I'm So EXCITED!!!

On March 25th of this year -- so approximately 8 months ago -- I went to the Endocronologist for a check up. I started seeing him last fall for various issues that I knew needed to be "fixed". He started treating me for all of these issues one step at a time. First Sleep Apnea, second Thyroid meds needed changed up, thirdly Vitamin D needed increased. All along he told me "You really need to start losing weight. What can I do to assist you?" My response was, "I will take care of it. I know what to do." He said, ok....do it.

I left the doctors office vowing to "change my eating habits, exercise more and basically, 'take care of it'." I didn't do anything about it except occasionally exercise. One day I found a website via Beth . It was a new website designed to help women (and men) on their journey to weight loss. I went over to it cuz I thought the name was catchy and I thought "what the heck". What was the website you might ask? The Sisterhood of Shrinking Jeans -- See catchy right? Ever since then I have been a faithful reader and follower of this site, but until March 25 I didn't really do much with it.

On March 25th I went to the doctor and he told me, "Ann, do you want to become diabetic?" My response was, "UH...no! Who wants to be a diabetic?" His response, "Well no one really wants it, but if you don't become serious about losing this weight that is where you will be."

HELLO!! I did not want to be a diabetic at 43 or 44 years old....so I left the office, went to the nearest QT and bought myself a 32 ounce coke, drank it in the 30 minutes it took me to get home and then wowed right then and there that "I will get this weight off - no matter what." That was the last coke I had for nearly 2 months. It was my vice! It was how I got through each and every day. It was my "drug" of choice.

On March 25th I weighed in at 226.8 pounds at the doctor's office. I decided that I would get serious with the Sisterhood that day too, because these ladies were a great support system for me. On March 30 they started a new Challenge. It was a WiiFit Hula Challenge. I did a weigh in that morning, and weighed 225.8 so that was my starting weight for "getting serious". *See stopping those cokes allowed me to lose 1 pound in just 4 days...that really told me something!! I started doing the Hula with the girls and at first I was PATHETIC, but I persisted. I started off only being able to do 2 or 3 and by the end of the week was doing pretty decent. I thought wow this is fun! I'm having fun and "Look at me I'm losing weight!"

Every day I went on the website and commented on how I had done. Every day I got the same response from the girls. "You are doing GREAT", "Keep up the good work"! Wow!! That was a great motivator for me. Someone who just said, "Good Job" "Keep at it"!! It was just what the doctor ordered -- me exercising and losing weight! I kept at it every night. And before I knew it I was really losing weight. In 6 weeks time I had lost a decent amount of weight and I knew if I kept at it I would keep losing.

I continued to check in daily with the Sisterhood and continued to get the support I was finding necessary to keep me going. Knowing that I had a small boy at home depending on me for sooooooo many things didn't hurt either. I knew that if I didn't take care of myself, I wouldn't be able to take care of him.

All through this summer and early fall I continued to lose weight when it seemed I had hit a plateau. I had done well and had even hit that all important weight of 200!! but I was pretty much fluctuating from 198 to 202, depending on the time of month. I was beginning to get frustrated with myself and beginning to feel like I would NEVER get this weight off. I have so much to lose, what is my problem, etc., etc. I'm sure you have had these thoughts, too. Am I right???

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when a group of homeschooling moms told me about this great diet/healthy living book they were reading. It was changing the way they thought about food and they were seeing results with the little bit they were doing with it. They asked me to join in and I thought, "No, I am too busy. I am getting ready to move, I don't have time to do anything else." But one of my friends is VERY PERSISTENT (and I love her for it!!) and she said, "Come on, try it with us. It'll be GREAT!!" So I listened to her talk about it and said, "Sure, why not. What can it hurt, right?" I went to the start up meeting and started getting excited about it. I went to the bookstore that night and bought the book. I started reading it immediately and we joined teams and got started. We started last Monday, the 9th and we are going 6 weeks instead of the suggested 4 weeks. We want to see the results we can have in just 6 weeks time!

Let me tell you this has had a tremendous boost to my metabolism and I have finally knocked my plateau right out of the water! On Monday the 9th my weigh in was 197.8. Two days later, on Wednesday I had lost nearly a pound and a half to 196.2. That was last week...and

Today I am happy to report my weigh in was 195.4!!!!

Yes!! That means I have officially lost 30.4 pounds with the support of the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans!! And I am Shrinking my Jeans!! I was wearing a tight size 18 8 months ago. Now I am wearing a sort of snug 14 and I expect by the time by 6 weeks are done with this Game On Diet I will either wearing a 12 or a very loose 14. I am excited! It is exactly what the "doctor" ordered! I am losing weight and I am having fun while I am doing it!!

CAN YOU TELL I AM EXCITED?????!!!!!

Let me tell you .... if you are trying to do anything and you are struggling with it GET A SUPPORT SYSTEM in place!! Your success could depend on it! Mine did and still does!! Thanks from the bottom of my heart everyone!!