I made it.. I am finally in Onderland.....

Thank you so much Michelle.. you have been such an inspiration and of great help to me.. I really am so glad that you started the threads on eats and exercise.. it has helped me tremendously.. as well as you and all the friends on here with the encouragements.

I was unable to do any real exercise for so long.. When I started I was finally after months able to walk to my mailbox and to my animals in the fields.. I can remember posting how happy I was to accomplish walking the 200 feet to the mailbox.. I have tried to gradually increase my routines and the Wii Fit gift for Christmas really helped me.. I was walking 10 minutes at that time on my treadmill and then was exhausted.. As more weight came off I kept increasing my exercises.. and each time I did I felt so much better.. It is really a boost to your self esteem...I kept increasing my Wii until I got up to an hour.. and I was simply amazed the first time I walked a mile.. and that has not been that long ago.. Since then I have been pushing the limits to the extreme simply because the stall was making me crazy.. I knew it would pass but I didn't want to feel like I was not doing ALL I could to help it along.. Getting the new pedometer has helped me to increase and do more in the walking area.. The first time I did 3 miles I remember you telling me I did a 5K.. I was so amazed and so proud.. I really appreciated you putting it into perspective like that.. I still try to achieve that gaol as many days as possible along with other activities during the day too.. I am loving the gym as it gives me an option to change my routine from just walking and Wii.. I am not trying to be an exercise Queen.. I just want to try to do all I can to make this work.. and really when I list what I am going to do on the threads everyday it makes me want to stick to it and not give in to saying well that's enough for today.. As I walked on the treadmill at the gym yesterday after doing the recumbent bike and elliptical I started and at 30 minutes I wanted to stop so bad, but I said no I am going to do what I said and walk an hour.. so I kept going .. at 45 minutes I wanted to stop again but I kept going because I had said I was going to do an hour.. well I did it.. I walked a full hour straight.. then went to water aerobics.. I would have stopped at 30 minutes had I not been posting on here what I was doing for exercise that day... so you have really been a great motivator... I walked outside yesterday morning and then while the farrier shod the horses, my daughter helped and I took my grandson in the stroller and walked again.. let me tell you pushing a 30lb kid in a stroller really added to the walk.. I bet I burned a lot more calories.. lol..

Well anyway after writing a book.. Sorry this was so long.. I just want to tell you thanks again for really being an inspiration and being so encouraging and making me accountable for my eats and exercise..

huggs..

Teresa, to go from finally being able to walk to your mailbox to the kind of exercise you do is a real testament to all of the hard work you've put in to "work your tool."  It's incredible how far you've come and I hope you give yourself credit that it's YOU making it happen! 

I'm glad you're doing water aerobics... do you enjoy it?  I love, love, love water aerobics... a group of friends and I got together last summer and did workouts in the community pool.  I learned enough from all the YMCA classes I took years ago that I can give myself a good workout.  I find the pool theraputic and so much easier on the joints :) 

I'm glad you're here and that we've met via OH... it's so nice to have friends to go along the journey with!  You inspire me greatly :) 

You inspire me too Michelle..  I too am so thankful to have friends like you on here for the friendship and support and encouragement.. I am so happy that we can do that for each other..

Yes I love the water aerobics.. They have tclasses every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening.. so I try to pick one of those days to go work out at the gym.. I do all my strength training and biking and walking before I go to the water aerobics class, that way it helps my muscles to relax some too and not be so sore after a hard workout.. I have some friends and neighbors in the class and even our pastors wife comes on Wednesday evenings, so I really enjoy it.. Last year I was in Aerobics 1 class and I could barely do it.. I remember being so winded and when they had us raise our arms and do forward punches while doing heel jacks I thought I would die.. Now this year I am doing the aerobics 2 class and loving it.. I no longer have any trouble and really try to get a good work out from it.. The place I use as a gym is a rehab place too.. so the pool is always nice and warm and the hot tub is really great too to get in after everything.. I go about 2:30 in the afternoon and do not leave there until around 7pm.. it a 14 mile drive, but I love it..

I am very proud of my accomplishments and I amaze myself sometimes with what I can do.. I will be by myself and do something I never could do before and I find myself saying out loud "Good Job".. lol... I am working so hard at this.. I want this to work for me so bad.. I have always failed, as most of us on here have, so that worrrys me and it makes me push harder to do it right.. I also feed on the things I read on here that others are doing and I try to do that too..

It is so nice to be accountable to others and also makes you proud to report to others what you are accomplishing too.. Reporting it and letting others see what I am doing makes me push harder too.. Also listing the food has taught me that planning ahead can make the day so much easier then trying to figure out at the end of the day what you are going to do when you have used all your calories and do not have enough protein in.. Thanks to you my days are easier now..

I am glad we are sharing our journeys together and I love sharing with everyone on BMI >50.... I could never do this alone.. Yes I AM DOING IT.. but the help has encouraged me and the fiends on here that support me make me want to do it...


huggs..

Woot!  Congratulations!  Now - run out shopping and buy yourself a really nice outift.....you've earned it - at least that's what I did! 

Thanks Tara..

I went shopping in my closet.. I got into some jeans that I have been waiting to get into.. I am wearing them today to go grocery shopping.. My hubby and I are going to rent a movie tonight and watch it together.. that is my celebration...we sat ouside around a bonfire last night at my daughters with friends from Church.. it was so nice.. We never just take time for Us.. we are usually running non stop.. so I have had a great weekend and I'll wait to buy the nice outfit in a store when I get to goal.. till then Im doing thrift stores.. lol..

huggs..

Teresa, I have been busy with work and have not had a lot of time to get on OH but I saw your post and just had to say WAY TO GO!  YOUR"E DOING AMAZING!  You are becoming quite an inspiration!

Thank you Donna... I have had to really work at this and have ALOT OF PATIENCE... it has took so long to get here but I am finally here and it feels so good..

huggs..

WHOO-HOO!!

(Jealous a little, I think )

Thanks Patti...

I am nothing to be jealous of... well being in Onderland might be, but you will get there too.. But as for me there is nothing to be jealous of.. It has taken me so very long to get here and I am scared to death that the scales will pull the old tricks and bounce up and down making me go up above 200 again.. this yoyo thing on the scale is so frustrating.. only loosing 5 lbs since March 1st has been frustrating.. and actually only loosing 38 lbs since Novembers surgery has been frustrating too..   I really hope the weight is going to start to come off again now..

huggs..

Teresa!  How wonderful!!!  You've worked your tool and you're reeping your rewards!!  Onderland!  Amazing!  I don't know if you're like me or not, but I still have trouble remembering I weigh Two hundred and something pounds instead of three hundred and something pounds, and I'm down in the low 240's!!!  Maybe by the time I make it to Onderland, my head will finally have accepted that I am no longer 300 pounds!!! 
CONGRATULATIONS !!! 
Connie