The Journey Continues...

And what a wild ride it has been! My weight loss journey continues but it has definitely hit some interesting speed bumps and a few detours, too. I wish I had been keeping a diary and sharing it along the way, but that was simply out of the question at the time. So now, I'm hoping to get things caught up and moving forward once again.

And speaking of moving... that is exactly what happend! In January of 2007, we moved 2000 miles away from family and friends in Arizona and set up housekeeping in the great state of Ohio. We learned about the move during the summer of 2006 when I'd gotten within less than two pounds of losing a grand total of eighty pounds and only eight pounds from my Weight Watchers goal weight. Needless to say, the stresses presented by the move caused me to faulter. I'd lose a few pounds and gain them right back. I joke now that I was practicing Plan Maintenance, but at the time it really wasn't very funny. Golden Oreos and binge eating became a problem.

When we got to Ohio, I had wonderful intentions of running out and finding a Weight Watchers meeting. However, reality - and a great deal of snow, something new for this confirmed desert rat! - set in and it was a month before I made the call to locate a new leader and find a meeting to attend. By that time, 8 pounds had returned and I was once again hovering at my May 23, 2006 weight. Still 70 pounds lighter than when my journey began but definitely moving in the wrong direction!

From that point forward my weight loss journey, as well as my life, has been more like a rollercoaster ride than a simple walk in the park. After finding a new leader and meeting, I began losing weight again but the process was much slower and less consistant than it had been in the past. As my wonderful Weight Watchers leader in Tucson would say, "You've gotten rid of the fresh fat, kiddo, and now you're working on the hard lard."

On the left, me in July of 2005.
On the right, my husband and me at Churchill Downs in early May 2007.

On May 30, 2007 I reached the 80 pound loss mark and was thrilled but something was wrong. I'd been having what I thought were stressed-induced stomach issues since we arrived in Ohio. I soon discovered, however, that what I had were gallstones, most likely caused by my weight loss, and they weren't staying put. After two stints in the hospital with pancreatitis, it was decided that my gallbladder and all remaining stones had to be removed. I had the surgery in early June and, frankly, thought that all the time I'd spent sick and not eating would help me get to my goal weight just that much sooner. Nothing could have been further from the truth! I did manage to hit an all time low weight in early July - a mere 3.2 pounds from goal! - but not eating IS NOT a healthy or permanent way to lose weight. Lesson learned!

Since my surgery in June, I've had to "learn" my body all over again. I've had huge weight swings - sometimes as much as 5 pounds in a single day! - and these swings, coupled with the continuing stress of daily life in a new place, have conspired on more than one occasion to make me want to give up on Weight Watchers, weight loss, and myself. Fortunately, I'm surrounded by friends and family who care and when I was ready to throw in the towel they were there to stop me.

I spent most of July recovering from surgery and gaining weight. By the end of July, I was back up 10 pounds but ready to get with the program. I jumped full-throttle back into the plan and began a strict exercise program. The weight started to come off and once again I felt in control. But by my 2nd anniversary with the Weight Watchers program - August 16, 2007 - the weight loss suddenly stopped. I continued to exercise and follow the plan but the scale didn't budge. I was officially on my first weight loss plateau and I didn't like it. With the help of my Weight Watchers leader and some good articles I found on the Internet (see my Links page), I was able to break through the plateau and start losing again.

I wish I could say that since then the journey has gotten easier. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. My weight loss road continues to be bumpy with as many ups and downs as the scariest rollercoaster ride around. I finally reached my goal weight in May of 2008 and got my Lifetime membership with Weight Watchers in July of that year. Then, in September, our family was confronted with a new and alarming crisis. Our teenage son began experiencing what we termed "meltdowns" at school and at home followed by periods of anger, rage, and depression. We had no idea what was happening and, as in the past, I turned to food for comfort. Just a week before Christmas, everything came to a head and we were forced to pulled him from school. Frantic and frightened, we found two wonderful doctors who determined that we were dealing with adult-onset bipolar disorder. The diagnosis has given us something to focus on, medications have stabilizaed his condition, and we've begun to pull our lives back together. Of course, my weight remains an issue. I won the battle by reaching goal, but The War rages on. There are times when it seems I'm destined to lose the same 10 pounds over and over again!

But, the good news is the ride hasn't been all bad either. While my weight continues to be a challenge, the journey has brought me to a new place with new friends and new experiences. My husband and I enjoy a more active social life these days, attending concerts and parties, enjoying weekly date nights, and taking lake trips and vacations with new friends and neighbors. The picture on the right was taken just after Halloween'07 when we attended a neighborhood Murder Mystery Party as Father Baloney, an Irish priest, and Irma Slute, an east-end London showgirl. The costumes were so "us" we reprised our roles the following year at an annual Halloween bash with friends.

The most exciting development for me, however, is that I'm now working as a Weight Watchers receptionist and leader at local meetings and area AtWork programs. This experience has been incredible and has given me new insights into who I am and the direction I'd like to take my life. Through laughter and self-disclosure, I believe I have a gift for motivating others to reach their weight loss goals and I've discovered I truly enjoy being a part of their journey.

So, as I said before, "It's all about making choices and learning to balance the outcomes!" I said that at the beginning of my journey when the challenge was new and my motivation was high. Though the challenge has gotten the better of me at times and my motivation has come and gone more often than I'd like to admit, I still believe it and continue to practice it daily. As they say in the ads, "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle!"... more importantly, it's MY lifestyle and I intend to LIVE IT!