Holding myself accountable!

I’ve gained weight and it sucks. 

Prior to getting on the road, prior to covid, and prior to a shitty year of year of loss. I went from a size 22 to a size 16. I spent 5 years juicing, going to the gym, trying diets that didn’t work to learning what worked for me. Juicing worked, but it’s really not sustainable. I juiced for 2 months. It was the hardest diet I’ve ever tried, it worked, I lost 40 lbs. When I stopped, I gained 10 back but I was able to continue the loss but at a much slower pace.

In 2014 I moved into an apartment that had a pool within walking distance of my front door. Everyday after work, I swam. Every weekend I could, I swam. I swam for an entire summer, everyday for 3 months. The dogs would sit by the pool watching the world while I spent 2-3 hours swimming. I went back in to the apartment when I needed to eat or feed them. The routine worked. It was convenient. I didn’t have to deal with traffic. I also ate better and walked at least 10k steps a day.

In 2019 after my first knee surgery, the weight seemed to finally melt away, and I was able to walk again without pain. When I left Los Angeles I was a size 16.

A size 16!

I hadn’t been a size 16 since college. I was happy with a size 16. Clothes no longer felt like tents. They had some sense of style, and there were more options. It is very hard to find any affordable clothing for plus sizes that honestly don’t look obnoxious, sparkly, or just overall blah. More power to the woman who is confident and can pull off the sparkly looks that I don’t feel comfortable wearing.

I was the skinny kid until puberty, then it changed, and a bit extra became my outer layer.

Now, this extra is exhausting. 

While staying at a campground in 2020, I attempted to get on a bike and promptly fell because my short feet couldn’t touch the ground. I didn’t think much of it, laughed, got up, and walked it off. Later as I drove back to Ohio because of Covid, my other knee (the one without surgery) began to ache. It slowly became worse. I arrived back in Ohio and began working for my mom at her laundromat while the world shut down. She was in the beginning stages of retirement and wanted to sell the business. Covid delayed that process.

It eventually became extremely painful to stand or walk for more than 5 minutes at a time.

I finally got an appointment and got my knee examined. The verdict; I tore my meniscus and it required surgery to repair. Unfortunately, while I had called it my “good” knee, it was not anymore.

I now faced my second knee replacement.

Some advice for those who may live in colder environments during a part of the year — if you ever need to replace a knee, try and plan it for spring. Walking in the dead of winter sucks and I avoided it most of the time. So if you truly want to heal, then walking every day is a must.

Time to try something new.

I do not run. If the world had a zombie apocalypse, I would die if it required me to run. I would somehow have to become a ninja, obtain the skills of Michonne and find a Japanese sword to carry. I would also have to use my intelligence, aiming abilities, or tactical skills to avoid the Walking Dead. Not that I have any. Again. I can’t run, I would die. I would be the zombie, walking with back pain and two fake knees.

Going to the gym can help build up my strength, however, I believe walking is my best option. There is no monthly membership, it’s free and I can be outside. This spring, my mom and I began walking in the cemetery next to our home. After dinner, we’d walk the dogs. They love it. Not only is it a great place to walk a puppy for training, but there is no real traffic after 4 p.m. There are also multiple benches, so when my back seizes up, I can sit. When my back pain flares up, it’s intense, it feels like my spine has compressed and an iron fist is preventing me from breathing, bending, or moving the way I should. The only way to stop the immense pain is to sit and stretch the back.

My core is GONE. Literally non-existent. I didn’t realize how much swimming had helped with that aspect.

Issues I’m currently dealing with:

• Hyperthyroidism

• Grave’s Disease

• RHS (Ramsey Hunt Syndrome)

• Hypertension

• Back Pain / Sciatic

Last year I purchased a knock-off hula hoop belt to try and work on my core. Dad was annoyed by the sound. So I rarely used it. This year TikTok sucked me in and I purchased an Infinity Hoop. Hoping that it will inspire me to use it on a weekly basis. I got it last week.

It feels more comfortable, it also comes with a sweat belt, knob covers, a weight-loss tea, and supplements. I snapped it on and quickly discovered, it doesn’t work for me. It’s “too” flexible. Maybe as I get stronger, I can switch, but the cheap version, I can keep the weight moving as long as my back allows.

I’m slightly disappointed.

After seeing all these videos on TikTok about how “great” the Infinity Hoop is, I made my own review video. I’m not sponsored, it’s just a legitimate review of why I don’t think it works. My goal is to track the progress. Maybe not post a video a day, because, really why? I would be annoyed by that. Maybe post once a week. Similar to the blog, maybe? It would be a way to keep me accountable. The question is, will I really do it? Will I post videos? Will I make it a habit?

This blog, while seemingly just my random thoughts, has become a habit, a routine, something that I now work on every week. Some days I’m late and I’ve now shifted when I schedule the blog to 5 p.m. every Tuesday, because yes, somedays I’m late. If I am able to make the blog a routine, then I should be able to work on the hoop 30 minutes a day. ESPECIALLY if it’s going to help me become stronger, improve my core, and allow me to develop healthier habits.

Adding these small habits into my life can only improve it. I tell my mom every time she asks me to walk. No, I don’t wanna go, but I need to. Trying to change is not easy — I have to start somewhere.

#losingweightchallenge