2 Year Blogiversary & Giveaway!!!



Happy Blogiversary to me!

Back Then...

When I first started this journey I weighed 315 lbs. I did not really have much quality of life. I was taking 7 different medications for various ailments including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux and Type II Diabetes. I also was doing insulin twice a day and sleeping with a CPAP machine. My doctor had suggested WLS but I was very hesitant because of the risks associated with surgery. I told her that I would try to lose weight on my own and would do the surgery if I was unsuccessful. I was at my breaking point and knew I just HAD to do something or I was going to die. Literally. D-i-e. Everybody has a different bottom and that was mine. I had to make some lifestyle changes QUICK or ELSE! I was desperate and depressed. I had a pretty grim outlook on life.

First Year

I had to make a plan. I had to do something that would be sustainable for the long haul so I tracked the calories I was consuming and the exercise I was getting through my bodybugg.  I adjusted my portion sizes and aimed for more fresh fruits, whole grains and fresh vegetables.  I had a very warped idea of what an actual portion was. I managed to lose 60 lbs. the first year of my journey. I started walking, riding my bike and doing belly dancing and Zumba. I wanted it be fun! I maintained the 60 lb. loss but did replace 15 lbs. of fat with muscle.  To be honest, I did think the weight would come off much quicker but you get out of it what you put into right? Exercise is where I falter. I have not been consistent about it and would probably have lost more had I been but I won't make excuses. I will tell you that now at 250 it is a WHOLE lot easier moving around then it was at 315. I am making an effort to incorporate it into my daily life now and I am doing better but there is still a whole lot of improvement needed here.

Second Year

Last year was a whirlwind on the emotional front for sure.  I found out in July that I have biological siblings that I never knew existed and that my biological mother was deceased from an overdose. My niece Candace and I met 8 days later as she is the one who lives closest to me. Dave and I moved out of a chaotic living situation shortly thereafter to a quiet complex and I got to go on my second Alaskan Cruise with my mom. I managed not to gain any weight on the cruise this time either! :-D I met my biological Uncle Steve in August, met Tess and Michael my siblings in September and then found my biological father in October .We met once and communicated by phone and I sent him cards and a picture of me and but he died the day after Christmas due to complications from catching on fire while smoking. He will be interned on Feb. 23rd.  The entire year I maintained the 60 lb. loss and bounced up and down with the same 5 lbs. As much as that stinks, it also taught me that I could choose constructive ways of coping with my emotions other then food. I did a whole lot of deep soul searching and feel like I have come to terms with a lot of the emotional sources of my morbid obesity. It's all about progress not perfection right? It was a life changing year.

Today

I am feeling that I am on my way again even though I had the flu and then kidney stones over the last 5 weeks LOL! I really do feel like this really is my time to shine!  I am a third of the way to my goal.  I have lost 19% of my body weight and I have lost 29" as of today. I have reduced my insulin dosage by 80%. I am only taking one of the BP medications and hope to be off that by the end of this year. My doctor is very pleased with my current stats and looks forward to seeing my continued progress. I still have have a lot of weight to lose but I you can rest assured that I am going to reach my goals! 


My goals for this year are :

• Go to BlogHer in San Diego on Aug. 5-6
• To reach 100 lbs. loss by BlogHer
• Zipline and hang out with my long time friend Kari
• Turn 45 <--- Moi?
• Get to Onderland by the end of the year (or sooner!)
• Get to Goal of 150 lbs. lost

I do want to take this opportunity to THANK YOU for all your support and encouragement over the last 2 years.  I really don't believe that I would have gotten this far had it not been for my blog and for you all rooting me on or calling me on my crap as needed. Special thanks to Shelley and Helen for sticking by me even when I wanted to throw in the proverbial towel. You ladies are my heroes and I feel I am a better person for knowing you both!

Now the fun part! I decided to do a giveaway to celebrate my 2nd blogiversary. The giveaway is for:

Here is the product description from Amazon:

The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises is the essential workout guide for anyone who wants a better body. As the most comprehensive collection of exercises ever created, this makeover manual is a body-shaping power tool for both beginners and longtime fitness buffs alike. From start to finish, this 480-page makeover manual bulges with hundreds of useful tips, the latest findings in exercise science, and cutting-edge workouts from the world's top trainers.

Inside The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises you'll find: 619 Exercises!  All expertly demonstrated with color photographs, with dozens of movements for every muscle in your body, including:


* More than 100 core exercises! You'll never run out of ways to sculpt your abs.
* 74 biceps, triceps, and forearm exercises: Tone your arms faster than ever before.
* 64 chest exercises, to burn more calories and even help give your bosom a lift.
* 103 back exercises, to make sure you turn heads in your backless dress.
* 40 shoulder exercises, so you can wear a tank top with confidence.
* 99 quadriceps and calves exercises, to help you look great in a pair of shorts.
* 62 glutes and hamstrings exercises, for the perfect backside.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite form of exercise is. I will add an additional entry if mention the giveaway in one of your posts or if you Tweet or post on Facebook. An additional entry can be made for becoming a new follower if you aren't already.  This giveaway is open to ALL of you, even those of you who are International. I will do the drawing and announce the winner on Wednesday, February 16th. Good luck!!