LovebirdsFlying
My husband drew this cartoon of me.
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I haven't made an update in a while.
I am finally starting to SEE the change. I still look fat to myself, but a greater percentage of it is loose, flabby skin that used to all be filled in. Yes, although I do look like a Shar Pei, the flab is changing shape. There isn't *quite* as much love handle to grab onto. My bat wings are looking less like melted candle wax, and more like a paper towel hanging down from the roll. If you can picture that.
Weight loss is happening more slowly now. For a while I even had a minor (4 pound) regain, but that's back off and I'm again heading in the down direction. I have so far lost a total of 70 pounds. I could probably stand to lose another 40. That would still have me in the "overweight" BMI range, but only barely. And I don't think my body composition is designed to be less than that. With my bone and muscle structure (which has been analyzed) that would put me at about 25% body fat, which is actually at the *bottom* end of "Healthy/Acceptable" as opposed to "Fit/Athletic." By that measure, "Overweight" would begin at 33% body fat. Funny (sad?) thing is, as a young adult I was at 30% body fat, which is well within the "Healthy/Acceptable" range, but I was still being told constantly by family members how unattractively fat I was. Why? Because I didn't have the same measurements as a typical beauty pageant contestant, or look like the models in certain types of magazines. Many of these family members ridiculed and made fun of me relentlessly, using "I'm only worried about your health, because being overweight can kill you," as a justification. They figured if they shamed me enough, I'd get tired of hearing it and lose weight. The kicker is, those who nagged at me the loudest are the same ones who didn't see a problem with their own heavy smoking, drinking, and use of other recreational drugs. It took me years to realize the hypocrisy in that. I no longer have contact with these family members, because their behavior has not changed over the years, nor will it.
Some reasons for the recent slowdown is that I haven't been getting enough exercise, or drinking enough water, or getting enough sleep. All of those will affect blood sugar and weight loss, so I'm working on them. Biggest challenge right now is weight loss fatigue, total lack of energy, and I'm even having some hair fall out. Not that I don't have enough of it, but the fact that it is happening indicates that there is a problem. Possibly vitamin/mineral deficiency. I've started on a multivitamin, to see if that helps. Oh, on the blood sugar, I'm down to 18 units of insulin, maximum. If my bedtime reading is low enough, I don't take any insulin at all.
Hubby is on his second week of a new job, which seems to be going well. The down side of that is very long hours, usually seated, and not a lot of time to get exercise. I hope it doesn't set his own health journey back too badly.
I'll be starting a new job soon myself, although I don't know exactly when that is. Red tape. Delays. God is in control--if the job had begun when they originally told me it would, I'd still be needing a cane (which I've now ditched!) As part of the interview process, I assured them I could lift up to 50 pounds. I've tested myself. I can. I didn't lie. But showing up with a cane probably would have had them questioning it.
I am finally starting to SEE the change. I still look fat to myself, but a greater percentage of it is loose, flabby skin that used to all be filled in. Yes, although I do look like a Shar Pei, the flab is changing shape. There isn't *quite* as much love handle to grab onto. My bat wings are looking less like melted candle wax, and more like a paper towel hanging down from the roll. If you can picture that.
Weight loss is happening more slowly now. For a while I even had a minor (4 pound) regain, but that's back off and I'm again heading in the down direction. I have so far lost a total of 70 pounds. I could probably stand to lose another 40. That would still have me in the "overweight" BMI range, but only barely. And I don't think my body composition is designed to be less than that. With my bone and muscle structure (which has been analyzed) that would put me at about 25% body fat, which is actually at the *bottom* end of "Healthy/Acceptable" as opposed to "Fit/Athletic." By that measure, "Overweight" would begin at 33% body fat. Funny (sad?) thing is, as a young adult I was at 30% body fat, which is well within the "Healthy/Acceptable" range, but I was still being told constantly by family members how unattractively fat I was. Why? Because I didn't have the same measurements as a typical beauty pageant contestant, or look like the models in certain types of magazines. Many of these family members ridiculed and made fun of me relentlessly, using "I'm only worried about your health, because being overweight can kill you," as a justification. They figured if they shamed me enough, I'd get tired of hearing it and lose weight. The kicker is, those who nagged at me the loudest are the same ones who didn't see a problem with their own heavy smoking, drinking, and use of other recreational drugs. It took me years to realize the hypocrisy in that. I no longer have contact with these family members, because their behavior has not changed over the years, nor will it.
Some reasons for the recent slowdown is that I haven't been getting enough exercise, or drinking enough water, or getting enough sleep. All of those will affect blood sugar and weight loss, so I'm working on them. Biggest challenge right now is weight loss fatigue, total lack of energy, and I'm even having some hair fall out. Not that I don't have enough of it, but the fact that it is happening indicates that there is a problem. Possibly vitamin/mineral deficiency. I've started on a multivitamin, to see if that helps. Oh, on the blood sugar, I'm down to 18 units of insulin, maximum. If my bedtime reading is low enough, I don't take any insulin at all.
Hubby is on his second week of a new job, which seems to be going well. The down side of that is very long hours, usually seated, and not a lot of time to get exercise. I hope it doesn't set his own health journey back too badly.
I'll be starting a new job soon myself, although I don't know exactly when that is. Red tape. Delays. God is in control--if the job had begun when they originally told me it would, I'd still be needing a cane (which I've now ditched!) As part of the interview process, I assured them I could lift up to 50 pounds. I've tested myself. I can. I didn't lie. But showing up with a cane probably would have had them questioning it.
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