I’m officially at my halfway point.  I’ve lost 40 lbs.  I want to lose another 40lbs, and then I’ll decide if I’m done or not.

Sometime last year, in 2009, I was a size 24.  I don’t remember exactly when, or how I got up there…I was a 20, 22, for the longest time, and while I wasn’t exactly pleased with that, I was okay with being about a size 20.  Not so okay with a 22.

But I didn’t want to be a 24.

Now I’ve never been inactive.  For a little over a year, maybe longer, I’ve been trying to get myself into running. Back in the fall, I started pushing myself harder, especially once I realized I was going to have to give up taekwondo-for a while at least.  Even once the current flare I’m having with my hands/arms passes, I’m not likely to ever be able to pursue it as heavily as I have in the past–it’s putting too much pressure and strain on my hands, wrists and arms-leaving me in pain-not a good sign.

Back before we had kids, the DH and I would do these bike treks, 100, 150 mile bike rides.  We only did a few of the organized ones, but I’d regularly ride 20 miles or so easy on my bike.

I’ve never been inactive.  Overweight, yep, but always active.  But the activities I enjoy doing aren’t taking the weight off.  So I needed to find something else–running was the choice.  Why?  Well, it’s better than walking, and cardio, like taekwondo has a lot of repetitive hand/arm movements that aggravate the problems that made me stop taekwondo.  Plus, it’s fun to hate it when I run-yes, that’s sounds weird, but I’m contrary that way.

That alone wasn’t going to do it.  I needed to modify how I eat.  I do not use the word diet.  This isn’t a diet.  I’m changing how I eat, and I’m changing how I live my life.  I’m going to live healthier-I am living healthier.

Last year at some point, I wore a size 24W.  Last week, I went shopping and found a black dress in a 16W that fit.  Right now, I’m wearing an 18… not an 18W, but an 18 out of the ladies department, and it fits. I’ve dropped 3-4 sizes depending on where I shop, the clothing manufacturer, etc.

And here’s how…basically…I decided I was going to do it. Maybe that’s sounds simple.

But I’ve tried the fad diets and they don’t work worth crap.  I tried Nutrisystem (sometime over a year ago) and while I can’t say that one didn’t work?  It’s too expensive and once I stopped, the weight didn’t stay off-I had to find the right way to eat without some sort of pricey program.  I did order some things for RT coming up, though-their meals are convenient for that sort of thing, I figure.  But for me, NOT ideal for long term use…unless my pockets are bottomless.  Mine are far from it.

No, what worked for me was one day decided I’d had enough.  I’m 33 years old and I was tired of not looking what I saw in the mirror-it was a purely personal choice.  My husband loves me and just wants me happy and healthy (although, yes I will say bonus points right now…he’s much enjoying things right now), but this wouldn’t have worked if I was doing it for him.  This wouldn’t have worked if I was crashing to fit into a dress for a convention.

I’d had enough and I’d decided I was going to get that damn weight off. I just had to make that choice. I eat a lot of protein-yogurt is my newest best friend.  A lot of meat, lean beef, chicken and fish.  Veggies.  Soups.  I don’t eat much in the way of white foods.  Bread, rice, potatoes, they are pretty much nonexistent, although I do let  myself have some french fries every now and then.  When I eat breads/grains, they are whole wheat.

And it’s coming off.

Has it been easy?  Nah.  But the first few weeks were the roughest.  Ignoring that cheesecake somebody made and tried to send home with us was hard-had to pointedly say, “Look, I realize you made it for us, but if it goes home with us, I’ll eat some and I’ve worked too hard to get this weight off.  I’ll take a piece for each of the kids, but the rest goes home with you.”  Getting invited over for lasagna dinners….I don’t go, which isn’t easy.

It’s getting easier, though.  And the weight keeps coming off.  I’m up to running three miles now, and I can do a mile in about 14 minutes.  For somebody that is still overweight, an asthmatic, and with a bad knee?  Yeah, it’s not easy, but it can be done.

Now…I’m going to get that other 40 lbs off.  *G*  then I’ll actually weigh what it says I weigh on my driver’s license.

**the nurse in me feels the need to say…you shouldn’t ever start an exersicse/diet program without consulting a doctor.