Contest Progress 2

I went to the gym for my contest weigh-in, and they say I've gained one pound, improved my water intake, but still have a way to go, and ...
best of all...lost 9% of my body fat, adding 14 pounds of lean muscle.

Hmmm...If their machines are working right, that's great progress. I'm just not sure I believe it.

Backache Blues, Yoga, and Breathlessness

I woke up with a backache this morning, but I went to yoga anyway. The stretching helped--at least I can move now! I just need to ice it and make sure I sit properly today.


I did lose 0.4 pound. Probably because I skipped breakfast. I am determined to keep going but I could really use a breakthrough about now.


My chest feels congested, making me run out of breath a lot easier when I exercise, and when I was lying on my back in yoga it made me cough. So not a good day, but I will persist, and with God's help I will prevail!

What I Hate About Being Fat--Poor Health

I went to the doctor on Monday and my blood pressure was 163/80. That's obviously too high. I had to have blood drawn, and the tourniquet really hurt. It never hurt so much before I gained weight, but I guess they really have to put the pressure on to get through the fat and reach a vein.

Other health effects, both physically and emotionally, are low self-esteem, high cholesterol, pain and fatigue.

If you had to carry around a 50-60 pound bag of wheat or lard all the time, wouldn't you get tired? Every chore is more difficult; every movement taking more energy. It affects every action, making it harder to get up and get moving and lose the weight. But with God's help, I will prevail.

Aching Muscles Relieved by Exercise!

This sounds backwards, but I woke up very stiff and in pain this morning. I went to the gym and did a very light strength workout. The stretching and muscle use took out all the stiffness and the rest of my day has gone much better.

Plus, I lost 0.6 pounds!

Slim Siblings

My siblings are all beautiful, talented, kind, fun and...slim. I love them dearly and it's fun to spend time with them. But, though I have never admitted it to them, I hate being the FAT sister. They are all busy and buzzing with activities and I am sluggish and overweight. Ugh. None of them have ever made a negative comment about my weight, or anything else to make me uncomfortable. It's just me, my own awareness, my own issues.

In this picture, I weighed 15-20 pounds less than I am now...and I bet you can still pick me out of the crowd!

What I Hate About Being Fat! #4--Weighing in!

When I weigh on a scale in public I wonder what others may be thinking. Yeah, that lady needs to get on a scale! Look at the size of her butt!

Okay, I know they are probably not thinking of me at all; it's just self-consciousness talking, but it is still uncomfortable. I weigh in on a public scale anyway, at the gym, because I don't keep a scale at home. I used to weigh at work, but the gym scale is electronic and hopefully more consistent. Balance scales are harder to get just right. The gym scale is also a tiny bit more private.

You know what I hate? When I go to the doctor's office and they tell me to weigh on the way in to the examination room. So there I am, holding my purse, coat, book or magazine, maybe a grandchild's hand, and I'm supposed to weigh? So do I set the stuff all down while the nurse waits? Or ask if I can go to an exam room first and then come back to the scale?

Today's Weight

190.4 pounds
Lost 1.2 pounds in 5 days. I always weigh on the same scale at the local gym.