DAY 31 For The Record--How it is Now

Day 31 of ReStart,  Wednesday  Sept 9, 09

Good Afternoon Journal,

Yesterday I read the blog of Tony "The Anti-Jared" (here). He was writing about how people who are successful at losing weight seem to go through a change in attitudes sometimes.  He called it:

 The Three C's of weight loss:

Confidence-  "Yes, I can do it!"

Cocky- "Yeah, I drank my  H200000, now time to hit the gym boooyyyy!!"

Conceit- "I can not understand why you all struggle, it is not hard. You are all so weak!"

I went to bed thinking about it, and woke up thinking about it....because my first reaction to the message had been fear. Fear that I would change and not even know it til it was too late, like a blind spot...fear that I would lose the overwhelming gratitude that I feel right now to finally be escaping from the hell of being so large...fear that I would get cocky and blow the whole thing and regain, or fear that I would become conceited and change into someone that forgot from where she came.

So how do we NOT change into those things?? Tony said he will never go past the first C. How can he know that? Is that  because he is aware, and so is able to make that choice??

I don't know the answer. Therefore, today I want to make a Record of how things are, right now, in my life...so that I will NEVER FORGET what it was like. I didn't do this before because it sounded like whining, complaining, look at how "hard" it is...etc etc. But now I want to make this record so that later, as I lose weight, I can make note of the changes as they occur. And to remind me to forever be grateful for this gift of being able to change. I believe people CAN change, because I am changing, from the inside out.

__________________________________________

FOR THE RECORD, Sept 9, 2009

Weight at time today's record made: 376

MOBILITY:  

-Spend most of the day in wheelchair; can use walker for short distances and short sitting times, like to go to doctor or dentist. 

-Still can't go to church because can't use bathroom, not handicap friendly; same restroom issues everywhere  I go.

PAIN LEVELS:

-Better! Used to take 2 pain pills per day and wish I had more; now take one most days.

-Still very bad pain first thing in morning.

-Knees and left shoulder still bad; right shoulder much better; overall joint pains much better; back is same.

DAILY ROUTINES:

-If it can be done sitting in my powerchair or on the rolling kitchen stool, I am keeping up with about 80% of my chores; always behind with housework.

-Still haven't finished unpacking after 10 months

-No time for projects around the house, can't even keep up with basics.

-Doing better at keeping dishes washed and laundry done; husband helps by doing his laundry himself

-Doing better at getting up on time to fix lunch and dinner for husband to take to work, but still very hard due to morning pain levels.

-Still very painful and scarey taking shower; balance not good yet, and afraid of falling; must use shower seat, but knees very bad getting up and down.

EXERCISE:

-Doing better at being consistent, 3 times per week Richard Simmons exercise DVD's.

-Must still sit whole time, knees and legs too bad still.

-Still waiting for shoulders to heal enough to use resistance bands for strength training.

-Still waiting to lose more weight so can use mini rebounder; knees still too bad.

NUTRITION:

-Doing better on portion control now; more consistent on healthy choices; cravings for carbs are greatly reduced.

SLEEP:

-Getting better quality of sleep now that shoulder pain not usually waking me at night, but still very bad 1st thing in a.m.

-Hip pain during night is totally gone!

-More consistent on quantity of sleep now, usually 7 1/2 to 8 hrs per night.

SHOPPING:

-Husband still does all grocery shopping and errands.

-Must buy all my clothes and shoes online.

MY ART:

-No time or energy right now for anything major; can't keep up with daily basic responsibilities, let alone extras.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

-Still don't go out much; miss things like weddings, funerals, showers, parties, graduations, awards ceremonies (husbands 20th year at work coming up).

-Go occasionally for a drive, or on a good day to the mall in powerchair

-Holidays are always at home

-Once in a great while go to a restaurant where there is a lot of room, at a time of day when not crowded, and sit in powerchair.

FRIENDSHIPS (in real life):

-My only real friend other than my husband is my sister. 

-My Mom, who was my best friend, has been gone 5 years now and I dearly miss her everyday.

-I don't even try to make new friends now, because "normal" people go places, do things together. Since my house is so messy, I am embarrassed to have anyone come over; and if I have energy on a day, I don't want to GO somewhere , I try to catch up at home with chores. 

-Once in a great while my sister and I will drive somewhere, or go to the mall together, on a day when we both happen to feel good and strong on the same day. :-)

____________________________________________

My hope is that as my life improves with weight loss, I can update these categories with good news, showing how they have changed.

 I don't like to dwell on how things are now...rather on how they will be.  I prefer to focus on what I CAN do, not on what I can't do...

But this is a starting place, and will be my Record of Change.

(click pic to enlarge)

From Dr Phil's book: "Losing weight IS within my control..."

My verse for today: "Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God."

My quote for today:  " Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

=^..^=