kayecallaham

I am getting there, slowly but surely…  still hovering around the 300 lb. mark.  I am in the best shape (not size) that I have been in since college.  I am so proud of myself… today I was ALMOST late for work.  Being proud of being late to work… well, not that part exactly.  Here is my little story:

I hit snooze once too often this morning.  I finally dragged my butt out of bed, and got showered dressed and ready to head out.  When I looked at the clock again it was 7:35 AM.  Now , I live 1.2 miles from work, and I walk it.  In addition I was out of breakfast stuff so I had to stop by the grocery store on the way there.  I left the house at about 7:36, got to the grocery store (about midway) at 7:43 and the arrived at my office at 7:55 AM.  For those of you keeping track that is over a mile in under twenty minutes! GREAT JOB FOR ME!

well, considering that when I first started this, 3 1/2 months ago,   it took me almost 45 minutes to get to work each morning. Even then I would be huffing and puffing about 10 -15 minutes after arrival.

I also did the wellness walk for United Way at lunch.  I feel great! Gonna have to start doing that more often.  I was carrying on a conversation and having a great time.  I even left my 18 year old neice (size 00) in the dust!

So being down 50 lbs, and exercising a lot has really helped!  Now if I can just stay motivated and be down 100lbs total by Christmas.

Lets get this done just by putting one foot in front of the other!

I have been learning a lot about myself in the past three months. The end of May, I was struggling to make ends meet.  I couldn’t afford to make a car payment and insurance and also put gas in the car. So, I started “renting” the car to my nephew.  He was between vehicles. 

So I started walking everywhere.  I would be lying if I  said that it was easy. At first I struggled just to make it to the end of the block. But I had to make it a little over a mile to work.  I would be gasping for air when I got there and hot and sweaty.  I kepted it up, because I had no choice. 

Of course, it was a freaky June…. temps in the 100+ degrees. So the trip home was the worse part.  This big fat old woman was probably suffering from heat exhastion a few evenings.  I was dizzy, nauseous, sweaty and clammy…. all the symptoms.  But i kepted on walking… because I had no other choice.

Three months later, I am down almost 40 pounds from when I started.  I can walk faster than the people I work with that are half my size. I can climb a ladder without worrying that it will collapse with me.  Move furniture around my house without assistance, paint a wall, hang pictures, etc…    All things that I would have said that I couldn’t have done before. 

I want to get a bicycle now, but my family is all against it.  They don’t think that I would be able to ride one safely.  They still see me as the old helpless woman that even I thought that I was before.  I will get one, just as soon as I pay off all my other debts.  That may be a while.  I can hardly wait.

When I was younger I thought that I was invinsible, and i could do anything I set my mind to.  but, somewhere along the way I started doubting myself and lost my confidence. 

I wish it hadn’t taken me 40 years to learn that I can do it.  I know now that I can do this.  My short term goal is to ldrop below 300 by september 16th.  Then my next goal is to shock the pants off my family at thanksgiving and christmas.  (I won’t see most of them until then.) I would like to be down 100 lbs by then, surely they will notice it then.  Then I would like to be back below 200 lbs before my 45th birthday. 

I would be lying if I said it was easy.  And I probably wouldn’t have even started if I hadn’t had to give up my car.  But now that I am cruising along on my own two feet, I am learning so much more about me and what I CAN accomplish.  If any of you want to go for a lunch time, after work, or late night (10PM) walk with me, let me know!  I am up for the stroll anytime, and would enjoy some company other than the dog! :) 

Let’s keep going and don’t be afraid to set some goals!

Well, after helping the family move on Thursday and Friday. I got brave and got on the scales.  I am now only 2 lbs from my next mini goal.  All that walking and sweating does pay off.  Getting back up in the 100+ degree range this week, so I may not be walking home that often.  Going to beg a few rides.  When the heat index is in the 110’s it just aint safe for this old lady to be exercising in that heat.   I’ll have to leave the house a little earlier and take the longer route to work, and maybe go for another walk with the dog about sundown when it cools off! Everyone have a great day and enjoy!

You just have to love summer.  Fresh veggies and fruits that are soooo good for you. (just don’t go overboard on the tomato…. you get sores in your mouth.. I speak from lots of experience) The nice warm weather is great.  Granted the last two weeks with temps in the 100’s+ it was a little too warm for my liking.  I am walking to and from work every day, about a mile give or take each direction depending on the route that I take. walking home in the 100+temps is not recommended.   My favorite route in the morning is down in front of the flower shop.  They have a huge garden around their parking lot and it is so pretty in the morning! Birds and butterflies, not to mention the blooms and the aromas are a pleasant change from the mundane walk.

I can tell that I am losing weight, but as i have said before when you are this big, others don’t seem to notice.  It was so nice to have someone actually say something this weekend.  I hope that you all take the time to notice all the wonderful things about this season.   Go outside in the morning and enjoy your breakfast/coffee/juice while listening to the birds and watching the sun come up. It really is uplifting!  Even if you do have to get up before 6AM hehehe.

Ok!  I was a little depressed this weekend.  The rest of my family all got together in Branson, and I was stuck here in Stillwater.  I had twenty dollars cash on me and blew it on junk food.  I did get a lot of work done too, but it was still a setback. The good news is that I am right back up and at it again this morning! This coming weekend I hope to finally finish the paint on my house!  Got it all but the ceiling trim… been waiting for over a year for someone to come and help me finish. But I have proved to myself these last few weeks that I can do anything that I set my mind too!  My new goal for the next few weeks is a big one, but with healthy eating and a good dose of exercise I can do it.  I would like to be at or below the 300 mark for my sisters graduation… haven’t been there in probably 10+ years!

its almost 15 pounds in a little over 3 weeks, but as bid as I am its doable! With all the walking to work and doing housework/sewing and other activities to keep me out of the kitchen and moving I can make it.  I’ll keep you updated.  Thanks for all the support by the way. It really helps!

Thanks!

KC

Yes I am fastly approaching that half century mark! And yes I can quote most of the lines from most of disney’s movies.  I try to blame it on the years spent as a school teacher, but the fact is I am a kid at heart.  My little experiment of going without a car, is starting to wear a little thin, especially when I am running late in the mornings. But I am trying my best to just “keep on swimming, swimming, swimming!” or in my case “walking, walking, walking.”  I keep telling myself that it is all worth it. It is easier when you start singing to yourself, or counting off steps, otherwise I start looking at all the stuff you normally don’t notice and find myself slowing down.  I guess that explains why it takes me longer to walk home than it does to get to work, because I stop to see the sights.  I have also discovered that there are a lot of obstacles to you trying to change… my family seems to think that I am stupid for even trying this. (except for the nephew with the car! hehehe)

My boss is so worried about me walking that she has offered to start picking me up in the mornings.  Getting laundry done is also a challenge, because you have to tote it somewhere to wash it. hehehe (I have a washer and dryer, but no hookups).  Going to the store can be fun, cause you have to carry home whatever you buy.  (I’ve cut way back on the soda, and canned foods!)  Construction here often makes just finding a route to work a challenge! which is the pits if you are already running late! People you meet while walking are also not the friendliest, I guess they think you are up to something. hehehehe That amused my sarcastically evil side! Cause in a way I am… I am up to getting healthier, and hopefully losing some weight in the process.

But I can’t change any of those things!  All I can change is my attitude towards them.  So I’m still just walking everywhere I can.  I’m just “keeping on keeping on!” as my mother used to say.  So to all of you out there who get discouraged because of the “obstacles” placed in your path.  Either climb over em, or walk around them, and “just keep swimming, swimming, swimming…”

Okay! I will admit it.  I was having lots of trouble getting motivated to exercise more. No money for gym memberships or equipment, so I had to try find something that was cheap. I settled on walking.  I do need new shoes, mine are currently stretched out from the “aircast” that I had to wear this spring. I was having trouble getting started on walking, so I struck up a deal with my eldest nephew, Tylar.  He sold his truck a while back and hasn’t had much luck finding a vehicle that he likes and can afford. It’s not that he has bad credit, he has NO credit. So he is “renting” my car for a few months until he can find somethine he really likes.  It’s a win win for me… I don’t have to make the car payments and I am forced to walk to and from work everyday, rain or shine.  no more waiting til monday to start.. It started today.  IT was really strange opening the door to leave for work and not seeing the car.  But I made it just fine.  Even stopped by the grocery store and picked up stuff for lunch at work. I was a lot of fun.  Got to notice a group of meadowlarks on the phone wires, a scissor-tailed flycatcher on a stop sign. A lost dog poster, a couple of idiots playing tennis, and a pair of cardinals watching them play from the fence.  I also noticed that people running into the grocery store in the morning are not paying attention to pedestrians walking across the parking lot. hehehe

I only hope that I can stay this positive after next week! They are predicting rain three days! I have an umbrella and a poncho!

Well, I better get back to work.  I have to go for a walk across campus later, and then I get to walk home!

Well, 28 pounds down, and over 122 left to go. I would be lying if I said this is easy.  Its not, there have been several setbacks, but I just keep on getting back up and keep on going. 

I have recently attended several different workshop/seminars that are focused on positive thinking and how it can affect you and others.  I have started a journal, in which i write at least three positive things for the day.  I can’t repeat them. (my rule to make it more of a challenge).  One day one of my positives was that i just got up that morning! hehehe well, when you think about the alternative, it is a positive.  Some days, like that one, its really hard to find something positive to write about.  Others, its hard to stop because there are so many.  I have discovered that when it is all said and done, that it helps you stay positive to look back and read over all the good things.

I have also discovered that you can “choose” your attitude every day.  If you decide to be happy, even if things are not going your way, then eventually your brain begins to feel happy, just because you are acting the part.  So I keep a smile pasted on my face, and it either makes others smile, or it makes them start to worry wondering what you are up to.  And, that makes me almost laugh out loud. If  a giggle slips out they really begin to get paranoid. 

I have heard that you can actually lose weight laughing! hehehe that it counts as exercise.  That’s what I need to work on next is fitting in more exercise, and now that its warmer, I may start walking to work.  The only problem with that is living in OKlahoma. Thunderstorms usually hit aobut the time I get off work. hehehee I don’t mind walking in the raid, but not in the lightning!

I am turning 44 this month, and I have been overweight for 33 years. I don’t want to still be this heavy when I turn 45.  My goal is to go on a once in a lifetime vacation next summer.  Either a cruise, or to Ireland!

Well, thanks for letting me rattle on. Keep up the good  work and I will share more next time.

If you live in the stillwater area and want to start out walking slowly, let me know and we can get together a couple times a week and go for a walk.  We have a lot of pretty places to go do that here, but right now I am not moving as fast as most people.

I arrived at work 20 minutes early this morning.  Nice to have a job that I look forward to going to again.  Ate breakfast today, which is one of my problems.  I have to really push myself to eat breakfast.  Funny when you see me, you wouldn’t believe that I had trouble making myself eat. hehehe

I have lost over 25 lbs., but I can’t tell it.  I need to start excercising more.  I do get the chance to leave my desk now and walk around campus, delivering mail, picking up packages, going to workshops, or just to see the pond.  But since the weather is rapidly imporving and I live less than a mile from campus, I think I will start walking this week.  Save me money on gasoline too.  Saving money is always good.

If you have any ideas for cheap, quick and easy brown bag type lunches please share them with me.  I am getting bored with my bean burrito, and black bean salsa wraps.  yep they are cheap and easy but it gets kinda old after a while. hehehehe

If you live in the stillwater area and would like to go walking 2 or 3 days a week, let me know.  I live in a decent neighborhood, but always love to go to Boomer or to couch park and walk. Just need some help staying motivated. 

Gotta get back to work.  Thanks for listening!

Today is November 12, 2007.  I have been actually trying and loosing some weight for about two months now.  I have lost about 15 lbs.  No one can tell though cause I have so much to loose.  I know that a lot of my problem is emotional eating, and lack of exercise. So I am going to try to write in a journal at home and then post during the week online here at the office.  I think this will be fun and maybe make it easier.  Its hard for me cuase I am alone, and only myself.  My family tells me that should make it easier, cause I only have to fix for myself and nobody else.  And I guess they would be right if just plain overeating was the trouble.  But when eat cause there isn’t anyone to talk to or to comfort you, I turn to food.  It is lonesome being on your own.  At least before I had Roxie.  She at least acted like she was listening. And instead of hugs when I was upset, she would lay her head in my lap and look at me with her sad eyes. heheheehehehe 

 So today I am going to start trying journaling to see if that helps at all.  When I am upset, I wll ride the bike, walk, or write instead of going to the fridge or to grab a cracker.  Of course it will also help that the fridge is almost empty and my crakers are whole wheat and salt free saltine crackers. heheheheheee  Bad news I am eating a whole lot more potatoes and pasta instead of produce cause its cheaper!!! heheheheee Love ya,

kc