The Monthly Report

Happy New Year!!!

As 2012 begins, I look back on 2011 with mixed emotions.  There were quite a few lows but there were some major highs as well.  The main one being me taking control of my health. 

BEFORE - 390 LBS

At the end of June, I weighed in at 390 lbs.  For two months, I concentrated on applying for the Biggest Loser but on September 1st, everything changed.  I began my journey to a healthy me.

Four months after beginning my nutrition overhaul, I weigh just under 320 lbs.  I still can't believe it and this is the body I live in, but I've actually lost 70 lbs over the last six months.  Along with those 70 lbs went 52.5 inches since September 1st.

AFTER 319.8 LBS

I've tried to lose weight before with some success but I've always gained it all back plus some.  I always seem to lose the will to try.  This time it's different, this time my will is fortified by the support I've received from the countless friends that have taken the time to follow along with my progress and send me words of encouragement.  By being accountable to not just myself but all of you, I will continue to be successful on my quest to being a happy, healthy Tamara.

Quite a few people have asked what I'm doing to get the weight off.  To this point, my success has been mainly taking control of my nutrition.  I still need to take control of the evil that is exercise. 

I maintain a 1600 calorie a day diet with the majority of the food I eat low fat as well as low calorie.  I drink mostly water with the occasional diet soda and I recently stumbled onto V8 Diet Splash.  Nothing I eat is fried, baked or grilled is the way to go.  I've all but eliminated fat from cooking by becoming a no-calorie cooking spray junkie.  I weigh or measure pretty much everything.  I eat 3 meals a day and snacks so that my metabolism is always working. 

But I think the thing that has made the biggest impact is I changed the way that I look at food. I understand that I don't have to have a whole pizza to satisfy a craving.  I understand that I can still have sweets as long as it's a reasonable portion.  I understand that there's a lot of "regular" food out there that fits into a healthy lifestyle.  I understand that by depriving myself of the things that I love to eat, I'm setting myself up for future failure, so I have to figure out ways to work them into the way that I eat now.

I still have a long journey ahead of me but I'm made some major strides along the path.