Sunday, July 31, 2011

Pounds To Goal Weight..really? Wow. How'd I Not Focus on that?..A Gal Who Lost What I Want and Plan To Lose and Has KEPT IT OFF (most important!)--ie, ROLE MODEL of HOPE.... And a Book I'm Gonna Pre-Order....and a blogroll purge...

I was reading one of the challenger's blogs in SLIMMER THIS SUMMER, and she was happy that she's only 21 pounds away from her goal weight.  Her "end is near."

I'm super happy for her, too. Isn't that what we all hope for. To complete our weight loss journey.

And I realized, as I commented on her post, that I'm 27 pounds away from my goal weight. (Although, I confess, as I'm pretty darn happy at my weight now, I think my goal weight may be adjusted a bit higher than the original 160. Perfectionist, I'm not. I just want health and sustainable mobile/flexible/normalish weight.)

Yep: 27 pounds away.

I remember when I was 139+ pounds away and it seemed utterly, totally, ridiculously hopeless. I was dispirited big time.

Then I was 129 pounds away and it seemed only slightly less hopeless, but hope had risen in my bosom some, and I started a weight loss blog in 2007.

Then I was 119 pounds away, and I felt mired, but not hopeless, and looked for all sorts of options/ways to make progress, with lots of backsliding, with lots of experimentation, with half-hearted attempts, but never again to that dread 139+ hopelessness.

Every 10 pounds made it less hopeless. Every 10 pounds NOT regained kept me NOT hopeless.

Then, momentum came, at last, God be praised, and every 10 pounds lost lit a fire and every 25 pounds lost made me feel utterly victorious. Though goal sure still felt so far away...

Now, I'm 27 pounds away, and these last pounds are the hardest, but the ones most full of joy and hope. Yes, I can see that finish line. Which is only a new starting line: maintenance.

I googled for "lost 140 pounds and kept it off" to find a role model. I used to do this with google back in 2007 and the couple years after. Looked for people who had lost more than 100 or 120 or 130 etc pounds. Now, I search not for those who lost it alone. I've seen too many regain who have lost those massive 100+ pounds.

I want to know who KEPT THE DARN WEIGHT OFF.

I found this gal: Debra Mazda. She looks mature, healthy, fit, but not perfect. She looks realistic. She looks like *I* could look if I kept going and got down to 160-165 and kept working out. She's a realistic role model for me. (And if I get an indication we'll still be in South Florida for my birthday next year, that cruise of hers sounds like something I can reward myself with for making goal/close to goal/new goal by Christmas.)

Seeing her look so vibrant at a weight HIGHER than my goal of 160 make me think, sure. I can be happy bigger than 160, if it's a HEALTHY, FIT, MUSCULAR 160+. I'm happy now. I can be happier. :D

Do you ever look for your size/your loss/your dream role models? Realistic, real-people role models? If not, start.

And  I hope one day I can be the "She kept the weight off for 5, 10, 15" years role model for someone who needs to lose 130+ pounds. Isn't this part of why we document and blog and give our insights out. To give hope to those who are where we WERE?

Thanks, Debra Mazda, for being one of those beacons of hope to the ones, like me, who had/have a long, long road to get to a happy weight.

So, now that I have time to read again, I am gonna pre-order this one (unless I learn it will come for the Nook, and wait for that): WHEAT BELLY: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back To Health by William Davis, M.D.

I feel loads better since ditching wheat/most grains, and I want to see what he says more in-depth about it. He, like Dr. Mercola, the Primal/Paleo folks, the New Evolution folks,  and the Jaminets of the Perfect Health Diet, pretty much show the value of going wheatless/gluten-free. For those with resistant appetites and Metabolic Syndrome or heart disease issues (especially inflammatory issues, like me), it's worth a look for sure.

I'm off to purge my blogroll on my old blog, then this one some time later or tomorrow. There are bloggers who haven't updated for weeks or months and it's time to say "adios". I posted/commented often to try to lure some back, but when folks wanna stay gone, well, what ya gonna do? They gave up and you can't make folks post, right? Time to remove them from the list and make room for those who are posting. Some will always be remembered fondly.

I'm also thinking of saying adios to some other bloggers who are active--even VERY active--and who I kept my on my old blog's linky blogroll,  but who have indirectly, probably even unknowingly, been insensitive or have caused me pain. Sometimes, you gotta do that, too. For mental health.

I wish my challengers and all fat-fighters a strong and happy Sunday. Beat your food demons. Beat your lethargic, couch-potato demons (my issue this new week, to get back to my exercise-girl persona habit). Let's win the war and win back our health!

12 comments:

Kelly said...

It's exciting when someone from the blogosphere is getting close to their goal weight.

I remember when I started that losing a little over 100 pounds was going to be a feat--I'm about 30 pounds away and I couldn't be happier.

Way to go! You've done awesome!!

Anonymous said...

I didn't know Dr. Davis wrote a book. Good for him. I don't agree with him on everything, but he's a very smart man and I'd sure read his book. Mark Sisson is coming out with a new book as well. Can't wait!

I don't think I'll be blogging much anymore. I'm more into writing fiction these days, and reading other people's blogs.

You're almost there with your weight! How cool is that? :-)

Anonymous said...

My life changed dramatically when I cut out gluten. I went from having overwhelming cravings to a "Hmmm, you know I could go for some...." that I could easily resist. I thought a miracle had happened.

After a while the uncontrollable cravings came back. I discovered, by accident, that they came back when I began using gluten-free corn tacos as a substitue for everything gluten. When I ditched the corn tacos shells, in three days I was cravings-free once again.

So, I am officially grain-free and can say that it is more than worth it.

Deb

Deb

Retta said...

Wow... your post struck me in several ways. Don't know why, but I was tearing up as I read of your journey. How as you got closer and closer, with each 10lb then 25 lb increment, your hope and confidence grew. I think maybe it's maybe because I have SO far to go still, and when I read your post, I longed to experience that sense of closing in on my goal.

Also, I was struck by your second reason for thinning out your blogroll. I had not thought of it quite like that! It struck me as a very HEALTHY thing to do. Taking care of yourself, and doing a loving and self-protective thing. I'll have to give that some thought. :-)

As always, I find you uplifting and encouraging, and a gentle kick in the pants. Thank you for sharing your journey here!!

Julie said...

Good evening Mir. I am so glad that you are doing so well and are getting to exactly where you want to be.
Today I send in my final weight for phase 6. Perdicted weight was 165, I made 166.2. Close and as close as I'm going to get. I am now going to hold on to that and work on toning up and building some muscles.
Just wanted to share. I haven't written anything yet, hope to post tonight or tomorrow.
Take care and keep up the fantastic work and all the encouragment and inspiring words. Blessings my friend.

Shrink to Fit said...

Love this post. I always feel encouraged when I read your blog!

Thanks for mentioning Debra Mazda. Just the other day I was going to order one of her execise dvd's! I don't know why I didn't think to google her ;)

Kelly the Happy Texan said...

I am so very proud of you. You have had amazing determination through this whole thing and it has helped me out along the way.

Way to go, beautiful. ((HUGS))

Karen Butler Ogle said...

Princess, it is good to hear you getting back to yourself. You have been through a very difficult time and you handle it as well as anyone could expect. You are an inspiration to those of us who care going through some emotional challenges. Nothing compared to what you have gone through but still, the desire to turn to food is strong for some of us. Seeing you handle this with grace has given me some fight in my own situation. Hang in there. Hugs and have a great day.

Rebecca Regnier said...

I just found your blog. It's so wonderful! I write diet humor - sort of like Erma Bombeck if she was always on a diet (oh wait she was).

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I featured your blog in my diet humor newsletter today - The Laugh it Off Letter. Hopefully I can introduce my dieting friends to your awesome site!

Here's this week's Laugh it Off Letter. If you'd like to see. http://aweber.com/t/P5vhy

Rebecca Regnier

Princess Dieter aka Mir said...

Thank you so much, ladies. We all need wind at our backs!

And thanks, Rebecca. I feel honored. I'll mention your newsletter in my next post.

SO FAT 4 NOW said...

You're not dropping Renata are you ? That would be mean...

Princess Dieter aka Mir said...

Shoot, I'd have to remember who Renata is. ::senility:::