My 10 Steps

Before my dad passed away suddenly in June 2008 I had started on a journey to a new me, changing my lifestyle and was doing great I was down 35lbs from 01-Apr-2008 to 08-Jun-2008.  The day my dad left this world I hit a brick wall as tall as the Eiffel Tower.  It has taken me close to 3.5 years to break that wall down, stone by stone.  Before starting my journey for the second time I could talk the talk of what I needed to do.  I just couldn't walk the talk.  I knew what I had to do so that I didn't end up with the same fate as my dear dad did.  His life was cut short far too soon because of plugged arteries, a weak heart, water retention and the start of Diabetes.

I was looking for someone to wave the magic wonder over me and Wall-la I would be skinny and healthy.  Ya Right...it don't work that way.  I had to deal with my grief and get to the point where I could move forward.  With the help of a fabulous Councillor I did just that....then I had to take a good hard long look at myself in the mirror.  I mean I had to really open my eyes and look and stop living with the image I had kept of how I used to look.  You could say I had to look at myself with other people's eyes. 

I remember the day my daughters, my best friend and I were shopping for outfits for my dad's funeral.  I tried on a summer dress just for the fun of it because I really really like it....well my eldest daughter yells across Sears "Aunty, come look at how amazing my mom looks.....come see how much weight she has lost."  I was embarrassed because I felt a spot light pointed right at me, but I as also so happy that my daughter had noticed how amazing I was looking and that she acknowledged all my hard work.  I started remember how good I felt back then and that people didn't look at me and just see another fat girl.

Well after letting the weight creep back on these past 3.5 years, my mind was finally in the right place and now it was time for me to put my body back in the right place. 

My 1st Step was admitting I needed to change my lifestyle. -- CHECK

My 2nd Step was joining WW On-line.  -- CHECK

After a couple of weeks of figuring out the program it was time to take the next step....weight myself - boy was I scared to see that number but I did it.  You know what I made it out to be scarier than it was, that was my 3rd Step.  -- CHECK

My 4th step was to change my way of thinking, start believing in myself, that I am worth the change.  -- CHECK

My 5th Step was to start being aware of the every morsel of food I put in my mouth, track my daily points....looking at food in a whole different way, so far things are going good and I do see food differently.  -- CHECK

My 6th Step was to weigh-in each week on weight in day - Sundays for me.  -- CHECK

My 7th Step was to start incorporating more activity into my life.  -- CHECK

My 8th Step was to take my measurements, track these once a month.  -- CHECK

My 9th Step was to get a personal trainer to get me on the right path, to learn how to workout so that I loose inches and pounds not injure myself.  -- CHECK

My 10th Step is to start at the gym, work with the personal trainer and make working out a part of my day and enjoy it.  JUNE 4th is my first day at the gym.  Even picked up new workout clothes and getting excited. I am going to get my daughter to take my picture with my phone that day and on the 4th of each month after that I will get her to take another photo so that I can see my progress.

These steps have gotten me to where I am today and to where I am going in the future.  I plan never to go back to where I started.   I will never forget where I was and I will always remind myself that I am worth everything I have become in my journey. 



Corinne~