So how is the challenge going? Quite well. It’s amazing how having a few backup meals and snacks on hand (in the form of Lean Cuisines and Skinny Cows) helps avoid takeout.
The camaraderie of the “Lean 11” has been awesome. We are always commenting on each other’s blogs, are friends on myfitnesspal, and Twitter and the Collective Bias forums. It’s so encouraging.
I’ve been doing well in terms of staying under calories, but haven’t gotten as many workouts in as I’d have liked. Or cooked as much as I’d liked. I have to figure out how to do both in one night, plus keep up my blogs, plus work full time. Oh and keep the house clean. It’s just crazy.
I didn’t always used to be fat. Which is hard for people who have only met me within the past five years to imagine, I’m sure.
The photo at the beginning of the post is me and DH’s engagement picture from about 5 years ago. In high school, I was always super skinny. I think I weighed 100 pounds. After college I was up to 120. Then I married my first husband, and over the five years we were married I went up to 170 (too many grasshoppers, plus I sold Pampered Chef and every recipe included cream cheese, crescent rolls, and/or a boxed cake mix). I went on a cigarette and ramen noodle diet when my now ex husband (whom I’ll call CB for now, short for Crazy Bastard who Left Me for a Crack Whore) started blowing all of our money on meth and who knows what, not paying our bills that’s for sure. I also went on Weight Watchers (which was really easy when you don’t have money to buy food). Long story short, I got back down to about 135. Then he disappeared and left me to deal with the foreclosure of our house. I managed to get through it. Surprisingly he still thought I was hot, just wanted to live with this crack whore he found instead of me because she let him play Playstation all day and not go to work. Hmm.
I picked up the pieces of my life and went on a single dating whirlwind, a newly single hot chick who had never dated as an adult. It was fun. I gained a little weight, not much. Then I met now DH. He wooed me with food and wine. I went on depo provera. I gained 70 pounds and then some during our engagement. Here’s our wedding photo:
We did not have a long engagement (9 months). We both put on some weight, and over the past five years have yo-yoed together. This time, though, I’m determined it’s the last. I am NOT a fat person on the inside. I’ve only been not skinny for the last 5 of my 33 years of life. It’s time to get back to the person I am on the inside.
Disclosure: I am being compensated for the #31Days project by Collective Bias and Lean Cuisine/Skinny Cow. All opinions are my own.
You can do this because you want it and it’s already in your mind, your attitude. You are a skinny woman, you bum just needed to get the memo again. Best of luck!
Thank you Joy, you have no idea how much encouragement you have given me!
You’ve got a great support system so I say go for it. You can do it and a lot of what will get you through this is what you already have, a good attitude and mind towards it. Way to go! I’m rooting for ya. 😉
Way to go Wendy! That’s awesome for not even a full week. I’m impressed 🙂
yes, I’m doing my best to stay away from your blog LOL
You can do this; love the honesty in your post and the pics.:) Go Lean 11!
omg I feel like I just learned so much about you!! I didn’t know you had been divorced and remarried… me too. I went through a terrible time with mine… but nothing like what you went through. I just had to deal with the pain of the cheating, and dealing with 4 boys who didn’t understand why their dad left.
I loved your cigarette & noodle diet. lol I always tease that I should go on a cigarette diet!
Also love how you mentioned the camaraderie of the group. You guys are making this such an easy group to lead! Thanks..
Thanks Sandy, you are an awesome leader! It’s soooo tempting to start smoking again but that would be just trading one unhealthy habit for another. Sigh. Guess I’ll do this the hard way!
Yes… you better!!! No smoking allowed!! The main goal is to get healthy.. not to lose weight (although that is what we want along with the getting healthy… at least I do). So adding smoking back in would defeat the purpose.
I have never smoked, but I know that my Dad for a long time wanted to go back to it. He used to tell us kids that if he ever caught us smoking.. he would start again. Worked for me because I never wanted him to start smoking again.
I have to admit, I’d rather be fat than smoke again. But I’m pretty sure we can lose the weight without resorting to such measures!
we’ll try!
Oh my gosh…I LOVE back story and I’ll surely be here to cheer you on! (now…let’s see if I can follow your lead!)
Kathy
Thanks, Kathy! You can do it too!
Oh my. So much in your post I want to respond to. Just not here. I still want to do MBC with the boys this weekend, but at some point we need to go out just you and me!!
You are doing awesome! So lucky to have the support of your fellow bloggers 🙂
Wendy – it was so great to meet you in person last night! Thank you for having the courage to share your story, if you’ve made it through all that crap (and you have!) then I know you can do anything that you set your mind on. Your story is already so encouraging, I pray that you find strength and energy as you continue on to your next goal!