Do I Look Fat In This?

It’s menstrual week at Casa Rasbold and that means two things:  1) I’m not losing weight and 2) and I am craving (and not getting) Mexican food.  I am making a very meaty lasagna for Father’s Day and we are going to pile around and watch movies as a family.

I have found that when I’m not losing weight, there is one thing that shakes things up again and that is if I step away from the computer and get busy in real life.  That being the case, I spent yesterday cleaning out sheds and today, cleaning out closets.  I am taking a break from Farm Town (a Facebook application/game where you grow a virtual farm – sounds silly, but it’s very zen and relaxing and I have been spending too many hours on it) until after my trip in July.   By being more active in my daily life, especially now that kids are out of school, I know the weight loss will kick in again.

I’m still eating well with no processed foods to speak of, no candy, cookies or cakes and being careful on the portions.  My body has gotten used to living on far fewer calories than it should, so the other side is to kick up the calorie output and amp up my metabolism again.  The good side is that my family benefits from things being cleaner and more organized.  

The next step is yard work and there is plenty of that to do and I have just the set of kids I need to help me with it.  The garden isn’t really high maintenance just yet, but we need to get the yards cleaned up and trimmed and under control.

I look forward to the outside, active time and I know I am doing what my body needs.

I hope your efforts are going well!

Ha ha.  I’m not what ANY sane person would consider to be skinny by any stretch of the imagination, but I did find a small box of clothes I’d packed away last summer as too small.  I was actually on the verge of donating them to charity because I figured I’d never actually lose the weight and might as well free up the room.

Today, when I tried them on, they fit perfectly!!  It’s like having a whole new wardrobe!  When I put on my 3X size clothes, they hang on me like a tent and I can’t believe I ever actually fit into them.  It’s so exciting that people are starting to notice the change.  

Tomorrow is my day to weigh in. Delena and I have been exercising using the EA Sports Active.  We mostly do the sports, like boxing, baseball, tennis, basketball and dancing, but wow, it definitely gives us a great work out!  My arms were sooorrre!

The Mila continues to be my best buddy.  I can tell such a difference on the days when – for whatever reason – I don’t take it.   God help me if I miss 2 days.  I start to feel like I could eat everything in the house, my energy is nothing and I don’t sleep well.

Speaking of the Mila, I have finally gotten around to posting some of the newer testimonies from other people who are having great results using the product.  They are in the menu to the right under “Pages” via the link that says, “Mila Testimonies.”

There are a few people here and there who have problems with the Mila seeds, but usually a slight adjustment corrects the problem.  Everyone is different and results are not the same for everyone.  Here are some suggestions:

Constipation:  If you are having constipation when taking Mila, the usual reason is that there is not enough water – actual water, not just liquid – being injested in a day and/or that you are not getting enough additional fiber in your diet.  Mila itself is a fiber, but you still need leafy green foods to aid your bowel movements.  I recommend this before taking laxatives.  Eat a salad or other serving of leafy vegetables every day and drink a minimum of 4 bottles of water a day.  That should fix the problem.

Intestinal or Stomach Upset:  Some people have a problem with mild stomach or intestinal cramping after taking Mila.  This is almost always resolved by taking a half scoop in the morning and a half scoop at lunch rather than the entire scoop at one time.  

Still Have Cravings or Not Getting the “Good Sleep.”:  As I said, everyone is different and finding that Mila does not work for you in the positive way I have experienced usually means that a little more Mila is needed.  Mila is not a medication; it is a food, so you can eat more of it if you wish.  There are actually people who use Mila as a meal replacement for all three meals a day and then supplement with snacks that contain the additional vitamins and nutrients they need that is not provided by the Mila.  If you do not feel you are getting optimum results from Mila, try taking a scoop in the morning and a half scoop at lunch, then going to a full scoop at lunch if that doesn’t do the trick.  Usually, just a slight bit more will make all the difference.

For me, having the sour stomach, reflux and indigestion go away is the biggest benefit.  Next is actually sleeping through the night for the first time in ages and then the weight loss.  Since the weight loss is pretty important to me, you can see how important the stomach and sleep benefits are.

I have stopped thinking in terms of having to beat a deadline or race anyone with my weight loss results. One of the things the Mila has taught me is that each person is different and has to find their own way to make it work.  For me, that’s Mila – which reduces my calories, and exercising.  I exercised for over a year with Andie and although I got more flexible and stronger, I can’t say it affected my weight loss much.  I had to totally change my eating patterns to see good results.  Twenty-six pounds will soon turn to thirty, then thirty will be behind me forever and I will be looking at forty pounds lost.  When I hit fifty, I’ll already be halfway through my weight loss journey.  Come to think of it, at 26, I’m a quarter of the way through and that’s some fantastic progress.

It’s exciting to see it actually happening after all this time and admittedly, my patience is straining a bit because I’m eager to get there.  I have to remind myself that it took time to get here and it will take time to lose the weight as well.

Thanks to everyone for their love & support.

I have not exercised in quite a while, but the clothes are still getting bigger on me, so I am not too worried.  I know I will start up again soon.

I have been exceptionally diligent about my eating knowing that I am not exercising.  Eric and I just put on a major event in our town that required weeks of planning.  The last week was particularly brutal and we finally had the event on Sunday.  I was D.O.A. Monday, went to town for provisions yesterday and I’m still really wiped out today.  If I didn’t take the Mila, I’d be in really bad shape.  The balance and energy it gives me really helps, as well as the good night’s sleep I normally get.

Last night, I didn’t realize how late it was and I had a couple of glasses of Dr. Pepper.  Evidently, it was enough caffeine to work against the Mila and keep me awake in the middle of the night.  I went to sleep quickly around 10:00 PM, but woke up just before 1:00 AM because the dog had to pee and I just could not get back to sleep.  One of the things the Mila does is help you feel refreshed when you wake up, whether you slept for 8 hours or 4.  That aspect of the Mila, mixed with the caffeine, had me wide awake.

I did some computer busy work and finally got back to sleep around 4:00 AM.  Today, I am fairly draggy and tired, but feel otherwise well.

The event on Sunday was the first time I have been out and about since Fall and it was great to have so many people notice the weight loss.  I did not think it was that visible, but several folks commented on it and that was very, very nice.

I was bent over painting signs for the event a few days before and Eric (who very rarely says anything of this nature) commented that my butt looked a lot smaller.

My daughter-in-law has reached MY goal for July already following her gastric bypass surgery.   I’m not even close, so I have given up on reaching it.

In fact, I’ve pretty much let go of the goal aspect of what I’m doing.  I know that I am eating well and despite the past week, exercise is an important part of my life now, as is the Mila seed.  I’ve incorporated the necessary changes, both physically and in mindset, and I know that the positive outcome is assured.  The progress is very nearly constant and I could not ask for more.

So many clothes from last summer are too big for me or fit where they did not before.  I was wearing a size 22-24 when I began this journey in January, more enthusiastically in April.  I should have been in a 24-26, but I could not bring myself to buy clothing that large, so I wore tight clothes.  Now, I fit comfortably into a size 18-20.  The weight loss, last time I checked a week or more ago, was at 25 pounds.  I love to go pick up a 25 pound bag of dog food or charcoal and think about how heavy it really is.  The scale read 26 pounds down at one point, then settled back at 25.  I’m betting it’s more of that by now, but I have not yet checked.

Physically, I feel so much better.  I’d always viewed weight loss as the big picture; how much better my life would be when I lost 100 pounds or more.  I didn’t think about the journey itself and how once I got on the right path, I would feel better much, much sooner and continue to feel better and better as I progressed.

There is still a long way to go.  My next big moment will be when I go below 200 pounds for the first time in around 17 years.  

It’s easier than I expected now that I have the right plan and the right tools for me, but it still has its challenges and I know that just a couple of false moves could put the whole process into the ditch and have the weight regained in no time at all.  It goes back on so much faster than it comes off and that warning is always in my mind.

I am grateful that for me, the Mila combats the majority of the cravings and keeps my portion control in check.  It eliminates the sour stomach and reflux and that, in and of itself, is worth continuing it.

One day turns into another and another and the weight is coming off.  For that, I am truly grateful.