WLJ Weekend Update: 5.14.11

Nothing annoys me more than someone who says to me, "You've only lost weight because (insert reason here).  You just don't understand how busy I am."

This bugs me for two reasons: 1) Everyone has some shit in their lives they must deal with and 2) it's more or less a way for the person to minimize my success.

So here are the top three reasons people tell me that I'm successful (that have nothing to do with it) and my retorts:

1) You don't have a job.  I could work out all day if I didn't have a job.

• Um...I lost the first 58 pounds while working 60 hours a week in a desk job.  80 percent of weight loss is caused reducing food intake.  Exercise is more about making your body use the food efficiently.  Yes, I've worked out a lot this year, but that's because I set up some specific fitness goals that have very little to do with my WLJ.  I'm not saying they don't help, but they are separate.  When I reach goal, I won't stop exercising.
• It should also be noted that the type of exercise you do will have more to do with your weight-loss than time.  I'm not saying that going for a walk isn't good for you, but if you are someone who already walks a lot it isn't going to do much.  Basically, you can't "phone it in" as Jillian says.  If you only have 45 minutes to work out, you'd better make it count.  If you can read while on the elliptical, you're phoning it in.  If you don't look like you just got out of the shower from all the sweat in your hair, you're phoning it it.  If your heart rate doesn't get to around 85%, you're phoning it in.  You can work out hard and fast or easy and slow.  Your choice.

2) You don't have children.  You just don't understand how hard it is to eat healthy when your kids only want to eat junk.

• I call Bullshit.  Several studies show that children, on average, need about 7 exposures to a new food to decide if they like it.  So, while they may latch onto that sausage pizza right away, it may take several tries to get them to eat broccoli.  In other words, if your children don't eat veggies and fruits, it's because you were lazy, not because they are kids.  Also, if you set a good example by eating healthy, your children will pick up the habits.  Kids learn by example.
• If time is the issue (I get that you may have kids going every which way) then you'll have to do a bit of planning.  Maybe cooking a lot on a day off and then freezing single servings of the dishes so you can just pull them out and thaw them when needed (I actually did this when working my 60 hour a week job).  Or keeping a lot of fresh fruits and veggies on hand that can be quickly sliced and served with a sandwich.  It doesn't have to be complicated.  Somewhere in the last 30 years, mothers decided kids had to eat a lot at dinner, but seriously, a sandwich with some veggies and a glass of milk is more than enough.  

3) You're just young and healthy.  I have so many issues, losing weight just isn't a priority.

• First off, this is typically said to people who are at most 8 years older than me.  In that time, their metabolism may have slowed a bit, but it's only about 100 calories a day.  Hardly the single cause of obesity (easily fixed by switching from whole milk to skim or walking 15 minutes).  Also, you don't see yourself as a priority?  Yes, you're right, you are sick, but not physically - get to a shrink and start loving yourself. 
• Secondly, do you know who you are talking to?!  I have metal screw in my ankle, arthritis in both knees and right shoulder, bursitis in my right knee and right hip.  I've pulled hamstrings and put my back out and done other stupid things to my body.  I also suffer from PCOS, which is and endocrine disorder which makes weight loss twice as hard for me than the typical person.   I'm not an ideal candidate, but you know what?  Most people aren't, especially if they are overweight, the difference is that I looked at all those problems and said, "you may challenge me, but you won't conquer me".  If you lose weight, some of your issues may even disappear or at least be reduced.  And, wouldn't that be nice :D

Okay, end rant.  

Now, results...

I lost 1.2 pounds over the last two weeks...I'm so close to goal I can taste it!  Next week?

New Stats:
Start Weight: 232.4
Current Weight: 145.6
Weight-loss to date: 85.8
Goal Weight: 145
Pounds to Goal: .6  (Ahhhh!)

I'm not dead...but I was close!

Okay, well, not that close, but I sure felt like I was!  Before I get into that, apologies for the long gap between my first and second posts.  Okay, now the excuses: the day after I wrote my first post I started feeling sick (well, really, I'd been sick for over a week, but I was just too stubborn to give in until Tuesday) and thus kind of shut down for a few days (with the exception of playing softball on Thursday - I was wishing I had an inhaler after scoring one of our three runs).  I was finally starting to feel better but then disaster stuck - my water heater blew up.  I'm fine, the cats are fine, everybody's fine (the people below me may say differently) and its been fixed, but I spent a good part of my weekend cleaning every surface of my home because apparently replacing water heaters is messy business.  I then spent some time with my fella who I had not seen for two weeks (he was sick too - I wonder who I caught it from, hmm??) and then with my girlfriend who is getting married this fall (I'm the MOH!!).  After such an eventful weekend and being sick...I pretty much fell asleep last night at 8:00.  Yeah...so, I have a lot of excuses, but I PROMISE to make it up to you!  While spending time with my guy and friend I came across a few things to work on that I will definitely write about.  I'm also reading a few books (yes, few, I usually read several at the same time) that I want to share with my readers (all three of you :D).  I will be sure to have a post this weekend, that I can promise you.  What it will be on...well, that's something I'm working on.