Shay's New Blog

http://shayselfdiscovery.blogspot.com/

Shay is going solo (in my weight loss journey)

Well, it has been like four months or something since either James or I have posted to this blog. After Cayden returned home and school started (we're back in school working towards our degrees) exercise and eating right just seemed to take a back seat to day-to-day life and stress. Our semester is nearing and end (thank God!) but we've totally fallen off. I am back at my starting weight of 200 lbs now. I am very discouraged. To be honest, it took longer than I thought to come back considering we stopped working out and started eating out again. My body was very kind to me. I can honestly say that you don't just put the weight back on over night. It was a gradual process over these few months. I do see, though, that not making my health a priority just leads to my misery.

So here's the deal, it is just too hard for me to lose the weight with a partner. When things are going well, they're going well! But, when one of us doesn't feel like working out, it affects us both! Also, trying to motivate someone else when you need that extra push yourself is just too hard. I have to put a focus on my weight loss first and hopefully James will be motivated by my journey. I have stated before that I have lost weight in the past. I did it alone. My biggest struggle was and probably will always be keeping the weight off. It is very difficult for me since being married trying to keep the weight off. My husband has been overweight all of his life and he mentions food a lot. We're both emotional eaters, probably like a lot of folks and this doesn't help my cause.

As of today, I am starting a new blog, where I will focus on myself, not just weight either...my life, my journey, my happiness, my weight...everything that will make me a better person, the person I picture myself as. I'll post a link to the new journal.

Who's manning the blog?

The truth is...no one is manning the blog right now. James and I have good intentions but have become a bit laxed. Not good. August didn't exactly go as planned. Today I got on the scale and I am 190 lbs but considering that I haven't worked out in a week...that's not bad. James was around 313 lbs when he got on the scale a few days ago. We are transitioning now. Cayden is back home from summer vacation, we'll be starting class soon and we're going to try and work out before work (will post our updated workout schedule this week). Trying to exercise in the evenings or during lunch is just not working out right now or shall I say that we're just not making it work. Cause I know it can if we make it happen. Anyway, I think I found a new motivation. I stumbled across this young lady on http://www.youtube.com/ who posted the most motivational videos. She started off at around 215-220 and now she has maintained a weight of 129 lbs for over a year I believe. She gave some good "tough love" advice and I really appreciate it. It wasn't directly to me but I plan on using it like it was. She also went on a natural hair journey (I've already accomplished that) but that was relevant too. I have a lot in common with her and I hope that she will continue to create videos because based on the reviews she received, she's helping a lot of people. I'll just share that one thing she said was to "Show them better than you can tell them"...yeah, we've all heard that one but I like what she meant by it. I was constantly posting my success on facebook. She basically said "Just do it"! That's good advice. Of course, she had other explanations behind it also...*long story*. I will; however, continue to post our journey here because I do want to always be reminded of how difficult this journey was and allow others to use this blog as motivation someday.

Well...here goes my new challenge "Show them better than you can tell them"

Today I reached a goal

Today I got on the scale and it read 189.6 lbs.

It doesn't even seem real right now. I wanted it and wanted it so badly and here it is and I can barely even react. To be honest I feel scared. I'm scared that I might actually lose the weight this time...then what? I know that sounds ridiculous. I guess I'm scared that I won't be able to hide behind the weight anymore. I can no longer say my weight is the reason that I'm not happy. What if it's more to it? What if I accomplish this goal and I'm not happy? Okay....I guess I'm going way too far. I need to just enjoy this moment...right here....right now.

YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!

I DID IT! :)

Regaining our motivation

Just like James posted previously, we were slackers for about one week (due to our vacation/my summer training in St. Simons Island, GA - we'll talk about this later). God was too kind to us, though and we didn't gain much...James probably gained around 3 lbs and I think I gained around 2 lbs. You know what this meant, right? We had to spend one week (re) losing the weight that we had already lost. I believe this played a major part in our attitude towards the gym when we returned. There was just no motivation in losing weight that you already lost once. Something I have learned, though....Be afraid of vacations....very, very afraid! But still try and get your exercise in and avoid restaurants as much as possible. I definitely think we did better in Florida than on this vacation. We took our scale (not that it helped) but we didn't exercise at all. We tend to be more conscious of our eating when we're exercising...cause of course you don't want all the sweat and tears to be for nothing. Moving along...

Regaining our motivation. We have whined and complained about exercise since our return and we decided last Friday that we have to suck it up (like we did in June). We just did it. It was hard at first but it got easier. Both of us have the potential this month of seeing numbers on the scale that we haven't seen in a long while (since going upwards on the scale) and this can be exciting for us. James is around 314 lbs right now (point whatever) but he has seen as low as 313 (point something) on the scale recently. Today I weighed in at 191.2 (the lowest so far) and I am very excited about this. With no vacations coming up we can finally keep pressing forward without setbacks. My goal is to not see 192 again (although I'm aware my weight could fluctuate). My weight has hoovered around 192 for so long that I'm just fed up with it. I need a change and it is time to step it up! Moving along...

Back to that vacation/summer training. We visited St. Simons Island, Brunswick, Jeckyll Island, Savannah and Tybee Island (all in the southern part of Georgia). We didn't care for St. Simons Island, Brunswick or Jeckyll Island; however, Savannah and Tybee Island will always be one of "our spots". Once again, we'll post pics when we can (we're too lazy after working and working out...lol). We still have to post pics from Florida (earlier in July).

Keep us in your prayers!

Just lost our mojo

We lost our mojo but we perservered. Yesterday on our 6 year wedding anniversary, neither Shay or I really felt like working out. What did we do? We worked out. Neither one of us has been in the gym since last Monday and boy was it hard. This has been a tough time, we were eating what we wanted and when we wanted and now back to how we are supposed to be living! What a shocker. Oh well we will keep pushing on. Going to the gym today but I do feel better about it. I just can't wait until Friday, oh I mean Saturday morning. Working out and work will be over for a couple of days at least.

Until then!

Reality check

This weekend I had a reality check. I got on the scale after weigh in (offical weigh in that is) and the scale said 314. something. That really hit me hard. I am close to being under 300lbs for the first time in a very long while. Shay is clawing her way out of the 190's. I know and I have read her discouragement, it is a little hard to be happy and discouraged at the same time. The good thing is we are in this together. We are going to the gym for over 1 1/2 months now. Yippie!!! It is a part of our life now. Shay is doing a great job in cooking for us. SHe is really taking care of our family. I love you so much for that, babe.

We are close to getting into the next decade, lets keep keepin on!