I'm the first to admit that I've enjoyed all of the comments about how great my weight loss is going. I appreciate it that people notice. But I've also started seeing myself (four months ago myself) in other people. Yesterday, I took my rings to get them re-sized (yep, lost enough weight to drop almost a full ring size!) and the saleslady started a conversation:
Saleslady: I haven't seen you in a while -- you look like you've lost weight! (I know, it's a little odd that the saleslady at the jewelry store knows me, but I don't have that much jewely, I swear!)
Me: Yeah--46 pounds! It's been great!
Saleslady: That's great -- one question, how did you do it?
Now I never really know how to answer this question. I could launch into an explanation of the whole hormonal issue, the crazy low-carb, high-protein, moderate fat diet I'm on, and the weird hours I keep at the YMCA. Or I could assume that she's like I was five months ago and is only going to listen if I tell her how easy it was and give her the big slimquicksecret.
So I opted for the short version of the real answer. And it went something like this:
Me: Oh, I cut carbs and added exercise. I hardly eat any bread or potatoes now and...[interrupted]
Saleslady: Oh, I couldn't do that! I love my bread!
Me: Well, you don't have to cut it completely -- and I also go to the gym at least 4 hours a week... [interrupted]
Saleslady: With my schedule, I couldn't fit that much in. There's no way!
Suddenly, I was looking for the Delorean because I was talking to myself (the five months ago version). I had every excuse in the book -- I didn't do low carb because I loved potatoes, I couldn't go to the gym because I was busy, I didn't eat vegetables because they were expensive.... and the list goes on.
So I realized yesterday that we all have to hit that point where we want to be healthy more than we want that potato at McAlisters or that extra hour of Seinfeld. We have to decide for ourselves that it's time to take care of the problem.
I promise you that it is not fun at all to skip the bread at Texas Roadhouse. It really sucks to not order fries anymore when I get a roast beef sandwich (and promptly remove the onion bun). Around the 2 hour mark at the gym, I'm exhausted and hate my life. But it's all worth it in the end.
Every morning, I wake up and see the number on the scale falling and fit into everything in my closet and add more stuff to the giveaway pile.
Every day, I walk into the office and fit in my desk chair. I can "squeeze by" co-workers without making them move out of the way. I can close the bathroom stall door (yeah, that really was challenging before I did all of this).
Every night, I climb into bed without back and knee pains. Turns out my joints are doing much better with 45 less pounds to carry around.
I'm not sure what to say to people when they ask how they can lose weight. I think we all know what to do and we all have excuses for not doing it. I just hope that I can keep my excuses at bay. I know I definitely don't want to be that person who gives advice all of the time -- because that was really annoying when I was the recipient.
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