Another one bites the dust

Another half inch gone bye-bye! Bum measured 49" this morning. Woohoo!

I wasn't able to keep up with the workout today, however, so one woohoo less. I only cycled for 30 minutes and burned 300 calories in the process.

Food today:
Biryani for breakfast ate out of a quarter plate. Not sure how many calories.
Qeema puff and 2 enchiladas for lunch with a generous sprinkling of cheddar cheese on top.
Biryani and chicken for dinner, eaten off a quarter plate.

I didn't have soup today. I'm not sure how many calories I consumed. Hmm. But I walked at the mall for 2 hours searching for a gift. It should help, I think. And I kept a Fiber One bar in my purse in case I got hungry, which I did. The bar definitely was a healthy substitute for Mickey-D! LOL!

I promised myself I would lift weights and sit on the bike for another half hour in the evening but it didn't materialize. I don't want to be upset, though. I will make up for it tomorrow.

A friend of mine is, by the way, working out for two hours a day - an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. She's rapidly slimming down. I don't know if its safe. You also tend to read about people who end up with lots of loose, dangling skin when they drop lbs rapidly.

Measurements

In my excited tirade last night, I forgot to mention my measurements: 51 - 41 - 39... Hardly appetizing!

I probably wouldn't have thought of measuring myself, except for two reasons: I recently ordered clothes from Pakistan. The lady has to stitch them. .. Oh, oh.. Here's embarrassing situation # 2: The qameez that I absolutely loved cannot be stitched for me... coz there simply isn't enough material!!!!!!!!!!!

"Your hips are 51" all around... The fabric isn't sufficient."

Okay...

How did I react? I chose another fabric that could cover my ass without a problem even though I really liked this one.. and then I sat on the bike for another hour and burned 800 calories. I kept my eyes on my baby's picture the entire time and I prayed to God for help. I need the stamina to keep up with this.


Another reason I reached for the measuring tape: I was reading up on the Calorie burning calculator and chanced upon Dr. Oz's website, RealAge. Dr. Oz strongly recommends you measure yourself instead of weighing, and especially keep track of the waistline. ..

I had never thought about that! Come to think about it, it makes perfect sense. Our weight might drop and then plateau.. and in some cases even bounce right back up. In the past, I gave up primarily because I would get disheartened by the number on the scale. But with the tape measure, I can actually watch my body change.

The website recommends losing 1/2 inch every two weeks, or 1 inch a month. I need to reduce my waist to 32. Doing the math, it will take me 9 months to shrink my waistline. Hmm. That sounds pretty realistic. I know people who set deadlines of two months to lose 50 lbs. They get disappointed when two months turn into three and they still haven't lost much.

I think I have the right mindframe... finally!

By the way, I just got off the bike after an hour of cardio. I had soup for breakfast (120 calories) and two glasses of cold water. My mother-in-law is cooking a fabulous indian meal. Not sure how many calories that has but I'll try to keep my portion size small.. and actually put my food on a quarter plate. It won't be easy since she makes the best Hyderabadi food but I know I need to stay committed.

Also, I measured my bum last night. I've shrunk 1.5 inches already, all in the span of 5 days! I should celebrate... with a handful of grapes!

Fat

I am fat.

I am 185 lbs - well, at least that's how much I weight last week.. Or was it last month?

Oh, nevermind!


I am fat.. and a lady, who I barely know, reinforced the fact last week in public and embarrassed the hell out of me. "You're fatter than the last time I saw you! .. And you were 8 months pregnant at the time!"

I was surprised to hear that. I thought I had heard "You look slimmer than the last time I saw you!", like so many people tell me. Of course, those people are being polite. Even at that instant, a couple women jumped up and tried to defend me.. "I think she's lost weight!"

Although I appreciate this woman's honesty, I do not believe her. I was 216 lbs right before I gave birth and ultimately returned to my pre-pregnancy weight of 185 lbs. So, there's absolutely no way her opinion held merit.

Still... it hit a nerve. There were two supporters, but there were also two other's who mocked me. The group searched for an unhappy expression on my face. I was determined not to give them the satisfaction. Instead, I agreed with this woman 100%, even though I disagreed with her judgment. I couldn't risk getting embarrassed further now, could I?

I had made many promises to myself that I would lose weight once and for all. I broke each one of those promises. I've had weight management issues my entire life. Now that I'm in my thirties, I've often wondered if I should care anymore. Half my life has passed me by... why bother?

Of course I should bother! I have a loving husband a precious daughter. I need to live a healthy lifestyle so I can be with them a few more years, or at least hope.

I need to lose this weight so I can play with my kid.

I need to lose this weight so I can inspire her to live a healthy lifestyle.

I need to lose this weight so when she grows older, she won't feel a wee bit negative about me when she compares me to her friends' fit mommies.

I probably should omit the last sentence because I hope my kid doesn't embrace a shallow mindset, but hey.. no one has full control over every aspect of their child's life.. One can only try to do their very best.


I came home and relayed the story to my husband and even my baby. "Wife is fat!" "Mommy is fat!"

Husband thought I would cry next. In the past, he's seen many a tear over the weight topic. I gave him a smile. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Sure!"

"Sure?"

"No point getting upset. Anger will do nothing for me, but getting a realistic plan will!"

This lady did me a huge favor, even though I do not believe her one bit. But, she opened my eyes up. I am determined to lose this weight once and for all so I never have to hear something so judgmental, if I can help it."

I started my diet and exercise regimen on Monday, February 22.

I have substituted at least one meal a day with soup. The soup cans, luckily, went on sale too! LOL!

I exercise on the recumbent bike every day for one full hour and I burn 800 calories in the process. The first 20 minutes are a bitch, but oh well.. I have my daughter and my husband's pictures in front of me. I look at the framed photos the entire time so I can remain focused. I do not kid!