Somehow I missed a July update for Weight Watchers. So, I’m combining July and August in an update . There is just not enough time in the day!
In my last update in June, I shared with you that I was not doing very well and I ended up going to the doctor for some pretty severe anxiety I was having. It was incredibly overwhelming and I felt like going to the doctor for medication was a last resort. I am just a week shy of two months on medication now and I have to say, going to the doctor to discuss what was going on, and getting a prescription for Zoloft and Xanax was a lifesaver. Any trepidations I had of taking medication for fear of weight gain now seem ridiculous. I feel that taking medication for something when needed is not a bad thing and it’s okay to ask for help.
Zoloft has mostly leveled me out. Being prone to anxiety and depression means that I can be all over the place with my emotions. Up one minute, down the next. After about three weeks, I started to feel more normal. Things that were setting me off – which really was anything and everything – seemed more manageable. If I’m in a stressful situation, I don’t automatically freak out and feel like my heart is going to pound out of my chest. I feel like one way or another, I can handle it. My mind feels less cluttered now. And most importantly, I feel like myself. Zoloft does not make me feel numb or not care about things. It allows me to handle things and face things in a more appropriate manner.
I have a follow-up appointment and a physical in two weeks and I am positive I will stay on the Zoloft (the Xanax is only as needed, not daily). Clearly, I need the Zoloft, and I’m okay with that.
So! How am I doing with my weight loss and Weight Watchers? Here is where I am currently.
And here is a look back at my weigh-ins since my last update here on June 29.
06/28/14………………………156.2
07/05/14……………………….156.0
07/12/14………………………..Used my no weigh-in pass
07/19/14………………………..Skipped
07/26/14……………………….155.0
08/02/14………………………Skipped
08/09/14………………………155.2
Looking at these numbers, the first thing that jumps out at me is that I’ve only lost a pound in the last 6 weeks. That’s not the case. When I used my no weigh-in pass (the first time I’ve not weighed in at a meeting that I attended), I did it because I knew I would be up and I just didn’t want to see it. The skipped meetings were me just being lazy and wanting to not get up at 5am. Sometimes, sleep just wins.
Another thing is, all of this is while on Zoloft which does have weight gain as a side effect. I’ll take a one pound loss all day long if it means not gaining.
And lastly, I am now marathon training and I want to eat ALL the food there is. I know this is only going to continue as my mileage increases over the next 16 weeks and I will have to do my best to counteract that. I need to make the best food choices I can, when I can, especially when eating and snacking for fuel.
One thing I’m still having a VERY hard time doing is tracking. I want to do it, I think about doing it, I make mental notes of the points I consume, but I don’t actually do the tracking. I really need to get back in the habit of that because I know it helps.
As far as activity, it’s all about running and marathon training. But, I am also doing PiYo which I love so much. It is wonderful for flexibility and keeping me stretched out after running.
One other change I have made is I have cut out alcohol – almost. Since starting on my medication, I stopped drinking beer and wine because the prescription bottles said no alcohol. I did, have attend a margarita tasting last week and enjoyed samples, but that has been it for the last two months (which by the way gave me a headache the following day, I’m sure it was the combination of the medication and alcohol). Also, I didn’t want to drink while marathon training. Do I miss beer? YES, very much so. But, for now, I am choosing not to have it. I certainly don’t need the added points.
My weight graph looks very similar to my last update but it’s a great visual for me because it shows how far I’ve come – and for the most part, it’s continuing to go down.
I feel like I will always be working towards my goal of 140. Some days it feels farther away than others. But 155 is a pretty great place to be compared to the 178 I started at on January 1, 2013. And more importantly, I feel strong, and that is a wonderful thing.
What one factor affects your weight loss the most?
