A Feeling I Will Never Forget

 When I first started this weight loss journey, one of the things I promised myself is that I would run. Someday. It might not be fast, it might not be pretty, but I would run. Running is something that has never been easy for me, so for me to conquer that would mean that I have made great strides in my journey. So, on a whim of courage one day, I registered for the Susan G. Komen 5K at the oceanfront. Now, to be fair, when I registered, I thought I would have enough time to train and I was going to run the whole 3 miles. Ha. Life got the better of me on that one (for now). First, the surgery with the treadmill fall, then my two cellulitis hospital stays. I lost nearly 6 weeks of training due to those injuries/illnesses. Needless to say, running the whole 5K was not really an option. I don't even know if running the whole 5K was an option back when I made it known that's what I wanted to do, but I was going to give it my best shot. 

So of course, this week it has rained every single day, limiting my outside training time. Take it from me, it is vastly different training on a treadmill than it is on pavement. Pavement hurts more. A lot more. So, I did what I could with the treadmill. And, come Friday night, I was so nervous I couldn't sleep. I was afraid I'd fail, or that I'd let myself down. Or any number of the people that signed up to do the race with me to encourage me. Saturday morning rolled around, and you guessed it, it was raining. At this point, I was praying for just two hours of no rain - running in the rain doesn't sound like fun. We arrived at the oceanfront at 7:40 a.m. and had a hard time finding parking. Luckily, we had a non-runner with us, so he was assigned parking duty so we could find our group. At this point, my stomach was in knots and I think my sister, Sara, and my friend, Cynthia, could tell I was mentally freaking out. Here is the picture of my church group (and Cynthia) before the race: 

Back Row:  Khylla, Ginger, Becca, Sara, Me, Cynthia

Front Row: Clara, Trina

About 10 days before the race, I sweet talked (suckered) my best friend, Becca, into doing the race with me. Below are pictures of before the race:

Me and Becca before the race

Sara, Danny and Me before the race
Monica photo-bombing without realizing it

Cynthia and Me before the race
First time I have ever been able to sport a t-shirt
not bought at a specialty store!

Cynthia told me at one point that it didn't matter how I crossed that finish line - whether it was crawling, crying or being carried, but that I would be crossing that finish line. I admit, I was a little doubtful at some points during the run. My only goal was to finish. I secretly hoped to finish in under an hour, but I didn't let many people, if any, know that ahead of time. That way, again, I couldn't let anyone down. 

There were times I wanted to quit during the race. My leg started bothering me. Then my calves. Then my hips. A couple times, I stopped to stretch some, and some random person would encourage me to keep going and finish it to the end. Danny, my trainer and awesome friend that he is, stayed with me the entire time. Encouraging me and pushing the whole way (sometimes, literally, haha). When it was time for sprints, he'd sprint alongside me (or walk because his stride is way longer than mine) or run ahead to clear a path. I couldn't have asked for better support, between him, Becca and Sara during the run. Thankfully, at around 6 blocks left, Cynthia and her friend came back for me. That gave me the second wind/final boost to finish it out. They were nothing but encouraging. Finally, the finish line was in sight. 

Hallelujah! The end was in sight!

It was a bit anticlimactic - I tried to run across the finish line, but the finish line was bottlenecked, so that wasn't possible. But, that's okay. It was done. Not in under 60 minutes, but nonetheless, it was done. It just gives me a goal to beat for next time: 

Official Time from start to crossing finish line

At the end of the run, I have to admit, I burst into tears. I did not believe in myself at the beginning of the run. I did not believe that I could finish it. I did not believe that I had the fortitude to press on and finish. I had proved to myself, yet again, that I am worth this change and this journey. 

Finally crossed that finish line!

The end of the race. Very emotional because it
signifies this journey that I am on - constantly
overcoming challenges that I don't think are possible.

At the end of the race, they were handing out medals. Unfortunately, the medals were only for breast cancer survivors. I admit, I was a little disappointed by that, but the medal isn't really why I did the run/walk. It was more of a personal commitment, with the added benefit of it being for something worthwhile. 

Needless to say, at some point, I was standing there at the finish line, trying to formulate a thought after gaining my composure, when all of a sudden, I had a medal around my neck. All I know is that Danny somehow secured a medal for me. I burst into tears again. 

Danny putting the medal around my neck - I had no clue
until it was there!

As you can see, I'm about to burst into tears again.

Becca and me celebrating the race is over.

Kyle and me after the race is over (he was our non-runner/car parker/cheerleader).

So, now that the race is complete, what's next? Well, I'm already looking for another 5K so that I can beat my time. I wouldn't say I've been bitten by the running bug - I don't love it that much, yet, but I can say with certainty that there will be more 5K's in my future. I've already downloaded the Gateway to 8K program so that I can start training for that as I want to run (yes, run) the Shamrock 8K in March 2014 if my schedule permits. I don't have any desire to do more than an 8K. Maybe that will change once I've done the 8K, who knows? That feeling of pride and accomplishment that I had finished something I set out to do was like nothing I have ever felt before. This was a huge obstacle for me, and to be able to overcome it and know that I did my absolute best was the best feeling ever.

To all who have encouraged me, pushed me and lifted me up in this journey, thank you. I couldn't have done it without you. 

Gastric Bypass Surgery...yay or nay?

As most of you probably know by now, I'm in the hospital with yet another bout of cellulitis. Yes, another one. This one came on faster than the last. Kinda scary, really, how fast it happened. I've been here since Monday evening. I've been on IV antibiotics since then. Twice a day. I digress. Yesterday was a struggle for me. A real, honest struggle. In fact, I spent most of my afternoon upset and in tears. Why? Two of the doctors that I see when I'm here both re-suggested that I have the gastric bypass surgery. I was devastated. Why? Please, do not hear me wrong when I say this. When I was not cleared for the gastric bypass surgery last year and I made the decision this year to progress with losing the weight, I promised myself that I would do this the hard way - one pound at a time. Without surgical means, except for skin removal surgery. I was seriously crushed. In that moment, those doctors made me feel as though all the hard work I had done was for nothing...that there was no way I could lose all the rest of the weight I needed to lose. In fact, one of them even said as much. I cried about it. I texted my friend/trainer and also my accountability partner. I called my mom. I cried to my sister.  

I am not naive enough to think I am all the way there mentally and emotionally. I know I'm not there physically. But that really hurt my pride on how far I had come. After I thought about it for a long time, I came to the conclusion that I have to do what is right for me. Bottom line. For me, I don't believe gastric bypass is the best option. I am often one that needs to learn the hard way.  I ate every single extra pound I have on my body over the last 29 years. If I don't have to struggle to take it off, then I'm scared I won't have learned anything and I will go back to my old habits. I mean, let's be honest, there are times I've indulged for a couple days or a week while on this journey. What's to say that won't happen again? What's to say I won't fall back into that security of food? Yes, I have learned many things while on his journey. But this journey for me is just starting. I've only uncovered the surface. 

For me, I felt as though the gastric bypass would "cheapen" all the hard work I have done so far. Don't get me wrong...those who have the surgery don't have it easy. They can only eat 2-3 bites at a time. They can only drink water. They can't eat sugar...ever. I don't want to be limited. 

All in all, what's your opinion? Is gastric bypass the way to go when you still have a lot of weight to lose? Or is it nose to the ground hard work of counting calories and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle (which does include eating things not on your meal plan once in awhile)?

To be fair, all the doctors were impressed with the amount of weight loss and the length of time in which I had done it. But the only remarks resounding in my head all afternoon were, "it just wasn't good enough." They didn't suggest the surgery because they didn't think eventually I couldn't reach my goal...it was more for a way to try and limit these cellulitis outbreaks. I'm not sure how gastric bypass would help me lose more weight any quicker than I've already lost, but that's what they recommended. 

Your turn. Talk to me. 

Six Month Struggles

Wow. Six months. I just cannot even believe it has been six months. Crazy. I have done things I never thought I would do. I have climbed Jockey's Ridge, done the Wright Brothers Memorial, done Mount Trashmore, and just in general have improved my health. When I first started on this journey, it was hard for me to walk on the treadmill for more than 30 seconds. Now, I can walk 47 minutes. When I first started this journey, there was no getting on the elliptical. Now, I can do 30 to 40 minutes at a time. At the beginning of this journey, I was too scared to do the weightlifting. Now, it's my absolute favorite. I would spend all day every day over there if I could! But, Danny won't let me. He makes me do my cardio. I can't complain too badly, about the cardio, it works. Doesn't mean it's fun, but it does work.

I'm going to vent a little bit on this post too. For the past two months I have been dealing with cellulitis, yet again. Just after I hit my 100 pound mark I was hospitalized for a week with cellulitis. Then, this past Monday I was re-hospitalized, with another cellulitis infection. I don't know the level of infection yet, or what the treatment is going to be at this point. I am on IV antibiotics but I am so frustrated with being here. It is very frustrating to me, because I feel like I am working so hard and it means nothing. Since I have been working out, and trying to improve my health, I have been sicker, and I have been in the hospital three times. I realize, that I am making up for all the years that I mistreated my body. So when I say that I am frustrated, it is at the situation and it is at myself for letting it get that bad. It is not at any particular person or thing in general. I know that eventually this will be over, and I won't have to deal with this. Until then, I just have to deal with it and roll with it.

So, on Monday night, I had training with Danny. When I walked in, he wouldn't train me. I was sick as could be. We did my measurements only because it was my six-month anniversary, and then I went home. Later that night I was admitted to the hospital. The measurements for September are another 5 1/2 inches gone. I was so sick I wasn't even excited about that. After my Monday morning cardio workout, I weighed myself. The total lost so far is 131 pounds. The total loss since August when I lost my hundred pounds is 31 pounds. That is nothing to be ashamed of.

When I saw the doctor on Wednesday, he told me that I only needed to lose about another 70 pounds or so, before he would suggest making a consultation with the plastic surgeon for skin removal surgery. He told me that I probably have 50-60 pounds of extra skin and tissue. That seems so abnormally crazy to me. I can't even fathom it.  I will admit, after losing 131 pounds, 70 seems like no big deal.  Now, I am not naïve enough to think that this will not affect me, or that the weight-loss will happen as quickly as it has been happening. It would be nice, but highly unlikely.

Anyway, the point of this whole post is to say that you can do this. If you've been delaying, don't delay. The risks and that sicknesses and everything I've been through in the last six months have totally outweighed where I was six months ago.  Just six months ago I was a miserable person, who didn't do anything but eat out. Now, I find my enjoyment in the gym. In fact I'm rather upset that I haven't been in the last four days. It's kind of like my therapy.

So, what are you waiting for? Get up and move. Make a small change. Then, make another. And, another. And pretty soon, you will make a lifestyle change.

I Can't Do This...

Yes, you can. You just choose not to.

I hear the words, "I can't do this..." all the time. I used to be one of the people that said them. I thought, "I can't walk on the treadmill." "I can't do the elliptical." "I can't run." "I can't lift weights." Wrong. I can do all of those things. So can you. It may not be pretty. It may not be for long. But, you can do it.

It's amazing to me at this point in my journey that I waited so long to feel so much better. I've had my ups and downs. I still will. That's why it's called a journey. I'll never fully arrive at the destination. Food will always be a struggle, or my "demon" if you will. But, I have learned, that I have the ultimate decision over what I do about the struggle. Do I give in? Do I overcome? There will be days that I overcome. There will be days I give in. It's life. The difference is that now I know I can change.

When I first started this journey just six months ago at 459 pounds, I had no idea of the roads I would travel. I did not know that I would be having surgery on my leg just a few months in and require no cardio or little cardio for three weeks. I had no idea that I would be confined to a hospital room for a week with cellulitis. I had no idea I'd have the beginning stages of bronchitis for over a week and not feel good at all. My point is, life throws you curve balls. You have to go with them. Don't give in because the going gets tough. That's when the rubber meets the road, and you'll know if you've learned anything.

For me, this journey has been an eye-opener. There are still things I think I can't do - running longer than 45 seconds on a treadmill is one of them....as is running for any length of time outside on pavement. Little by little, I will conquer those obstacles. Then, new ones will pop up in their place. The point is, be flexible. Overcome your fears, one day at a time. Don't look at the big picture. Look at the small picture. Look at today's goal. Crush it, then make a small goal for tomorrow. I need to take my own advice on this one.

On October 12, 2013, I will conquer an obstacle. I've signed up with my gym and friends to complete the Susan G. Komen 5K. This is my first "race" if you will. It is not a race for me. It's an obstacle. I just want to finish. I have no desire to beat anyone's time. I have no desire to come in first (ha, that wouldn't happen anyway). I just want to finish. If that means walking the whole thing, then so be it. There will be time to "race" myself later.

Just a little bit of celebratory news, and I'll close out this post. Yesterday, I weighed in (as I do daily - I know, I know - that's bad...) and the scale read 334. That is 125 pounds lost in 6 months. It did not click at first, and my friend had to point it out to me - that is half my goal. Half my goal in half a year. Seems insane. My goal for September was to hit 125 and I hit it a week early! I think my goal for October is 145. After weighing in today (332), I have literally 33 pounds to go to hit my Christmas goal of being in the 200's by Christmas. I don't even know what that would be like. I honestly don't remember the last time I was in the 200's.

Believe in yourself. No one else can do the hard work for you. This is something I've learned along the way. You either want it for yourself, or you don't. There is absolutely nothing stopping you, except yourself.

Overcoming Fear of Failure

Overcoming your fears is not something easy to do. At least, not for me. Some people are risk takers. Some people are not. I am in the "not" category. I don't like to do things that have an element of danger (or danger as I perceive it). Yesterday, we were challenged to conquer Jockeys Ridge. For those of you  who do not know, Jockeys Ridge is the tallest sand dune on the East coast. I don't know exactly how high it is, but it is steep. This picture doesn't do it justice. 

Anyway, I was challenged to do this after losing 100 pounds, so yesterday was the day. My friend, Cynthia, and I made a day of it. We trained with Danny at 7:00 a.m., then started on our journey. We stopped at a couple stores in Kill Devil Hills before heading to the dunes. In fact, one of the stores was right across from the dunes. I panicked. I saw how high the dune was and I literally panicked. I was ready to head home. I was afraid to fail. I didn't to disappoint myself, Cynthia, Mary or Danny. But, I am thankful for friends who didn't let me give up. We stopped by and picked up our friend, Mary, who just so happens to be Danny's mom. She is the nearest person. Anyway, she tagged along and photographed our journey. When we got to Jockeys Ridge, she told us Danny had sent along a little surprise for us. Now, we should've known that just climbing the dunes was not how this was going to go down. Danny sent us each two 1-gallon water jugs to carry up and down the dunes. 

So off we went. I decided to keep my tennis shoes on just in case something was in the dunes...well that didn't last long. After the first face plant, I left the shoes. I kept my socks on, and they were neon yellow so I'm sure I was a sight. 

Carrying those water bottles was no easy task. In fact, at one point, I couldn't keep my balance because the dune was so steep...so Mary took them for a bit until I could get my stride going. I did have a mini meltdown just before I lost my shoes and had the urge to just sit there and cry over what I had let happen to my body. I was disgusted that I couldn't just truck up the dune. I calmed myself down, determined I was going to do it and went on my way. It took about 45 minutes or so to reach the top (or so I thought) of the dune. Then, Cynthia says the next dune is actually the tallest dune. So, off we went. We made it up that one with no catastrophes or meltdowns. As you can see, I was glad to reach the top! I know it's not the most flattering picture of me, but it's part of the journey. 

After I caught my breath, we took in the views of the ocean in the distance. 

Once we were up there and had caught our breath, we decided to do a little core exercise...you know, just in case we had not burned enough calories on the way up! Planking and sit-ups were the chosen forms of torture. My planking picture didn't turn out so well, so I hope Cynthia doesn't kill me for posting this one of her!

We also did 40 sit-ups up there. Then, it was time for the trek down. That honestly freaked me out more than the trek up. I have a horrible fear of falling and injuring myself. It seems lately that when I do, I end up in the hospital. Anyway, we started down....the way we came up. We had the option to take the easy way down or the steep way down. My theory...go big or go home. At the steepest point, Mary was kind enough to take the water so that I could side lunge down the dunes. Although I wasn't carrying the water, that was a whole different workout altogether. 

All in all...we made it. No one broke a bone or died. We did get a tad sunburned and windburned, but nothing too serious. 

The water jugs made it there and back. Mine had a little less in it...I busted mine open and drank a little of it when I was hot!

It was definitely a challenge I will never forget. I couldn't have asked for better people to do this with. To end our journey, we left Danny a message:

On our way out, we did the obligatory picture...see, the water jugs made it back with us!

Looking back on it, it was fun. I enjoyed being with two lovely ladies who encouraged me to finish...to not give up, and to press on and finish the journey. 

Now, on to the next challenge. I wonder what Danny has in store next...

The COOLEST Thing!

Last night I ran into an old acquaintance from church that I hadn't seen in months. Probably close to a year or so. We got to talking and this person told me that I was looking good, and that I'd clearly lost weight. Of course, at that point, I told him, yes, I had lost 112 pounds as of Saturday. He asked if I'd had the gastric bypass done. I was proud of myself that I could say no. That I had earned every ounce of the lost weight. We chatted for a bit and then I proceeded to go in the store for what I had come to the store for. As I was checking out, the cashier said to me, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation...no, wait, I was eavesdropping." She congratulated me on my weight loss. Then, she asked how I did it. I told her that it was good old fashioned calorie counting and exercising. She asked me if I thought the machines at the gym would hold her. I leaned in a little closer and said to her, "Ma'am, five months ago, I was 459 pounds. The machines held me. They are still there functioning. It will be fine." I then proceeded to tell her about Danny. This lady had this expression of hopelessness on her face. I recognize it. I was there. I didn't think anything I did would matter...that I was too far gone. Until someone reached out and helped me. And forced me to see that I am worth this change. I am worth putting my body through multiple workouts and bumps and bruises. I. Am. Worth. It.

If there is one word of advice I can give, it is to plan. Plan a time every day that you will focus on you. No one else. That 30 minutes is just for you. Also, plan your meals. Plan them in advance. When I cook, I cook about a week at a time. I need to do better with it...I know it. That is my goal for next week.


All in all, the purpose of this post is to just express how totally cool it is that I could share my story with someone. And, even though I still have a ways to go, I can be an inspiration to others to make a healthy change.

I Admit You Were Right, Danny!

Okay, I will admit (so that I can get it over with) DANNY WAS RIGHT. Cardio is key to blasting fat. 

Today we did measurements and a weigh-in. If you've been following the blog for any recent amount of time, you know I was dreading measurements, primarily due to the week-long visit at Chesapeake General last week, coupled with the fabulous heart healthy diet they fed me. At any rate, the good news for me is that I did not gain an ounce during my stay there. It solidified for me that I have learned something on this journey. It's only been five months, but I have learned something. Anyway, I digress. 

So we did measurements and I finally saw some movement in my hips. They had stayed the same for the last three months. Total inches lost this month was 12. Total pounds lost since last measurements was 21. To top it all off, despite being hospitalized for a week, I still made the top ten users list for August!

Today was a workout like no other. First, I had training with Danny at 7:00 a.m.  This consisted of treadmill on incline, modified burpees, snatches, sit-ups, and something else, but I don't remember what. 

After that, at the gym, there was a Body Challenge Alumni Reunion. I didn't participate in Body Challenge this year. I didn't get back to the gym legitimately until it was almost over. Phil and Danny led this workout. It was like no other. I'd heard a joke about "Phil minutes" prior to this workout, but now I can say I have experienced them for myself. Phil minutes are supposedly 60 seconds; however, I think they lean more toward 90 seconds or 2 minutes in some cases. It's all good...no pain, no gain, right?

At the end of the workouts, I actually felt nauseous. I think I guzzled my water too quickly, and too much of it. That was an awful feeling. 

While I was recuperating, my mom came over to me in the gym with this rolled up paper. She had made a banner for me that said, Congrats on the 100 pounds. She apparently then had everyone sign it. By everyone, I mean choir people, gym people, family, church people and of course, Danny! Then she told me that people had donated money toward my next pair of running shoes. I was floored. Not only was there enough for the shoes, but there is enough to ensure I have a little bit saved for the next time I will need shoes. 

After the workouts, I weighed again and it showed a loss of 112. I don't know how legitimate that is, so I'm sticking with 110 for now. 

So now, I will end with this: Danny, you were right. I will keep going with the cardio, as much as I hate it. It does work, and it is totally worth it. 

To the rest of you...thank you for your encouragement along the way, for your push (even when you didn't know you were pushing) and for listening to me drone on and on about fitness and health/nutrition.

Pictures to come next week. 

Obstacles

Obstacles are not meant to be surrendered to...they are meant to be BROKEN. What are some of the obstacles you face? For me, the obstacle I faced was fear. Of what? Fear of the unknown. Fear of judgment. Fear of falling and hurting myself. Fear of transforming. I was afraid. 

I sure on some level, in some way, I've been judged at the gym. Maybe for my size. Maybe for my cheesy workout clothes. Maybe for my lack of being able to continuously do cardio. Maybe for sweating all crazy like after just 5 minutes of activity. But, I just have to say that it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, because I've overcome a fear. Now, I don't care what people think of me (don't get me wrong...the thought still crosses my mind, but now I can redirect my thought process). I am doing this for me. 

The fear of falling and hurting myself. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. It's life. It's gonna happen. I'm gonna drop a weight or fall off the treadmill (though I hope not - the amount of recovery time for that was ridiculous)! It is going to happen. The point is, that you have to get up and try again. Don't let that mini failure set you back. 

Now, the fear of transformation is one I'm still working on. I've always been the fat girl and could hide behind my weight. I didn't really venture out and try new things. I'm still not sure how this will pan out. I'm scared of what the future holds for me. Does it hold love? Does it hold different friendships? Does it hold getting my degree? I've always been complacent in my life. What I mean is that I am content with my Associates Degree. I'm content with my friends. I'm content being single. Changing any or all of that scares me. Sometimes it makes me wonder if the transformation is ultimately worth it. Don't worry, deep down I know it is, but this is honestly what plays through my mind. 

Weigh-in was last night. I was thrilled to be down 2 more pounds since Monday. On Monday, after I was discharged from hospital, I went to the gym to weigh and see what damage had been done by the lovely diet they fed me and the lack of cardio. To my surprise, I was dead on to where I was last week. Did not gain an ounce. That, my friends, is progress. So, to be down 2 more pounds this week is fabulous! I will be doing measurements on Saturday morning as well as new pictures. We shall see!

SW: 459 lbs

CW: 341 lbs

Total Lost: 108 pounds since 4/1/13

GW#1: 298 by 12/15/13 (total 151 lbs)

GW#2: 265 by 3/10/14 (total 194 lbs)

GW#3: 259 by 4/1/14 (total 200 lbs)

Making Wise Choices

I cannot stress the importance of making wise decisions. Especially when you are in a situation you cannot control. In most cases, you can plan ahead. I have learned that except for exercise, this is the most important thing when working on a weight loss goal. I could go to the gym all day long, but if I eat my old lifestyle, it would do me no good toward losing weight. Last Saturday I did a 4,000 calorie workout. Five hours. That is what I used to eat during the day. I don't know about you, but I don't have 5 hours a day to workout to just MAINTAIN my current weight at which I am miserable! If I were eating my old lifestyle, it would literally take more than five hours of workout to put me in the negative calories from what I used to eat. 

This week has been a little difficult for me since I've been in the hospital. Now, when I first got here I didn't get to pick the first day worth of food. So...needless to say, it was horrible. Breakfast consisted of biscuits, eggs with cheese, hash browns and bacon. After that, I asked for the heart healthy diet, thinking I would get healthier options. Well, that has worked for me...until today. Today's options - BBQ beef on a crusty roll or Mac & cheese. Totally healthy, huh? Thankfully my friend Cynthia and my friend Trent brought me some stuff. Hopefully, I will be satisfied. It's a long time between meals around here. 

I miss the gym. I miss working out. I almost feel lost. Nope. I do feel lost. It has become such a part of who I am on this journey for a healthier lifestyle. I can't wait til I can go back, even if on a limited basis. 

While I'm on the subject of exercising, DO IT.  Don't question it...think about it...get in the zone and just do it. Today's motivational quote is, "do what you can, where you are, with what you have. No excuses. "

For me that means my sit-ups and crunches and leg lifts.  I have no ability to bend my arm since there is an IV in it...but otherwise I would be planking too. It means walking the wing of the hospital throughout the day. 

 Don't let an excuse stop you from reaching your goals. 

Take Control of Your Life

This post is raw and to the point. Take control of your life. Do not wait. I cannot beg and plead with you enough. I wish I would have listened through the years. I didn't. Now, I am paying for it. 

If you've read my blog since the beginning, you know my weight topped out around 459 pounds. And, I was miserable. I put on a good show for people, but I truly was miserable. And, unknown to me, I was causing lots of health problems for myself. Ones that would creep up years later and plague me when I least expected it. 

In 2011, I developed cellulitis in my left leg. Sometime prior to that I developed lymphedema in both legs. There is no cure for lymphedema. It may reduce as I get smaller, but it is something I will struggle with for the rest of my life. I don't even remember when I developed the lymphedema, that's how long I've had it. Lymphedema causes my legs to swell up and become very right and painful. If I push my finger on my leg, an infection will appear and stay there for awhile. 

Anyway, I digress. So 2011 rolls around. The cellulitis required surgery on the front and back of my leg. I was hospitalized for two weeks. Then home bound for another four weeks. Not four weeks after I came home, I developed it again in my right arm. Also required surgery and a week's hospitalization. Then, homebound for another week. After that, I went about 9 months with no problems. Last October, it came out of nowhere, and I was hospitalized for about a week or so. No surgery. Now, this time. 

My point in all this is TAKE CONTROL. I had no idea all the damage I was doing to my body. I thought health wise, except for being uncomfortable, that I was fine. I did not struggle with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. No symptoms presented themselves until it was too late. The damage was done. And now I will have to live with this chronic problem for the rest of my life. 

Please, I beg of you. Do not wait. Take control. Don't let unforeseen health problems kick you to the curb because you didn't take care of your body. Take it from someone who has been there. It's not a fun place to be. I realize there are things that are worse, but the bottom line is that all of this could've been avoided. 

Please. Do something. 

Triple Digits, Baby!

It has been a couple weeks since I blogged. Too many weeks. After my last post, I had to focus on getting myself back on track. I'm not saying I didn't slip up. I'm not saying I was perfect. I wasn't. But, I did improve.

On Saturday, August 24th, I weighed myself. I was still a little down emotionally, after all,....I had still had about 7 pounds to go to reach 100 pounds. And, I had 7 days to do it if I was going to meet my goal. So I just determined that I was going to stay at the gym as long as I could physically muster it on Saturday. Five Hours. Four Thousand Calorie Workout. I. Did. It. I was so exhausted, I'm not going to lie. My friend Cynthia and I did our training sessions together on Saturday morning, so we met Danny at the gym at 6:30 a.m. There, he proceeded to give us one heck of a workout....wanna know what it was? Okay, I'll tell you. Fifty Chest Presses. One Hundred Lat Pulldowns. One Hundred Fifty Squats...while holding a 25 pound plate. It took us literally 45 minutes to complete that craziness. Man, we were sore, too! After that, we took a half-mile stroll/jog around the shopping center. The goal was to come in under 8 minutes (a record for me - my fastest is around 11). We made it in 9. So, then, we had to do sit-ups, since we didn't make it back in time. Oh well...we did 40 sit-ups, and then I continued to keep going to finish out my ab challenge. After that was complete, I worked out with another girl at the gym, Ally. That was a crazy workout. It was more of the chest and back (I think....it's all kinda blurry, honestly) with cardio intervals in between. But, we finished it. After that was over, I still had to do some cardio, so off to the elliptical I went. Grudgingly. I'm really not a fan of that machine. At. All. But, it gets the job done. When I was officially done with my cardio time, I was at 3,970 calories. That's just a weird number. I needed to finish out 4,000 calories as a personal best for me. So, I did. And you know what, I lived to tell the story. I could hardly walk on Sunday, but I lived.

Sunday was definitely a rest day for me. Sort of. I had my 3 year old nephew, so however much of a rest that turns out to be, well, you understand. I did not go to the gym.

Monday was supposed to be Small Group Training (SGT). We had to cancel last night, but I just searched online to find a workout that did not involve cardio (since the girls I did it with did the Spartan race on Saturday and messed up their feet). It consisted of (we only made it through 2 rounds before it was time for my training session):

Sounds fairly simple, right? NOPE. At any rate, long story short, I went on to training. For training, Danny had us do the lovely stairmaster, bicep curls with 20 lb. dumbbells, elliptical, 15 lb. preacher curls, repeat. After that, we finished up the remainder of my cardio. After that, we headed to the scale. I simply couldn't believe it. The scale showed I had lost not just 100 pounds, but 105! I was so shocked I think I literally almost sunk through the floor. 

So since I started this post on Tuesday at lunch, I've been admitted as a patient at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. I got bitten by a mosquito or other insect and my cellulitis flared up. I started feeling achy around 3:00ish Tuesday afternoon, and by the time I got home around 6:00, I was shivering from head to toe. At one point, I was laying in my bed in sweatpants, a tshirt, track jacket, bathrobe and had a comforter pulled up over my head. After not being able to be warm, I decided to go to the hospital and see if they'd give me a prescription since in times past, the cellulitis spread rapidly. Well, that turned into IV antibiotics. And a hospital admission. Not exactly what I was planning to do with my week. Anyway, they gave me Vancomyacin, which is a very strong antibiotic. It caused me to develop Red Man's Syndrome...basically, your face turns blood red and gets really hot. Then, you start to itch. For at least an hour. It finally subsided. Thankfully, the doctor switched my antibiotic and I've had my first dose since then with no reaction. 

Had lots of visitors today...thank you to all who came. It really does get lonesome in here and a girl can only watch so much HGTV!