Finally!

It's amazing what a new hair cut can do for your outlook on life. But what is even more amazing is what losing 10 pounds can do for your outlook on life. When you lose that 10 pounds without feeling grouchy, tired, hungry or deprived, that's is a bonus that seems unthinkable.

This might come as a shock to a lot of you (or not) but I have never ever been comfortable in my own skin. Okay, maybe once. When Steve and I got married I was in the best shape of my life. I was working out twice a day (4 hours a day total) and really watching what I ate.

I am old now. I can't keep up that lifestyle. Even if I had enough hours in the day, I would have been too tired to work out for four hours a day.

As a kid I always felt overweight. Always. Here's the funny thing though, I wasn't overweight, I was just tall. I was skinny and tall but I couldn't trade clothes with any of my friends. I was too tall. In fact, my nickname was Too Tall Traci Troutman. Never comfortable in my own skin. My friends never knew I was conscious about my weight. I never told them. I never let on. I just always felt different, bigger, than everyone else.

Then as I got older (and had kids) everyone was always so polite with the "you are so tall so you carry your weight well" comments. I am here to tell you people, that is NOT a compliment. I have struggled with my weight for years. Years. I am well past the point of having "baby weight" to loose. My "baby" is 7 years old.

I have tried a few weight loss programs. I tried Weight Watchers (twice) and Herbalife (twice). What surprised me about Weight Watchers was the amount of processed food that was "okay" to put in your body. Get rid of sugary calories by drinking diet soda. Get rid of regular foods in your pantry and refrigerator and replace them with low fat and sugar free. You can still have sweets but replace those with the kind that cost $2.00 for one square that makes you stomach hurt when you eat them anyway. I had a hard time with all of that. The fake sugar just made me crave more sugar. I was a Diet Coke a-holic anyway so that just gave me the green light to drink more Diet Coke. Not the right program for me.

After a few more pounds and frustrations later, I tried Herbalife. I think their program is great for some people. However, with my heart problems (more annoying than serious) I couldn't use a lot of the products. If I get too much caffeine in my system (I would switch off from Diet Coke to Caffeine Free Diet Coke) my heart starts racing and I can't breath. With the teas and supplements that you needed to take along with the shakes, I just couldn't do Herbalife. Plus, the shakes made my stomach hurt. Like really hurt. I am not sure if it was too much protein all at once or the type of protein but it just didn't work for me.

I am a loyal gal. Each time I tried these methods I felt so guilty for quitting. But they were not working. It wasn't my lack of motivation or willingness to stick to something. It was that after a month or better of trying, 3-5 pounds was all I could loose. My stomach hurt. My heart was racing. I felt like crap.  I was frustrated. So, I just quit.

I decided that I would just exercise enough to lose the weight. The only problem was that I was tired all the time. I couldn't even walk three miles let alone run three. I would push myself to run 3-4 miles and then need a nap. Seriously. A nap. I ran a marathon! It was 9 years ago but ... I ran a marathon and now I needed a nap after 3 miles?!?

I did what any sane woman would do. I went to the Dr. I got my thyroid checked. I got my iron level checked. I got my everything checked. Other than my mildly annoying heart problems there was nothing medically wrong with me to make me tired or gain weight. So, it was up to me to figure things out.

I kept eating all of the healthy foods. I have never been a fast food, take out, restaurant once a day type of girl. I don't even eat that stuff once a week. But what I was eating was a lot of "diet food". Not just Diet Coke but fat free everything and low sugar everything. Again, I thought this would help. But I just craved more. And more. And more.

Until now. I took a vested interest in a new program. I literally decided that this was my last chance. If it didn't work...if I was still tired....if I didn't loose weight....if the products made my heart race or my stomach hurt...I was just going to go ahead and nap everyday and buy new clothes that fit. Or better yet, stay in my pajamas all day. I just couldn't do it anymore.

Literally 14 days later, I feel great! I have lost 10 of the 25 pounds I want to lose. I have energy. I am back to running. I play outside with my kids after school. I am happy. I am sleeping better. With seeing results I know I am committed to losing the rest of the weight. My stomach doesn't hurt. My heart isn't racing. These products actually make me feel good! I am not starving myself or putting junk into my body. It's all natural. I almost feel like I am cheating or that I hold a little secret because after all those years, who knew it could be this easy. Seriously easy. I finally found something that works for me. Finally.

I can see myself on a new path. A happy path. A path where I am comfortable in my own skin....and browsing upcoming races to set my sights on my next marathon. It might take me awhile to get there but at having a goal is a good step!