The End or Is It Just the Beginning?

Day 23 - Monday, July 5, 2010
Day 24 - Tuesday, July 6, 2010

We were out of town and did not have internet, so I had to combine both of these posts.  This is the end of my weight loss journey, but it really is the beginning of a new way of living.

I almost reached my weight loss goal. I guess its true what they say - the last ten pounds are the hardest!  I am happiest about the inches I lost from my stomach and waist!  I truly feel as if I am ten years younger, because I know I look better in my clothes (I have been wearing items that I thought I would never wear again). And that confidence in my appearance shows in everything I do, including sharing my thoughts in this blog.

I am far from being discouraged, because I now know how to eat healthy, prepare simple but delicious meals and feel so much better!  The difference, of course, was following the 5 and 1 Plan.

Why does that work so well?  Because our bodies are designed to be fed in small increments throughout the day.  We need protein, carbohydrates and small amounts of fat and sugar spread over 6 meals, so our blood sugar does not spike, but remains constant.  My body knew that it was being fed properly, timely and well, so it gave up its fat stores.  And the extra weight around my stomach just seemed to melt away!

I have found myself again!  She never left, but she was covered up by my negative thinking ("You're over 50 - you're not supposed to look good!")  And now that I have rediscovered my enthusiasm for living well, I am focusing on other areas of my life that need attention (my desk, for example).  The ripple effect of losing the inches and weight continues to spread throughout my life.

I will leave it to a poet and philosopher to sum it up:

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rediscover what lies within you.  Take the time to be gentle with yourself. Find out who you are. And if excess weight stands in your way, take action now to place your body back in its natural rhythm.

Live well, beautifully!

To learn more about the Take Shape for Life program, please visit Empowered Way