Sandy701's Journal, 26 Mar 13

It's been one of those weekends that I didn't get around to having the time to journal. I got my foods and exercise logged, but that's about it.

We had 2 choral concerts this weekend to attend (just shoot me now...). :) One of them was one that DH had a lot of participation in, so that made it more bearable. I don't want to offend anyone who is a part of a choral group, but I just can't muster up much enthusiasm for sitting in a chair for 2 hours watching a group of people stand still in front of me singing some choral works. This first group we saw did mostly Renaissance music. I can very much appreciate the harmonies and the work it must have taken the director to produce such a well-balanced sound from the group, but beyond that....

The second concert (that DH was involved in) at least had the big group, a smaller group, a small band, etc., so it was more "entertaining" to me. The theme was Holy Week and I think the presentation added to my preparation for this week.

These choral works mean a lot to DH, and have meant a lot for many years, so I go along and try to appreciate what I can.

Sunday was a beautiful, gorgeous, gorgeous day! 81 degrees for a high and I'm sure the Spring Breakers were ecstatic! At least they got one day - LOL! Unfortunately, that front came through and dropped our temps like a lead balloon. We've had blue skies ever since, but the temps are barely making it to 60 degrees, after nearly freezing every night, and the wind is cold and steady...not exactly the beach weather so many were hoping for.

My 3-year anniversary of becoming low-carb comes up on Thursday. I think I've journaled before how this whole journey got started. Basically, my DH decided to go back on Atkins to drop a few pounds in preparation for his annual (now semi-annual) fitness test. I said something like "I guess I could probably do that too," and off we went. Gosh.....my desire and commitment were overwhelming!!! LOL!

Before I got started, my weight had been creeping upward for many, many years. Occasionally, I'd do either Protein Power or Atkins and drop, maybe 10 pounds, but that was it. Basically, I was just ignoring my weight. Sure, I WANTED to be lighter, but as long as I could buy bigger clothes and have no documented medical issues, I just didn't think about my weight very much. I bypassed mirrors and stayed out of photographs. As long as I could still do things like mowing the lawn, carrying groceries, etc., I deluded myself into thinking I was just fine....although being smaller would be nice. I rarely weighed myself on a scale.....I didn't want to know. If I got on a scale, that would mean I'd have to face that big number, even if only for a moment....but then it would be stuck in my head for awhile and I didn't want to deal with that.

WANTING to be smaller....WISHING I were lighter.....that doesn't get it done! CHANGE requires ACTION. Sustained action. It requires, first, facing up to where I am. No hiding....no delusion.....no denial...no justifications....no excuses. "It is what it is."

This didn't happen perfectly when I began, but it's the gist of what was different....why this journey has turned into success and previous ones only had very short-lived success. (I use the word "success" for this journey, even though it's not a perfect journey and is still in progress....as I intend it to be for the rest of my life.)

This time....I faced exactly where I was. I faced what my future health would look like without weight loss. I faced specifically what the weight was actually doing to me. I faced what I really didn't like about being so overweight. No hiding...no delusion....no denial...no justifications....no excuses.

And, like most things, I truly believe that I have the power to change. Change is a choice. My least favorite phrase is "I didn't have a choice." Yes, you DO have a choice....or many choices. You may not like the alternative(s), but you always have a choice.

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1053 kcal

Fat: 68.96g | Prot: 68.01g | Carbs: 34.60g.   Breakfast: Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese (foil bricks), Kraft Shredded Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, Hunt's no salt added tomato sauce, Kraft shredded colby jack cheese, Pieces & Stems Mushrooms, Kraft shredded mozzarella cheese, Hunt's petite diced tomatoes, Hormel turkey pepperoni, eggs. Lunch: Diced Petite Tomatoes, Breakfast Chicken Sausage, Egg, Pieces & Stems Mushrooms, Natural Finely Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese, chia seeds (bulk). Dinner: Salad Toppins, Romaine Hearts, Ranch Dressing, Armenian Cucumbers, Grape Tomatoes, chia seeds (bulk). Snacks/Other: Bacon Curls Microwave Pork Rinds. more...

1919 kcal

Exercise: Walking (exercise) - 3.5/mph - 53 minutes, Resting - 15 hours and 7 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...