~28th November,28 fat kgs gone in 19 weeks...~

ME Circa 2002 at what I believe was my heaviest weight - the fusion of my neck to my upper torso says it all

And then last night 28kgs lighter on 28th November!

My story has been told on Sleekgeek SA, where my journey began, and where it's members continually inspire and motivate me

 

Roll on Thuuuurssssdays!!!!  My journey began on a fated Thursday and every subsequent Thursday for the past 19 weeks, I secretly stood on my bathroom scale, watching the fat kilograms melt away...Granted, some Thursdays, the scale stood still and I grew despondent whenever that happened but then reminded myself that my clothing sizes were dropping and that the scale which has enslaved me for so many years, was just a tool, to mentally challenge me further, which in some ways can be a good thing...but is a small indicator of what weight loss means.  Judging my weight loss by how my clothes fit, how I feel both inside and out and the choices I make , are leading to a healthy life and one that I have always only dreamed of.

 

 

So this Thursday was no exception.  Pen and paper in hand, I jumped on and to my amazement, calculations revealed I had achieved just over 28kgs **poof** and no it wasn't due to the magic dragon!  While the reality took a long time to surface, the reality that I was indeed emerging into someone different in the way I looked, it was a reality that I have always dreamed off, and me standing on the scale which was talking to me in a language that I have come to understand through my various journeys', that reality screamed BE PROUD PRAVA!  And indeed that I am for so many reasons...



• My health status has improved to such a level that my medical team feels as though they've been hit by a tsunami (yeah right, Tsunami Prava - I always wanted something named after me **wink**) - but more about that in a future blog entry, as **that** deserves a place in its' own sun

• My children are so inspired by my quality of life improvement, that I am able to horse around with them in ways that I could never do before, that we exercise and dance together to the most vigorous of moves and music is something I thought would never be possible

 

• My husband says the revived twinkle in my eye adds to my beauty - always music to my years, but to have my new body being physically appreciated by someone who loved the old me too, in a totally different way, is exciting and nervy at the same time - in a way it has renewed so many aspects in our relationship, and added value to my journey on a physical and emotional level, reinforcing my belief that change can be better than a holiday

 

• To be told by many that my journey and enthusiasm has inspired and motivated them in their journey's to better health and weightloss, is something that has touched the very core of me - my philosophical approach through this journey has been and remains, that if I could inspire and motivate ONE person to adopt a positive lifestyle change, I would be elated.  This elation is on a level of humility though, humbled that there are many that may look up to me and also nervous that failure, even though a stepping stone to success, does not dampen or hamper my journey to a happier and healthier me

 

• I am proud that this lifestyle change is developing into a habit, a good one,  which will only be in my best interests to continue with this habit forming, possibly assisting in removing other obstacles and vices that have gripped me for like forever

 

• I am proud that I also pushed my own boundries in the  8 week Sleekgeek Summer Body Challenge 2013, which saw me shed 53 centimetres and 9 kilograms, but apart from the losses, when I look back on my entry picture and the picture upon completion, I have shed at least 10 years off my life - Discovery Wellness Assessment had better start giving me a better age than the 53 years for my true 45!

 

• That the incentive by an amazing offer from an amazing person, after I had lost my first 10kgs, is starting to look like it's going to happen - that I pushed my own boundries after every kilogram that melted away after that, so if I maintain this for another 2kg loss, I'll be walking in my favourite park during that country's summer, this time less 30 or possibly more kilograms....achievable?  hell yeah!!!

 





My desire to blog my meals, the one's I enthusiastically prepare and thereafter blog, have been a great motivating factor through this journey and makes me realise, and,  also offer from my perspective, that no matter what life change you need to make, do it publicly. Obviously you don’t have to start a blog for the world to see, but make sure you’re sharing your struggles with people who care about you. Family, friends and even acquaintances are all assisting me in my journey - family and friends across the miles also have an opportunity to share with me my trials and tribulations as the days go by (and of course be inspired to try out creative meals!)  The natural thing for us to do is hide our vices and try to fix them in secret because we’re ashamed. But I’ve found that, more often than not, people are excited for you, and will be there to support you and help you in any way they can. It's also about wanting people to know that if I can achieve this measure of success in my attempts to be healthy, then so can they!  I have experienced this personally and am in a space where I am extremely grateful to be sharing this journey and learning from a marvellous fora of like-minded individuals, who share the same, if not tougher struggles than I do - there's great camaraderie in commonalities!

As I move into more self-reflection in my quiet space in my own quiet time, I want to reiterate that a lifestyle change should never begin until you have done the inside work first.  You have got to answer this questions first:

• Why do I want to change, lose weight and feel better?  Is it out of self-loathing or self-love?

If the answer is self-loathing, a lifestyle change won't work.  If you don't love you during your darkest, loneliest, most unhealthy time, you cannot take care of yourself the way you need and deserve to during your lifestyle change....learning to love yourself or at least care enough to work towards loving yourself is key towards a successful lifestyle change....I love and value ME fundamentally, to conquer the food demons and unshackle myself from a past - to create a whole new world for me - one that can only lead to personal happiness and a few steps closer to my health and weightloss Utopia....

So it's Buh-bye 28 1kg margarine tubs, or 62.3 pounds of lard....my comfort through my past, my release to my future....

 

 

ALUTA CONTINUA...