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Introduction Text I've lost 94 pounds with the help of Spark People and plain old-fashioned walking! Nothing fancy about my program. It all started with the question, "I wonder what will happen if I park the car and start riding the bus?" I began losing weight. Then I asked the question, "I wonder what will happen if I start writing down everything that goes in my mouth and then stop at 1,800 calories?" I started losing even more weight. My entire journey is going to be about asking that question, "I wonder what will happen if I...." and then moving to the next thing. It is working so far. And the other part will be staying patient and not rushing anything. Things will happen at the right time. I started this alone and early on, threw out a prayer for help with my weight loss. Pretty soon after that prayer, I came across Spark People. The change has been remarkable. I have all the tools I need at my fingertips to figure out the next step and keep track of my progress. And the best thing is all the wonderful support from my new Spark Friends. We all need a bit of outside validation and a place where we can truly be ourselves. I found my voice and my inspiration on Spark People. I think part of this was also turning 50. I just said, enough! I am not taking anymore crap! And I just decided to be worth it and to go for it. I throw prayers out to the universe and expect them to happen. I am amazed at how the positive energy works for me. Also, I just like to walk. It energizes me instead of draining me. I hate the gym; costs too much and I get the same results out walking and lifting free weights at home. I'm thinking about getting one of those big balls and some of those stretchy bands to pull on. I can just see me now wallowing around on that swiss ball. The thought of it just cracks me up. But I really don't want to climb down on the floor. We have ceramic tile, no rugs, my knees hurt, and the cats crawl all over me. I need some air!! Ick on videos too! Anyway, that should give you a glimpse into my thought process on exercise. I don't like most of it, but I really like some of it. I just had to find what worked and things that made me feel better. So here we go! I have definitely started walking my way out of this and won't stop until I reach the weight I am supposed to be. I've been there before, but this time it will be for different and better reasons. *************** SERENITY PRAYER God please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. **************** DON'T YOU QUIT When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit- Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a fellow turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow - You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than It seems to a faint and faltering man; Often the struggler has given up Whe he might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out - The silver tint in the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It might be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - It's when things seem worst that you must not quit. **************** SO WHAT IS MY STORY? Here is a bit of it: I finally found the peace of mind to be able to make the change. This involved quitting a horrible job, finding a way out of a bad financial situation, and as a single mom - watching my daughter graduate from high school and go on to college. All of these were causing significant stress, which I was not coping with very well. So now, I'm just ready to take the weight off. I feel really balanced and calm about it. Whereas before I just wasn't able to do it. So, when the doctor looked at me horrified and said, "Your weight!" I was at 321. When we went to Sun Valley and you couldn't ride the horses if you weighed more than 240 and I was 280. When I got on the plane and my horrified daughter watched as I asked for a seatbelt extender. When I saw pictures of myself with so much weight and remembered pictures when I weighed 155. When the doctor put me on cholesterol medicine and started throwing around the pre-diabetes word. When my back hurt from the weight, when my knees hurt from the weight, when I had no energy and wanted to sleep a lot. There were all great reasons to change my life, I just was not ready to do it. So now, I'm just done with it. For very real reasons, I had to be in a lifestyle that was full of coping and medicating for my stress. That coping saved me from going crazy, but it doesn't work for me anymore. So, I'm just done with the weight and walking back out, one step at a time. Literally! I am a walker and taking my life back. Ahhhh, I feel good. Ta Da! ******************* MY LITTLE SIGNS OF PROGRESS: THE FIRST HUNDRED Lose 100 pounds - 221 - BMI 34.3 THE NEXT 70 POUNDS Get below 220 Fit into a size 1X Lose 110 pounds - 211 Lose 2/3s of a person at 209 Lose 120 pounds - 201 Get below 200 pounds - BMI 30.5 Get BMI below Obese at 200 pounds Get back to what my weight was in 2000 - 200 Get BMI below 30 - 196 lbs. Get below 196 pounds (75% of the way there) Lose 130 pounds - 191 Lose 140 pounds - 181 Fit into a size 18 Lose 150 pounds - 171 - BMI 26.7 Fit into a size 16 Walk four miles in under an hour Lose 155 pounds - Entire person at 166 pounds Fit into a size 14 Get BMI into Healthy zone at 163 - BMI 24.8 Lose 160 pounds - 161 Lose 166 pounds - 155 Reach goal of 155 - BMI 23.6 Get off my cholesterol meds Fit into a size 12? - Wow wouldn't that be something

My goal is to lose 100 pounds and weigh 221. I'm on the last few pounds. And I want to get into a particular blue dress before my trip to Maui!

Handle the Stress. Track everything I eat. Move 30 minutes a day. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. Get enough sleep. Eat fiber and protein.



THANK YOU for all the support in nominating me as an OVERALL Spark Motivator! Very cool honor on August 22, 2009.

Add a Link DANCETAXI22 (Danette) “Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” - Chinese Proverb "Optimism is the foundation of courage." - Nicholas Murray Butler “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchill SERENITY PRAYER God please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
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