Actually, I'm probably am more healthier. I set a goal of losing 100 pounds with a variable of "whatever", meaning that wherever I was in a year, so be it. A year later, I'm around 70 pounds lost. I've had some ups and downs, but it is what it is. I'm not huffing and puffing. I'm not sweating grease. Some medicines that I was taking have been trimmed back or eliminated all together.
I am happier, even though I still don't smile as much as I'm told I should. I laugh more. I find joy in things. And to the dismay of some people, I do find laughter in how people don't understand me.
But that's ok. I'm not here to please you. Bless your heart. =)
I can also say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I'm much more energetic. When I started on my new lifestyle, I was doing some serious walking, even winning "bragging rights" at the Annual Conference Steps Challenge", but then walking the two miles around town - different terrain and elevations - proved to be the real challenge. The toughest part was the start - getting from the door to the street, and that was downhill. I was walking the two miles in about 48 minutes, 46 if the weather was right and there was oxygen waiting for me at the other end.
Now, my best time is 33 minutes, and that's because I can start off jogging uphill for a block and then keeping up a quick pace the rest of the way. I'm really excited to see what I can do when I get the "right kind" of clothing.
There are certain things that happen when losing this much weight, so that means I have to do some shopping.
That brings me to a strange twist. A year ago, I was looking through my clothes for something that would fit me. Now, I'm looking through my clothes for something that will fit me.
Yeah, same issue, but different ends. A year ago, clothes were too tight. Now, clothes are too loose. I didn't think I'd complain about it until the other day as I was responding to a fire call and my loose shirt got caught on a door knob. I'm sure I'll laugh about that later after the pain goes away (just kidding). But I'm sure that my "snapping back" looked funny from a distance.
A month after starting my new lifestyle, I had lost ten pounds. A lot of people at the Nebraska United Methodist Annual Conference commented that they could see it in my face.
I was disappointed that I had "only lost" ten pounds until my brother pointed out that I was well above average. Wow! I'm never above average. Ask anyone. Plus listening to comedian John Pinette talking about "seeing it in the face" makes me still chuckle.
Next month is our next Annual Conference. Wonder what sort of comments I'll hear this time.
I have found that this biggest disadvantage to losing weight is that I can't carry snacks at a football game nearly as well. Let me explain.
Part of my "new lifestyle" involved not worrying about "being starved" from certain things. If I wanted a hot dog and popcorn at a football game, then I'll have some. And I enjoy high school football games, and Pierce HS sure turned up the heat again this year.
But as I lost the fat, I lost the "natural cushion", thus making it a little uncomfortable to sit on the metal bleachers, so I'd take one of those cushions that you'd buy from the kids who are trying to raise money for their school trips or something.
But then I have to carry the cushion, a hot dog, popcorn, and maybe a bottle of pop, up the bleacher steps. What a hassle.
So yeah, sometimes I do miss my butt.
It's been a year now. Twelve months. Fifty-two weeks. But it's not the end - it's only the beginning. So look out, because if I could accomplish what I though to be the impossible, what else can I do?
(That could be a scary thought!)
