Long Bones

Today was a really good day in general with one big glitch. I did have a weird weight uptick that I can’t explain with hormones, salt intake, or excess calories. Just a random extra pound that shouldn’t be there. So I was a little grumpy. But I walked to work and back and I went to the gym and managed most of the training plan they suggest for the Fitness Challenge. I’ve discovered that the pull-up machine is in conflict with my fear of heights (if it’s more than a foot from where I would be standing I don’t want to be there.) But the gym manager was there and he set me up with a more ground level machine that worked the same muscle groups. So I was peachy. Came home and had a really simple good dinner of an Al Fresco garlic chicken sausage link, sauteed brussel sprouts with leeks and mustard and a roasted potato. There was also olive oil involved, lest you think I’m not eating enough

But the main thing I wanted to chat about is moments ago I was shutting everything off, not to go to bed (I’m not that much of a dork to go to bed before 10:00 on a Friday!!) but to take a long hot bath and relax away the pain in my muscles. And I look outside…

And it is snowing. Big, fat, heavy clumping snow but it is snow.

It is not yet October.

Welcome to Fairbanks. Why does this surprise me year after year?

I walked to work and back both yesterday and today. Upped my calories a bit because of it – I don’t want to start exercising and forget to eat more and then go into “starvation mode.” I also did a bit of strength training on the Wii Fit today – I say a bit and I mean a very small bit. I am not strong!! That’s okay, I’m going to change that.

I did my first papers for my second job tonight. It was fun enough, just driving around and knocking on doors. It did snow while I was out, nothing sticking to the ground. But there is something to be said for the first snow of the year.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Or the next twelve weeks. Which ever comes sooner.

Orientation for the fitness challenge was intimidating and overwhelming. The trainer went through a series of exercises really quickly that seemed to be far beyond my skill level. I didn’t try them while I was there. I am going to attempt the fitness regime on Wednesday but I would really really like to go over it with my mother first. She’s actually taking lessons to be a personal trainer – it would be really handy if she didn’t live in Mexico.

I did do 30 minutes on the treadmill, mostly at 3.0 and 3.5 but I did get up to 4.0 a couple of times. 15 minutes at 3% incline, 10 minutes at 5% incline. That was pretty nice.

It all starts tomorrow.

It all actually started April before last when I went to the doctor for my woman’s exam and discovered that I weighed 280 lbs. Two Hundred and Eighty Pounds. Two. Eight. Zero.

What can you do with that kind of number? I managed, barely, not to break down in tears right in the doctor’s office. Two Hundred Eighty. I mean, I knew I was heavy, obese even. I’d seen pictures, you can’t avoid mirrors. My jeans were size 22 and kinda tight and all but…280?!

I resolved right then and there to lose it. Lose the weight. It would happen this time.

And to my utter amazement it did.

Since then I have lost over 70 pounds, completely changed my life-style, gained so much more confidence and energy, and have been diagnosed with a fairly significant disorder (more on that later). It was just a couple weeks ago that I announced I had lost one quarter of my body weight and I’m nowhere near done.

Tomorrow starts the next step of my journey. Tomorrow is the first day of my gym’s Fitness Challenge (which I’m going to win). Tomorrow is my first official weigh-in here on Long-Bones. Tomorrow I renew my commitment to my own health and wellness, both mental and physical.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, it’s only a day away!

Why does the world need a new blog? So many thousands of people stand up and say “Listen to me, I have something to say.” Why do I think I’m unique?

Because I am unique and I think I can help people in my situation. This is going to be a blog about weight loss, primarily. But there are so many other factors in my life that set me apart from others on the same journey. I am six feet tall. I live in Interior Alaska. I have suffered great loss and found great strength. In the past two years I have lost 70 lbs.

This blog still needs a lot of work. I intend to spend the next few days putting together the design and aesthetics of Long Bones. I am going to start tomorrow doing weekly weigh-ins and posting about my weight-loss tips and strategies. I’ll post recipes that I love that are also healthy and stories of living in the far north. The most exciting thing is starting tomorrow I’m joining a “Biggest Loser” style competition at my gym, so I’m going to be writing about that as well.