Donna's Journal and weight loss story..comments welcome

[Butterfly7457]

July 10th.........

I should have done this along time ago but oh well....here goes.

Without going into a lot of HISTORY.... I was overweight as a child, as a teenager and as a young adult and even into my adult life.
I recall at about 10-12 years old, my family would go to the country to see my relatives. I always enjoyed going there until my Dad decided I needed to lose weight. First it started at home, he would monitor my food and make me get on the scale every monday morning. After the 1 st weigh in he told me the scale BETTER move by at least 5 lbs every week or I would be grounded.Well at that age you can imagine I spent a lot of weekends in my room. I was just a kid, and my Dad was going over board. I know he had good intentions but....
Then one weekend we were driving to the country and as we were going down this old dirt road my Dad pulls the car over and tells me to get out. WHAT??? He made me walk the rest of the way to my cousins house. I'm guessing it was about a mile. All I can remember is my 4 little brothers all turned around in their seats looking out the back window laughing at me. That memory will live with me forever. I love my Daddy, God rest his soul, and I know he had good intentions, but he was going about it in the wrong way.I often wondered why we didn't ALL go out for a walk or do something together instead of singling me out. My brothers weren't exactly skinny minnies.
By the time I was 23 yrs old I was close to 250 lbs after the birth of my 1st son. Then as the years went on and 2 more kids later I was close to 300 lbs. Tried to lose weight, oh how I tried. But never the less I was gaining, not losing. Topping the scales at 325+ lbs. Struggling with my blood pressure, type II diabetes and don't forget thyroid and water pills.
I believe it was in october of 2003 I tried to do Atkins for the first time. hey...this works why didn't I try this before. By june the following year I was down to 255, lowest I had been in years. Type II diabetes was gone, my b/p was down adn my cholesterol leverl were superb.Then in august 2004 I hit a stall, platue, whatever it was I started gaining my weight back. I wasn't excercising, wasn't drinking my water or even TRYING to stay on plan. And before I knew it I was back up to a whopping 294 lbs. I have started and stopped more times than I have fingers and toes. Would lose 10- 15 bs and then fall right back into my old ways. Finally in febuary this year I decided it was time. Time to stop killing myself.
I joined a gym.....got up every morning at 5 am and walked the treadmill for an hour. Did that for about 2 months then decided to see what this elliptical is all about. Just about broke my neck the first time and only lasted 2 minutes. I thought my heart was going to jump right out of my chest. But I came back the next day and did those 2 minutes again. Before I knew it I waa doing 20 minutes , then 30 minutes, and now when I have the time I can do 60 minutes.
Currently I am 223 lbs. I have lost and kept off 102 lbs . I know the gym was the best investment I have ever made. I now get up at 4:30 each morning and am at the gym by 5 and stay until 6:30.My main focus has been cardio. 30 min treadmill, 30 minutes elliptical and 30 minutes bike. When I reach 200 lbs I am going to start focusing more on strength and muscle toning. You have got to excercise. yes you can lose a few lbs doing nothing, but then why would you want to prolong it? You get so much better and faster results with excercise along with proper food and water and don't foget those supplements.

EXCERCISE...EXCERCISE....EXCERCISE..........I AM AN EXCERCISE FREAK !!!

[Pcola Girl]

Way to go Donna..You have done fantastic...

[GRAN4]

WOW Donna, that's an avg of almost 14 per month, FANTASTIC! You're going to be there before you know it. Thanks for journaling your story.

[Butterfly7457]

Thanks....still have a ways to go, but I'm gettin there.