Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Baby Steps

Welcome to Steps to a Healthier Me.

I hope you found this page because you are on a journey in your own quest for a healthier you!

I wish I had all the money in the bank I have spent on attempts at being healthy. I have had successes in the past, yet today finds me starting a new climb again into getting healthy. I got to thinking that I wish there was a place I could go to that had other people like me sharing ideas and getting support. Then that led me to thinking that I needed to start it!

I am not computer savy. I just get by. So please bear with me as we start a journey together.

I won't promise to blog everyday. I may even blog that I am struggling and need you to encourage me at times. That is what I want to find. I want to find people that are struggling with weight issues and are looking for everyday affordable approaches to losing weight.

I am a firm believer that knowledge is powerful. If we start steps together concerning weight loss, and share what works for us with others starting the journey what a wonderful way to stay motivated to be healthy.

I had a very active childhood. I also learned some terrible eating habits as a teenager that haunt me today. Binge eating. Emotional eating. Closet eating. I have been on the roller coaster. I would like to get off.

I once went to Overeaters Anonymous and found that it was a great support group with people who understood my frustrations. It was with others who knew what it meant to be obese and hurting. It was a group of people who shared their stories and gave support. Yet, I found that I simply could not make it to a meeting, or could not afford to get to a meeting. If there is a local OA group in your area I stongly suggest you use it to your benefit.

While going to OA, I learned about the 12 Step Program for Addicts. I really like the idea. Yet, because I could not go to meetings regularly, I found myself with yet another idea, but no "will" to do it alone.

I also went to Weight Watchers group meetings, joined online, and did WW points on my own at home, but soon lost motivation. I know several people that have had great success and I do believe WW is a great tool if you can afford to take advantage of it.

I went to a weight loss clinic for weekly injections, pills, and barely 900 calories a day. While doing this I spent roughly 1.5 hours in the gym six days a week sometimes seven. Yes, I did get results, but I couldn't keep up with the cost. So first it was the chemicals that were helping me lose weight, and then I had to stop the gym dues. Needless to say, it wasn't long and all that hard work was a memory.

Today, I want to start something new. I will not buy anything. I will use books I have already purchased...and believe me that list is LONG...or that I can check-out via library loans or online. I will also, not be buying any exercise equipment. I will use what I already own...which again is rather extensive. Remember I said I wished I had all the money I had spent on stuff to help me loose weight in the past. I would say it would easily total 5 figures, as in 10's of thousands of dollars!

Here is what I believe.
#1 I can't do this alone. I need to understand what God wants for me when it comes to health.
#2 I can't keep doing the same things that got me here today.
#3 I need to be motivated, and I am the best motivated when doing for others.
#4 I want to be knowledgable about health, exercise and nutrition.
#5 I want to surround myself with others on this journey to a Healthier Me.

I am sure I will tumble down the steps a lot and so will you. Yet, I know that WE can encourage each other on this journey, and that will motivate us to get up when we fall. It will encourage us to try different things. It will encourage us to reach out for help and to help others. It will bring success if we just keep trying to take small positive steps each day to a Healthier Me!

Please leave feedback. If you see something that isn't correct let me know. If you want to know more about something let me know and we can learn together. If you find something that works for you let us know so we can try it too.

I hope that you have made the first step to a healthier you!

3 comments:

  1. Leah! I am so encouraged by you starting this! I will join you in taking 'baby steps'. It really can be so overwhelming, but when you've got support then the motivation can be contagious :). I have really been struggling with emotional eating and what just seems like a lack of discipline or determination...or something? I, like you, have tried EVERYTHING and seen so much money go down the drain on programs, gym memberships, diet pills, books, CDs, etc. After my latest weight-loss attempt with a company (who's name I won't mention) where you friends sell you highly expensive supplements and energy drinks BUT you have to follow this strict diet to be successful. Well....let's just say that I gave up because I failed miserably at the consistently eating right and drinking all that water part. Not to mention the caffeine in the supplements gave me heart flutters. Anyway...a lightbulb started flashing over my head with the epiphany that the company was basically selling "eat right, exercise, drink a lot of water" and packaging it up in a pretty bottle with a luxury-item price tag. I am determined to lose weight just to be a healthier me, but also to encourage others that you can lose weight for FREE!! Peoople don't have to succumb to a get-rich-quick multi-level marketing scheme just to lose weight. And people don't have to go to a gym. I am on a tight budget and can't afford anything else weight-loss related. I believe God has given us all the tools we need for healthy, natural, FREE weight loss and the benefit of having like-minded people around to support us. I look forward to reading more from your blog and reading more on the info you find out. I'll share anything I learn too. :)

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  2. Hey Leah! I'm (working on) losing my post-baby weight, and I thought I would share. Like you, I've learned that the best ways to lose weight are FREE!!! About three or four years ago, I lost about over 30 pounds, and here's how. I started listening - very closely - to my body. I found that I was full LONG before I actually stopped eating. When I started quitting as soon as I felt full, the weight almost literally started falling off. I also did Couch to 5K, which is free, you can get online, and running is the best, cheapest, and easiest way that I have found to exercise.

    It's been harder than I thought it would to relearn these principles once I had Brennan. But I'm working on it, and slowly and surely getting healthy again. Hope this helps... this blog is a great idea and I look forward to learning more with you! :)

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  3. Leah and Lori, I'm very excited to find like-minded Christian women! Lori and I know each other very well. I, too, have gained and lost a gazillion pounds and actually made it to lifetime once on Weight Watchers. I agree with Lori that if we listen to the natural hunger mechanism that GOD gave us, we can lose the weight with His power and His Word on our side!

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