No really I am. I have to be otherwise I would enjoy it, right?
I truly hate exercising! I’ve never liked going to the gym, it’s boring. I don’t like getting all hot and sweaty, out of breath; heart beating like it will explode out of my chest. Hated PE in school, I was always the last kid picked for the team….
But one of the necessities for successful weight loss is exercise regularly. How do I accomplish this?
I started simple by:
Parking at the back of the parking lots
Turning on some music and dancing around my house. (Dogs got a kick out of this; they thought it was play time.)
Took my dogs for walks around our property. (We live on acreage in the country.)
Then I bought an inexpensive exercise bike that folds up and sits in the corner of my living room (This way I see it every day). When I watch TV in the evenings I get on the bike and ride. I started doing 10 minutes and worked up to 30 minutes. Now I’m working on increasing the intensity (ride faster).
Next, I started moving more at work. I started using the bathroom on different floors (walking the stairs to the floors); and getting up from my desk a couple of times a day just to walk the stairs.
So here I am still don’t like exercising but I do move! I no longer use the elevator at work (and I’m on the 8th floor!) and I ride my bike 30 minutes 3-5 times a week.
It’s not a lot but as long as I’m doing something I’m seeing results.
I stayed in deniel over my weight for way to long. Thinking, oh, I'm not really that big. I just avoided pictures and mirrors. If I do see it's not there, right?
Due to my weight though I over compensated in a lot of areas. I was that annoying sibling who did everything my parents wanted. I made good grades, I worked, I was honest with my parents and I never got in trouble - honestly. This drove my brothers crazy. But, a lot of the reason for this was I wasn't popular. I didn't want to go to parties and stay out late because I had no self confidense.
As an adult I am pretty much a stickler for the rules at work and every where else. My weight has been out of control so I wanted to control everything else in my life.
Once I admitted, yes I am over weight, and yes I disgust myself with the rolls, I decided to do something about it. I was scared to begin with of not being successful. After all I got fat because I loved the taste of food- real food - not junk. I talked to my doctor and told him my fears, he ask if I really wanted to lose weight- I said yes. If anything were possible what would be the best way for you to loose- I thought well food not having calories would be nice- but realistically it was for me to eat less of what I was already eating. I already ate lots of veggies, healthy grains, fruit, and lean meats - I had already made that change years ago. I can't even tell you the last time I ate little debbie- never really liked them. He told me that he could help with that - the band would help me eat less.
Now, truth be told, 4.5 months post op, 43 lbs gone, this has not been as hard as I expected. Do I have hard days, heck yeah, but looking over the entire 4 months, once I got past the first 2, it's been pretty great. I don't miss soda, I don't miss the large quantity of food. I do not miss the size 22's. I don't miss anypart of my old life- nothing. Rather than filling like a stuffed cow after a meal I feel good, comfortable. It doesn't take much for it to kick in now that I have had enough since I got restriction. Once that hits I honestly believe if I ate another bite I would be sick- I haven't pushed that, but I feel that way. I hit that point at a cup of food. Left overs abound at my house now and I realize just how much I was eating.
We all say WLS is hard, it's not easy, it's not the easy way out and it's not. However, this is alot easier than continuing to live the way I was - fat and miserable! It's a lot easier to put down that fork now than it was before. It's a lot easier to say nope don't want that now that it was 5 months ago. 5 months ago I would go for any food at any time- now unless I'm hungry I don't want it. My daily craving is water - seriously- I drink 80-100 oz now, I am thirsty.
Anyway- this is just my rant- how do you feel about your journey- has it been easy or has it been hell?
