No Fat by Forty
|29.Jan.2011Here’s the timeline:
On my birthday, June 16, 2009, I gave myself 3 years to healthily get rid of the fat. My mantra was “NO FAT BY FORTY!” For those of you just coming into this journey of mine, let me see if I can’t catch you up–prepare for warp speed.
On July 7, 2009 I joined Weight Watchers for the 4th, 5th or maybe 6th time, weighing-in at a whopping linebacker weight of 261.60. I’d like to note there were no recruiters knocking at my door. WW set my goal weight for 160. I basically had 100 lbs. to lose.
Wow.
I attended meetings until I was down to about 220 and quit–right before Jeff and I left for our 15 Year anniversary trip to Eureka Springs, AR in January 2010.
Why did I quit? Well, I quit because I hit a plateau and I was frustrated that I was paying WW $40/month to NOT lose. I quit because I felt depression creeping back at my door and I wasn’t handling the combination of trying to lose weight and struggling with depression again.
Not wanting to be caught under the weight of depression again–and not wanting to go on any type of medication to off-set it, I began researching natural ways to fight-off depression. In February 2010 I came across a book that literally changed my life (and I don’t say that lightly), The Sugar Addict’s Total Recovery Program
It took a while to work through the steps in Kathleen DesMaisons’ recovery program, but I did it. And? I found my calm.
I also found my culprit.
SUGAR.
By ridding my life of refined sugars and trying to trade in most of my “whites” for “browns” – the weight started coming off on its own again and I felt amazing. In fact, I held myself accountable until I could get the knack of it by publishing photos on Facebook in my What’s On My Plate album.
My withdrawal from sugar was nothing short of drug withdrawal with all of the symptoms (rushes of unexplainable anger, hot/cold spells, sleeplessness,etc…)
However, a year later I am now down 66.20 lbs. and well on my way (weigh?) to the healthy woman, wife, mother, and friend I’ve longed to be for years. I am also emotionally stable–which I believe is the biggest blessing and the main reason I’ve been able to make so many life changes. I feel amazing.
Let me remind you – I’ve done this ONE STEP AT A TIME.
THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES.
I now have about 35 lbs. left to reach my first goal of 160 lbs. I have NO DOUBT I’ll get there. I have about a year and 1/2 to do it and still reach my goal of “no fat by forty”.
I’m very interested in healthier eating and living now–and have picked up various cookbooks, magazines, etc…to that end. You’ll see me feature them here as I find them. I am also interested in the industry side of things, which is why I truly think anyone ever struggling with weight loss should read David A. Kessler’s, The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
Just so you know–I don’t truly blame the food industry for America’s obesity; they are running businesses and want to sell their “product” just like any other business. It is faulty thinking for us to put our “weight” on anyone but our own shoulders. Still, armed with the knowledge from this book (and so many others), I can make wiser choices in where I eat, how I eat, what I eat, etc….
A Little Background if You’re Interested
If you have just found me and you haven’t read my posts about weight loss I’ve provided several links below for you to gain a little insight to how personal and debilitating this has been all my life. It certainly has been a lifelong struggle, but I know now it doesn’t have to be.
It won’t.
- The Fat and Skinny of It – Feb. 2, 2007
- Order in the Food Courts – August 11, 2007
- Weighing In: Day 1 – August 13, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 1 – August 20, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 2 – August 27, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 3 – September 3, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 4 – September 10, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 5 – September 17, 2007
- Phbbtthh – My shadow can beat your shadow! – September 22, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 6 – September 24, 2007
- Weighing In: Week 7 – October 1, 2007
- Tales from the Dark Side of Fat – October 8, 2007
- Are Big Girls Beautiful – October 22, 2007
- Wherein I gave up (again): I’ve been going with both barrels – January 11, 2008
If you’re interested, at the request of a few readers I’ve created a No Fat By Forty closed Facebook group. It is a support group – not just for weight loss, but overall health.
21 Comments
Madge
Maybe there is something about the approaching age of forty, but I am on this same quest. I refuse to carry this extra weight any longer and I plan on being rid of it all by my next birthday.
I have definite sugar issues that I’ve been working through. I’ll have to read the book you mention. I had a great turnaround after reading The Insulin Resistant Diet. I tend to be all over the place emotionally when I’m not eating right.
Mrs. Wilson
I was just wondering the other day how you were doing with this. You looked incredible in the photos that Brenda (and/or you) posted while you were in California. Those books sound very interesting, I may have to take a peek at them.
Megan
Heather, thank you for sharing this with us all. I know your battle. I’ve been many places on the diet/eating/not eating/dieting again/again/again… thing. Thank you for your encouragement and vulnerability. I highly recommend a book that will help with the heart/mind side of the battle, “Love to Eat, Hate to Eat” by Elyse Fitzpatrick. It’s cheap on Amazon. I haven’t finished it, but what I’ve read thus far has been very encouraging and helpful in how to think about this biblically. God bless you. :)
Mom2Seven
Congratulations! I remember when you were weighing in online a few years ago–I’m glad you are able to look back and see wonderful progress now. Congratulations again!
Kiran
Congratulations on your determination towards healthy living. I would recommend you to join us on Twitter, with the hashtag #fitblog. It’s an amazing fitblogging community that is full of support and love :)
Joy Armstrong
First of all…WAY TO GO, Heather!!! Secondly, a good friend and I have been talking about eating healthier for a long time now (especially having small children and wanting to start them off on a healthy path) and this book looks very interesting. Just looked it up on my library’s website and they have it in. Think I’ll check it out. And the Sugar Addict’s Recovery sounds like just the place to start. Thank you for the resources!
wendy
I’m new here and found you through PW…I love your blog, it’s so clean and fresh! :) Anyway, today’s my “meeting and weigh-in” day, so it’s ironic to read this post. I have a same “fit-by-40″ plan goin’ on (I’m 36.5) and started WW in Oct. 2010 to start taking control of the matter! I wonder often if I’m more depressed than I will admit (with 5 kids there’s not a lot of time to ponder)… I look forward to reading your posts on depression, weight-loss, etc! Thanks for sharing your journey here!
Erica
I’m in that spot. I’m 36 and don’t want to be ~100 lbs. overweight by 40. Still praying that I can do it. I’ll give the book a try. Maybe it will help me see the light too :-)
Super proud of you for keeping your goal in sight! You will definitely make the “no fat by forty!”
Enid
Sweet Heather…..
I have this comintment too…I want to lay down in a beach in my country…. for my fourty birthday…currently I am 36 ..!! I had been looking at your pictures on FB of your food…you are amazing!!
Thanks
Enid
MissCaron
GOOD FOR YOU!!! I did a modified South Beach Diet around 2006 that jump started my metabolism when it started heading south. Since then I’ve been pretty disciplined with my eating. One thing that truly helped were the Eat This Not That books (http://www.amazon.com/This-Thousands-Simple-Swaps-Pounds/dp/1594868549). I choose all the better options and that’s all I have in my pantry… even just those little changes make such a difference!
Randa
THANK YOU for the book recommendation. The Sugar Addict book looks like it will be very helpful. I KNOW it’s possible to feel better than I do and I MUST lose this weight. Congrats on your continued loss- that’s awesome!
Dawna
I just stumbled onto your website by accident. But, I doubt it was really an accident. Anyway, I am interested in learning more and being part of a support group. I just read Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr. I am 48 and diabetic. I want to change my lifestyle and have about 80 pounds to lose. I have lost 6 since reading the book and feel I may really be on my way this time.
Dawna
Anita
Catching up on some of my blog reading. I’m reading this post of yours and feeling like I’m reading my own weight loss journal. I quit WW for the same reason…no results. When I pushed out the sugar and started eating that grainy high fiber stuff I was found myself 50 pounds lighter after a year. However I have at least 80 pounds to loose.
Another great book you might consider getting is Made to Crave. Here’s the book blog with video. I think you’ll enjoy the concept about the book. Oh and it’s not a new diet book.
http://madetocrave.org/
Shiree
I found Thin Within to be a great resource for this area of struggle in my life. I’ll have to check this book out now, too!
Hannah
Awesome JOB! Just wanted to say I really enjoy your PW posts.
I justed started a food blog on healthy living and I too, at age 37, for a number of reasons, am on a track to better nutrition. I’m not terribly overweight or anything, but I see that the food choices I could make, aren’t good ones.
We have taken a bit of a radical approach in changing our daily food intake. We now are following a food combining and sequential eating food plan. It’s fascinating stuff and without any exercise, I have lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks! It’s all about what you eat and when. Really neat. I have some info on my blog and some links there are well if you want to check it out.
It took me about 3 weeks till I got the hang of it and now all of my 4 boys are actually “used” to it too! They are 8,9,11 & 12 and we homeschool as well. I love your approach to homeschooling. I find it so freeing when we make our environment our school. It’s an atmosphere isn’t it?
Anyway, thanks for your inspiration! Keep up the great work! (and too bad you didn’t get on the show! I just found out that Michigan’s local FOX news channel wants to skype me in a few times a week to talk about my food blog and healthy living! WOW! I can totally relate to your sense of unknown future and rollercoaster feelings. We’ll see where this takes us. Trying not to get my hopes up!)
Hannah
“The Lunch Lady”
Dawn Farias
Wow!! I hope to find time soon to go into the older posts you listed. I just wanted to come out of the shadows to say I’ve been reading and talking about Maisons book Potatoes Not Prozac for just over a year. I have noticed a big improvements in my moods when cutting back on sugar. I have yet to steel myself against a life of no sugar, however.
My weight is stable but at 34 years old I think my PMS, in particular, is out of control when I’ve had too much sugar. I’m really like a different person those days. A la Potatoes, I try to get my protein in and make our sweets from scratch and with ‘browns’ like WW flour and try to at least reduce the sugar quantity.
Good luck with your journey. I think you are soooo smart to give yourself plenty of time to reach your goal.
OMSH
Dawn, the journey has been very satisfying. I’m down 73 lbs. now and am now embarking on physical strength. I purchased the P90x workout and look forward to a bit of “mixed” training.
julie.
So true about the sugar. About 15 years ago, I read the book “Get the Sugar Out” by Ann Louise Gittleman and it is still one of my favorites. I’m not sugar free by any means, but being aware and mindful helps me make much better decisions about food.
Kristin
You’re awesome! Love your posts. ~K