Update: A Year and Five Months Later The Battle Of The Bulge Continues....

Weight Gain/Loss (See My Page For The After Weight Loss Photos) My Story Of Losing Nearly 170 Pounds To Date With Updates As They Occur

Update: A Year and Five Months Later The Battle Of The Bulge Continues.... Posted 1/19/2010 1:00 AM EST on pal-item It's hard to believer but I just realized it's been one year and five months since I last posted on my blog. I recently joined a free women's site (http://www.bravehreatwomen.com/) and I started writing on http://www.twitter.com/ about the different issues some face and trying to encouorage others on such things as weight loss, abuse (physical, mental, verbal and sexual) as I have been through them all at one time or another in my life. I also came back here to look at my blogs when I realized how long it actually had been since I'd written anything here and thought why not do an update and try to continue writing here as well as other sites. Like many others I have had my share of ups and downs since I last posted here. I still struggle with my weight and it's a life long battle, but it's one that can be managed even when you fall back from time to time. I have lost weight and gained weight since my last post. I am further from my goal weight than I was then, but not so far it can't still be reached. I have gained a few pounds in the last year and five months, but I can't beat myself up over it. I can only go forward or stop and I choose to go forward. However I have also lost three pounds in the last week, so that is a start. Life is full of hurdles and this is just one of them for me and many others. I gained about nine pounds when my youngest and only child still at home moved out June 6, 2009, but I have no one to blame for my weight gain but myself. It wasn't my son's fault it was mine. It was the first time in over 30 years that I was living alone, no husband and no children in my home. It was a huge adjustment and now not only was I battling my weight but I had the added empty nest with all of my children and grandchildren now living in different states and so far away from me. So now I have to regroup and recoup to get back on track to where I should be. I'm not where I want to be but I am by no means where I was. Am I going to give up and crawl up into a corner? No way, I fight the battle daily sometimes I lose but many days I win. Not only am I fighting this battle but many others are as well, so I want to encourage each of you struggling with weight and other issues to continue to fight, it's one well worth fighting. Please feel free to also follow me on twitter and braveheartwomen if you would like. I do not get paid for any of my posts at this time nor am I a Dr., I am just a women who has been through and survived, less than some and more than others and I want to encourage you to continue to develop and grow and to be a survivor and not a victim to the issues and hardships in your life. I will post my pictures from June 5, 2009 and from Dec. 22, 2009. One willbe of me and some will be with my son, some with my daughter and some with my youngest grandson,. More to be posted later. Written By: Teresa Christian Comments and Repsonses Below: KSMartialArts wrote: Teresa, First off... Good for you! Who knows how many years of life you've earned back, and how better a quality of life in your elderly years you've made for yourself? Secondly, maintainance can be really tough. You are wise not to beat yourself up about it. As a Personal Trainer (which is a fancy way of saying I'm semi-retired), this is my best advice to you... From now, until the day you die, record your fuel (remember, food is fuel, nothing more). If a genie popped up and said, "Christi, you can have a fit body for the rest of your life, if only you write down what you eat," would you do it? Naturally, there's more to it than that, but it IS the biggest thing. Record, record, record. And I mean EVERYTHING! If you're out walking and a bug flies into your mouth, look up the calories and protein on it and write it down! :) There are some great tools for this. FitDay.com is free, and a Diet and Exercise Assistant program (by Keyoe) is availble from $14-$30 (I have that program on my PDA, it is REALLY handy. I wish you continued success, ksMartialArts 1/19/2010 7:39 AM EST on pal-item tchristi41 wrote: KS, I want to thank you for you advice and I appreciate your taking the time to comment on my blog and offering your input. I tried journaling my intake before and to be honest I found I beat myself up emotionally when I did if I ate something that someone may have said I shouldn't have. What I do is to try to eat in moderation. I am always open to your advice and others and it is much appreciated. Please feel free to continue to comment and/or give advice, it is welcomed by me. Thank you again. KS 1/19/2010 2:27 PM EST on pal-item just409jim wrote: GOOD FOR YOU KEEP UP THE FIGHT. GOD WILL HELP YOU WHEN YOUR DOWN I UNDERSTAND SOME OF WHAT YOUR GOING THREW I AM DISABILED SINCE AUG 05 I USE TO HAVE 22IN UPPER ARM'S AN 18IN FORE ARM'S AND LEG'S WERE BIG TO MUSCLE WISE BUT SINCE THE G B S I HAVE LOST ALOT OF MUSCLE AND IT WENT TO MY BELLY LOL. BUT I AM BATTLING THAT AS BEST I CAN. I HAVE HERNIYA THAT CAN'T BE FIXED BECAUSE OF LOCATION SO I CAN'T DO MUCH WEIGHT LIFTING ANY MORE OR MARTIAL ART'S LIKE I USE TO. BUT I DON'T GIVE UP I KEEP PUSHING. GOOD LUCK GOD BE WITH YOU. 1/19/2010 9:34 AM EST on pal-item tchristi41 wrote: just409jim, Thank you for your comments and encouragement. Be asured from what you have gone through you are an inspiration to me and I am sure to many others. I imagine it would be hard to exercise being in a wheelchair and having a hernia as well, but there are excerises for dealing with both issues and I hope you will able to take advantage of them to help you. You can key it in the search engine and get many ideas on both. My stomach is my biggest problem for the most part. Winter months are the hardest for me to maintain my weight, but I think that is the same for many others as well. I did martial arts myself years ago but then couldn't afford the lessons anymore so I had to stop. May I ask what a G B S is? You mentioned it in your comment and it left me curious. If you are uncomforatable in aanswering then I fully understand. As I said to KS I will also say to you and others to please feel free to continue to comment and/or give advice, it is welcomed by me. Thank you again. 1/19/2010 3:10 PM EST on pal-item KSMartialArts wrote: TC, It sounds like you might have set your expectations (such as a daily caloric goal) to "challenging," rather than setting them to "maintainance." But, the bottom line is whatever works for you personally, is the way you should go. If you like to read or listen to audio books, I can highly recommend the book "The 4-Day Win" (I forget the author). It has some great tidbits for weight-maintainance, and for breaking through those horrible plateaus that prompt us to cuss out the scales. In any case, keep up the great work. Also, kudos on sharing your story. Who knows who out there you may be helping. 1/19/2010 6:40 PM EST on pal-item   tchristi41 wrote: I'm not sure that's what it is, but could be. I just found it harder for me to keep a record of evry thing I ate for the reason I stated before. I think it's a great idea for many though, I just find it hard for me..lol I will see if I can find the audio book you recommended. Ty very much for your insight and advice. It is much appreciated. I have come a long way and have an even shorter distance to go, but it feels like the shorter distance has actually been harder than the longer one first started. I have my ups and downs on this weight loss journey but God willing and me willing I am not giving up and will reach my goal weight. One of my bigger problem areas now is the extra skin left from losing so much weight to date. Ias for the scales, I don't weigh myself ever day so that I can give mysel time to lose weight and then check it. I find that works better for me as some days one may or may not lose, so if I weigh once a week or so it shows any weight actually lost if any. I hope I am able to help and inspire many people, I would love to one day become a public speaker on weightloss as well as other issues that I've gone through persoanlly that many others will, are or have gone through such as: the weightloss, abuse (physical, mental/emotional, verbal and sexual),and domestic violence. If I help one person that is great and if ii help many more that is great as well. I also want to start writing on these issues here and on my other blogging sites to help others. It is also like a self therapy for me in speaking/writing on these issues and others as well as helping others. I welcome all feedback both positive and negative, for in those things perhaps I can see a different side and/or know what I am saying is helping others. 1/20/2010 9:15 PM EST on pal-item crimewatcher409 wrote: tch i'm not in wheel chair all the time but i am always on cain and if i'm walking any farther then infront of my home i use walker the wheel chair is for real bad day's but if i have one i goto bed i hate that thing lol. i don't look right in it even though i need it more then not lol./. good luck. i need ramp so i can use my electric scooter to ride around on but that take's money. take care. god bless 1/21/2010 12:12 PM EST on pal-item tchristi41 wrote: Crimewatcher409,That's good you can get around without for periods of time. My brother is a partial quad and he uses a crutch for short distacnes but a wheelchair for longer ones. As for the ramp I have a suggestion: There's a web site http://www.freecycle.com/ and on it everythng is free. You list your state and county then request a daily digest (don't do individaul otherwise everything comes in seperate e-mails) anyway you can put in the suject line a simple description of what you need ie; Wanted: Lumber to build wheelchair/scooter ramp and add it in the base of the e-mail as well. Include your first name and then when someone has what you need they will contact you via the group or e-mail and you then make arrangements for someone to go get it for you. So then the wood is free. Then I will try to help you find someone to dontate their time and labor to build the ramp for you if you would like me too. I can't make any promises but will do what I can. I hope this helps. There's one lady on there that frequently offers wood as her husband is in construction I beleive. So it's worth a try to qask if anyone has the wood needed. Teresa 1/21/2010 7:38 PM EST on pal-item tchristi41 wrote: crimewatcher409, Correction: You don't list your state and county you just click on your state and county when asked to in order to join the grop.. 1/21/2010 7:41 PM EST on pal-item