A 50-Pound Cheesecake (And 50 Things I've Gained Now That I've Lost)

August 27, 2014

A 50-Pound Cheesecake (And 50 Things I've Gained Now That I've Lost)

There was a point in my journey (not so long ago, in fact), that I thought this day would never come. I had worked so hard to lose my first 40-45 pounds, and I was tired. Tired of eating salads for almost every meal. Tired of getting up at 5:00 in the morning (or staying up until 11:00 at night) to work out because that's what my schedule would allow. Tired of busting my butt and not seeing any real progress on the scale.

Physically and emotionally tired.

And comfortable.

I still had 30-35 pounds to go until my ultimate goal, but I was feeling so much better and looking so much better that I caved a little (sometimes, a LOT). Suddenly, I wasn't feeling so guilty about eating cheeseburgers and fries EVERY DAY after my girls' swimming lessons were over. I wasn't feeling the urgent need to go to the gym and sweat profusely for an hour. I just wasn't feeling "it" (in this case, "it" refers to my lifestyle change) anymore. I ~~needed~~ wanted a break from being "good" all the time.

And what better time to take a break than summertime, right?

I mean, there's cookouts and homemade ice cream and, at least for my family, 5 little kids' birthdays to celebrate! Who wants to go to a birthday party and eat asparagus salad when there's cake and ice cream (and sometimes brownies and chocolate sauce)???

Though, to be fair, I must say that the asparagus salad is absolutely divine.

But I digress...

Eight months (back in May) was a long time to be committed to something and not have any "final" results. I really wanted to lose my 70-75 pounds all within the first year of this lifestyle change. I am a goal setter. I have high aspirations.

I also have the appetite of a famished lion.

Discouragement set in. I felt like a failure. I was jealous of everyone else who seemed to continue to get results while I was stuck on a never-ending plateau of 40-45 pounds. My body just didn't want to give up any more fat. My husband started his journey towards the end of April, and in just a couple of months, he was boasting the same results that had taken me four times as long to achieve! Men and their easy weight loss... women and our stupid hormones that make it harder for us to lose weight...

So, I just didn't feel the need to eat as healthy or stay as active as I had been. I wanted to be "bad" again. I kind of felt like an Amish teen experiencing the outside world for the first time.

It was exhilarating.

Then I went back home and realized I needed to repent of my lavish sins and get back to work.

I am, after all, human.

The good news is that I didn't really gain any weight back during my carb/fat/gluten/sugar-infused binge. I bounced back and forth between those 40-45 pounds lost, but I am happy to say that that's as far as things went. It made it a lot easier to get back on the wagon and crack the whip.

So recently, I decided to re-dedicate myself to my goals and prove to myself (and everyone else who has been following my journey and holding me accountable), that I AM capable of seeing this journey through to the end. It might be taking me a little longer than expected, and I might have taken a few detours in the process, but I'm back on track now. I refuse to give up. I refuse to let temptation win the war (though it certainly won its fair share of battles).

I WILL hit my goal! I've got 20 pounds to go, and thanks to all of your support and encouragement, I KNOW I will make it!!!

But first, a little celebration for reaching the 50-pound mark...

This little ditty is a combination of two of my favorite desserts (nothing will ever top pie, but this certainly comes in at a close second). I mentioned to one of my friends during Bible study one night that if I'm going to eat cake, it's got to be either cheesecake or German chocolate cake, because those are really the only two kinds of cake I like. Well, she was kind enough to get on Pinterest and send me this recipe, knowing full-well I was smack dab in the middle of my new lifestyle change. Seriously? A combination of the two?

I believe her exact words were, "Just pin it and forget about it!"

Sure. And while I'm at it, I think I'll climb Mt. Everest, because in my mind, both are equally challenging...

So, I pinned it, but I never forgot about it. I decided to save it for a very special occasion, and losing 50 pounds is as special as any occasion I can think of. And knowing what I've gone through to get to this point makes it that much sweeter!

If you want the delicious recipe for yourself, it's on my Pinterest board "Cakes."

Anyway, I've also decided to share 50 things I've gained now that I've lost 50 pounds. I quickly discovered that sometimes, it's the little things that count...

I can cross my legs when I sit down

I no longer have to wear maternity pants (when I'm not pregnant)

And speaking of maternity, NO MORE baby weight!!!

My rings are actually loose on my fingers

I had to take a couple of links out of my watch

New holes in the belts

A new wardrobe (when you go from a size 18 to a size 8 pant and an XL to a Med shirt, it's kind of a necessity)

Reduced cellulite

Reduced visibility of stretch marks

Healthier skin, hair and nails

Compliments from complete strangers

Greater stamina and bundles of energy

No more double chin

No more "back fat" bulge

No more "muffin top"

My thighs don't rub together when I walk or run

And, yeah, there's that... I RUN now!
And the thigh thing... bye-bye hideous "V" (I know you know what I'm talking about)

I can walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded
I'm riding a bicycle again

Strong muscles (I can do mountain climbers and burpees without passing out)
My love for exercise has been reignited

An almost complete elimination of my migraines

No cholesterol meds

Balanced hormones (and a reduction in PMS symptoms)

No more "Bingo wings"

I can wrap a bath towel around me without exposing anything

My underwear stays put when I move (ahem, if you know what I mean)

I'm actually more comfortable walking around in my undies and looking in the mirror

And speaking of undies, I can buy the cute kind again instead of the "Granny Panties" I've been used to

I'm wearing a non-maternity bathing suit for the first time since 2004

I'm wearing shorts for the first time since 2004

My kids no longer poke at my belly fat or ask me if I'm having another baby (bless those sweet dears, but sometimes honesty is brutal)

I'm actually comfortable now having my picture taken

I've gained overall confidence in myself and am generally a lot happier

I smile more
I no longer feel self-conscious in public

My kitchen is now filled with all kinds of healthy food

I have so many more great recipes that are healthy and yummy

I am more educated about different healthy lifestyles and what works/doesn't work for me

I've gained the understanding that I wasn't the only one facing the issues I had

I have a better relationship with food (I'm still a work in progress, but it doesn't control me like it used to)
Self control

Freedom from sodas and caffeine

Freedom from being obsessed with the number on the scale

A desire to do things instead of sitting around my house
A healthier husband
Healthier kids
A love of helping others get healthy and reach their health goals
My life back

In the interest of keeping this post from going on and on forever, I'll end with my "before" and "current" pics. The current one was taken this morning after my 4-mile walk, so please excuse the sweatiness (is that a word?)... :-)