Friday, June 7, 2013

There's Some Work To Be Done!

View from Purchase Knob - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Maggie Valley, North Carolina - June 1, 2013
 
Summer Adventure (Part 1) is over!  Summer Adventure (Part 2) does not begin until mid-July although there are many adventures planned between now and then.  Whereas Summer Adventure (Part 1) was all about visiting New York City and discovering Long Island, Summer Adventure (Part 2) is all about hiking!  And there is some work to be done between now and then for me to be ready for that.
 
For those who've become my blog friends since 2011, here's the brief recap.   In 2006-2007, I lost 65 pounds and kept it off for a couple of years.  By 2010 (when I began this blog), I'd regained 30 of those 65 and was having a heck of time finding the motivation to lose them.  It was November of 2011 before the "right" plan found me and once I got started, it worked like a charm and by late spring of 2012, I was back at goal weight feeling great.  I remained at or close to my goal weight until early last winter and truthfully, I can't pinpoint exactly what happened.  Obviously, a little too much of this and a little too much of that!  

But I found myself "settling" for a higher weight than I wanted because it hadn't seemed to affect my lifestyle.  Clothes still fit, lengthy hikes were still mastered, energy level was good, etc.  But you know how that goes.....two pounds become four, four become eight and by the time we left for Summer Adventure (Part 1) in early May, eight had become ten.  

Then was when I made my fatal mistake.   The mindset I knew better than to adopt.  The one that said, "don't worry about it on your trip.  Take care of it when you get home."  And you know, in the end, I am lucky to have only gained five more pounds.  What I lost was much greater.  Too much of the white stuff (flour and sugar) put every one of those pounds on places I don't want them to be.   And too much of the white stuff reminded me not how much I craved those things, but how much eating those things masks the wonderful tastes of everything else.  

So the work to be done is not necessarily losing 15 pounds, but is remembering that I now eat in a different way and being thankful that yes, I may have slipped a bit, but it's actually a GOOD thing because it reinforced once and for all, that I want to fill my body with delicious and colorful fruits and vegetable, healthy whole grains and all-natural proteins.  I don't want to feed my body boring white things except on very, VERY rare occasions.

I am happy to report that all returned to normal last Monday morning and much, MUCH progress has already been made.  I'll be back at goal before you know it.  And I can't begin to convey how much better I already feel!  The best news of all is that it is just about time for all that wonderful fresh stuff to start rolling in.  You better believe I'll be at my Farmer's Market bright and early Saturday morning!  It's been a good week with Bill on board.  He'd found a few pounds as well.  We've had some delicious meals and have stuck pretty close to Cycle 1 of the 17 Day Diet which has become my standard for losing and maintaining.  And I know there'll be lots of love and support from you guys as well.

We had no sooner gotten our bags unpacked and all the laundry done than we were packing them again for a weekend in Maggie Valley, NC.  The Asheville Astronomy Club was sponsoring a stargazing event at Purchase Knob, one of the best places for an event like this I can possibly imagine.  We had tried to attend one last fall, but I was too late getting our reservation request in and all the spaces were filled.  I was promised I'd be notified of future events BEFORE they were announced to the general public and they kept their promise.  We had an amazing time - you wouldn't believe some of the equipment those people had.  They take their "gazing" VERY seriously.  Our most spectacular thing was being able to see Saturn and its rings with a clarity I couldn't believe.  Absolutely incredible!  

Bill is well into his first summer class and has a group of 21 students eager to complete Music Appreciation!! We are back into our morning walking routine and thoroughly enjoying being able to walk outside rather than in the mall where we were forced inside during the winter.  

We are anticipating a quiet weekend at home and have no plans to pack a suitcase again any time soon although with us, you just never know. 
 
What do you have planned for the weekend? 
 
 

 
 


18 comments:

  1. I'm glad it's turning around so quickly for you. :) Our weekend plans involve maybe sneaking out into the rain to look at plants for our yard.

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  2. Its so good that Bill is willing to join you on your healthy living quest.

    I think I'll go to our Farmer's Market this weekend as well! I'm really consuming quite a few vegetables these days!

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  3. What a beautiful picture! It's supposed to be a rainy weekend here. I'm hosting my Bible study group tomorrow and seeing my goddaughter for brunch on Sunday. I'm hoping to see a movie sometime over the weekend and continue to make some order out of the chaos of my apartment. I'm making headway, but there's still a lot of office things to sort/discard. Hugs to you and Bill!

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  4. Wow---you two are amazing... You make the most and best out of every moment you have. With Bill still working, you have to work around his schedule.. You do a great job doing that.

    Weight is hard to maintain.. It takes so much effort. You are handling it well. My biggest problem all through the years would be that I would love that 100 or so pounds. Then I'd totally RELAX and get back in my old habits and ignore the weight coming back on me... I'd gain it all back and THEN decide to do something about it again... That is the worst thing we can do... IF I can just remember to lose the first 10 pounds I re-gain, that would be so much healthier for me. SO--you are taking care of business before it takes care of you. Proud of you.

    I am still (this time --which is the FIRST time) keeping my weight off. It hasn't quite been a year of maintenance --but will be in August... I still am working hard at it, and so far it's working for me. But--I can't relax for a second and allow those old habits to creep back in... I weigh on Fridays (sometimes I dread it --but I do it anyway), and was at 136... I'm happy with that.

    Glad you had a wonderful trip --and another one to Maggie Valley/Asheville. My son is really into astronomy.. He would love that event at Asheville.....

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  5. Sounds like you're well back into the swing of things. I love this time of year when there is an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies at the farmer's markets. I'm off to go hiking somewhere this weekend (but of course you knew that!) :)

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  6. Thanks for being so honest! I'm glad you have found your path back to good health. It's so worth it, isn't it? Your trips so inspire me!

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  7. In my dreams I'm packing my bags for a trip to the Smokies.....In reality just another day working at my job:(

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  8. I've read over and over about how maintaining is harder than losing. I can see myself adopting the same exact attitude as you. Good for you for drawing the line in the sand at 15 pounds. You'll get those back off very soon, I am sure. I hope this didn't cause any RA flare ups!!!
    Lori

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  9. So far I'm managing to balance the yummy fruits & veggies with "the white stuff", as you call it. I dread if I ever have to change that. :) (Cranky Cammy will be in her element!)

    Glad the storm bypassed you!

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  10. It's so helpful when your significant other is on a healthy journey as well, don't you think? Makes life a lot easier!

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  11. Good for you, Sharon. It really and truly is about mindset and when we tell ourselves that the "white stuff" is icky, we start to believe it and then it really and truly does taste icky when we do have it. This "method" might take a little longer to master, but in the end, at least for me, it's permanent and it feels easy and good!

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  12. Summer Adventure 2 sounds like a lot of fun - I love hiking! Good for you getting back to your health goals - it's so easy to fall off the plan and so hard to get back on. Have a wonderful quiet weekend!

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  13. My weight loss history is similar...Lose, gain, lose, stabilize, etc. We are taking a 10 day vacation in July, and I hope to maintain my sanity and eat reasonably while we are gone. I've currently lost 55 pounds, and I don't want to go backwards!

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  14. You can do this, Sharon! Keep the hiking adventure in mind as part of your motivation. :) Glad you had a great trip up north!

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  15. We are here enjoying our last few days in Kauai before heading home tomorrow. For a few days that is. We pack up our travel trailer soon after we arrive home for a Father's Day celebration in Ojai with our camping club.

    My bedroom doesn't seem normal these days if there's not a suitcase out either waiting to be emptied or filled!

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  16. Hi, Sharon,
    I caught up on your blog today. From what I read it looks like you had a lovely first vacation to NY and Long Island. I do appreciate the detail that you put in these posts because you help introduce me to places that I may also want to visit.

    I know how easy it is to gain a little when you are away. Kudos to you for keeping it in check and getting right back to business. I am sure you are getting in a some exercise especially hiking as you prep for summer adventure 2.

    I am hoping that I do not have a set back with weight gain due to my own inactivity with my foot. I am trying to be vigilant with my eating. My weekend consisted of going to our cabin. I camped out on the couch most of the weekend with my broken foot up. Today I started going through some old old slides that were taken by my father and my grandparents when we were all kids. I am going to have them all digitalized for my siblings. Most of them survived the fire intact, so they will be very surprised to receive them. This project is something I will,continue over the next few weeks while my foot heals.

    The astronomy weekend get away sounds fantastic. I am learning the stars now a little bit at a time. At our cabin we can see brilliant stars and the Milky Way when it is clear. Breath taking.

    Have a good week! Michele

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  17. Good for you on catching this before it got to the point where you had more to lose to get back to your comfortable weight. I see so many people who just let the scale slide up bit by bit and by the time they get panicked about it, they have 50 pounds or more to lose again!

    Glad you had a great summer adventure number one!

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  18. Glad you are back on track Sharon. It is so easy to stray with the white stuff and traveling does have it challenges when it comes to eating healthy.

    Of course we can accomplish anything we set our minds to do. It's so much easier when both of you are eating the same food plan and exercising together. There is more momentum with two!

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