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Like you don’t lie about your weight…
As of today, September 15, 2011, I weigh 253 pounds. Yeah, no kidding, that is still a lot to weigh, especially at 5’7”. But. I lost 61 pounds to get there. When I started my weight loss journey, I was at my heaviest, 314 pounds. I hear the gasps, and I had the same gasp when I was weighed for my going-to-Korea physical. 
When the nurse said, “You are 314 pounds,” I told her her scale was broken. She laughed as if I were joking. I was then told by my fat doctor that I was fat and needed to lose weight. Pfft. Whatever. You first.
On February 19, 2011, my two-year-old, Matthew, wanted me to run after him. So, not thinking about it, I attempted to do so. Approximately three seconds later, I was winded and devoid of energy. The fat doctor was right. I was (am) fat, and I needed to lose weight. Desperately. That’s when it all clicked.
I got on the computer and researched (what felt like the bowels of) the internet, trying to figure out the best way to lose weight. By the end of my hours of research and talking to people who have lost significant amounts of weight, the consensus was the same: diet and exercise. Dammit. I was hoping for a magic pill or at least a hypnotherapist’s phone number and office hours. Okay, fine. Diet and exercise it is.
I have a two-year-old who insists on attaching himself to my hip, because his very life depends on it. Well, at least I think his life depends on it. Considering the screaming and the thrusting of his body on the floor as though he were fighting for his life, I’m guessing my hip is vital to his survival. Anyway, working out during the day would be an issue as a result. I decided I was going to wake up early and work out before he woke up. I should have known the moment I even THOUGHT about waking up early that that simply was not going to happen. I am not what you would call a “morning” person. I am what you call an “early afternoon” person. So, I started making excuses. I can’t work out, because my son is home. I can’t work out, because I just ate. I can’t work out, because my sneakers don’t fit right. I can’t work out, because my sports bra isn’t sporty enough. I can’t work out, because my socks are white.
I emailed my friend, Katie P., because she’s very much into healthy and fitness, asking her for advice on where to start and some words of wisdom. She pointed me in the right direction and even recommended I try a kickboxing workout called TurboJam. I had to start somewhere, and I didn’t want to wait on DVDs to arrive, so my husband suggested I start working out on the elliptical we have at home. The elliptical? You mean the thing we hang laundry on? Yeah, we had the thing for months. It was probably the biggest dust collector I’ve ever had. I blew the dust on it and went at it. I couldn’t last five minutes on the elliptical, but I tried a little more every day. After a month, I was on the elliptical for about 45 minutes straight every day. (It’s amazing how you’ll find the time for something if you really want it.) I ended up getting really bored using the elliptical. I would watch TV, play music, an audio book… boooooring. I didn’t want this to be another excuse for me to not work out. So, I said screw it, and ordered the TurboJam DVDs. Best. Decision. Ever.
I got my DVDs in the mail, and that elliptical was history. I actually started to enjoy working out. Me. A girl who’s been fat her entire life, who didn’t work out her entire life… until now.
When we got to Korea, we lived in a hotel for two stinking months with no access to a kitchen. We ate every single meal at a restaurant. I stopped my regimen and gained about 10 pounds back as a result. I was so pissed about it, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. We moved into our apartment July 1, and I finally started back on my routine July 11. I missed my work out. I missed my routine. I missed that hour of “me” time every day. I have it back, and no one will take it away from me again! Except the Army when we PCS.
A total of 21 weeks of diet and exercise, and I’m down 61 pounds. I am trying to get back down to my original weight of 9 pounds, 2 ounces. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’ll get there. Statistics say that 95% of the people who lose a significant amount of weight gain it all back. You know what? Statistics also say that a toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans. Does that mean I am going to choke on a toothpick? No. Does that mean I’ll be one of the 95% who don’t keep it off? No. I am going to reach my goal and help others reach theirs in the process. Most importantly, I am going to keep it off. (Ahh, the power of words…) And when I do succeed, I am going on a nice three-day vacation (sans two-year-old hip monster) to celebrate and binge eat like there’s no tomorrow.
Awesome! i gained a lot during my pregnancy and it's not over yet (popping out the baby in 6.5 weeks, hopefully), but my husband and i already agreed on my personal 2 hrs me-time and his 2-hrs quality time with his daughter as soon as i can go back to the pool. i miss swimming and working out there.
So all the best to you and keep up the work out!
Awesome accomplishment, keep on keepin' on, you're definitely an inspiration! Soon you'll have to get another ID because you won't look like your picture!
I loved reading this. So proud for you! God BLess
Awesome. Just awesome. Since I also have a two year old who considers being within arms length necessary to his survival, I totally get it.
Maybe we should start some sort of online way to virtually work out together
I find winter the toughest to maintain my weight loss. 
Kudos to you!
That is so cool! I loved reading your blog. I can relate w/the two yr old on my hip. One great thing about that 2 yr old is that he's 30 lbs so you get an upper body workout w/out even wanting one daily. Keep up the great work!
Kudos to you! I have been on every diet in the world and even went to a Dr. and got a prescription and it actually helped me knock off 40 pounds. But when i couldnt afford the medication anymore, guess what-within a year i gained it all back.Im also a very lazy person with a arthritic knee and every other health thingy you could possibly think of, but i know deep down i HAVE to get moving. Its the only thing that will take it and keep it off. And diet! I work for a restaurant and very little healthy food so i dont eat there, which is hard enough cause we know that unhealthy food is soooo tasty!!! But please keep sharing your journey and we will all get through this together. We are Army wives, the toughest wives on the planet!
Loved reading your story.. I am at my all time high of 280 and i go to the gym after work but it gets old after working all day.. are you still in Korea.. I am at camp humphreys.. I would love to talk to you more about somethings that you think might help me, just helpful advice..
What an awesome story! I thought you were writing about me until you got to the actual part of losing weight lol.
What an inspiration you are. I am glad that you have found something that works for you & you enjoy. Hopefully, one day, I can write & say the same thing.
Way to go! Good luck luck on your journey, and here's to getting a new ID card with an even lower number on it! I haven't weighed my ID card weight in quite a while, but I'm working on it too:)
Awesome. Keep it up, mama. As someone going through her own weight-loss journey, I commend you. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
One thing that has been helping me, not simply dieting but just changing my lifestyle, being more active and eating healthier. I can't stand bland foods so the whole “salads, no dressing” bleh bleh bleh type of dieting never worked for me. I got this book from Amazon–”The Mediterrasian Way” by Ric Watso and Trudy Thelander and “The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great” by Pam Anderson–amazingly delicious and healthy recipes. And my hubby LOVES everything I cook. If you try them out, you have to let me know how they are for you.
Best of luck to you. You have a cheerleader over here!
Thank you so much, ladies!
Yes, I'm still in Korea, Tiffany B. You can find me on FB. My name is Emily Ann Grace.
Way to go you!
I'm not really all that unhappy with the number on the scale, but I am SO unsatisfied with how in shape I am. My husband is a very outdoorsy person. He likes to bike and hike and run and do all those other things that just THINKING of sends me to the kitchen for a cupcake. I've attempted to go biking with him before, and try as I might, I can't keep up. I'm done after about a mile at a snail's pace, and he's frustrated. I would LOVE to work out and build my strength/stamina so that we could do things like this as a couple…
But like you mentioned here, I'm making every excuse not to get started. I think an in-home workout might be the thing for me too. (My biggest excuse is that I feel SO silly and shy about going to a public gym.) Point being, I'm going to look up these DVDs. Thanks for this post!
Loved to read about your decision to loose weight and most of all of your success and the fact that even the upheaval of PCS'ing couldn't derail you from your purpose. The only thing that worries me is your closing statement, celebrate with something you love by all means, but don't go on a binge. By the time you finish your weight loss journey you'll be another person entirely, with binges behind you. May I suggest that you celebrate how strong you've been, how far you'll have gone and the incredible determination that you'll have had. BTW I'm not some “always been skinny and tiny” girl speaking. I completely identified with your “the scale must b broken” moment. I too am working on loosing weight, I finally got to my first target weight and on to phase two! I wish u much continued success on your journey, and congratulate u on being so brave as to begin it.
This is freaking awesome! I'm so proud of you! I started on a weight loss adventure this summer. I've lost 8 pounds – but seem to get stuck around the point where I am. It's frustrating. I've recently realized, it has a lot to do with what I eat. I LOVE junk food. I hate left overs. I'm trying to now make a meal plan for us on a monthly basis so that I won't have an excuse to eat out (and I don't do fast food either – YUCK). I'm inspired by you! Thank you for sharing!
I too, am so proud of what you have accomplished. Astonishing. I would love to be in a Kickboxing Class with you then.
Good for you! I have always been an average weight, but always weighed in at the high end of my “healthy” weight, so for my wedding I did TurboJam and I lost about 20 lbs, bringing me almost to my goal weight. Whenever I’m feeling fat or weighing a little more than I want to, TurboJam is the one workout that I know will work! Keep up the good work! And good luck!
[...] does, right? Well, I used to in September of 2011. By March of 2012, I made it all the way down to 230 pounds, which is still fat, but it’s the [...]