I took deep breathes. We figured that I had a cracked or badly bruised rib. We went to the doctor yesterday and she said that my rib wasn’t broken. The last time we seen the doctor was two months ago and I have lost 13 lbs since then, according to the doctor's scale. With the sore ribs I haven't been able to go to the Healthplex but I still lost 1 lb. I was afraid that I would gain weight. I stayed with my lifestyle eating habits. You notice I didn’t say my diet. It is a lifestyle. The doctor said I could start back to exercising so today we are going to start back in the pool.

A little Trick to share

Most people that have tried to quit smoking chew gum instead of smoking. The same thing works for eating. After I get done eating I put a stick of sugarless gum in my mouth. It keeps me from getting a second helping or deserts. I do the same thing during the day. I chew gum just about all of the time. It keeps me from snacking in between meals. I also try to keep busy and keep my mind on other things.

More Exciting News

Today I got on the scale and it read 199.2. I was very happy to finally get below 200 lbs. Now my goal is to get out of the 190s. I know that I will probably jump back up into the 200s again a time or two before I get out of the 190s. It’s just the way that the weight loss has been going. It’s slow but I’m determined. When I broke the 300 lb. mark I was very happy and I was hoping that I would be able to get below 200 lb. but I wasn’t sure if it would be possible.

I went shopping a couple of days ago looking for a size 12 jeans. I tried on a couple of pairs but they are a little to tight yet. I figure that I will have to lose five more pounds. That’s another goal to shoot for.

Oct. 11th Update

It’s getting harder and harder to lose weight. I got below 210 lbs in June of this year and I weigh 202 lbs now. It has been a roller coaster ride all the way. My main goal is to get below 200 lbs by the end of the year. My doctor said that for my height and age I should weigh 180 lbs. I would like to be between 170 lbs and 180 lbs.

I have been off of my blood sugar medicine for a month now and my blood sugar has been around 90 which is very good.

I have started walking the track as a new exercise. I used to only be able to walk 1/4 of a lap last year and I would have to sit down and let my pulse rate come down. (One lap is 1/6 th of a mile.) Now I can do three laps without stopping. I know that 1/2 mile isn’t very far but I just started last week.

Six Month Assessment

I went to see Cindy, my HealthPlex Wellness Coach, yesterday for my six month assessment. She was very pleased with the results and so was I. As you can see I lost more weight and all of the other numbers are down which is a good thing. I’m finding it harder to lose weight now that I don’t have as much to lose. But as Cindy said "It will be done."

Initial assessment March 2009:
weight=222
BMI = 36
Body Fat = 34.5%
BP = 129/59

6 Month assessment Sept. 2009:
weight= 208
BMI = 34
Body Fat = 31%
BP = 117/57

Six month assessment shows a 3.5% decrease in Body Fat, decrease in BMI of 2 points.

Cindy wrote me an email:

I recommend changing your program (back to more weight training) to surge toward your goal of weight under 200.
It will be done!!

Great job in your accomplishment of coming off meds!!

I'm here when you need me,

Cindy

Good News From The Doctor

I went to the doctor for a regular checkup Tuesday and had blood test done at that time. The doctor was very happy with the progress that I have made with the weight loss. After she examined me she said I could quit taking the acid reflux pills and I could take the alleve only as needed for pain. The best news came on wednesday. My blood test came back and the doctor said that I could stop taking the blood sugar medicine. She said that I should be able to control the blood sugar with diet and exercise. I go back to the doctor in two months and at that time she is going to see if she can reduce the dosage of my cholesterol medicine. I was taking a big handful of pills and they are slowly getting less and less.

Deep/Yoga Flow

I have had a hard time losing weight recently so I thought that I would try something different. On Thursday mornings I started a new class. It is called Deep/Yoga Flow. It starts out with exercises in the deep water for a half hour and then we go to the warm water pool for stretching and balance for the second half hour. What a combination. After that class I do the hydro rider class which is the bicycles in the water. After doing the yoga flow it seems like it is easier to do the hydro rider class. I’m now going to the gym four days a week instead of three but the weight is starting to come off again.

Our Trip to the Drive-In

We went to the drive-in Saturday for the first time in forty years. We went with the other members of the motorcycle club. It is one of the scheduled events that they do every year but in past years we had other things to do.

Clarence got on line and checked to see what kind of snacks they had to offer at the drive-in and found out that we could not have anything on their menu. He also found out that they didn’t want you to bring food or drinks into the drive-in. He emailed the owners of the drive-in and told them the situation and that the only way that we could attend is if we could bring our own snacks. They replied the next day and said they understood and that we could bring our own.

I took celery, radishes, carrots, apples and a couple bottles of water. We try to plan ahead before we go anywhere. If we are going out to eat we check the menu online before we go so we can make the best choices and we know what we are going to order before we get there.

What a difference a year and a half makes!

I have made a lifestyle change to lose the weight and what a change it has made to my lifestyle. A year and a half ago I had to use my mobility scooter to go shopping. I couldn’t walk any distance at all. I have bone spurs and bulging disc in my back and walking & standing was very painful. I still can’t walk any distance but I don’t need a mobility scooter to go grocery shopping or shop at the mall. Sometimes at the mall if there is a lot of walking I have to sit down and rest for a few minutes. I think it’s called shop until you drop. I can do a lot more with the motorcycle club that I couldn’t before. It always upset me when I couldn’t find clothes that looked good on me. Now I’m getting my figure back and things look a lot better on me. I used to sit in the recliner while Clarence did all of the housework and the cooking. It made me feel bad that I couldn’t help out. My knees and back hurt so bad that I couldn’t do anything. Now we each have chores around the house. I also found out that I can take the heat a lot better. When it was hot outside I had to stay in the house. We have been going and going and going this year. We get back from one trip and start planning the next one. Last year I didn’t want to go anywhere because I was miserable and didn’t enjoy myself. I still have another 40 lbs to lose and it is getting harder but with everyones help and support I will lose it. This is not a journey that I have taken by myself.

Hip Hip Hurray

My hips must be getting smaller. I’m finally down to a size 14 jeans. My 16s were getting baggy so we went to the mall and I tried on a size 14. I was so happy that they fit. It has taken a few months and a lot of hard work. The trips that we have been taking recently haven’t helped either. It is really hard to eat right when you go on trips. I’m also happy to report that our trip to Cowan Lake for my birthday was very nice and I didn’t gain any weight.

I’m Only Human

Last week Clarence and I celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary. We decided that we were going to eat whatever we wanted on our anniversary. We had steak, baked sweet potato, dinner rolls and blackberry cobbler with ice cream for desert. I ate a lot more than I should have but it was a special occasion and as I said before it is o.k. I also didn’t exercise for the four days that we were gone. We ate a lot of fruits and vegetables and lean meat the other three days but didn’t exercise. The key is to eat right and exercise. You have to do both. I gained two or three pounds but some of it is water weight. I’m now back on my regular routine and the weight is starting to come off again. We are leaving again next week for four days but we plan to eat right and exercise.

Special Occasions

Clarence & I will be celebrating our 48th wedding anniversary on July the 8th. We have reserved a cabin at one of the state parks from the 5th to the 9th. I won’t say which state park. We don’t want company. This is going to be a challenge trying to not eat to much of the wrong things. We will have a few bottles of wine without a doubt. We will also have steak and all of the trimmings including dessert. That will just be for the one day. The other days we will try to eat the right foods. As I have said before it is alright to splurge every once in a while.

Finally

I finally got down below 210 lbs. I have been bouncing between 218 and 215 for a couple of months. I have been pretty busy and on my feet a lot and I retain a lot of water. It is very hard to stay on a healthy eating routine when your not losing weight. I want to cut back more but Clarence tells me to keep doing what I have been doing and the weight will come off. It is a lifestyle change, not a diet. I’m happy to report that I’m now 208.4 lbs and on my way down. My next goal is below 200lbs. I’m not going to get discouraged because Clarence and all of you won’t let me.

Good News

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea six years ago and I have been using a cpap machine ever since. I don’t know if you are familiar with the machine but it forces air into your throat to keep the airway open while you sleep. People with sleep apnea quit breathing because the airway temporarily collapses while they sleep. When I was tested six years ago I stopped breathing 15 times that night. I went back for a checkup six months ago and the doctor said that since I lost over one third of my body weight that the insurance would pay for me to be retested. We decided to wait six months so that I could lose more weight before he retested me. I was retested last week and I got the results this week and he said that I just had a very mild case of sleep apnea and that I don’t need the cpap machine anymore. That means no more hose to get tangled up in and no face mask that leaves marks on your face for half of the day. It is a blessing when you need it but it is also a blessing on the day that you no longer need it. Most people never get off of the machine. This goes to show you that there is hope.

Update

I am still losing weight but it is a lot slower. I thought I would just give you an update. I have lost a total of 118 pounds so far. I went from a size 30 jeans to a size 16 and they are getting loose. I have gone from a 3x blouse to a medium. My motorcycle helmet went from a 1x to a medium. My wedding ring was getting too big so we went to the jeweler yesterday to have it resized and it was a size 13 and will be a 10 ½.

I have spent a lot of money in new clothing and other things but the results of my weight loss is well worth the money. Last year I would have been spending money on medical bills because I was sick a lot. Now I spend money on things that we like to do like motorcycle events and weekend getaways and lots of other activities that I wasn’t able to do before. I’m really proud of myself. I have accomplished a lot.

Camping & Eating Healthy

This holiday weekend we went camping. We have a popup camper that we tow with the motorcycle. The camper isn’t very big but it has a queen size bed and is very comfortable. The last time we went camping was before I lost the weight and I didn’t enjoy myself. Clarence had to do all of the work because I wasn’t able to help him. I also couldn’t join in on the activities and I felt like I was keeping Clarence from having fun.

What I wanted to talk about was what I had to eat on this trip. Friday morning we went to Bob Evans and I had oatmeal with fruit in it. Friday afternoon I had a lean hamburger with onion, and string cheese wrapped in lettuce. ( no bun ) Later that night I had and apple and string cheese for a snack. Saturday morning I had bacon, one egg and two small pancakes with sugar free syrup. Saturday night I had one hamburger wrapped in lettuce, a small amount of baked beans and potato salad. I had a special K breakfast bar and a glass of red wine for a snack while sitting around the campfire. Sunday I had bacon, one egg and two small pancakes again. Sunday evening I splurged a little and had two Johnsonville brats on buns. I’m only human. I had string cheese and a glass of wine for a snack. Monday I had the same breakfast and for supper I had steak and sweet potato without butter or brown sugar. For snack I had a handfull of baked wheat thins and a glass of wine. I had coffee with my breakfast and drank plenty of water during the day. I usually have more fruits and vegetables when I’m at home but it’s hard to take all of that when your camping.

Plateaus

To me plateau means staying at one weight for a week or month or more. I have been working on getting this ten pounds off for two months . It is really hard to stick with it when one day you lose one pound and the next day you gain a couple of pounds and you haven’t changed the way you are eating. My biggest problem is that I retain a lot of fluids and it shows up on the scales. I have finally started losing weight again but slowly. I have four more pounds and I will be down to 210 lbs. hip hip hurray. My support group (which seams to be the whole healthplex and my husband) won’t let me get discouraged. They are a lot of help. I have changed my exercise program thanks to the personal trainer. She gave me more core exercises and increased my cardio exercises.

My Motorcycle Helmet

Clarence & I went with a group of retired Goldwing motorcycle riders to London, Ky. I think that I mentioned that we ride a Goldwing. It is about 125 miles to London, Ky, but we take the back roads instead of the expressway . We also take the long way through curvy roads and the mountains. We traveled over 200 miles to get there.

The big thing that I wanted to talk about is my helmet. It was a windy day on the way to London Ky. and my helmet was blowing around all over my head. If it wasn’t strapped down I would have lost it. The helmet is suppose to fit snug and not move around. It fit me good last year. We stayed in London for two days and left on the third day. On the way home we stopped at the motorcycle shop and bought me a new helmet. I went from an extra large helmet to a medium. Last year I had chubby cheeks. The cheek pads is one of the things that determine the size of the helmet. We rode for over 600 miles in three days and last year I wouldn’t have been able to do that. I got my life back and I’m going to keep it.

My Goal

I didn’t meet my weight loss goal for April but I’m not giving up. I have changed my exercise program and it is helping. Sometimes you have to mix things up a little.

I have met one of my very important goals since I started this blog. I agreed to do the blog mostly to help other people that are in the same shape that I was. I have talked to a lot of people that either had problems losing weight or knew someone that did. They wanted to know how I lost the weight and I told them by eating healthy and exercise and I referred them to the blog. The blog tells my story and lets them know that I have been thru a lot. It also lets them know why I decided to lose the weight in the first place. I am very happy to report that several of the people that I talked to have started eating healthy, exercising and losing weight. I was able to inspire them and as I said that is my goal.

My Goal for April

My goal for April was to get down below 210 lbs. So far that hasn’t happened. I have been bouncing from 215 to 218. I had minor surgery on March 13th and I wasn’t allowed to do any strenuous exercise for a couple of weeks. I wasn’t allowed in the pool at all. I’m getting to a point where the weight doesn’t come off as easily. I’m telling you this to let you know that it isn’t easy for me either. Don’t get discouraged. I have changed my exercise routine (Thanks to the personal trainer) and I’m sure that it will make a difference.

Clarence and I tried Personal Training!

Clarence & I thought it would be a good idea to have the personal trainer give a report on us instead of us reporting on her. We want to thank Cindy for agreeing to do it.

Cindy Becker, Mercy HealthPlex Personal Trainer:

March 9, 2009 I performed a movement screen on Clarence & Joan to evaluate any musculoskeletal imbalances in order to add corrective exercises to their workout program. I asked them for their fitness goals. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Clarence's goals are: increasing flexibility, strength, & core strength Joan's are: improve balance, improve cardiovascular endurance and lose weight. (safe weight loss is 1-2 lbs/week)

With this information, plus medical history & eating habits, a trainer can design an exercise program that best meets one's needs safely and effectively.

I changed Clarence's current exercise program to include at least 50% of standing cable exercises which focus on core training and gave him specific stretches. He has progressed quickly in the past 4 weeks.

(April 7, 2009) His percent body fat has decreased by 2%, compared to the initial reading 4 weeks ago.

Joan's program includes more single leg exercises for balance and standing exercises for core strength. Resistance training done in a circuit fashion (10-12 exercises done in sequence with little rest in between) helps to increase endurance and promotes weight loss. Joan is working toward circuit training taking only rests as needed. I also recommended that she add a 4th cardiovascular workout, either hydrorider, nu-step or recumbent bike.

(April 7, 2009) Joan's weight has decreased by 3 pounds and her body fat by 1.5% compared to the initial readings 4 weeks ago.

Joan & Clarence will be re-assessed after 3 months.

It was great fun working with Joan and Clarence because they were enthusiastic and willing to try new exercises. They are very open to change and this is usually what is needed when you plateau and no longer see results with your exercise routine.

I Love the Water!

I didn’t always love the water. I was afraid of the water for a long time because I didn’t know how to swim. I started taking swimming lessons when I was in my thirties. I not only learned to swim but I went on to become a swimming instructor. I taught swimming for the red cross at Stone Lick Lake, A.J. Jolly, and East Fork Lake. My specialty was toddlers and small children. I kept up on all of the cartoons and kids games and was able to relate to them. I also liked to teach adults. I could relate to them and all of their fears because I had the same fears.

I started in the therapy pool six years ago because the doctor told me I needed to get my leg muscles in shape before I had my knee replaced.

I got back into the water as soon as I could after the knee replacement. The water exercises helped to strengthen my legs and bend my knees. At that time we had Doloris Murdock teaching the class and she was an inspiration to everyone.

At the present time we come three days a week and do two water classes. The aqua power class in the lap pool and the fit class in the therapy pool. I'm not able to do all of the running and jumping on dry land that I can do in the water. I do my cardio workout in the water. On the third Wednesday of the month the fit class goes to lunch together after class. We do a lot of socializing and we know everyone. We have a lot of fun and it keeps us coming back.

Deloris Claudia Murdock

I just had to write about Deloris. She taught the arthritis class when I first started at the HealthPlex. I was in really bad shape at that time. It was before I had my knees replaced. She took me under her wing or so I thought at the time, but I found out that she took everyone under her wing. She treated everyone like they was one of her children. She had nine wonderful children of her own. She loved it when she got hugs from everyone. Deloris's husband Bob would wheel her into the pool area in a wheel chair and she would get up and walk down the ramp into the pool holding on to the handrail. She couldn't walk on dry land but in the pool she could really move. She had a lot of songs that she would sing with the exercises and had the class sing with her.

When I had my first knee replacement Deloris was not able to come and see me in the hospital so she sent one of her daughters to check on me and report back to her. Her daughter was a nurse at the hospital at the time. Deloris was probably worse off healthwise than anyone in the class but you would never know it. She never complained. She always had a big smile and I think she was where she wanted to be.

Deloris passed away on January 25th 2009 at the age of 75. She was an inspiration to everyone. We all loved her.

"On Target Living"

If it wasn’t for Chris Johnson's "On Target Living" I would probably still weigh 350 lbs or more. I’m not being paid to promote Chris Johnson’s book and I wasn’t ask to do so. I am being paid with all of the health benefits that I gained by losing the weight. The only reason that I suggest reading the book is because it helped me so much and hopefully it will help you.

I bought several other diet books before I got the "On Target Living" book and they were diet books. Diets don’t work. After reading "On Target Living," I’m not on a diet.  I have made a lifestyle change. I eat healthy, watch my portion size and exercise.

The book suggests giving up one thing at a time. Baby steps. If you give up all of the foods at once you will be craving them and it won’t work. I found that since I’m eating healthy I don’t want to go back to the way that I was eating. I just think about how it would look on my hips. The book also tells you to treat yourself every once in a while but don’t go overboard. There are a lot of good recipes in it and a lot of exercises that you can do on your own. I could go on and on about it, but the best thing to do is read it. It might sound a little grim but it was a life saver for me - I was on my way to the grave.

Keeping on Track

Last week we took a trip up to the Fairfield HealthPlex and did an Aqua Combo Plus class with Darlene.  She really worked us out!  It was a great class!

On Friday, I had to go in for an outpatient procedure.  About four years ago I had a hernia operation.  Because I have lost so much weight, I have had an issue with the permanant stitches.  So they went in and had to remove four of the stitches.  I have been a little weak all weekend and still today.  But I came into the HealthPlex to do my workout.  I did a modified version of my weight routine and I think that’s about all I can handle today.  I can’t go into the pool for at least 10 days, until I see my doctor again.  But I will still be at the HealthPlex doing what I can.

On the up side, I have lost another four pounds.  I’m well on my way to meeting my next 10 pound goal.  I am also close to losing another size in pants!  Down from a size 30 to almost a 14!

The Wellness Wheel

I have been hearing about the Wellness Wheel more and more at the HealthPlex. I think it makes sense and I want to share what I’ve learned.

Here’s what the HealthPlex website says:

ENERGIZE: "Turn the power on," stimulate and invigorate your physical and/or emotional self.

SOCIALIZE:Meet others who share common experiences and motivate each other to achieve similar personal fitness goals.

REJUVENATE:Restore and replenish to reach a healthier state, either physically or mentally. Uplift and restore yourself to a new reenergized state of being.

LEARN:Gain knowledge and understanding to help you reach your goals.

BALANCE:Create harmony and symmetry to find a state of equilibrium.


Cindy Becker, CPT, Mercy Healthplex says
From the Wellness Wheel we recommend programs/classes/ or other services that the Healthplex offers to help fulfill the five areas:

Energize- participation in ANY of the group classes; water, land, kids gymnastics, tennis, Fit For Life- to turn people on to physical and mental exercise.

Socialize- gather with other members in our coffee area, or participate in the many social events we have, ie yoga workshops, tennis socials, spinning special rides, group training and group weight management programs like "Change your Life Challenge" and "Factor Five"

Rejuvenate- take advantage of the warm water pool, sauna, steam rooms, and whirlpool. Participate in yoga, meditation, tai-chi, massage, reflexology.

Learn- take advantage of workshops offered by instructors or the nutritionist (Aaron Dorfman), learn by taking group classes, personal training, tennis lessons

Balance- we help to write out a prescription that meets all of the above and find the right fit (classes, etc) for each member


I thought that I would tell about how the Wellness Wheel applies to me and Clarence. (Energize)- We do the aqua power and the fit classes in the pool and if that doesn’t energize you I don’t know what would. Each class is one hour and both of them is taught by Sharon Whitaker and she works us pretty hard. (Socialize) - We do a lot of socializing. That is one of the things that keeps us coming back to the Plex. When we first arrive at the Plex we sit down and have a cup of coffee and greet people as they come in. Then we start our workout on the machines. That is not all work either. We have to stop and talk to other people. I give a lot and receive a lot of encouragement. In the pool the FIT class meets for lunch once a month after class, plus we have a lot of fun in the pool. (Rejuvenate) The FIT class is the last class that we do and it is in the warm water pool. It relaxes our muscles and keeps us from having sore muscles. Clarence goes into the whirlpool every once in a while when his back is bothering him and it does the trick. (Learn) - Learning could apply to a lot of things. We did go to the nutritionist and learned a lot of things about what we should and shouldn’t eat. We are going to meet with Cindy Becker soon for personal training and I’m sure that she will give us some new exercises to do. (Balance) I’m sure that Cindy has something in mind to balance out our exercise program.

Take Care of Yourself

The biggest thing that I have done for myself was to lose the weight. Before I lost the weight I could barely get around and now as Clarence would tell you, I’m a new woman.

Other things that I do for myself are getting plenty of rest, eat healthy, get regular checkups and exercise. We spend about five hours a day, three days a week at the healthplex. The time that we spend is not all workout time. We workout for an hour and a half on the machines and then we have some coffee and socialize with some of the other members for an hour or until it is time for our aerobics classes to start in the pool. We work out for one hour in the aqua power class and one hour in the fit class. Then after a shower and getting dressed it is time for another cup of coffee and some more talking with friends. We have met so many nice people at the healthplex.

Other things that I do for myself is buying new clothes when I reach my ten pound goal. Getting my hair and nails done, encouraging other people to lose weight and thanking God every day that I’ve lost the 110 pounds. These things all make me feel good.

Weight Loss Update

I decided to see how far I’ve come.

I have a belt that I wore when I first started and Clarence would just keep drilling new holes in it as I lost the weight. I measured from the first hole to the one that I am using now. I have lost a total of 14 1/2" around my waist. Yea!!

When I first started I was losing inches and not pounds because I was exercising and losing fat but gaining muscle. Not looking at the scale but measuring and feeling the looseness of your pants are other good indicators of how you’re doing if you’re doing everything right and not losing the weight right away.

Meet with the Dietitian

Clarence talked with the dietitian and made an appointment to meet with him about a week later. He gave us a Food Diary to list everything that we had to eat and drink (each meal) that week. We learned that the diary keeps you honest with the food you choose to eat.

When we returned for our meeting the dietitian, Aaron, told me that what I was doing was ok but I needed to add more protein and drink more water. He also told me that I needed to have a snack closer to bedtime. Aaron said that the snack close to bedtime would keep the systems working overnight and would burn more calories. He also gave us a list of healthy foods to get when we go shopping and some sample menus. His advice was personalized just for me.

I would recommend that anyone that wants to lose weight and keep it off see a dietitian. I didn’t think that a dietitian could tell me anything that I didn’t already know. (I was wrong.) I do know that the fad diets don’t work and if you want to keep the weight off you have to eat right and exercise. Reading about diet information is ok, but they aren’t personalized for you. Spend the money at least once to talk to the experts: a dietitian, a personal trainer, a wellness coach. We are lucky to have all of these right here at the Mercy HealthPlex.

Exercise & Nutrition

I have learned that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. First of all I don’t know anything about nutrition. I just know what works for me. I do know that exercise alone doesn’t work, if you want to lose weight. I have been a member of the HealthPlex for over six years and have been exercising on a regular basis, but I was gaining weight. I didn’t start losing until I changed my eating habits. In Chris Johnson’s book there is a target and the foods that are in the center of the target are the ones that are the most nutritious for you and the further you get away from center the worse the foods are for you. I try to stay as close to the center as I can. I also watch my portion sizes and that would be different for each person. If you are taking in more calories than you burn you gain weight.

I don’t have a bad relationship with food. When I was recovering from all of the surgeries I wasn’t able to do anything and I think that I ate to make me feel better. I was really down in the dumps. Now I eat because I know that I need it to keep my energy up and to keep my blood sugar regulated.

Later this week Clarence and I are meeting with a dietitian to get some more suggestions on what we need to be eating. We will let you know what we find out.

Also, we saw friends we hadn’t seen for awhile this weekend and some of them didn’t even recognize me. They all told me how great and healthy I looked. That really helps keep me going.

And, I am now in a size 16 jean!

Baby Steps

I started my weight loss (lifestyle change) after reading Chris Johnson’s book "On Target Living." In the book it tells you to take baby steps and that is what I do. That means give up one thing at a time. I gave up deserts first and started watching my portion sizes. Then I gave up breads and the list goes on and on. But the main thing is not to try giving up everything at once.  It took me a whole year to get where I’m at now so don’t expect to lose all of your weight overnight. I also do baby steps as far as the weight loss is concerned. I lose ten pounds and then go for the next ten . When you reach the ten pound goal treat yourself with something that you like. I usually go shopping for a new outfit or two because my clothes are getting too big. It really makes me feel good to go down one or two sizes.

I'm still working on my 10lb goal. I've got about 3lbs still to go. I blame the weather for making this baby step take longer than I had hoped. But I won't be sidetracked. I think I have to go out and buy another new pair of jeans. My size 18's, that I bought just over a month ago are getting loose.

Don't Go It Alone

Clarence is my workout partner. He gets me up at 5 O’clock in the morning.We always have a good breakfast before we leave. It is probably the most important meal of the day. We have to take care of our animals (two dogs and seven cats ) before we leave. So by the time everything is done we leave the house at 7 O’clock and get to the healthplex at a little before eight. We live about forty five minutes away from the healthplex so we have to get up early to get everything done.

The reason I’m telling you this is I don’t like getting up early. This is where your workout partner comes in. It doesn’t have to be your husband it can be a friend or even a personal trainer. Someone who is depending on you to be there. When we get to the healthplex we sit down and have a cup of coffee and talk to a lot of friends that we have met there. This is where I really get a lot of support. A lot of people that I didn’t even know would come up to me and compliment me on how well I was doing and they remembered me when I first came to the healthplex in a wheelchair. With all of the people that are watching me and depending on me I can’t afford to gain weight.

After coffee we workout on the machines for about an hour or so and then go to the pool. We really enjoy the workout in the pool. We do the aqua power class in the lap pool for one hour and then do the fit class in the therapy pool. Sharon Whitaker teaches both classes and she makes it so much fun that you don’t even realize that you are exercising. We do this three days a week.

Clarence also helps me to chose what foods to eat. Before we go out to eat. We look up the menu on the internet and choose what we want before we get there.

I'm Down 9 More Pounds!

I was getting a little discouraged. Usually, I set my goal at just losing 10lbs at a time. I don't really set a time limit, but I do keep track. Well, this last 10lb goal was stuck at about 2-3 pounds for weeks. I was doing everything the same so I don't know why I wasn't losing. Well, I went to the doctor last week again and I lost 9lbs. I was so relieved! I am now at about 224. I'm still shooting for under 200lbs, but I'll just take it 10lbs at a time.

I guess it goes to show that if you just stick with it and keep exercising and eating right, it does work.

Meeting with a Wellness Coach

I was getting a little bored with the workout on the machines so I met with the wellness coach to be re-evaluated. She told me that I had plenty of arm and leg exercises but I needed some core exercises. She went with me from machine to machine to make sure that I was doing them right and she set me up on some additional exercises for my core. She also told me that if I had any questions to let her know. She asked me what my goal was and I told her that I would like to weigh between 150 and 160 pounds but I work on ten pounds at a time. I lose ten pounds and then start working on the next ten. The more I lose the harder it is getting. I have been working on this last ten pounds for three weeks and have lost four pounds. I sometimes think that I should cut back on my food intake but Clarence tells me that I'm doing fine. He said if I cut back too much my blood sugar will drop and I will not be able to exercise.

Clarence also saw the wellness coach and she said that he was stronger than the last time that he was evaluated. She also said that he needed to lose a few pounds. He is satisfied with the workout that he is doing so she didn't give him anything else.

I really liked meeting with the wellness coach. It was free because I am a member at the HealthPlex. She was very helpful. When I am struggling with losing the weight I think she would be very helpful to keep me motivated and find other exercises I could do to help me achieve my goal.

Update

I have a little update. I went to the doctor last week for a checkup and the doctor was very happy about the amount of weight that I have lost. She said she has seen people on T.V. before that has lost a lot of weight but never in person.

A couple of months ago I went to the sleep apnea doctor and he was also very happy with my weight loss. I use a cpap machine at night right now but the doctor said with the weight loss I could possibly be taken off of it. He was willing to retest me for sleep apnea but I decided to wait for six months and get more weight off first.

How I Got Started

I didn’t get started with exercise to lose weight. I started to exercise because of my torn meniscus. The doctor recommended warm water therapy so I looked around and found a program at the Mercy HealthPlex. I also started in with some exercise through physical therapy.

Starting in the water was really good for me and these classes had people in them just like me. I also really liked the instructor.

I started in the arthritis program for a couple of years and when it started getting too easy I moved up to the FIT program in the warm water pool.  I also talked to a personal trainer and she set me up with an exercise program on the weight machines. After about another month we added the Aqua Power class in the lap pool to our routine. That brought the grand total of two hours in the pool and two hours on the machines per day, three days a week.

I didn’t get to this much exercise in a month. It took me years.

I was getting plenty of exercise, but I was still eating the same or even more and still gaining weight.

That’s when we talked to Mike Combes at the Mercy HealthPlex and he gave me the book, “On Target Living” by Chris Johnson. I read the book and understood it. I could do this.

Now I eat healthy and exercise and I have lost over 100lbs. I’m not on a diet. I don’t count calories. Diets don’t work and believe me I’ve tried them all. I didn’t give up everything at once (baby steps).

There were a lot of people who helped me. There are caring people out there to help you too.

I just went shopping for a new pair of jeans this past weekend and was very excited that I am now in a size 18!  (I started at a size 30)  Now I can shop for clothes at regular stores and maybe find better deals!

How are you doing this week?

What Motivated Me to Lose 100 Pounds?

I want to share with you why I decided to lose weight and what motivated me to make it work this time. I’ve had my ups and downs.
Here’s where I started.

When I turned 60 everything seemed like it just fell apart. I had a torn meniscus. The doctor told me that I needed to get into a warm water exercise program to strengthen the knee. I checked around and found out that the Mercy HealthPlex had a warm water pool and that is when my husband and I joined. I worked out for a few weeks and then went in for surgery to repair the meniscus. That didn’t do any good so he gave me shots in the knee. That also didn’t help so after I told him that my 80 yr. old father got around better than I did. He decided to do a knee replacement and he did the left knee first. I don’t do very well with surgeries. Usually a person stays in the hospital for four days for a knee replacement but I was in for three weeks. The knee surgery went fine but everything else popped up. I was very sick after the surgery and they took all kinds of tests to find out what was wrong with me. They found out that I had an infection in my colon, my carotid artery was 90% blocked on my left side, I had diabetes, had sleep apnea, I had the tremors caused form some medications that they gave me in recovery, I had diabetes and on top of all of that my mom died and I was too sick to go to the funeral. The only thing that kept me from having a nervous breakdown was my husband Clarence. He was there every day form the time I woke up till bedtime. He’s my rock and always has been. After I got out of the hospital I went to the sleep clinic and stayed overnight for a sleep study, of course I was in a wheel chair and had a cast on. They determined that I had sleep apnea and sent me home with a cpap machine.

Then a few weeks later I went in to the hospital again and had surgery on the carotid artery. I didn’t have ay problems with that one, thank goodness. I had physical therapy at home for a few weeks for my knee and then finished my therapy at the Mercy HealthPlex. I was so weak from all of the surgeries that I had a hard time doing the physical therapy so when I got done with it the therapist recommended that I go into the cardiac rehab to get my strength back and I did. I was in cardiac rehab for a couple months. When I finished cardiac rehab I started back in the pool.

The main reason that I’m telling you this is it is one for the reasons that I gained the weight to begin with. I wasn’t able to do very much exercise at all. My husband would bring me into the HealthPlex in a wheelchair.

About six months later I had the other knee replaced. The hospital stay was a little bit less but it was still eight days. I had an infection in my stomach again. I also had a detached retina while I was in there.

When I got out of the hospital I went back into another hospital to have surgery to repair the detached retina. They replaced the fluid in the eye and I had to sleep in my recliner in a sitting position for a couple of weeks.

This was my main motivation to lose weight:

Last year I went to the doctor for a check up and she told me I needed to lose weight. I weighed more than 340lbs and she said I could die. She gave me a referral the Christ Hosptial weight management clinic. My husband and I decided that since we belonged to the Mercy HealthPlex why spend more money for another program.
There's so much more to my story.  Check back to find out how I began my 100 pound weight loss journey.
I'd love to hear your story!

My name is Joan and I've lost 100 pounds.

I’m not on a diet. I don’t count calories. Diets don’t work, I’ve tried them all and if your counting calories your thinking about food all of the time. (what can I have for my next meal, etc.)                     

I am starting this blog for 2 reasons. The selfish one is that by writing and reliving my journey I can stay on track. I still have a lot of weight to lose. The second one is that I really want to help others who are trying to lose weight. I know there are many people out there like me. I want to tell you my story so that you can learn from me and maybe you can be inspired to lose weight, too.

Just to be up front, this blog is sponsored by the Mercy HealthPlex in Cincinnati, OH. But you don’t have to go to the Mercy HealthPlex to lose weight. You can do it any where. Just do it.

I’m not any different than anyone else. I’m 66 yrs. young. I have been married for 47 yrs. I have two boys that are married and I have three grand children.

When I turned 60 everything seemed like it just fell apart.

In the past six years I not only lost my mom but I lost my younger sister, my father and my niece and I didn’t want to be next. I weighted 340lbs. or more and I needed to do something quick.

This isn’t a short story. This is just the beginning. I have so much to say about my journey. I look forward to sharing. Please comment or ask questions. The great part about the Mercy HealthPlex sponsorship is that if you have questions that I can’t answer I can get an expert to help you.

I’m still losing weight. Do you want to join me?