So Far, So Good

It's been 5 days since I visited the doctor. I've had a total of 3 Mountain Dews, and no snacks between meals. I'm not hungry, but I sure do miss those things.

The medication the doc put me on makes me pee.....a lot. In addition to my increased water intake, I am in the bathroom several times an hour. I'm thinking of putting a TV and phone in there along with a reclining toilet seat. Make it a little more comfy, you know what I mean?

In the last 5 days, I've lost 6 pounds. Mostly water weight, I'm sure, but I'll take it. It will eventually taper off, but until then, I'm happy with it. I don't feel so bloated, and my pants already fit more comfortably.

I started walking again. My dear husband fixed my treadmill, which had been sitting broken since my last bout of weight loss. It purrs like a kitten now, and sits in the garage, calling me. I don't mind walking. I grab my MP3 player, turn it up loud and walk. I go back to my high school days with Guns and Roses, George Michael, and AC/DC, to name a few. I think my kids have caught me singing at the top of my lungs, eyes closed, huffing and puffing as I chug along my walk. Oh well, it's not like they've never seen their mother act a fool before. I'm sure it gave them a chuckle.

I've decided to reward myself (and the family too, I guess) with a night out to eat this weekend. I mean, you can't deprive yourself all the time, and I'm used to going out to eat at least once or twice a week. For being such a good girl all week, I'm going to Taco Bell, my all time favorite fast food. Oh how I am looking forward to the weekend!

D-Day

I have dubbed today "D-Day", meaning "Diet" Day....the beginning of a new way of life and eating for me. I have a positive attitude about this. It will be a good thing.

My doctor's appointment went as I figured it would. He's a nice guy, and I love my doc, but he told me I was fat and unhealthy. OK, not in those words, but you know how doctors are. It's their job to tell you when you're not living right or taking care of yourself the way you know you should.

So, my blood pressure was high. 138/98. Not terribly so, but he put me on medication just the same. Then, he told me what I already knew. Just a couple of lifestyle changes and my blood pressure would go down and I could possibly stop taking the medication.

Easier said than done, I tell him.

But, like I said before, he's a nice guy. He spent the next 45 minutes talking with me about diet, exercise, and moderation (He apparently didn't have any other patients scheduled for this afternoon. Smart man!). I left his office with a renewed sense of confidence that this isn't going to be as hard as I thought. I was inspired.

So, I'm proud to announce that I have had no Mountain Dew at all today, only water. I even bought myself a pretty green water bottle with a straw and a spout that has an opening big enough for ice cubes. This way, I can keep ice cold water on hand all day long. So far, so good.

My goal weight loss is 60lbs. The doc is happy with this amount, and I think it's doable. It won't put me at my ideal weight of 130 pounds, but so what. I haven't been 150lbs since I was two!

OK, that was a bit of a exaggeration, but seriously, it's been many, many years. I'm really looking forward to this!

Oh, and since I'm on this lose-weight-get-healthy kick, I'm going back next week for some blood work to check my cholesterol, diabetes, etc. Now, that should be interesting!

A Little History

I am not a healthy person. I have never desired to live my life in a healthy manner. I eat what I want, when I want. I drink Mountain Dew by the gallon. I've smoked. I've drank. I've smoked pot as a teen. I've even engaged in some "risky" behavior in my younger years that is better left unsaid.

I know I probably sound like most other Americans, but I've reached a point in my life where it's time to shape up or ship out, as the old saying goes. I'm overweight, tend to say I can't rather than trying, having episodes I can't explain, and tired all the time. I'm 37 years old, and I'm too young to feel this way.

So tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment to have my blood pressure checked. I had it checked last year, and it was borderline, above normal for the first time in my life. At that time, borderline meant nothing to me. I didn't change anything, continuing to eat what I wanted, at all times. I didn't start exercising like recommended. Borderline isn't bad, or so I thought.

Now, don't get me wrong, I would love to be skinny, and have men look at me in an admiring fashion when I walk into a room. That has never happened, but it would be nice. My husband tells me I'm beautiful all the time, but isn't that some requirement of a husband if he wishes to stay out of the doghouse?

Two years ago, I weighed in at 242lbs. I'm 5"4' tall. That is a lot. I had quit smoking and ballooned up. Once I got over the living-without-cigarettes thing, I began to walk. For a whole summer I walked everyday. I really didn't watch what I ate. I just walked....miles. By the end of the summer, I had lost 40lbs, but was still over 200lbs. I injured my back, and that is where the weight loss stopped. I was out of commission for about 6 months, and never got back to it. I regained 10lbs.

This is where I'm at today. 212lbs, heading to the doctor tomorrow for a checkup and a lifestyle change. I have to do something.