I firmly believe that you MUST be 100% honest... Not just with those around you, but first and foremost, with yourself.
I'm Katie. I am 24 (almost 25), married to my best friend, Steve, and stay-at-home mom to our son, Scott, who is 9 months old.
I weigh 240 pounds. I'm 5'7" and this puts me at 90 pounds overweight. Yes, I AM OBESE. For those of you that know me "in real life", this probably surprises you, as I carry my weight well. I am also pre-diabetic. In fact, my weight has such a HUGE impact on my health that my doctor told me the weight was a bigger detriment to my health than smoking. ((Yes, Dad, I started smoking, again. And this is another health factor I plan on tackling as well. I NEVER smoke around Scott, and will quit by his first birthday.))
Before I continue any further, you may be wondering, "Why are you putting this on the internet?!" I have a few reasons.
1.) ACCOUNTABILITY
Even if only one person reads this, I want to give them a success story. Secondly, when I write, I thoroughly check it several times and even think about what I'm going to be writing throughout the day. Having all of that in my mind, and in front of me, helps me to be accountable to MYSELF. Which, of course, is the most important thing.
2.) AWARENESS
When I went to my doctor with extreme fatigue, and some back pain, I just knew that "something wasn't right". I have always known that I could lose a few pounds, but had no idea just how out of control it was, or that the weight was impacting my health so negatively. If you don't "feel right", I strongly urge you to talk to your doctor about it. At 24, I did not expect to be pre-diabetic. I thought that it was for "old" or "grossly obese" people. When you catch things early, they are reversible.
3.) ENCOURAGEMENT
Not for myself, but for YOU. That if you have a change to make, even if it seems nearly impossible, just to go out there and grab the bull by the horns! YOU CAN DO IT!
I have spent the past week saying "goodbye" to food... Food that I enjoy, food that is terrible and full of nothing but empty calories. Chinese, Mexican, an array of take-out really, pizza, mac 'n cheese, beer, chips, chocolate, rolls, bread in general, pop corn, soda... And I have found that my portions are out of control, and that I really don't feel good after eating certain things.
I needed the week to process the change I am about to make. I needed the week to weed out my fridge and cupboards of the "forbidden" food, and stock it full of good food. Food that will fill me, food that won't hurt me. And before bed tonight, I will have one last bowl of buttered pop corn. Also the last Mike's Lemonade in the fridge. I also needed the week to understand how terrible certain foods can be, and how energizing others are. For instance, for lunch today, I made an amazing chicken soup full of veggies. Yes, I did add dumplings, and I did serve it with crescent rolls, but aside from the empty carbs, lunch was very enjoyable! And it carried me well through the day!
Why P.I.N.K.? I have tried other things in the past, like weight watchers. I was successful. I lost 12 pounds in a few weeks. I've monitored my carbs and fats intake, all that stuff... However, at those times, I was active. My activity level has significantly decreased since staying at home. In fact, I was more in shape managing fast food. I really don't do much. I needed a program that offered exercise and P.I.N.K. Method is the only program ((that I know of)) which offers both nutrition and exercise together. Thankfully, I acquired enough Christmas money this year to make P.I.N.K. possible! The program itself isn't terribly expensive ((it's cheaper than P 90X)) However, in order to follow the nutrition part of the program, you do need to do a kitchen make-over, and buy whey protein ((I am a proud GNC gold card member. I spent $100 in whey protein alone)) I also had to purchase a weight set.
The first 2 weeks are going to be hard for me. In this time, your protein intake is limited. No carbs at all, no salt, no fat. It is designed this way so that your body focuses on burning fat for energy, instead of carbs. This is the "reset".
After that, I will be able to add complex carbs into my diet, and start the workout portion of the program. There are 3 workout phases... You do each phase for 3 weeks, and then revert back to the no carbs diet for 5 days in between while your body rests and repairs itself. This whole process from start to finish is roughly 12 weeks. Due to my size, I start out with a 14 day reset. Smaller persons would do this for 3-14 days, and would shorten the length of the program. Once the whole program is completed, you should have achieved a lifestyle change on top of the weight loss and body sculpting. The sample menus focus on lean protein, unlimited veggies, and small amounts of complex carbs.
I will finish the program at the end of March. My goal is to be in shape enough to have the stamina to start long distance walking, jogging, or maybe even running. I also plan on doing the 60 day walk for breast cancer in Cleveland this August. Having that goal in my mind will encourage me to continue to stay in shape!!
I am extremely excited to start this! I know it will be rough, but I will be better off in the long run. I do not want to be the parent that sits on the sidelines, and I want to start Scott on the right track by eating healthy, and being active. I owe this not just to myself, but also to my family. They deserve the BEST me that they can have! I KNOW I WILL be successful. This isn't weight loss for my own vanity, this is now a battle for my HEALTH!
Dear Reader,
Thank you for choosing to embark on this journey with me! I really appreciate everyone's support and encouragement through this process! :)
