Sunday, July 3, 2011

What If and If Only




I was thinking about “what ifs” today after I realized that next month it will be a year since I lost 80 lbs and kept it off.  I was thinking…what if I hadn’t started on a nutritional cleanse program to lose weight?  Well, then it would be two years later and I’d still be overweight.  Two years because it took me a year to get the weight off.  It would be a year later and instead of hating myself because I was embarrassed by how I looked at 200+ lbs, I feel proud about my weight loss. 

Here’s another what if…what if I hadn’t gone to Weight Watchers meetings weekly specifically for support.  What if I hadn’t heard the Weight Watchers leader when she said at meeting after meeting that the most successful people in maintenance…exercise.  If I hadn’t “heard” what she was saying, I wouldn’t have gone to 24 Hour Fitness and met my personal trainer, the personal trainer I’ve worked with twice a week for 1 year and 4 months.  I don’t even want to think what that’s cost me financially, but it’s been worth it. 

What if I hadn’t gone to Silver Sneakers?  Then I wouldn’t have a wonderful group of people to exercise with twice a week.  I wouldn’t have a group of women to get together with after class on Tuesday. 

Speaking of my personal trainer…my birthday was July 1st and after my workout on my birthday she had me do 63 squats, 63 lunges and then raise a 10 lb ball over my head, slam it down onto the ground, and squat to pick it up, 63 times.  And, yes, 63 = how young I am now. 

Sometimes I wonder where the discipline to accomplish this has come from.  I like to do things the easy way and this hasn’t been easy.  But, I’ve done it and I will continue to maintain my weight loss.  To me, this is the hard part…maintenance.  Losing the weight was easy, now it’s going to take some serious discipline to keep it off. 

I’m glad that I don’t have to look back and think “if only” I’d done something about my weight two years ago.  It feels so much better to love myself than to hate myself. 

I don't know where this post came from and I almost hesitate to post it, but I'm going to.  This is where I'm at right now and  think I want to document it.  On an RV blog, no less.  

I’m heading for Las Vegas tomorrow!!!  My friends who joined me in Palm Springs to check out the Del Webb community I was pet/house sitting at are going to Henderson/Las Vegas to check out the Del Webb community there.  I’m tagging along.

The people I pet/house sat for in Palm Springs have asked me to come back in September and I think I will.  

Next post from Vegas.

Jeana








11 comments:

  1. Great job on the new lifestyle. I am just starting out on a weight loss journey (again). It is easy to do when I am on the road, I make good food choices and walk and hike a lot. Now that I am home, I am slipping, need to get motivated - or- I need to leave town again.

    ReplyDelete
  2. First, did you find your GPS?

    Congratulations on losing the weight, and even more kudos for keeping it off. I did Weight Watchers, too, and week after week you hear the same things from different people about what has worked, and how they've slipped, and if you keep going, sooner or later you "get it."

    I, too, had a fabulous leader and I still live by what they taught me. I think if someone is serious about losing weight, that's the best program.

    Have fun in Las Vegas! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is so good to read a real success story. Be strong. Be proud of yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  4. you know it is a funny thing my wife and i have both lost 10 lbs since we started RV'ing - looks like the more exercise stuff works :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. life is full of what ifs!..congrats on yours!..have fun in Vegas!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congrats! you have been super strong about your weighte loss and work outs.
    You have fun in Vegas,
    Yes did you find your GPS?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy Birthday Jeana. Have fun in Vegas.

    ReplyDelete
  8. How did you like Del Webb? I live near there and have seen it, and I have friends who live there--they love it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I always remember what someone told me when I was training for a marathon at 43 years old.."If it was easy everyone would be doing it"! I jog six miles a day still and everyday it is an effort for me to get it done but I do it...because I know if I want to stay healthy I have to. Congrats to you on 80 pounds! that is astronomical! and to keep it off..well, there are no words...except I do know how hard it was for you and you should be proud!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I just found your blog through Gypsy's and did I ever need to read this post! Outstanding! post s'more!

    ReplyDelete