New Life, New Me! Comments Welcome and Appreciated

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I have decided to start a new journal as my first journal was really centered around losing weight for my Master's. Well, it didn't happen. I need a fresh start and decided to start a new journal.

I guess an introduction is in order. My name is Jessi and I am attempting lose about 50 lbs. My starting weight is 156.4. As a kid, I really didn't have much of a weight problem. I was always very active which more than made up for my admittedly bad eating habits. When I went to college I gained the freshman 15, and while I halfheartedly tried to lose the weight, I was never considered to be at an unhealthy weight.

I did 3 college programs with WDW, one in attractions and two in entertainment. Both of these jobs were physically active and allowed me to continue my poor eating habits. I had a bit of a wake up call my last CP when I lost a role due to my weight. I was able to lose the weight and gain back the role which was a great feeling.

Due to financial considerations, I ended up moving back to Missouri to start my Master's degree. Suddenly, I wasn't active all day but I failed to adjust my eating habits and the weight piled on. I gained about 30 lbs, in addition to the 20 or so vanity pounds I already wanted to lose.

I had another wake up call this fall when I was diagnosed with prediabetes. It's only a matter of time before it is full blown Type 2, but if I can lose the weight and get with the program, I can hopefully delay it for several years. I have also had some very significant stomach problems that are still undiagnosed. Between the two it has been exhausting. I'm tired of feeling fat and unattractive. I know that most of this has been brought on by myself, and I am committing to changing.

I recently served as weightkeeper for BL 7.1 and it was so inspiring seeing how much weight people could lose in just 6 weeks. If BibbidyBobbidyBoo can lose over 10% in six weeks (and by the way, congratulate her as she is offically our Biggest Loser!) then so can I!

I had an appointment with my endocrinologist today and he really gave me a wake up call. I have another appointment in August, and I would love to be down 10 lbs by the time I see him. 20 would be great, but I want to make sure that I keep things reachable.

This is the perfect time. I have bought a house and am moving to a new city in June. I start a new job as a special education teacher in August. As I embark on this new life, I am redefining myself n so many ways. I don't want "fat chick" to be a part of who I am any longer.

So how do I plan to accomplish this?

-I am going to read the book "Forever Young Lifestyle and Diet" as recommended by my endocrinologist and follow their plan.

-I will counting points (Weight Watchers) which I have been failing to do. The first week I will simply journal everything I eat. The second week I will count points for breakfast. Third week breakfast and lunch, and fifth week all food. I realized that I was trying to do too much at once and then when I wasn't perfect calling it quits.

-I plan to begin by exercising for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. Much of this will be walking my two angels (well, sometimes) on four leg: Eragon and Matthias.

I hope to eventually one day run a marathon at Disney World and then work my way up to the Danskin Women's Triathlon at Disney World. My boyfriend and I have talked about eventually moving to Orlando and teaching full tiem while working for Disney part time. I want to perform again, but I know it is not possible at the weight/shape I am in now and that breaks my heart. I will no longer allow my weight to stand in the way of my dreams.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I always love being able to put faces with names, I also think it really helps to see progress. I am going to be updating this post as I lose the weight (and I will lose the weight!)

Before:
This picture was taken when I got my Master's.

With my cousin at World's of Fun

My walking crew:

Eragon is the brown dog and Matthias is the puppy. This was taken the day Mattie came home from the pound.

I love this picture because it really captures the heart of my two "monkeys". Although this was a year and a half ago, they still horse around like this.

I can't leave out my beatiful cats:
Makya is the cow looking cat, and Eowyn is the calico.

This is where I was at when I left Disney, about halfway between where I am now and my goal weight:

This was taken in HoeDown, an impromptu interactive square dancing show in Frontierland.

As a Santa Girl for the Disney Happy Hollydays Parade in what was then known as Disney MGM Studios.

 

[My2E's]

It looks like you have a great plan! I think now is your time. Like you said, new life, new you!

I love your pics. The dogs are too cute. I think I will try to add some pics to my journal as well. That is a great idea, and as we lose weight we will be able to post more pics to see the before/after!

Good luck!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Today went pretty well. It felt wonderful to sleep in! I ended up going on two walk with the dogs today, totalling 3 miles. So far so good on the journalling. I do wish I could get my stupid stomach issues figured out. I saw a GI doc last week and had some various tests done. He's thinking it might be IBS or IBD. One of the tests came back negative but I won't hear the results of the rest of it until the end of the week at the earliest. We decided to do some mild tests and some medicine since I am getting ready to move, then I could hook up with a GI doc there for some more invasive tests (will probably need an endoscopy).

Tomorrow I go back up to Kirksville to start packing. It will be interesting to see the tornado damage from last week.

 

[Joanna71985]

Love the pictures Jessi! I wish you the best of luck with the new job in Aug.

Also, I hope you and your boyfriend are able to move to FL. I would love to see you again.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I've been back in Kirksville and the packing is not coming along as well as I thought it would be by now. I didn't get to have a true vacation after school so I ended up doing a lot of sleeping in, lol. Oh well, I've gotten started now and am confident tht it will be done by this time next week.

So.... I told myself I was going to journal everything this week but not worry about counting points. Yeah, the journalling did not happen. My plan for this coming week has been to journal everything and start counting points for breakfast. I'm going to go ahead and do that (my WW week starts on Tuesday). At least the last couple of days I have gotten a short walk in with the puppies. Maybe once I get done packing I'll be able to do some longer walks with them.

I'm not overly confident about Tuesday's weigh in because not only did I not count points but I pretty much sucked at journalling. I do plan to keep walking the dogs, and I'm excited to have my own house in less than a month! I'm thinking about making an exercise room out of the basement. Eventually (maybe next summer) I want to save up enough money to put down hard wood flooring, some mirros, and a ballet bar to turn it into a dance room. I could also put an elliptical or bike in there, but mostly I want a space to practice dancing since I probably won't have the time/money to take classes for about a year or two. (Plus, nobody needs to see this in a leotard). Since I eventually want to get back to Disney I don't want to lose the dancing skills I have, plus, it's great exercise!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Well, the end of the week has sucked on ice. I posted about it elsewhere, don't really feel like getting into it here. At least I am exceeding my goal of counting points for breakfast. I have been recording the points for everything- even if I am not trying to stay within the values.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I weighed in tonight and stayed the same! Considering that I was simply trying to get into the habit of journalling and not actually staying within my points, I'm happy.

So a little background on last week: On Monday I got a call from my family doctor telling me that my test for inflammatory bowel disease was negative .This is good news and I go about my merry way. Then on Thursday I get a call from the Gastroenterologist's (GI) office telling me that one of the tests was still out, one was negative, and the serotonin test came back high. I kept trying to ask the nurse what that meant but she wouldn't tell me (she also wouldn't even let me get a question in, she kept talking over me.) I had to do another test to determine what was going on.

Since she wouldn't tell me, I googled the test and it turns out it only tests for one thing- a rare kind of cancer called carcinoid syndrome. Basically, a carcinoid is a tumor in your intestines/abdomen that secretes serotonin. Only 10% cause symptoms. It sounded like it was a matter of surgery to remove it and possible chemo, scary, but doable. Then I read a nice little sentence on Mayo Clinic's website about how once you show symptoms it's probably too late and all they can do is make you comfortable.

That freaked me out. I ended up on the phone crying to my mom. She got me calmed down (and admitted that she would have freaked out too after reading that). I don't have any of the symptoms really (diarrhea is one, but I don't have the kind they described) so I was able to relax.

I dropped off the other test yesterday and went to the family doctor's office and the GI's office to figure out what the deal is. The family doctor gave me a printout of what they had. When they had called they had the results of the serotonin test and obviously didn't think it was elevated enough to be a problem, which makes me feel better.

When I went up to the GI doc's office I told them why I was there and they told me to have a seat. After about 10 minutes the nurse called me back. She knew why I was there, but took me to a room where she didn't have access to the test results and wouldn't look at my printout. She then went to her office to look at the results and said the doctor was in there and she needed to talk to him so it would be at least half an hour. I hadn't had lunch so I told her I would come back.

I went to lunch and she called me asking if we could do this over the phone. It turns out they did have the results of the IBD panel but the doctor had never seen it. They would not have the results of the test I just did for a few days because it gets sent out. I asked her if she could tell me what the first test meant and she said she didn't know anything about it. I told her what I had read and asked her if the doctor indicated how serious it was. She didn't know. Fair enough. She kept trying to make an appointment, but then would back up saying that he wanted the results of the other test first and she didn't know when they would be in. I told her it was fine, I would wait. She kept cutting me off so I couldn't ask a question. I think I said thank you about ten million times trying to get off the phone. The doctor is really good, but I'm not sure I like dealing with his office.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I weighed in tonight and lost 2.6! I'm very happy.

This has been a crazy week. Tomorrow I drive to Jeff City (where my parents live) and then we will be driving to Kansas City. On Saturday I am doing Wish Granter training with Make A Wish while my parents do walk through of my house to check that the repairs were done properly. Then I go to Worlds of Fun to interview for a job during the summer/weekends.

Sunday we are off to Kansas for my great Uncle Orville's 90 something birthday.

Then it's back to Kirksville to tidy up and on Wednesday I close on my house!

I did find out that the test for cancer was negative. That is a huge relief. I now have an endoscopy and colonscopy scheduled to find out if it's irritable bowel or celiac.

 

[Joanna71985]

I weighed in tonight and lost 2.6! I'm very happy.

This has been a crazy week. Tomorrow I drive to Jeff City (where my parents live) and then we will be driving to Kansas City. On Saturday I am doing Wish Granter training with Make A Wish while my parents do walk through of my house to check that the repairs were done properly. Then I go to Worlds of Fun to interview for a job during the summer/weekends.

Sunday we are off to Kansas for my great Uncle Orville's 90 something birthday.

Then it's back to Kirksville to tidy up and on Wednesday I close on my house!

I did find out that the test for cancer was negative. That is a huge relief. I now have an endoscopy and colonscopy scheduled to find out if it's irritable bowel or celiac.

That's great about the weight loss! And good luck with the MAW Wish Granter training.

That's good to hear the test for cancer was negative, and I will be praying for you when you go for the other tests.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Well, I had the stupid colonoscopy/endoscopy on Tuesday. Today I get a call from the office of incompetence. I was on the phone with AT&T when they called and recognized the number, so I called them back when I got off. I spent about 5 minutes with the nurse asking me why I didn't understand the voicemail. A voicemail I never got. She couldn't let it go. Turns out the voicemail was instructing me to call them. Um, isn't that what I just did? Can you see why I am frustrated with this office?

I finally got her to tell me why she called. The colonoscopy was clean. The endocopy showed signs of reflux. They also did biopsies of the stomach/intesting. Apparently my stomach biopsy shows irritation and my small intesting shows signs of inflammation. I have no idea what this means. She told me that there was no need for medication now (good, I'd rather not take any) but there was no info on how to stop the problems I've been having. She told me that he wanted me to make a follow up appointment with the doctor in my area.

So... I end up on hold with my insurance for half an hour trying to find a doctor. (I don't have internet at my new house yet, AT&T is very confused about my account). I find out they don't cover anybody within a 50 mile radius of Kansas City. So I had to call back the doctor's office to try to get an appointment with the doctor I've been seeing in my parents' hometown (I can't wait until my job insurance kicks in). I go back to see him on July 14. So I have answers as to what's going on inside my body, but no answers as to why or how to manage it in the meantime.

 

[jennz]

Hey there!! What a horrible time you're having..{{hugs}}. I just checked on the endo I had in KC but he's moved. 50 miles is ridiculous!!

Congrats on being 2.6 less - woo hoo!!!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Yay, my journal got some love!

I weighed in tonight and was up by 2 lbs. I kind of expected it, points counting has gone on hold while I've moved, and of course it's that lovely time of the month. I get serious munchies when I'm PMSing and really overdid it last week. Oops.

Now that I'm fully moved in (if not unpacked) I go back to points counting tomorrow. I was going to be a good girl and stay for the meeting tonight but the leader was a total turn off. He rubbed me the wrong way the minute I walked in. He was in the other room and I thought he was a very loud and self absorbed member. Then I realized he was the leader! Before I even went into the room I asked her if he was the normal leader. If so, I was going to have to try another time. She said he is not, just filling in for the leader who is on vacation.

He apparently is a preacher by trade and has the yelling/preaching style of speaking. I do not come to WW to be yelled/preached at. I prefer a leader who is more conversational and actually listens to their members intead of talking just to hear the sound of their own voice. The last straw was when he was talking about how he thought he just might have diabetes because he was sooooooooo fat and how it was the end of the world and how he asked everybody to pray pray pray and thank God he didn't have diabetes. Now he's skinny and will never get it. As somebody with diabetes, hearing this kind of complete ignorance about my disease just rubbed me the wrong way.

The link between weight gain and Type 2 is very complex, and there is growing evidence that Type 2 can contribute to weight gain. I managed to get diabetes less than a year after becoming overweight. I was a competitive dancer, fencer, lacrosse player, performed for Disney, etc. I was hardly a couch potato and apparently already had it but my active lifestyle was masking the symptoms. Even then I had symptoms of it but never realized what it was. Only after going back to school did I realize what I had. This guy was just awful. If I had been a first time member I would have never come back.

Whew, I feel better now. I'm sure there are people who really respond to his style, but I am not one of them and am very glad that he is not the normal leader for the time I have chosen.

 

[jennz]

Journal love - you got it!

That dude would have me counting down the seconds for the meeting to be over. Wow! I hope your regular person is more motivational.

So what are your goals? (I have to ask you that because as of this moment my only goal is to eat healthy - I need to get on it) Will you be buying cute new teaching clothes soon?

 

[keenercam]

Oh, Jessi! That does not sound like my kind of leader, either. I am sorry you had to hear all of his personal prejudices and that it impacted on your desire to stay and get real information out of the meeting. I hope you can find a leader who is a good fit for your style/needs. I am sure it will make a big difference. Good luck with getting answers to your health issues. Looking forward to sharing your progress!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

My goals:

I would like to get down to 100 eventually. I would love to be out of the "triple digits". Believe me, it was a huge psychological blow to be in the triple digits for the first time. And while I could go as low as 95 and still be within the WW range (which does not go as low as CDC recommendations), I figured I don't want to go too extreme.

My short term goal is to lose at least 10 lbs by the start of the school year. I would like to get my 10%, but that might be a little too ambitious. I actually have clothes ina range of sizes because I never threw anything away, so I will only need to supplement what I already have.