Tomorrow is the Walk From Obesity

I go before people like myself tomorrow. There will be people who have lost weight. Want to lose weight. Can't control their eating. Have tried everything. Workout constantly. Eat healthy. And some who may have had surgery. That is the only thing I haven't done with regard to my weight.

I am tipping the scale at 167 right now. That is 18 pounds higher than where I was at the end of May. It is 27 pounds higher than I would like. It is 32 more pounds higher than my original goal. It is unacceptable.

I have had people remind me that muscle weighs more than fat - it does. But muscle is not what is making the buttons want to bust off my pants right now - it is fat. Fat that I swore I would never let come visit again. Fat that has no place in my life. Fat that I can blame no one but myself for - I have failed me.

As I slid back into old eating habits (huge portions and high sugar), I also started to slow down my exercise. That's a 1-2 punch to the gut - literally. I now am living proof of what I have preached for a very long time - "This is forever. It's a lifestyle change. You can't go back to the way you were before, it won't work."

I am feeling very hypocritical as I prepare to stand before these people tomorrow. Some will be looking for hope, some for inspiration. I plan to give them both and I will be looking for both for me as well. I expect I will find it in stories and struggles that sound startlingly like my own.

Yours in health, Kate

P.S. - I have already been proactive - my brother and I are now training for the Des Moines Marathon 5K. Since I refuse to be slower than I was last year - I guess I have no choice but to skim off some weight and get running again.

Walk from Obesity

(As promised yesterday...)

My short-term goal is to get my body fat within striking distance of a maintenance point before September 27th. Why? So I don't end up feeling like a big hypocrite when I go speak at the "Walk from Obesity".

I was invited some months ago to speak at this annual walk. It acts as a fundraiser/ educational event to help people who suffer from obesity. It's a chance for overweight people to come together and find another way to live. It is sponsored by the bariatrics department at Iowa Health, so they talk a lot about bypass surgeries. But they also talk about other options, including the one I took.

I interviewed the organizers last year before the walk for a talk show I do called "Information Iowa". I was very skeptical because I was concerned it was one big commercial for surgery. I consider bypass and lap band procedures to be the absolute, unequivocal, LAST resort for people. I want proof from anyone who claims to have 'tried to lose weight a million times' really has before they face going under a knife and possibly dying.

So when they invited me to speak, I was humbled and flattered and jumped immediately. Not because I like having my ego fed, but because this is a chance to do what I have made part of my mission since having success in weight loss - inspire others.

However, as I get ready to head to the Iowa State Fair for what will be my "off" day this week, I am facing the fact that I have not been as diligent as I need to be. My healthy eating has been held down by too much sugar and fat for several months now. I still eat the healthy things and workout, but I could be rid of the remaining fat if I would stay out of the cookies.

So, I have set a schedule to meet with trainer Traci every two weeks between now and the end of September. I am making the effort to put in longer workouts. I will get near 19% body fat by the walk. Then I will maintain it.

At that point I will feel like I can stand before a hundreds of people and talk about my recovery from obesity. I can tell my story and not feel like a liar. I tell people to eat healthy and know that I have rededicated myself. I can Walk from Obesity too.

Yours in health, Kate