199 - My Evil Number - Update #6 - Month #3

It has been a while since i have updated the weight loss chronicles, so here goes.  I FINALLY reached my goal weight of 175.  I decided, since I was at 172-173, to go ahead and shoot for 170.  Needless to say, 170 has been as tricky as the last 3 pounds before 175.  But I am determined and know I will do it.  

I have been LOVING the gym, still going about 3-5 times a week with Travis.  I must say, the eye candy is quite motivational lol.  

A couple of weeks ago, the roomies were kind enough to let me go shopping in their closets through clothes they didn't wear anymore.  I got jeans that fit...it was like Christmas! LOL.  

Anyways, that's about all there is to report at this time.  That's as good as it gets for now.  Peace to ya all, and thanks for reading!

Too good to pass up!

A teacher gave her fifth grade class an assignment: Get their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end of it. The next day, the kids came back and, one by one, began to tell their stories.


There were all the regular types of stuff: Spilled milk and pennies saved.
But then the teacher realized, much to her dismay, that only Janie was left.


"Janie, do you have a story to share?"


'Yes ma'am. My daddy told me a story about my Mommy. She was a Marine pilot
in Desert Storm, and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy
territory, and all she had was a flask of whiskey, a pistol, and a survival
knife.


She drank the whiskey on the way down so the bottle wouldn't break, and then
she parachuted right into the middle of 20 Iraqi troops. She shot 15 of them
with the pistol, until she ran out of bullets, killed four more with the
knife, till the blade broke, and then she killed the last Iraqi with her
bare hands."


''Good Heavens,' said the horrified teacher. What did your Daddy tell you
was the moral to this horrible story?"


"Don't Fuck with Mommy when she's been drinking."

Who is to blame for you being you?

"An excuse becomes an obstacle in your journey to success when it is made in place of your best effort or when it is used as the object of the blame."  

- Bo Bennett

This is a very good quote.  I have encountered many people that want to complain and moan about how terrible life has been to them.  Ya know, the only one to blame is yourself.  There are people that whole heartedly refuse to take any type of credit for their shitty life, and find it easier to blame someone, or something else.  And then there are people who are just having a tough time in life, but they keep on keeping on, and try to make the best of their situation.

I would like to ask, if your life sucks, you're unhappy, you have more "valid" excuses than you have brain cells, when are you gonna do something about it? When are you gonna make a change.  When are you gonna accept responsibility? When are you gonna learn people don't wanna hear your shit anymore? 

If you can't or won't change it, I can't help you.  I probably don't WANT to help you.  And there is most likely no desire to help you!  Not just from me, but from anyone.  Grow up, pull up your big girl panties, deal with life, and MOVE ON! 

It's really not that hard folks!  

If you're not getting the drift yet, blame and excuses are a crock!  Only one person can change your life, can anyone guess who that is? YOU!  But, before you can change anything, you have to admit that there's a problem.  Something to change.  Something to work on.  Only then, can you spin life around on it's ass and kick it into play like a soccer ball.  

It's up to you! Not me! Not your momma! YOU! 

Get it? Got it? GOOD!

What can I do to help you?

For anyone out there that reads my blog, and are wanting to lose weight or change things in your life, I would like to ask, "What can I do to help you?" 

As everyone knows, Kristy has been a huge help with my own personal weight loss, be it through motivation, coaching, or just pushing me to try harder.  It really comes down to wanting to do it for myself, but there is no reason I can't "pay it forward." 

A dear friend of mine had a lot going on in her personal life, and I would just sit and talk, and listen, and ramble with her for hours to try and make things better for her.  She says it was a tremendous help, and she has found ways of coping she never knew before. 

I encourage everyone, if you are having problems, or just get stressed, or need someone to talk to but have no one, sit down, write it all out...get it off your chest.  That's where so many of my blogs have come from.  Not really for the world to read, but somehow in someway maybe something I say will help someone.  I always encourage others to get in touch with me if they need a friend.  I can always listen.  

I have been through a lot, and it has made me a much stronger person, and iin some ways, it has taught me to be a leader for those that need it.  I wish everyone simply the best, and I encourage you all to take control of your life.  Make it what you want it to be, and don't settle for what it is, or what it could be.  Peace and love to you all!

Before & After Me!

Before and After

I was asked by a friend for Before and After pictures.  The picture in the burgundy shirt was me close to my heaviest, around 220.  The picture in black was taken today, at 176.  While I do not include the weight loss from 220 down to 199 in my current weight loss, it's a great example from where I started from.

 All because 1 friend had what it took to make me wanna change.  Love to ya Kristy!

Such an Inspiration!

Before and After

As I sat contemplating the topic of this blog, a dear friend of mine of many years came to mind. I met Kristy back in 1995, at which time we were co-workers. The years have come and gone, but we remain in touch. She has always been a "no holds barred" kind of individual, much like myself. Over the past couple of years, Kristy has undergone an amazing transformation.

In August of 2008 she gave birth to her first son. She experienced major complications - Preeclampsia, Pulmonary Edema, and Cardiomyopathy - which in turn led her in a downward spiral towards death. At such a joyous time in life, this can not be a wonderful place to be. With this being said, but not the point of this blog, a series of events began to unfold in Kristy's life.
She signed up to participate in a 5K walk for Preeclampsia. Realizing she was not in the shape to possibly make it all the way through the walk, she began her training. She began walking with her husband in preparation. Soon, she found that she enjoyed the walks and decided to continue taking them. As an added benefit of preparing for the walk she noticed that she was losing weight.
With a few changes in her exercise routine, eating habits, and even in her mentality, Kristy has broken the 100 pounds lost mark, and is currently at 137 lbs lost. 137 POUNDS! That's amazing! While talking to Kristy about this we came to the conclusion that 137 pounds is like a WHOLE young person. She dropped from a 4XL to a XL in clothing. Every time I talk to Kristy, she is riding her bike, going for a walk, working out with various video game programs (Shape Up, The Biggest Loser, Yoga), whatever she can do to keep her body moving. She has even found things she can do while sitting in her car at a red light - really, who cares if people are looking at you

I picked up a few very valid keys from her while talking to her today.

1) Stop making excuses! JUST DO IT!
2) Set an exterior goal, and don't focus on the weight loss.
-Her goal was to make it through the walk
3) Do it for yourself, not for someone else.
4) Educate yourself!
- about the foods you eat, your own personal health, and what you can do for yourself.

We all understand how easy it is to make an excuse - i'm too tired, too busy, i'll do it tomorrow, etc. An excuse is the easy way out. There are millions of them, but how many can you really justify that are worth NOT making yourself a healthier, happier individual? She has many driving factors of her own that inspire and motivate her to keep up the hard work. She has a loving husband and a beautiful child that need her in their life. As if being a wife, and mother of a 2 year old isn't exercise enough, she always makes the time for her bike, her walk, or her various other exercises.

Kristy is a wonderful source of encouragement and inspiration, but she also will not hesitate to challenge your excuses. She believes that ultimately a person will not make a change until they are ready to, they just have to find a driving force behind their personal motivation. She is always willing to do her best to help, advise, and share her own personal triumphs. Looking back through her photos on Facebook, I have to say WOW! She looks like a completely different person.

I would like to encourage everyone to push yourself. Make a change. Do it now! You never know when the time will come, and it's too late. You can't change if you're dead. If weight loss isn't your problem, many of these same tips can be geared towards helping make you a happier, healthier person.

I am also including a few links for you to check out. Kristy approved them and has no problem sharing her story, or trying to help someone start writing their own. As always, I thank you for reading this post, and I hope you have taken something out of it. My love to you all.

And my admiration to you, Kristy. Continue being the strong, motivated woman that you are! As I have told you before, you are Phenomenal, and such an inspiration. And a friend I am fortunate to have been able to hold on to through the years. Love ya girl!

Kristy's Cause - http://www.promisewalk.org/pfpw/participantpage.asp?fundid=793&uid=1880&role=3

Kristy's Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/kristy.olds

When will your reflection show who YOU are inside?

I know this is a bit of a "re-post" blog for me, but I think it is important to convey this message.  After the death of my best friend almost two years ago, I questioned a lot.  Why was he taken away? Why is life so unfair? Why do the good people leave the world and the bad people get to stay? I never found the answers I was looking for, but I did discover something along the way. 

My anger, my hatred, my resentment was turning me into a cold, heartless person. One day I discovered that no matter what life throws at me, I can handle it. I think this is an all too common feeling that a lot of people experience, but they don't know how to handle it. 

It's hard to watch someone so young wither away and go on to the wonderful world beyond. But he taught me an important lesson - I am strong enough to deal with it.  It's all up to me and my attitude towards life.  I can change what I can, I can accept the things I can't change, and I can move on and live a happy, healthy, positive life.

Now, my life reflects the person I am, and who I want to be.  Amidst everything, I found myself again, and discovered that I AM a special person.  I have a lot to offer the world, and those I choose to let be a part of it.  I can help those that need it, and I can help myself.  All it takes is determination, strength, and the willingness to overcome all obstacles.  

I encourage everyone to look inside yourself, find that special person, and set them free.  We all have one, and we deserve to be happy.  No matter what your circumstance, I offer a few words of "wisdom."  Believe me, people will notice the difference!

"No matter how bad things seem, they could always be worse.  No matter how bad you think you have it, someone out there thinks you are very fortunate.  Share your gifts, your life, your love with those that need it."

Thank you for reading the ramblings this time, and if I can ever help YOU, all you have to do is ask.