Transformation Day 2012: Update for 08/03/12

public domain image of a butterflyThis week’s update brings much better news as I head toward Transformation Day 2012.  I’ve had some decent weight loss and the motivation to start some intentional exercise.  Now I just have to dig deep to get some support from my friends, family, and community to keep this ball rolling in the right direction.

First, I’m happy to announce that I’m down to 246.6 again.  This isn’t new territory (yet), but it’s been a while since I’ve been on the lower side of these ten pounds that I’ve fought with for seven months.  That puts my “official” loss at 32.2 lb since July 25, 2011, and as I said last time, while the numbers aren’t huge for someone my size, it’s a heck of a lot better than GAINING that weight (so I’d end up weighing over 300 pounds!)

Some other interesting things have happened since my last Transformation Day 2012 update.  I had stopped taking my blood pressure meds (because when I saw my doctor after fainting at the beginning of the year, he advised me to just keep an eye on it and take the meds if my blood pressure went back up again.) While keeping an eye on the numbers though, I noticed that I was going to have to start taking the meds again.  There’s no diuretc in my particular medication, but I did have a decent drop in weight those first few days on the meds, and now my BP is in a safe range again.  Perhaps when I lose more weight, I’ll be able to drop the meds altogether, but it doesn’t look like now is that time.

So for now, not only am I taking my BP meds (and allergy meds) in the morning, I’ve also added fish oil, more vitamin D-3, and acidophilus.  The acidophilus seems to have had a wonderful impact on my digestion and elimination, and although I won’t gross you out with the details, I will say that I couldn’t be happier there.  For now, I’ve been taking acidophilus with each meal, and I’ve been getting 4 to 6 grams of fish oil along with 6,000 IU of vitamin D-3.

Lastly, of note since my last update is exercise.  A dear friend of mine and I were talking this week.  One thing led to another and I started thinking about how good I used to feel when I spent a lot of time in the gym strength training.  Now, this was back in college before I started having kids, so my body was a LOT different then, but I was shockingly strong and flexible for a fat chick.  In fact, I had a body composition analysis done that had calculated my ideal weight at the time to be 163 pounds.  Yes, I realize this sounds like a lot for a 5’3.5″ tall girl, but I had so much muscle mass on my large frame that I likely would have been a curvy size 8 at that weight — awesome in my view.  There’s no other way to put it; even at 187 when I had the body comp done, I felt like a badass!

Now, many things have happened since 1996.  I’ve gained a lot of weight, I’ve had 3 huge children, and I have some degenerative disc disease in my low back.  That still hasn’t stopped my craving to get back into the gym though.  I’ve just had to look at things from a slightly different perspective.  I am determined to get back into strength training again.  I’m determined to feel like a badass again! At the moment though, I don’t have ANYONE supporting me in that endeavor, so I have to figure out how to make it happen on my own.  Sometimes, that’s a pretty daunting task, but I’m really trying to remain positive.

So one of the first things I’ve started doing in “Project Badass” is some stretching.  Before kids and back problems, I was so flexible.  Now though, my flexibility (or lack thereof) is almost debilitating some days.  So I’m trying to make a concerted effort to reclaim some of my flexibility.  After all, I know that I can’t be strong if I’m not flexible.

As I work on my flexibility, I’ve also started some very simple body weight exercises.  I’ll take it nice and slow, and I’m looking forward to noticing improvements in functional strength.  That’ll make chores around the homestead SO much easier!

Oh yes, I also wanted to mention that my eating is Paleo probably 90% of the time at this point.  I choose a splurge on Tuesday (Snickers ice cream) and I had dairy that same day, but mostly, it’s just meat, fruit, and veg for me.  Definitely makes things simple in the meal planning department.

I know I keep promising you folks photos, and I keep meaning to ask someone to take some.  I’ll make a commitment to you folks that the next time I post a Transformation Day update, I’ll post some “during” photos.  That’s a really hard thing for me because I don’t like having my picture taken, but I’ll do it for those of you who want to see that I AM a real person with a real body.  Until then though, keep on that path to liberty! I’ll be right there with ya!

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