My Nutrisystem Journey

"Success at anything will always come down to this: Focus and Effort, and we control both." ~Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson~ Today was the day to put my focus back on weight loss. I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's meal and I don't regret anything I ate or drank. I've said before that this is a lifestyle change and long term success means I can't restrict myself 365 days a year. I allowed myself to have what I wanted yesterday, within reason, but today I'm back on track with no regrets. As a recovering emotional eater I no longer attach emotion to food, so I didn't spend today regretting what I ate and drank yesterday. I didn't stuff myself and I went to bed hungry last night, and I was fine with that. Even if I went over my calories I know it takes an extra 3500 calories to gain a pound so there is no reason to panic, because even if I went over it was only by a couple hundred. The key though is not allowing yourself to go over on a reg...

"Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to reflect on the things that matter most in life." ~Danielle Duckery~ Thanksgiving probably means different things to different people, and that's okay. For me it's a day to be with family and enjoy a good meal. I also take time to reflect on what I am thankful for. I'm thankful to have family to spend it with. I'm thankful to have my cats, who love me unconditionally. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head. I'm thankful to have a job that pays well and that I enjoy. I'm thankful to have a reliable car. I'm thankful to have the means to use Nutrisystem to lose weight. This time last year I was sitting at 300 pounds and looking forward to stuffing myself at dinner and gorging on desserts even though I was stuffed. Today was different. Today I was nervous about the amount of food that would be served and the temptations that go along with it. I was also nervous about my abilit...

"The more you thank life, the more life gives you to be thankful for." I said this week was going to be all about being thankful and I am truly thankful for today. Thankful for all that have, thankful for my health and thankful for my family. Today I spent the day with my mom and every minute with her is precious. We've had our differences over the years and neither of us is perfect but I wouldn't trade her for anything. In 2017 she was not at the Thanksgiving table, for the first time in my life, due to her heart problems. That was a jolt, because you don't want to think about the  chair that will one day be empty. We didn't know what the future held for her but thankfully she is fine today. I have more to be thankful for every day that I walk this earth. Breakfast was a 2.1 ounce 160 calorie cherry cheese roll with maple pecan coffee. Power fuel was a 5.3 ounce 80 calorie Light & Fit strawberry cheesecake yogurt. I was out for the remainder of ...

"Today be thankful and think how rich you are. Your family is priceless, your time is gold and your health is wealth." This quote is perfect for today since I am a little "richer" thanks to the casino .. lol ! In all seriousness, I am thankful every day. I'm thankful to have my amazing family and I'm thankful to have my health. Every day is a gift and I'm thankful for every one. When I was diagnosed with leukemia back in 2009 I never thought about dying, which was pretty naive. Two of my colleagues actually lost their husbands to leukemia after I had recovered. I'm sure they both expected their spouses to survive, but they had more severe forms of the disease and eventually lost their battles. That experience made me wonder why I survived and they did not. I experienced a bit of survivor's guilt at the time. I've always said things happen for a reason but I can't think of any good reason for either of these men to have lost their ...

"Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are."    ~Joyce Giraud~ This week is going to be all about giving thanks, since we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday. There was a time when I felt like I had nothing to be thankful for, so it was just another day. Food was the only thing that made the day bearable. I can still remember the years I made my own Thanksgiving feast and stuffed myself to the point of extreme discomfort for several days, until the food was gone. I didn't cook for two, it was more like 10 ! When I was eating I was happy and not thinking about any of the negatives in my life. That's emotional eating. The problems didn't go away but I could forget about them for a little while. Food released those happy endorphins into my brain and I could laugh and smile for a little whi...

"The best feeling in the world is finally knowing you took a step in the right direction. A step towards the future where everything that you never thought possible, is possible." Starting Nutrisystem was a turning point in my life. I can't think of any other recent event in my life that I would consider a step in the right direction. Things happened in my life but they were mostly out of my control, rather than a conscious decision on my part. I made the decision to give Nutrisystem a try. I finally admitted my weight was out of control and I needed help. It wasn't an easy decision to make and it was also a significant financial commitment, as I knew it was something that would take 18-24 months. There were no guarantees. This was no quick fix. Nutrisystem would provide the tools but I had to pick them up, figure out how they worked, and use them to my advantage. I also had to figure out the exercise component of weight loss. Sure, you can lose weight without...

"Things take time. The seeds planted do not sprout the next day, but that doesn't mean they never will. Be patient. Things will unfold for you." Now that I've lost over 100 pounds and am more than 2/3 of the way to my goal I feel a bit more pressure to reach the finish line. It's pressure I'm putting on myself and I have to keep telling myself to be patient. So this was a good quote for today. I started this journey with zero expectations. I didn't really think about whether I would (or wouldn't) be successful. Was there any doubt that I would be successful ? Sure, but not thinking about it meant no expectations ! I stepped off into the unknown when I hit the submit button on the Nutrisystem website and I had nothing but hope. They promised 1-2 pounds per week and that was enough for me. That meant 52-104 pounds in a year, which sounded astounding when you need to lose 154 ! I've said it before - the early months of this journey were not ea...

"Remember that the reason you're doing this is to make your life better." A short and succinct quote on this blustery Friday before vacation ! I started Nutrisystem in hopes of losing weight and improving my health. I didn't really think about it making my life better. Honestly I didn't really even think about what losing the weight would mean. On that dark December day I just knew I had to do something. I had to try. Back then I couldn't visualize myself 100 pounds lighter. I didn't think about being able to buy "normal" sized clothing. I didn't think about having more energy and no aches and pains. I didn't think about having confidence. I'd spent so many years without dreams or aspirations ... why would I dream now ? I'd failed at everything I'd ever tried. I was plus size my entire adult life. I'm probably still considered plus size, although I can buy size medium tops and I'm on the verge of graduating...

"This version of me wasn't built overnight. This is experience and pain. This is insecurities and abuse. This is depression and a climb out of rock bottom. I had to go through a lot of shit to get to where I am now." This wasn't the tone I was looking for today but when I saw this quote I grabbed it. I'm not going to rehash all that has transpired over the years. It's all in the past and things are better now. I did go through a lot to get where I am today and I feel like I deserve the blessings that have come my way in the past couple of years. My life changed 5 years ago but it didn't really start to get better until the fire. If nothing else, maybe I can give some hope to anyone who is in the same place I was. Hope that one day it will get better. Breakfast was a 2.1 ounce 160 calorie cherry cheese roll with maple pecan coffee. Second cup on the go was macadamia cookies. Power fuel was a 5.3 ounce 80 calorie Light & Fit caramel apple pie y...

"All roads that lead to success have to pass through Hard Work Boulevard at some point." How true is this quote !?!? I know some people have success fall into their lap but the majority of us have to work for it. I'm no exception. The only success I'm concerned with today is my weight and my fitness. I'm definitely on Hard Work Boulevard and will likely be there for a while longer. It's not a one way street so once I reach my goal weight I'll still be putting in hard work to maintain the loss. I've seen a lot of stories about people who lose a significant amount of weight and then go right back to their old habits and gain it all back so I'm determined not to do that. It's not going to be easy but I think I'm up for the challenge. Breakfast was a 2.1 ounce cinnamon roll with french vanilla coffee. Second cup on the go was brown sugar crumble. Power fuel was 100 calorie string cheese. Morning snack was a 155 calorie chocolate shake...

"Success means being satisfied with what you do every day. It's being proud of the better person you are becoming." ~Dwayne Wade~ I'm definitely proud of the person I'm becoming. I feel like I'm a better person in that I'm happier and healthier. That doesn't make me "better" than anyone else, it just makes me better than the person I was yesterday. I'm satisfied with what I'm doing every day so I can definitely claim success. This whole journey has been about being healthier and happier with myself and it's been an adjustment. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I have to go back and look again, because it is still hard to believe. I think back to how I used to feel physically and mentally before Nutrisystem. I knew for a long time that I was in trouble, with the way I was eating. My body was telling me in subtle and not so subtle ways every day, but I was ignoring it. Food was more important to me. I l...

"Working out might feel like a burden at first. But if you stay consistent exercising will become a part of you and feel like therapy." Never thought I'd post a quote like this ! I had to do it today because it is so true. Working out was totally a burden in the beginning. I hated it. I made 100 excuses not to do it. But over time it has become a part of my routine, a part of my day, a part of my life. When I'm on the treadmill I'm not thinking about anything else. I focus on the trainer and the scenery, which is why I really love iFit. If I was just walking on the treadmill or using the few workouts that came programmed into the machine I don't think I'd have stuck with it. Having the trainer cheering you on and pushing you to your limits makes a big difference. They also talk about their lives and tell you a bit about the area they're filming in, so that makes the time fly. It's definitely therapeutic to have that momentary escape from ev...

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes ... including you." Since embracing exercise has been so difficult I hate to let a day go by without it. This was in my thoughts when I woke up very late this morning after a rough night. I really had no choice but to unplug and give myself the day off from exercise, but I still hated to do it. I thought about just trying something slow and easy but in the end I decided it was better to get back to 100% first. I fully expect to be right back on the treadmill during my lunch hour tomorrow. I will not let one bad day derail all the work I've put in to get where I am. The fact that I was kind of upset about not exercising tells me I've shifted my opinion on exercise a bit. Something I ate yesterday disagreed with me and I had all the symptoms of mild food poisoning. I didn't throw up but I came about as close as you can. I don't know what time I woke up not feeling well but I was glad...