I've been absent from the blogging world for a long while! Life really does get in the way sometimes. My family and I have been through alot of changes in the past year. My husband's best friend and cousin passed away a year ago iJuly 6. That has been very difficult for all of us, especially my boys. We still miss Clyde every day and probably always will. In August of last year, my grandmother had her second hip replacement. She did much better this go around. Also in August my youngest son was diagnosed with moderate asthma and moderate-severe allergies. Poor kid is allergic to 9 different things so far. It seems like I lived in doctor's offices last year! School was very busy for us last year. My oldest son is in the band and had ball games and other activities he was required to attend. I was also elected Treasuer of the Band Boosters which added more to my plate.
This year my mother-in-law fell in March and fractured two vertabre. Thankfully, she was a canidate for kyphoplasty to relieve the pain. She was in and out of the hospital and HealthSouth for rehab. It was a very long, very hard road for her. She had gotten so weak in the hospital she was unable to even stand and had to stay with her daughter until she regained strength and completed the doctors physical therapy. She was finally able to go back to her own home this month.
I know most of this news seems negative. But we have made it through all if it with God's help. To me that is a huge positive!
Personally, I gained back almost all the weight I had previously lost. I finally realized that my own program wasn't working. I always hated the idea of paying to lose weight. But I knew something had to change so I joined Weight Watchers (WW) in January. It took me a month or so to really learn the program and get in my groove. I must say that I love WW!! The program very closely resembles the ADA (American Diabetes Association) diet and is designed for slow weight loss. It is not a rapid quick fix or something you do until you reach your goal. It is a lifestyle change.
WW has been great not only for me but for my whole family! Let me make myself clear here...in NO way, shape or form have I ever suggested to either one of my boys that they need to lose weight or follow the program.
But the boys are seeing both my husband and myself weigh in weekly and hearing us discuss our losses. They also see the changes in the snack cabinet. It's not stocked with their previous go to snacks. Not because I am depriving them. I am keeping myself in line and removing temptation. Besides, how much processed food does a person really need to consume and be healthy? Not much is my guess. Anybody ever watched "Super Size Me"? If so, enough said. If not, go join Netflix and watch. I promise you will never eat at Mickey D's again.
My kids new go to snacks are now grapes, microwave popcorn and low fat yogurts and ice creams. Not to mention the all important banana smoothies! Why the change? They see me--their mom--trying to become healthier and they want to do what I do. They saw me jog for the first time in my entire life and somehow decided that was pretty cool of mom to try something new. They saw the happiness when me and their dad finished our first ever 5k in the top 10. They are so happy that their dad can now play with them much easier, without so much back pain. In short, they are proud of us!
I realized all this when my youngest son, age 7, went to WW with me a few weeks ago because his dad was working late and it was either take him or not go. So he went with me. He had actually been a few times before and liked it...all the women I think. He had dropped from 97 lbs to 91 lbs! This is the first year ever that I have not had to buy him a bigger clothing size for school! The only reason he needs new jeans is, well, he's a 7 year old boy who plays hard! My 13 year old son noticed that his jeans were looser and he had to dig out a belt. He weighed and realized he had lost 10 lbs!
They were not trying to lose weight at all. They just wanted to be healthy like mom and dad. So the next time you think your kids (or grandkids or neices or nephews) aren't watching...think again.
This year my mother-in-law fell in March and fractured two vertabre. Thankfully, she was a canidate for kyphoplasty to relieve the pain. She was in and out of the hospital and HealthSouth for rehab. It was a very long, very hard road for her. She had gotten so weak in the hospital she was unable to even stand and had to stay with her daughter until she regained strength and completed the doctors physical therapy. She was finally able to go back to her own home this month.
I know most of this news seems negative. But we have made it through all if it with God's help. To me that is a huge positive!
Personally, I gained back almost all the weight I had previously lost. I finally realized that my own program wasn't working. I always hated the idea of paying to lose weight. But I knew something had to change so I joined Weight Watchers (WW) in January. It took me a month or so to really learn the program and get in my groove. I must say that I love WW!! The program very closely resembles the ADA (American Diabetes Association) diet and is designed for slow weight loss. It is not a rapid quick fix or something you do until you reach your goal. It is a lifestyle change.
WW has been great not only for me but for my whole family! Let me make myself clear here...in NO way, shape or form have I ever suggested to either one of my boys that they need to lose weight or follow the program.
But the boys are seeing both my husband and myself weigh in weekly and hearing us discuss our losses. They also see the changes in the snack cabinet. It's not stocked with their previous go to snacks. Not because I am depriving them. I am keeping myself in line and removing temptation. Besides, how much processed food does a person really need to consume and be healthy? Not much is my guess. Anybody ever watched "Super Size Me"? If so, enough said. If not, go join Netflix and watch. I promise you will never eat at Mickey D's again.
My kids new go to snacks are now grapes, microwave popcorn and low fat yogurts and ice creams. Not to mention the all important banana smoothies! Why the change? They see me--their mom--trying to become healthier and they want to do what I do. They saw me jog for the first time in my entire life and somehow decided that was pretty cool of mom to try something new. They saw the happiness when me and their dad finished our first ever 5k in the top 10. They are so happy that their dad can now play with them much easier, without so much back pain. In short, they are proud of us!
I realized all this when my youngest son, age 7, went to WW with me a few weeks ago because his dad was working late and it was either take him or not go. So he went with me. He had actually been a few times before and liked it...all the women I think. He had dropped from 97 lbs to 91 lbs! This is the first year ever that I have not had to buy him a bigger clothing size for school! The only reason he needs new jeans is, well, he's a 7 year old boy who plays hard! My 13 year old son noticed that his jeans were looser and he had to dig out a belt. He weighed and realized he had lost 10 lbs!
They were not trying to lose weight at all. They just wanted to be healthy like mom and dad. So the next time you think your kids (or grandkids or neices or nephews) aren't watching...think again.
Here's a pic of me and my hubby from Aug. 7, 2010 at my young cousin's wedding:
I am 23 pounds lighter and Mike is down 27 pounds!One more thing, I joined a discussion board on the WW site called 'Positive Thinkers'. It is a wonderfully, supportive place to be for non-judgemental encouragement!
I hope to be back posting more reguarly here. The world needs all the positivity it can get even if only 4 other people read this!
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