The Elusive Creature

It's elusive, yet so many seek it. From less than a pound to over a hundred pounds, the size varies. Strangely, the less it weighs, the easier it is to find! The creature that has been eluding me started a bit over a 100 pounds. It started at 104 pounds, to be exact. Yet, I chase and search, hoping one day to conquer the beast who seems to always be beyond my grasp.

"What creature is this?" You ask. "What possible being could be easier to find and capture at less than a pound than one that is 100 pounds or more? You may ponder. The answer is simple:

Weight loss. Yep...that is the ever so elusive creature that so many men and women seek, chase, and hope to one day catch.

I wasn't always a "Fat Frau." In fact, at one point I was quite in shape with hours of dancing a week. I was a member of a country line dancing team and went to practices, performances, and then spent hours on the weekends dancing it up at a local country western dance club. Heck, I even had a swing dance partner, and thanks to him, I spent much of my time teaching men how to dance. Seemed like I never could get off that dance floor.

My dancing days have been years behind me. Now married with two children, I find myself grossly overweight and hating it. All my endurance and energy gone. I was hooked on sugar and creamer laden coffees, sodas (I'm a Dew girl!), sweets, fast food, and my mom's amazing German cookin' and bakin'. Drink water? I scoffed at the idea! For  me, nothing would do unless it was, well, Dew!

I can tell you I was not feeling well. I hurt all the time. I had awful cravings that kept me hostage. I hate not being able to keep up with my children, run with them, play with them. I hate that a couple of years ago during our family's trip to Puerto Rico, I struggled to make it up to a beautiful lighthouse that over looks a splendid cliff and crashing waves.

Now it is 2013 and this is MY year. I did not make the yearly resolution to lose weight, eat healthier and do more. No, I didn't make a resolution. Instead, I made a promise to myself to get healthy for my husband, for my children, and for myself.

As of 1 January 2013, I have walked everyday. I have stayed within my calorie limit. I drink at least 64 ounces of ice cold water a day. And as of 20 January 2013, I am down 8.4 pounds. And to top that off, I started only being able to do 0.98 (less than one mile) in 20 minutes and 38 seconds. Today I hooted with joy as I finished a mile in 14 minutes and 8 seconds, and then continued on to finish the rest of my 2.5 mile walk. I feel a great sense of pride in knowing that in just under 3 weeks, I was able to make such amazing strides and keep at every day.

This is my life. This is my promise. This, is my weight loss journey. I share it with anyone who wishes to read it for a couple of reasons. The first is to hold myself publicly accountable. The second is to share the tools that help me become successful. And third, I really look forward to sharing my transformation and hopefully inspire others to finally capture their elusive creatures.

 

 

This is my husband and me Christmas 2012, right before starting my weight loss journey!