June 17th, 2016: Oh Lordy Here I Go Again...

I have been back and forth for days trying to decide if I was going to start blogging again. It takes commitment. But I have now publicly announced (via Facebook & Instagram) my return to the weight-loss world...so....I feel like my success hinges on accountability. This blog provides that for me.

It has been 4 and half years since I first started this blog and began the most difficult thing I've even done in my life. Substantial weight-loss. In 5 months from Late November 2011 through April of 2012 I lost 72 pounds. That's not bad at all. But then...I hurt my knee at the gym and 2 days later I was bit by a brown recluse on my upper thigh. I could barley even walk for a few weeks and then after that excuse after excuse came over me like you wouldn't believe! I needed someone to pull me out of my slump before it was too late. But before I knew it, the pounds kept racking up. My visits to the scale grew fewer and farther between because I KNEW what was going to be staring me in the face. A big fat gain. And I sure did NOT want to see that. So I stayed away and convinced myself that I would get it back together soon. Hmm...yea, that didn't work out.

I had some pretty dark days. I beat myself up about it. I mean...who am I going to blame. I am 100% responsible for every single bad thing I eat. No one shoves food down my throat. It's very hard to make peace with the fact that this is all my fault. And when I would feel guilty about eating something I shouldn't I have abused my own body to purge my system of that bad food. Yup...you read that correctly. I've literally put my body through hell, just because I couldn't take responsibility for my own actions and stay accountable.

So, you might be wondering, why now? Why am I finally back and ready to take on this beast head on again? Well, that's a complex answer.

#1 I hate living in this body. I can't reach my feet. I can't sit in 90% of the chairs in the world. I'm bulging out of my clothes which are the biggest size I can find without paying ridiculous prices at specialty shops online.

#2 My husband, who has always been smaller than me, had gained quite a bit of weight and was at his all-time high. At my insistence, he stopped drinking sodas. In just a few months time he has lost 40 pounds! That's a serious motivator for me and I'm so proud of him!

#3 My sister started a low-carb lifestyle and started going back to the gym and in just a short time she has already lost over 30 pounds. I'm really proud of her too.:)

#4 My sister also found this site called DietBet where you pay in to join this "bet" and you have a certain amount of time to lose a certain percentage of weight and if you succeed you get your money back and split the pot with everyone else who has succeeded. Cool huh?

So all of those things played a factor in getting me going again. I REALLY want to make this a lifetime change. I don't plan to count calories for my whole life. BUT, I do want to life this healthier life style permanently, so that I can be happy and healthy. And in all honesty...I just want to be a success story. I want to have that Before and After picture that makes your jaws drop! I love to look at those! They give me hope.

FYI my first official weigh-in day will be this Sunday. it will only be 5 days in to my diet changes, but I want my weigh-ins to land on Sundays. Soooo....be sure to tune in and see how my first weigh-in goes.