Friday Weigh In

Introducing TINK!

Tinkerbell and Roscoe have grown up together. Tink is my daughters kitty and she is super cool. She gets along well with the dogs and never fails on the cuteness factor. She is a lynx point Siamese. She just turned a year old in April. She is the real diva around here!

Today is my regularly scheduled weigh in day and I am pleased again with my success. I have lost another 2.4 pounds! I am very close to the 25 pound mark.

Feeling good about myself, and ready to go out to dinner for an on-plan meal!

We are going to the Fish Market tonight with Glenn's childhood friend from the hood. I love the Fish Market because they always have such a variety of fresh and healthy foods to choose from. They also have delicious salads and side dish vegetable choices. I think it will be the perfect place to go for a celebratory meal. Boy, I cannot express how happy I am to have a real meal to look forward to each night.

I hope that the Medifast plan helps to keep my weight loss momentum going. I have seen all of the success stories from others and can't help but wonder if I will be as successful since I am switching from my 1000 calorie plan to this equally low calorie plan. I am scared that I may even gain weight this first week. Goodness, I hope not!

Remember, I am a worrier and unfortunately I tend to worry about everything. So, needless to say. I am a bit scared, along with excited to begin this new plan.

This morning I heated up a cup of the Medifast cappuccino and it overflowed and spilled all over my microwave. I ended up dumping the rest and having to clean up. I then tried a caramel crunch bar and it was OK, not a favorite. A little while ago I tried to make my pancake into a muffin and it too overflowed and made a mess. I'm not feeling off to a great start.

All I do know for sure is that I am shrinking and it feels good!

I am off to have myself another successful and productive week.

Wish me well~

(My sweet husband just got home early from work for the long weekend)

Boredom , BE GONE....

Dolphins are a Rogers Family favorite!

Good news!

Today will be my last full day on the optifast program. I can't even tell you all how completely bored I have become with the shakes. Though there are three flavors, I am limited to only two of them, as I am allergic to anything with red dye, so strawberry is out. My only choices have been limited to chocolate or vanilla. I tell ya, it will be a long time before I want to drink chocolate milk of any kind.

As of today, I have been following on full liquid formula for six weeks. During this time I have lost almost 25 pounds, which I think is exceptional! I am very pleased with my results and impressed with the program. I am also happy with my decision to switch over to the Medifast program. My food arrived yesterday and it has been sorted through and shelved. I am so excited about having more choices, and even more excited to eat a real dinner with my husband and children each night. I understand that part of the optifast program is to remove choices as to not create difficult decisions for some, but the thought of remaining on that formula for ten more weeks is just too much for me to imagine. I am just getting through today and dreaming of dinner tomorrow night. I think we are planning on going to the Fish Market for some good food on plan.

Since Friday is my usual weigh in day, I plan on starting my Medifast plan tomorrow morning so that I will be on the product for a full week by the following Friday weigh in. I think it should be interesting to see how successful I will be, as I am coming from one low calorie consumption program to another. Really I am just hoping to continue my losses each week and ultimately reach my goal. It would sure be nice if I could reach my goal by my birthday in late October. However, I prefer not to place a timeline upon obtaining my goal, but rather consistency. Remember "Slow and Steady Wins the Race"? (no race though)

Also, in early August, my sweet husband is taking the family and I on a dream vacation. We are spending a few nights in Oahu to put around and soak up the island life before boarding a Hawaiian cruise ship for seven more nights. I CANNOT WAIT!! I love Hawaii and we have not been back in over six years. It should be great because our children are older and are each bringing a friend. This way, they can all do whatever they choose and so can we! We are also bringing my mom and I am excited about that. She is tons of fun, especially on vacation. It feels good to be able to do something so nice for her. My husband is truly the best guy in the world. So, that trip is a little better than two months away and I really hope to lose another 25-30 pounds before we go. I think it is a realistic goal. Any loss more than that would be fantastic, but I'll take whatever comes.

Not only is losing weight quickly a huge motivator, but having a tropical vacation on the horizon is definitely a driving force in obtaining a healthy weight. I feel that I am well on my way and there is no stopping me now.

Tomorrow is my weigh in and I anticipate another two pound loss, bringing me to a loss of just over ten percent of my starting weight. I will post my results at that time. I have been working on a weight loss chart to post like others I have seen, but since I am technologically impaired (politically correct description) I need to recruit the assistance of one of my children.

This whole blog thing is new to me and I am figuring it out little by little.

If anyone knows how to help me add my ticker, please offer instructions:)

Until tomorrow-

Live, love, laugh and LOSE!,

~Lisa

Excellent Walking Partners:)

These are my boys. Roscoe is the shorter haired sweetie on the top and Max is below. They are still puppies. Roscoe is nine months old and Max is ten months old. We were lucky enough to adopt Roscoe from a rescue group at eight weeks old, so he has been well trained. Max came to us at eight months old. He was apparently neglected and surrendered to the shelter twice. He really had no training and was very shy and scared. He didn't even want to come in the house. Luckily he is now in his forever home, as we are dedicated to training and loving our boys. They get along famously and complement each other in every aspect.

Max has made incredible improvements and now knows that he is part of the family. He has even taught Roscoe about gardening. (We cannot leave them alone for any amount of time)

These guys bring so much love to our lives. We couldn't imagine life without our dogs.

Since they are Australian, their full names are Roscoe Roo and Mad Max!

Workin' It

I like to work out on most days, plain and simple. I try to mix it up as much as possible. My week usually consists of three trips to the personal trainer, two aqua aerobics classes (though they are on break right now), several walks, my recumbent bike as much as possible and when the weather gets nice, I like to ride my Super Deluxe Electra Cruiser!

It's funny though, because there are some days (many really) that I just don't feel like doing anything. I suppose this is true of many people. I find that if I make a promise to myself to do something, I am always pleased that I did and I have never regretted exercising or working on my health. I also find that once I get going, I am reminded of how much I actually like to work out and take care of myself. It really takes some planning and effort though.

I have two Australian Shepherd/Cattle dogs that require a lot of activity, so they are great walking partners. Even when I take them to the dog park, I walk around the perimeter of the park to get in some exercise. I've tracked it with my super duper omron pedometer and it is a fifth of a mile. It is also a good time to catch up with my sweetheart.

What prompted this exercise post is that Adult Education wants me to start teaching some water aerobics classes. I did not even go out looking for this job, but I suppose sometimes good things happen when you least expect it. I used to teach water aerobics at the YMCA about five years ago and I have always loved it. So now, not only will I be workin' it, I'll be getting paid to do so! Sounds good to me.

Make a promise to yourself and get out there get moving!

Live, love, laugh-

Lisa

Weigh In Results 5/20/11

Here are a couple of recent pictures of me in my workout gear, just after working out with my fab trainer:)

Greetings-

Well this week I have lost 2 pounds. This is my smallest loss thus far, but is still a loss so I am happy. As long as I am moving in the "less of me" direction, all is good. I am starting to feel more and more confident as I am slowly shrinking. Even though it is only 21 pounds so far, I can feel a significant change. Many of my old dresses and jeans no longer fit. I have been packing up things as soon as I notice that they are too large, as I plan to never wear that size again!

Earlier this week, I packed up my favorite yellow dress for the goodwill, and even though I never want to wear it again, I felt kinda bad. I love yellow and I loved that yellow dress. So, I went out shopping and I found another, smaller, yellow summer type dress. It fit well and looked great. It was a size 14. I brought it home and showed my sweetie and he asked why didn't I get it in a smaller size? Hmm... good question. I thought about this for the rest of the evening and decided that he was right. Do I want to wear this cute yellow dress right now for maybe the coming month, OR do I want to get one in a smaller size that is closer to my goal and can wear in the future and for much longer? Very, very insightful pondering on my part. I decided to return the dress and get it in a size 10. So I did, and while I was there I bought another dress in turquoise in a size 10. Gotta have something to strive for.

Lastly I need to point out that my shoes are even becoming too big. Especially the strappy type summer sandals that I love to wear. I think my feet were just fat and to compensate for that I was buying shoes a size or half size up. No more size 10 shoes for me. No more size 9.5's either, but rather my true size 9's.

I am and have always been a girly girl and I think wearing a dress is such a wonderful part of being a woman. I spend most of my summer in sun-dresses and cute sandals. I used to have so many great options in my closet, but now that I am melting away and giving away all of my clothes, it feels strange, bittersweet I suppose. It feels a like I am getting rid of some old friends. Not with everything, but definitely with some of my old favorites. Now I need to sort through my shoes and clean them out. I see a shopping spree on the horizon!

I guess I will just consider it the cleaning out of the old, fat me and the renewal of the new, healthier, more confident me! I suppose I will just have to shop and find some newer smaller favorites!

Until next time, I am finishing up the optifast and waiting for the medifast to arrive. I can't wait to eat a real dinner. I am finding many great blogs from others that are sharing their fabulous recipes as well as their successes.

Live, love, laugh and lose-

~Lisa

Eventful week

So, I know I have been gushing about the plan and how successful I have been. I truly am in amazement at how simple and effective this plan is. I have never in my life felt so good about losing weight. It seems that the quick weight loss gives you more motivation because you are actually seeing immediate results!

I know that there are several components to the success, and in my life they include first and foremost my immediate family; Glenn, Sarah and Alex, (my husband and children). They have been incredibly supportive and I am in a good place at home with them. I also have the support of my mom and my aunt, who have been cheering me on since I told them of my new venture. I have a personal trainer that I meet with three times a week and she too is aware of my weight loss plan. She has been helping me to build muscle and shape and tone my curves. I have told several friends and all in all this "team" of support that I have built has proven to be positive.

Then there is the MWM program itself. Though I love the staff that works there including the facilitator, doctor, program manger etc., and the program as it is laid out, I have been struggling with the cohort I was placed in. I was making a couple of friends and tried to see the best in everything, I just couldn't get past the fact that out of a ninety minute period, our particular class spent at least sixty of those minutes complaining about anything and everything. It seriously began to drag me down. I kept telling myself, "it has to get better, next week will be better" but that never happened. I was so down this week after the meeting that I decided I did not want to return. But thinking that made me feel like a loser (not a weigh loss loser, but rather an I am giving up type loser).

I decided to look for an alternative. I searched out private clinics that provide optifast programs and I found three in my local area. I spoke to Glenn about my new decision and as always, he supported me. I really thought that I could just switch over to a private clinic, until I saw that they were all pushing supplements and vitamin injections. I am absolutely not interested in any of that. By the end of Saturday night I was feeling kinda bummed because I really wanted to continue in this weight loss journey, but I really did not want to return to that grouchy cohort. I needed a plan.

I'm not sure how I decided on the newest plan, but on Sunday I woke up with a newer mindset and had a plan of action. I was going to switch over to Medifast!! I had looked into it before and somehow it was fresh in my mind on Sunday. So, I made an appointment with my personal doctor for first thing Monday morning to tell her of my plan and to see if she could do all of the medical monitoring for me. She agreed and was pleased with my decision. I currently have an appointment scheduled to get my bloodwork done on this coming Monday morning. I am pretty pleased with my new plan.

Now, I am working on finishing up my optifast product, which should be complete by next Thursday. I have ordered my Medifast foods that should arrive next week sometime and I will make the switch as of next Friday before the holiday weekend. Medifast is very similar to optifast in that is is a calorie controlled, protein rich, nutritionally balanced plan that produces quick, safe, effective weight loss. The difference is that optifast is completely liquid (shakes and soups) whereas Medifast has many more choices for meal replacements and one lean & green meal per day. This means that you are allowed to eat a protein source and a big salad or steamed vegetables for one meal per day, whether it is lunch or dinner. WOW, this is big news as I can then go out to eat, BBQ with family and friends and more importantly eat dinner with my own family each night!! I am so excited.

I almost forgot one of the best parts. I have been assigned (per my own request) a health coach. She happens to be someone that has lost weight on the Medifast program and is now helping others achieve their goals. She called today and her name is Sonya. She is super nice and I am happy to add her to my "healthy new me" team!

You can bet that I will be bar-b-queing over the Memorial weekend-

Cheers all-

Lisa

Weigh In Results 5/12/11

WOW, WOW, WOW!!

Four weeks in and 18.5 pounds down.

This plan is truly amazing. I have never been so successful at losing weight before. I really do not feel that this is all that difficult either. I think it is all about timing. As long as I time my product meals, it is easy to stay on plan.

I cannot believe that when my doctor recommended this to me, I was apprehensive. It truly feels like one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Also, I have an amazing personal trainer who is very supportive and aware of the MWM program. She is mindful of my calorie intake and output. I find that working with her three times a week has been complementary in my progress and also helping to maintain my muscle mass. We do a lot of mat work and free weights. I can feel myself getting stronger, more toned as well as smaller. I feel so good! I am sleeping better and in turn, all around happier. I feel that my life is changing for the better each and every day.

So far I am 29 days into phase 1 of my program and have 76 more to go until transition time. Transition time or phase 2 will last up until my 44th birthday. The actual day I am to attend my 30th week meeting on this program and complete the first two phases is actually my birthday. It really makes it feel as if it was meant to be. That means that the third phase that is scheduled to last one year beyond that second phase will end on my 45th birthday. Boy, I really cannot forget those dates!

I am off to have myself another successful week-

Cheers and see ya lighter-

~Lisa

Weigh In Results from 5/5/11 (and LV weekend)

This optifast plan is amazing!

I lost 3 more pounds this week, bringing me to a total of 14 pounds for the past three weeks. It really is astonishing to me as I had been having the toughest time for so long to actually lose a significant amount of weight. I am impressed with the program and proud of myself. Losing weight is tough stuff.

I have found that if I time my meals accordingly and space them out between 2.5 or 3 hour intervals, I do not get hungry. However, I f I allow myself to go past the alloted time, I am ravenous and my mind begins to wander into dangerous territory. Luckily I am aware of this and being mindful keeps me on track.

I may have mentioned previously, but when I see foods I am interested in eating I tell myself that there will be time for that later and I add it to a list on my computer titled Foods I will eat when I am complete in my program. It is working for now, but still there are times when I want to bite into some protein.

As for the Las Vegas weekend, it was tons of fun. We arrived on Friday morning and it was a pretty nice day, except for the strong winds. I think it was reported to be 35mph winds. It was kinda crazy. All of the pool furniture at Mandalay Bay was blowing away. That night we visited the Venetian and the Mirage. Our children really seemed to enjoy the Venetian and I am not surprised as they are both interested in art.

Saturday was kind of a shop around fun day and we wanted to show our kids as much as possible. We got up early and headed out to the mall for some shopping. I was hesitant to purchase any new clothes as I am shrinking so quickly. I did get myself some new tennies because my back was hurting from wearing my flat flat sandals all day.

Afterwards we headed off to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for a late lunch and viewing of R&R memorabilia. By this time I had not eaten anything for 6 hours and was dragging. I was really feeling bad; sluggish, tired and drained. I had been out and about for 6 hours on 160 calories. It was at this moment that I decided that I was eating a salad with protein for lunch. So I did and I felt instantly better. I decided that it was what I needed at that moment and I would not dwell on it and just move on. It worked out well for me because I still lost 3 pounds this week.

We then brought the kids to see Bellagio because this is the time of year when they have the spring flower display and it was GORGEOUS! The bummer was that Alex immediately began to suffer from an allergic reaction and his hands began to itch and swell. Being the good mom that I am, I happened to have some benadryl in my bag that I promptly gave to him. It was effective, though it did make him extremely tired.

We then decided to go back to the hotel to nap and refresh before the concert. Alex was so tired, we all were, but he was doubly tired. I felt bad for him. We were able to all get ready on time and make it to our show. John Mayer was amazing, as always and HE DID PLAY TWO NEW SONGS! Definitely worth the wait. It sounds to me like the new album is going to have more of a bluesy vibe to it and that is perfect for me! The boys retreated to the room after the show (or so we thought, turns out they went out to eat) and Sarah and I remained to see a bit of Keith Urban. He seems like a real gentleman and sweetheart. We watched about four songs before leaving. Sarah and I then went to get her a real drink at the bar since now she is 21 and we were in LV.

All in all, we had a fabulous weekend, but I still think that as a family I would rather go to Disneyland. LV is so crowded and FULL of dimwit people that I certainly will not miss it.

Here’s to another productive week and continued weight loss:)

Weigh In Results (originally posted 4/28/11)

I cannot believe that I have lost another 3 pounds!

This makes for 11 pounds in the past two weeks. I have been struggling for years to lose the same 5 pounds over and over again. I would like to say that it has been easy, but it has not been that easy every day. I find myself wanting to eat things, oh nothing in particular, but rather what others are eating. It is really making me aware of how impulsive I can be.

This weekend should be interesting. I am going to Las Vegas to see my guitar hero, John Mayer. He is playing at the Tiger Jam, which is a fund raiser hosted by Tiger woods that helps to put children through college. He is playing with Keith Urban, who I know nothing about. I just hope that JM plays a new song or two. It has been almost 9 months since we las saw JM on stage.

My concern is that a trip to Las Vegas is usually accompanied by drinking, eating out and gambling. The difference this time is that we are taking the kids (to see the show) and I am not drinking OR eating. I am bringing all of my optifast, but it already seems a little bummerish. Oh well, I will make the best of it and how could it not be a fabulous weekend? I get to see my favorite live performer!

Surviving the Easter Holiday (originally posted 4/25/11)

This past weekend was tough for me. I have a large Italian family that loves to eat and also loves to feed others. My family is so spread out through the bay area that we celebrate Easter Saturday at my aunt’s house, leaving everyone the opportunity to have their own smaller family celebrations on Sunday. There are usually about 30 or 40 of us that come to Easter Saturday.

I went in with a plan. I had told my mother and aunt of my newest endeavor prior to the party so that they would be respectful and not try to feed me. This way they would not be offended that I was not eating any of their home made deliciousness. I also did not want to broadcast that I am on Optifast to all 30 or 40 of my family members ( I can be a bit private at times, so this whole “blog” thing took a lot of thought before I actually decided to give it a go). My plan was to have a shake prior to going, pack my necessary loot for the day and to keep my drink (water, tea or diet soda) full. It worked. When I arrived I put my little brown bag in the vegetable bin, then when it was time for my shake I retrieved it from the bin and went I the other room to drink it. I may open up later about this, but for now this is what worked for me.

The hard part was of course all of the food spread throughout the house, kitchen and yard. I was even requested to bring my special raspberry bars, which I made earlier that day. It’s not just that there was food; it was the fact that it was all of the good stuff that I like. I suppose it was all of that good stuff that has contributed to me being fat. Anyway, that was Saturday and I survived.

Sunday we were scheduled to go to my in-laws. We always have a fun time at their house and they only live about five miles away from us. For this gathering, I was requested to make a fruit salad, so not too bad. My mother in law always prepares a honey baked ham, but this time she didn’t, instead she made some tasty looking chicken. Again I had a plan. My plan was to drink my shake just prior to leaving, bring my stuff just in case we were there longer than three hours and to keep my water glass full. Prior to Sunday I also told my mother in law that I was following a doctor prescribed plan and would “eat” my lunch at home ahead of time. That way she would not be offended and think of me as rude for not participating in the meal.

It worked out perfectly because we have two new babies on that side of the family and I offered to hold and love one of them while the new parents enjoyed their meal. PERFECTO!

So, I made it through both celebrations, but they left me dreaming of food. I literally could not stop thinking about what I could NOT have. I know, boo hoo. So I emailed one of my cohort friends and also created a “wish list” of sorts of foods I will possibly make when I am complete. However, by then I may not want to eat silly foods like spaghetti tacos or quiche.

I should say that both my aunt and mother in law commented on how beautiful, healthy and radiant I looked, so I’ll take that. I guess that eight pounds really shows!

Either way, I am finding blogging to be a very useful tool and outlet for all of the thoughts that encircle my brain.

Day 11, just 94 to go

Weigh In Results (originally posted 4/21/11)

Unbelievably I lost 8 pounds this week.

I don’t think I have ever lost 8 pounds in one week during my lifetime.

WOW!

End of Week 1 on product and weigh in day (originally posted 4/21/11

Well here I am, one week in and feeling pretty good about it.

I have been diligent about the timing of my meals and tracking the times, feelings and exercise of the day.

So far I have found this to be an easy plan to follow. I felt great the first two days, very tired the next two days and generally well the past several days. I work with a personal trainer three days a week and yesterday was by far the most difficult day I have suffered through. Lifting free weights wore me down quicker than ever. I want to stick with it, but I think I may need to modify the weight a bit, for now.

I also have made several great connections to a couple of ladies in my cohort. I find it extremely helpful to have others to communicate with that are going through the same thing. One of the girls actually lives nearby and we have decided to commute together to our meetings. I think one of the tough things about this will be that the weigh in is at the latter part of the day and patience is not my best virtue.

I have also told my mom and aunt about what it is I am doing and they are happy for me. I feel that I have built a team of support. I have my cohort, my doctor, my trainer, my mom and aunt, and most of all my husband and children. It know that they are my biggest support. As much as I want this for myself, it is apparent in their actions that they want this for me. With all of this love and support I am destined to succeed.

I will post my loss later tonight.

Wish me well~

To Worry or Not To Worry (originally dated 4/14/11)

Let’s just start with the facts.

I am a worrier.

I worry about big things, I worry about small things, but in general I worry about all things. I know this is not healthy, and of course, I worry about that too. It is just my nature. I think I know why I am this way, though I am not exactly sure how to “fix”it. I had to take on the role of caretaker for my younger brother when I was ten years old. My parents divorced and I essentially had to grow up quickly. I suppose taking on that grown up role at such young age increased my fear and worry. I worried that someone would find out the truth, I worried if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing and mostly I worried whether we would grow up healthy and be OK.

I can confidently say that I have grown up healthy and OK, but I have brought this worry with me into my adult life. When my children were babies, I worried about sudden infant death syndrome and constantly checked on them. Now that they are bigger, I worry about things that I have no control over. For instance, my youngest is a new driver, so of course I worry about all the “other” people out on the road. I know that some of this worry is completely natural, but I have an over active mind. If I am left with nothing to do but think, I will over think any and every situation. As long as I keep busy, all is good.

I’ve worked on this issue with a professional for years and I am definitely better, but since it is my nature, it continues to come up. As long as I consider it a passing thought and do not dwell on a subject for too long, it goes away and I can move on. I’ve been learning tools and skills to better handle non productive thinking and I feel confident that it is working and I am getting better at it.

This leads me to my current worry; optifast. I have had plenty of time to dwell on this topic as the start day has been quickly approaching. Today is the day I will go to the hospital, attend my cohort meeting and pick up my overpriced liquid nutrition for the coming week. My worry is this: Is the liquid nutrition balanced enough to ensure safety? If I am to lose weight quickly, how can I be assured that I will be losing fat and not muscle? My heart is a muscle, how can I be sure that my heart is protected and safe? Is the three week monitoring intervals frequent enough to prevent and ensure the best possible care?

It is pure craziness, right?

These are the thoughts that pass through my mind and there are many more. What I sometimes do to combat this negative thinking is that I rationalize the situation. For instance, I tell myself that losing the weight in a short time is better for my heart than carrying around 75 extra pounds. I then tell myself that there are so many successful weight loss stories from others using the product, that it has a positive proven track record. Since it was recommended to me by my trusted doctor, it must be a good program. Also, since it is medically monitored, I tell myself that I am safe.

Don’t get me wrong. I am completely committed to my health and to this program. I am excited about participating in the MWM program and losing the weight. I love the fact that this is an 18 month program that not only focuses on weight loss but also behavior management and nutrition education. It seems sound and foolproof.

The timing could not be more perfect for me either. I have finished school and have no deadlines or papers to complete. I am not committed to anymore student teaching. I am not working. My time is my own, and what better time to work on me. My only real commitments during the day are to my trainer, and this is all part of the “me” package.

I never do anything half heartedly. If I commit, I am all in 100%, no excuses. I don’t ever make excuses as I can’t stand to hear them from others. I am doing this! I just need to calm my mind and remove the worry. I can do this. I will do this. I am safe. I am in good hands.

My biggest support:)

Until next time-

Live, love and laugh-

~Lisa

New fresh Start (originally dated 4/12/11)

Greetings and welcome to my private thoughts-

I have recently joined a cohort in my local hospital that had been referred to me by my general practitioner. I can hardly believe it myself, but I am going to begin four months of a medically supervised liquid fast. My emotions have gone from curiosity, to complete interest, to elated excitement (that my husband and children are so incredibly supportive), to nervousness (now that I have committed and taken the plunge). I suppose my nervousness can be defined as nervous excitement.

The prospect of uncovering my former self is both scary as well as promising. I have been carrying approximately 75-90 extra pounds on my 5’7″ frame for the past fifteen years. Though I consider myself curvy and shapely, I could never surrender to living out my life in this body. I have always felt that I deserve better. My sweet husband has always made me feel as if I am the most beautiful woman in the room and as much as I love that, I need to feel it myself. I feel that I have lost my former sexy, attractive self somewhere in my late 20′s.

Fast forward to the current me, in my early 40′s. I consider myself lucky in love as I have been married to the most wonderful man, who is also my best friend in this life, for the past 22 years. I am blessed beyond belief with my two fantastic children. Both of which are well adjusted, smart and articulate. I live in a beautiful neighborhood in California where I can enjoy the mountains or the beach, all within an hours drive. I have two Australian Cattle/Shepherd dogs that fill my days with joy and I have just recently completed my life’s dream of completing college. I am now a credentialed teacher in hopes of obtaining a position for the fall.

All of these wonderful factors attribute to the “me” I am today and I truly am happy in this life. However, after the birth of my youngest I suffered some serious health problems (which I may address at a later time) that took me a very long time to recover from. Luckily, my child remained healthy throughout my difficulties and has continued to thrive. I, on the other hand, have never been quite the same. I have continued to complain to my doctor about joint pain, extreme fatigue, weight gain and a plethora of other things. Last year I was diagnosed with *Fibromyalgia, which I am still apprehensive to accept, as I feel that it is an answer when the doctor cannot really determine an answer for all of my ailments.

*I will address the fibro stuff in another post.

I feel that I can deal with the joint pain, fatigue and what not, but getting fat is not in the cards for me. I hate feeling like this! I have tried absolutely everything to get back to the old me. I have been on Weight Watchers for what feels like forever. I joined Jenny Craig for a while. I have walked half marathons and 3 day cancer walks, taken Jazzercise classes, hell I even taught water aerobics at the YMCA. I grocery shop and cook healthy meals for my family EVERY NIGHT, I track and monitor what I eat, yet I have struggled to lose the unwanted pounds. I am the only person in my entire family that is overweight and I resolve to overcome this.

My doctor knows how hard I have tried and how difficult a time I have had. Several months ago she suggested the Medical Weight Management (MWM) program to me. At the time I felt it was too expensive and I assumed that my husband would agree with me that the cost was too much for our family. I’m not really sure what changed my mind, but I could not stop thinking about it. About a month ago, my husband and I hired a personal trainer to help us get in great shape. We both agreed that even though it was costly, WE WERE WORTH IT…OUR HEALTH WAS WORTH IT! AHA! Wasn’t I worth it? Isn’t my own health and heart worth it? So I decided to approach my sweetheart with the MWM information and to ask if he would attend an orientation meeting with me. To my surprise, he was so agreeable and we looked for the next meeting time. That was two weeks ago. I have since been accepted to the MWM group and have attended the first meeting last Thursday. This coming Thursday I will pick up my liquid meals for the following week and I shall start my new venture.

Unbelievably, my husband wanted to know why I had not presented him with this information earlier. He is behind me 100%, as are my children.

I feel that with dedication and determination, I cannot not be successful!

Wish me well and I will continue to update my journey right here.

Live, Love, Laugh~ (and lose)
Lisa