Danger, Danger Will Robinson!

By Sarah Dewitt

After battling my weight for most of my life you would think I would have this battle down to a science, right? Well, no. Obviously if I had it down to a science I would no longer be in the battle. As I continue to feel great and enjoy making and eating healthy food choices like I never have before, I'm acquiring a list of "red light" foods that just don't play well with me, or more likely, I don't play well with them.

My son's Dairy Queen death by chocolate ice cream cake is first on my list. I had a nice big piece and it was heaven...and then another sliver and another sliver...until I slammed the lid on it and shoved it in the freezer...with a stomach ache! It was at that point I had an ahuh moment when I realized there are some foods that when I finish eating it, I just want more and more. The next day, now wiser that this food is a trigger for me, went a little better. I had another piece of ice cream cake, but this one was a 1 inch sliver, I ate it, enjoyed it and was happy with that.

I did the same thing with brownies, chocolate chunk, still warm from the oven, nice big brownie and then right back into the kitchen for another one...which I hid in the kitchen to eat. Same pattern, I did better the second day with a modest piece and content with that.

We all need to treat ourselves and eat things we love. One big diet sabotage for me is to feel deprived of something or to feel hungry. I've got the hunger thing in control, I've just got to keep an eye on those red light foods that give me temporary insanity. At the end of the day, it's OK, forgive yourself and move on. Tomorrow is another day!

Sarah

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

By Sarah Dewitt

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way....

~Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities

I hit a new milestone in my weight loss this morning, one that I have been anticipating for many months. It felt amazing to see a number on the scale, that quite frankly, I can't tell you the last time I saw. I think it was when I was pregnant with my second son, 15 years ago.

It dawned on me just how high the highs of weight loss are...and just how low the lows of weight gain are, when you are battling your weight. I have seen my share of lows, decades of them, and they are definitely the worst of times when you can't seem to make the scale move anywhere but up.

I think I just might have found my magic bullet that is the perfect fit for my mom on the run life. It's easy, fills me up, quiets my cravings for all things sweet and just seems to give me a sense of control. Maybe that is why ViSalus is really working for me, it has sat me in the driver's seat of my runaway train. I think I might have turned this train around and am settled for the long journey home.

Sarah

It's not what you eat, it's what you don't eat that makes a difference

By Becky Comeau

How it’s Going, Week 7

At the risk of sounding like a snake oil salesman or carnival barker, I want to let you know what’s happening with me and ViSalus meal replacements.   First of all, let me acknowledge that I fought it for a couple of months while I watched my sister Sarah have success.   She’s a skeptic (to say the least) so I figured I’d see what was happening with her FIRST.   What happened with her was slow and gradual weight loss and eating control.  Then all of a sudden, it seemed like someone flipped a switch in her and she was oozing confidence, optimism, and shedding pounds and inches.   She became the incredible shrinking woman while I was wallowing in my size 16s and irritability that the ^%&()T## pounds had crept back on AGAIN.

I also felt like crap most of the time and couldn’t get out of my own way, never mind out the door to walk or swim.  I was dragging myself out of bed every morning and longing for the second I could get back in it.   Sarah, who IS NOT a carnival barker suggested I try ViSalus for the health benefits “Mom said you are dragging all the time”.   I agreed  -I was on a cycle to nowhere and size 18 jeans. 

So I signed on and signed up for a one month “trial” and when the first bags came I figured I had bought into a hoax because it looked exactly like the others powders and potions I have bought at Sams and everywhere else.  Besides, by this time others had told me that so-and-so had tried it and it didn’t work, or they GAINED  weight or it’s too expensive.

But I was determined to give it an HONEST try and two weeks in, I discovered what Sarah was experiencing was true for me as well, appetite  and eating control without starvation.   Moreover, the darn stuff seemed to reset my appestat (like thermostat).  I was not at all interested in junk food or carbs, and I could walk right past the food that normally ambushed me.  I was starting to think this might actually work.   A month in I was down 8 pounds and feeling rather enthusiastic.   I was now craving healthy foods (WHAT!!!) and eating smarter than I ever had in my whole life, and by choice, not by guilt.

Five weeks in and I’m waking up at 5am and out the door for a walk before getting ready for work.   I was staying up later at night buzzing around the house, I got back into Zumba 2-3 times a week and swam every chance I could.  I have energy, better mood control (hope is a powerful drug)  and that slow, gradual weight loss. 

I’m now at seven weeks and the weight loss is obvious.  I’m down 13 pounds and my size 16s are almost ready for The Salvation Army clothing collection.  My skin is softer and my face is smaller.   I went to the grocery store and spend $8.00 this week.  Carrots, zucchini, Almond milk, chicken, and eggs.    I now have referred three friends who want the same results, so now my Visalus is free.   As that line in the movie goes “if this is torture, chain me to the wall”. 

Does this sound like a sales pitch?  Is is!!!    But take note, it is not magic and it is not snake oil, it is a meal replacement that will work just as hard as you do but not one bit more.  If you are committed (or desperate) enough to honestly make the necessary changes and modifications and apply some self-control, it just might work for you too.   Are there other ways?  Of course!    Just find a plan that you can live with and stick with and remember my new mantra “it’s not what you eat, it’s what you DON’T eat that makes the difference. 

Stay tuned for the next blog post –“Why am I fat?”

Feeling Good Is The First Step To Living Your Best Life

By Susan R. Comeau-Nguyen

Have you ever heard the expression that "what you spend your time doing is who you are"?  What about this expression..."nothing tastes as good as being thin feels"...have you heard that one"?  I have spent a lot of time in the last year and a half thinking about living, weight, and health.  If you are not familiar with my story then I should inform you that I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer in October 2009.

Since that diagnosis, I have had an abundance of time to contemplate a wide variety of subjects and big among them was..how to get my life back.  You see, I didn't want to just be alive, I wanted to live..really live.  For me, really living is squeezing all the juice out of good living and feeling good about myself in the process.  It is really hard to have a lot of enjoyment in your daily living if you don't feel good about yourself.

Over the last year and a half my weight has fluctuated tremendously.  In the begining my weight dropped rapidly as the cancer really took hold.  Then with the first and second round of chemotherapy, steroids, and anti-estrogen medications my weight has begun to climb.  It has been a real emotional roller coaster and my body-image and satisfaction with my appearance has taken a beating.  I want to weigh less but I also want to be healthy.  When you have cancer it is not quite as simple as going on a diet and losing a few pounds.

I have gotten permission to take off some weight if Ido it in a slow and healthy way.  I will keep you informed of my progress by posting on this blog.  Living my best life means that I am feeling good, looking good and have energy to keep up with my two year old. 

I am inspired by my mother and the recent success and new found excitement she is experiencing.  I have some of that, thank you very much.

Susan

A Lesson Learned,,,,,,,,Again

By Becky Comeau

I am loving my ViSalus shakes  (http://beckyc.myvi.net/), feeling great and satisfied.  I find I'm not rooting around looking for something to graze on and I like the feeling of self-control.  I'm cured, right? Wrong. Saturday I did some Easter baking and my old enemy chocolate was on the menu.  Do you know how good chocolate smells, how it melts in your mouth with that additive sweetly satisfying taste?   AHHH.  So one little morsel became a second, then a third, then a bigger fourth until I was completely undone and ended up with a massive headache and a bad attitude.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely not.  Did I learn anything?  Absolutely yes.  I learned that it's ok to have a little treat once in a while  so I forgave myself and got back on the trail.

We're All In This Together

By Becky Comeau

Tonight as I talked to a dear friend who is stumbling down the same rocky path that I am, I realized how much we all have in common.  I have realized that this blog must belong to all of us because we all need each other.  Let's make this blog a virtual community and as our group of weight loss warriors grows, so too will the blogs, recipes, stories and victories add up and hopefully inspire and challenge all of us.  So then, as we all share and invite newcomers into the fold, I will extend to them an offer to be co-owner of this blog.

Week 5, Day 2 Just Get A Plan

By Becky Comeau

I'm having great success with my plan.  I'm down officially 11.5 pounds as of this morning thanks to ViSalus.  Again, I realize that success or failure builds momentum.  If I'm in control of my eating, I have more energy and optimism, feel empowered, have more self-confidence, more joy, and just feel better about myself.  I then have more determination, take better care of myself, want to excersie and do so, want to eat better and do so. 

On the contrary........if I am not in control.........I am discouraged and not motivated.  I hate to go clothes shopping, feel defeated, unsure of myself, am hopeless about ever losing weight or ever feeling good about myself again.  I hate the way I look and feel.  I hide in the back of group photos and do my best not to have my picture taken at all.   And because I feel hopeless, when that cupcake calls to me, I just cave in.  Because it really doesn't matter, I'm never going to succeed.  I might as well just face it.

The point is to get a plan that you can stick to.  It really doesn't matter what it is, just find something that works for you.  And remember 2 Timothy 1:7; For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Here's to you

A Beginning

By Becky Comeau

Welcome to my blog.  In it, I hope to journal my weight loss journey, successes, failures, and bumps in the road.   My oldest daughter Susan challenged a bunch of us a while back to think out and write out our Bucket list of the things in life we want to accomplish.  One of mine was to lose weight, again.  I am glad to say that life goal is underway in a way I had never contemplated.  I will explain in the days and weeks to come.  This blog will be ruthlessly honest and transparent, I have nothing to hide and know that many of you have shared my struggles and pain.  I am writing this blog because I am determined not to quit or lose heart and hope that my successes AND FAILURES might encourage you to take this journey with me.  I am forcing myself to be accountable and weigh in each week in front of the whole world (or at least the part that reads this blog).  So, here's to better health and smaller jeans!!