Monday, January 11, 2010

What a difference a year makes...


I just opened up my blog for the first time in almost a year - I can't believe it, but it's true... January 2010! So much has happened and reading what I said at that point in time from that perspective is absolutely continuing bigger and better today - for so many different reasons. First and foremost, I have taken the healthy living to the next level. I went from trying to eat a little healthier to, on mother's day, joining weight watchers. That was life changing for me. It's been 8 months and I have not only developed friendships with my Sunday morning meeting crew, but a group of people who offer encouragement, support for the stumbles, and understanding of the issue that has nothing to do with small cravings here and there. I have also tried to kick up the walking to more of a run/walk and completed my first 5K (walking some also) but I did it with my husband - who has been super supportive of my WW ventures as well. Since November of '08 I've lost about 52 lbs and I feel such a difference. My options are more open and for the first time in a long time I actually enjoy shopping and can feel more comfortable in my own skin - if that makes sense.

The last time I wrote in my blog I wrote about too many people dying young around me due to unhealthy lifestyles and life choices and in June of 2009, another one bit the dust. This time, much closer to home than I could have imagined. My father. I have known for quite some time that he wasn't taking care of himself - breathing and heart problems for years now but nothing really changed behind the problems. The eating stayed the same however now he was stagnant so virtually no physical activity at all. The smoking continued - in fact apparently he was smoking on the porch when the rescue squad came for him following his call - which would be his last as he lost consciousness on the way to the hospital and it was never regained after a week in the hospital on machines. It was surreal looking through pictures that were sent to us by his sister from when he was younger - looking through pictures when he was married to my mother and then to my stepmother (who was coincidentally one of the ones I was speaking of in my March '09 blog regarding dying young). He was so healthy, active, vibrant - and life snowballs sometimes. There is a picture of him holding me when I was about 1 year old - I had never seen this picture nor have I ever seen a picture of myself with my father when I was a baby and I couldn't help but get frustrated that I couldn't ask him anything about any of that - that time in my life, his life. I'm getting ready to turn 34 in a couple of weeks and all I can think of is how I'm trying to change my lifestyle and focus so that I can set a good example for my son and be here for him as he gets older - I try to remind him every chance I get that I am doing WW b/c I want to be healthy... I don't want him to think I'm dieting or depriving - this is a very conscious decision to change my life and this past year has been a great start.

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