My 25 Reasons to Lose Weight (Part 1)

I attended my second WW meeting last week.  Yes, I skipped the second week's meeting because I knew already what the outcome would be - a significant gain since the first week.  Since the start, I gained about a half pound.  I saw that as a victory, since I knew how badly I did in my first week on the plan.  I got myself back on plan and came out even.

In this week's meeting, our facilitator assigned us with a task.  What are your 25 reasons to lose weight?  25, I thought?  I don't know if I can come up with that many.

So, here goes...let's see if I can do this.  These are not in any particular order.

1.  Health.  People assume that those that are overweight deal with many health issues.  I'm, in fact, extremely healthy.  My cholesterol is normal, my blood pressure is slightly elevated - but I blame stress for that one.  However, I have a fear of becoming diabetic.  I feel that I've blossomed (heh, it makes it sound so beautiful) to a weight where I really need to be concerned with that.  At my yearly physical, I continue to check my glucose levels and I've consistently been in the normal (to low) range.  So, I'm okay right now, but I don't want to continue to fear that "D" word.

2.  Self-Esteem.  I don't want to look in the mirror any longer - especially when I'm naked - and be completely disgusted.  I was an attractive woman in my mid-20s.  I want to get there (or at least near there) again and feel confident in myself when I go places.  I don't want to worry about if someone is looking at me and wrinkling their face because of my size.  If you have know me, you know I'm a follower when I walk in groups of people (3 or more).  Why?  I don't want people to have to look at my backside.  I'm uncomfortable with it.

3.  I want to wear a two-piece swimsuit again.  Yes, I own two-piece suits now - but they're tankinis and halter-kinis.  They don't count.  I don't show my midriff.  Oh HELL no.  But I'd like to again.  Someday. 

4.  I'd like to run a 5K from start to finish.  For those that have been following me over the last year or so, you know that I have an ambition to run a 5K from start to finish.  Run it.  Not walk it.  Or walk and run it.  Run the entire damn thing.  Even in college, when I had to do a timed 2-mile run for soccer, I couldn't do it then.  And I was a 100+ lbs lighter.  I know that the ONLY way for me to reach this goal that I've had forever is to lose weight.  It's hard enough on my joints to move this much weight around.  It will only be easier to make this goal by losing some pounds.

5.  I want to fit - comfortably - in a booth at a restaurant.  Booths are not built for people that have extra weight around their middle.  Just sayin.'

6.  I want to shop in the Misses section at the department store.  Not the Womens or Plus Size section.  I said this in a past post.  Right now, I can sometimes get away with wearing a size XL shirt from the Misses section depending on how it's cut.  But because I carry most of my weight below the waist, there's no way I could wear a Misses size in pants.  Plus-sized fashion designers - for the most part - design clothes for plus size women that are completely atrocious.  I don't want to wear a mu-mu.  Or something that has a print that resembles that of a mu-mu.  We're overweight.  Not old.  I'm 36.  That doesn't work for me.

7.  I don't want to weigh as much as - or more than - an NFL lineman.  I don't think I have to explain this one any further.

8.  Airplanes.  I don't want to use a seatbelt extender on an airplane.  I actually stole one (by accident), so I have one to travel with if needed.  I typically don't bring it with me.  And I'm embarassed to ask for one.  So, usually, I'll fake that my seatbelt is fastened.  I'm so wedged into the damn seat anyway that I'm probably not going to even budge given an emergency situation.  I also don't want to get "that look" when the person that is stuck in a middle seat has to deal with me and my size for a few hours in a window seat.  I try to lean as much toward the window as I can so that I'm not intruding on the person sitting in that seat.  But I still get "that look" often.

9.  I want to keep up with my nephews.  My three-year-old nephew is getting faster and faster.  And I'm feeling slower and slower.  When he portrays Superman and runs around the house, wanting me to chase him, I want to be able to keep pace.  I tried doing that yesterday and managed to somehow tweak my ankle.  Enough of that BS.

10.  I want to enter the dating scene again.  I do NOT feel comfortable dating at this size.  This goes hand-in-hand with #2 - if I'm not comfortable with myself, how to I expect someone else to be comfortable with me?  I don't expect for guys to find me attractive in my current state.

10 for now.  I'll do some thinking and try to finish this list...
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I had a good weekend - stayed on plan and got some exercise.  I'm weighing myself at home periodically and am seeing some pounds lost as the week goes on as well.  Let's hope that trend continues through Thursday, which is my next WW meeting and "official" weekly weigh-in.  I am feeling better too.  I'm doing a better job of making myself eat some breakfast before I leave the house in the morning.  It's very true - starting out with a breakfast - even if it's minimal - can help you out for the rest of the day.  It doesn't leave me completely starving by the time I hit 11 or 11:30, which is when I typically have lunch. 

I've got a busy week ahead of me.  One with a lot of evenings eating out - meeting a friend for dinner Tuesday night (that will be my planned 'splurge' evening of the week at BWW), dinner and a movie with some friends on Wednesday night, grass volleyball league on Thursday night and dinner with friends on Friday night.  As long as I make good choices and am good during the day leading up to those evenings, I will be fine.  If I plan, I do MUCH better.  We'll see how this goes...