On the app, all you have to do is make a wager on a weight-loss plan you think you can accomplish. I said I could lose five lbs. per month for 11 months. I was so sure, I bet $100 a month for a total $1,100, ending on August 25, 2019. Five lbs. per month sounds like a slow weight-loss goal and, I've seen people spend more than $100 a month on shakes, exercise equipment and weight loss gimmicks, so why not?
At my age, though, my metabolism is in slow motion!!! I've lost on average, three lbs. per month for nine months... Now, I need to lose two lbs. per week to reach my destination. I have eleven (+2) weeks to go. There's a two week weigh-in period, so that's why the +2. I want to be below my goal weight before the first day of weigh in, though. It's hard to wrap my head around two lbs. per week. It's been more than 15 years since I've tried to lose weight and I don't ever remember making a goal of losing 55 lbs. Sigh....
Why did it take so long for me to challenge myself? Well, to be honest, I didn't think I would live this long...
In 2004, at the age of 39, I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer. At stage III, there's a possibility that the tumor is metastasized, so everyone, especially me, was unsure if it would come back in a new area. My Aunt Mary had breast cancer and lost her battle within eight years after it travelled to other areas of her body. Then, I watched my good friend, Judy Cox, struggle and lose the battle at around five years after the initial diagnosis. Doctors will tell you they don't consider you in remission until after year five. Judy had gone four years and 11 months when she found out it had gone to her brain.
Cancer is an ugly and unpredictable battle. It plays mind games with you! For a long time, I thought if I started losing weight, it meant the cancer had returned. I was actually scared of losing weight! I ate to fight cancer....and to feel the comfort from food.
So....there I was last year...about 80 lbs. overweight and well beyond the five-year survival clock. After each year, I celebrated on the anniversary day of my diagnosis because it's such a gift to be given another year. I've been loving my family, my work, and my surroundings, but one thing was missing. I wasn't really loving myself. There was no investment in me because I didn't have a guarantee I would be here for long. So last year (year 14), I changed that. I made this particular challenge to get me going and make it interesting.
So now what? It's interesting and it's crunch time! I have a mere eleven weeks to accomplish my goal and I'm scared of screwing it up! I've reduced my calories twice, currently at 1,200 calories per day. But the weight was not moving fast enough! So, new plan, new plan! I have to walk this weight off.
I started walking last year, but only about 20 to 30 minutes three times a week and, I have to admit, I've slacked off of that within the last two months.
My new plan is to walk three to five miles a day with rest every third day. That should be five days of walking and two days of rest per week. Today, however, I read that my muscles will start building, so I might not lose weight! Uhhhhggggg! One article says it takes a good eight weeks to build muscle. My results are going to seam stagnate for eight weeks, but the battle will still be going on and the mind games continue!!!
I have to keep going and I hope you'll send me tips and cheer me on for this upcycling journey of mine! From what I understand, in the next eight weeks it will seem like I'm not getting anywhere, but I need to continue to lose the weight in a healthy way. If I stopped walking, then the weight loss would just be because of starvation and that's not good!
To battle the mind games, I have a peaceful road to walk and, with my phone tucked in my exercise pants, I can listen to my Peptalks. Believe me, I need a good Peptalk every single day! In my youth, it was my sister who gave me pep talks, especially for sports. She was my motivation! But I can't expect her to jump in to motivate me like that anymore! She has children and grandchildren to motivate now! Her words, however, live through many of the Peptalks I listen to now. I can listen to them over and over and get the same feeling I got from her! I hope she realizes she made a big difference in my life and now I know where to go to get that feeling again. What a gift she gave me!
I keep telling myself, I can do this! I know about nutrition and I know about exercise....I just need motivation and a plan. So here's my plan.
1,200 calories a day
3 to 5 miles a day, 5 days a week
daily Peptalks
Go me! I'm gonna do this! The struggle is real, but I'm gonna do this!
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