Laspe & Reality

I will be the first admit that I had a lapse of motivation while my family was going through stressful times. Today, I finally decided to be realistic with myself and deal with the fact that I've gained 20 pounds over the past few months. Disgusted, I decided to slap myself in the face with it and got out the measuring tape as well.

Here is where I stand:

• Height: 5'8"
• Weight: 294.2 lbs
• BMI: 44.7
• Neck: 16 1/4"
• Right Arm: 18 1/2"
• Left Arm: 17 1/2"
• Bust: 49 3/4"
• Under Bust: 43 3/4"
• Waist: 50 1/2"
• Hips: 58 1/2"
• Right Thigh: 34"
• Left Thigh: 32 1/2"

Now, I know it's horrible, but I needed to slap myself with reality. Also, my right side has always been larger than my left in terms of measuring. Right after doing this, I went to my parents house and (mostly) jogged on the treadmill for 20 minutes. About 7 minutes of it was walking, but I was periodically changing my incline as I went, so it's a start for someone who hasn't had regular exercise in about a year.

Where I want to be:

• A BMI between 23-25, which would put me on the upper edge of healthy weight/lower edge of the overweight categories, but well out of the morbidly obese section.
• That translates to a weight of 151 lbs to 164 lbs, or an overall weight loss of at LEAST 130 lbs.

The next step, goals:

Long term:

• Lose 130 lbs to 145 lbs over the next 14 months.
• Use an exercise plan that will allow me to maintain my ideal weight.
• Create a diet plan that will help maintain the weight over the long run.

Short term:

• Start a weekly exercise routine that can easily be maintained with my schedule. Ideally, this means dedicated exercise time 4 to 6 days a week. I will no longer use my schedule as an excuse.
• Adjust my diet to cut out junk food again. I know I am capable of it, but when I get stressed I lapse. This time around, I will employ others to support me and help me keep on track.
• Lose about 10 lbs a month.
• Make an appointment with my doctor to set out a healthy weight loss plan.
• Get a referral to a nutritionist to help me learn more eating options.
• Update this blog weekly with progress updates.

With this, I have a start.