When I show people my “before” photos I get all sorts of reactions. Some friends, who didn’t know the largest version of me, say that there is no way that was the same person. Others expect to hear that I made this transformation in a relatively short time, perhaps a year. Then there are those who ask what program I used or if I had surgery.
So how did I do it and how long did it take? I’ve touched on this lightly in the past and it has been a long journey.
Let’s start with a little overview. The weight didn’t pile on overnight. I was obese from early childhood. Around my 30th birthday I hit the highest weight ever—an estimated 375-390 pounds. It took over a decade to get where I am now, just hovering slightly over 200 pounds. Some years had more substantial weight losses than others but the important thing is that I never gained any of the weight back. Sure, sometimes I would hit a big plateau or there would be a few pounds of fluctuation on the scale. Often those fluctuations were because of increased muscle mass, or dehydration causing me to retain fluids, or just part of my womanly cycle.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the obese is that every fat person eats a ton of junk food. While it does happen, my situation was a bit different. I was notorious for eating one meal every 24 hours. This kicked my body’s metabolic rate into a sort of starvation mode and in turn, it held on to every single calorie. Because I was so hungry I would often eat too much at that one sitting and what I ate wasn’t always nutritionally balanced as far as carbohydrate to protein and fat is concerned. With my metabolism went my energy levels. Without fuel in my body during the course of the day, I was tired. Exhausted might be a better word. I became depressed and I hung out on the sofa quite a bit because I didn’t have the energy to do more than that.
I didn’t have surgery although I contemplated it quite seriously. I didn’t join a program because I don’t have a lot of faith in things like Jenny Craig, NutriSystem and Dr. Bernstein. Why? Well I’ve seen a lot of failures in regards to those programs and all too often people revert back to their old habits because they are unable to maintain their weight loss. I think the pre-packaged foods of programs like Jenny Craig or the starvation methods of a program like Dr. Bernstein are part of the problem but these programs don’t fix the mindset and that’s why I avoided them like the plague. Some even focus on losing weight for a goal, like looking fabulous in that summer swimsuit. The mindset should be losing weight for health. This all said, I did follow the Weight Watchers’ Points in the very early days of this journey but I wasn’t signed up for the program, I merely used it as a guide. It allowed me to eat normal foods in proper portions and the points system was designed around the nutritional information of each food. But it wasn’t just that which contributed to my loss. I’ve dropped a good deal of the weight as a direct result of learning about my metabolism and getting off my behind and moving it. Food should be fuel not a means of quieting emotion or seeking comfort. If you overfilled the tank of your SUV you’d make a big mess. Overeating, especially all in one sitting, does that to our bodies except we store it as fat.
Food as Fuel
Now I eat six times a day and if you looked at my total food volume for a 24 hour period you’d find that I eat considerably more than I did when I was morbidly obese. The difference is that the food is portioned, balanced, and spread throughout the day. I have a sensible breakfast. I have a morning snack, especially if I am running or working out that morning, and then a good lunch. I have a snack later in the afternoon because we eat dinner around 6:30 pm. That is usually something like an apple or some crackers with a tiny bit of cheese. Dinner is balanced. The plate is half veggies and salad. One quarter lean meat or other protein (sometimes vegetarian) and the last quarter of the plate is for carbohydrates. When I choose carbohydrates I most often go for high fibre items or those with a good nutritional profile. I try to steer clear of processed foods but sometimes you’ll find the odd thing in my fridge like salad dressing or roasted red pepper hummus. I avoid white rice and limit white pasta to once or twice a month. When I do eat white rice or pasta it is a small portion offset by loads of veggies or a big salad. I also use a plate that is 9.5 inches in diameter but dips down in the central portion. This central portion measures 7 inches and I limit the food to that area. I also have a small bedtime snack. In the winter this may be a cup of cocoa and in the summer it might be a piece of grilled fruit or some fresh berries.
This way of eating also fits in well with being diabetic, with being a runner, and with weight loss. I never feel deprived and it has made our whole family healthier.
Move
The other key to this journey has been exercise. Lots of it. I told myself to get off my ass and move! I didn’t get like this overnight and it was going to take a lot of hard work and time to change things. I didn’t go to a gym, although there is great benefit to having a gym membership. I became my own nutritionist and my own personal trainer. And let me tell you… I’m as tough on myself as any trainer you’ve seen on The Biggest Loser. I could give Jillian Michaels a serious run for her money in the witch-with-a-captial-B department. I don’t accept excuses from myself and I actually have a rough time accepting them from others. In the words of Yoda, “Do or Do Not. There is no try.”
So, what did I do?
I started walking. Slowly. It was all I could do but I pushed as hard as I could, often to the point where I was in tears. I would not let myself give up. When that got easy, I walked faster and then migrated to more rugged terrain. Hills. I did exercise videos. The first was Gaiam’s Yoga for Weight Loss. I moved on to Pilates for Weight Loss from the same company. After that it was Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds (with hand weights) followed by her 5-Mile Fat Burning Walk. From 2007 to 2010, I walked my son back and forth to school each day. This was a little less than 4 km in total. Then I took a part-time job at the school as a lunch/recess monitor which meant about another 2 km each day. I left the job to have a baby and went back to using the DVDs while she napped. I day hike, backpack, snowshoe (although Mother Nature was not co-operating with the snow this year), and canoe. We’ve even had the baby on her first wilderness trips. I cycle on the local trails in the warmer weather. And now, I run, as you know from the plethora of posts I’ve made on the sport.
I had to start running because I just wasn’t getting enough intensity out of walking anymore and I had hit a plateau. It wasn’t an easy decision for me to make. I was scared to death. I could barely run a minute when I started but the thing is I did start and I’ve come far with it. I’ve started yoga and strengthening exercises too. This is because I feel restless on my days off from running. Exercise also boosts metabolism and keeps my blood sugar and blood pressure at healthy levels. This makes it a win-win-win situation.
When you hit a plateau it means it is time to push yourself a little harder and shake up your routine and, if needed, adjust your nutritional plan. One thing I have noticed is that I haven’t lost much, at least as far as a number on the scale is concerned, since I started running but I see my body transforming. I have a waist (where did that come from?) and I’ve lost inches off every spot but my calves where I gained about 1/3 of an inch. Muscle. My legs are firm and solid, even my thighs. Now I need to work on other trouble spots such as my flabby arms and my core. It’s a work in progress and I am enjoying the challenges.
Speaking of personal trainers… I think having a personal trainer is a wonderful idea because, frankly, not everyone has the stubborn determination that I’ve had to train and stick with it. There is also the issue of proper form. A trainer helps you learn to do the exercises in a way to prevent injury and to target areas of specific concern. I’ve been fortunate to have access to people who’ve helped with that along the way but not everyone is as lucky. A personal trainer who is also well-versed in nutrition can give you some great insight when it comes to how you should be eating to reach your goals in a healthy way that promotes maintaining the goal once you get there.
Motivation
I’ve written a lot about what motivates me. This is a big part of my success and it comes from seeing my family history, having supportive and active friends, a spouse who is excited about our whole family doing fitness activities together, and the little things that creep into my daily life. These little inspirations show up in the most unexpected places. It could be as simple as the tulips coming up through the snow or a line in a song on the radio. It can also be a note from someone reading my blog or an article in a running magazine. I just never know where the day’s motivation is going to come from. There are days when it is simply from sharing my own story with all of you.
Maybe today your motivation comes from me. If it does, let me know, because hearing your story adds to the inspiration.
B(e) Positive… and Get Moving!
WOW I am seriously blown away…I sort of did what you did but you have guts and stamina! I weighed around 340 myself and am down to about your weight too! Thanks for sharing…cannot wait to read more of your blog too! It’s true its a whole new person!
I think I should write out what I did too because looking back and writing it down is a way to honor your achievement!
Fletzie… I am so sorry that I didn’t see your response until now. It has been a busy few months. Congratulations and thanks for inspiring me with your story. You should write it down, it can be very healing too. As you know from your own experiences this transformation is so much more than a number on the scale. Keep on moving and having fun!