My Journey 28/03/2009

Hunni and our Furbabies

My name is Cynthia and I’m a Salvation Army officer/pastor.  My husband (Hunni) and I live currently in Massachusetts where we are the administrators/ pastors of the local Salvation Army in our town.  We have been married a little more than a year and have two wonderful dogs.  We were married the week after we graduated from seminary and were ordained.  This past year was crazy but we love it.

 

Everyday me

I’ve been living a healthy lifestyle since April 2006 when I saw a picture of me from Christmas and realized just how big I had gotten.  I guess dinners of Girl Scout cookies (the whole box) and greasy quesadillas weren’t the best for me.  I cleaned out my cupboard and gave all the not so good foods to friends who would eat them.  I restocked my cupboards with fresh fruits and veggies, low fat proteins and healthy grains and less of the junk I had been feeding body. 

 

It took a while to get used to but I went into it head on.  I did slip up sometimes but I think the key was I didn’t deprive myself.  It wasn’t all or nothing as I had done in the past and that’s why I think it stuck.  I figured out what worked for me.

 

By the end of August when I entered seminary I had lost around 80 pounds (from 260-180).  I was excited that my new uniforms (we wear them in The Salvation Army) were about 6 sizes smaller (from British 22 to British 16).  No one told me that all the free food available in the cafeteria and the lack of time due to studying would make it hard to keep up my healthy habits.  I gained back 20 pound over the next year. I was still working out occasionally and trying to make healthy choices but it wasn’t easy. 

 

I injured my back in November 2007  and was unable to run or do all the stuff I normally did.  So I ate.  In fact most of that 20 pounds I gained back was gained after my injury.  I was determined to lose the weight again and get to my goal of 155-160 but was having a hard time.  I was eating far too much and didn’t know it.  Even too much healthy stuff is just too much.  My back injury turned out to be 3 herniated discs in my lumbar spine.

How beautiful post surgery.

In January 2008 my seminary was starting a Weight Watchers group and persuaded me to join because they knew my frustration.  They knew I was healthy minded but my situation wasn’t helping and I was slipping.  I did join the group and I loved the program.  I saw immediate results and was amazed at the difference in portion sizes when I ate the correct portions.  By the time I graduated and got married in June 2009 I had lost around 35 pounds.

 

I’ve struggled with a plateau due to surgery to fix my herniated discs but now that I’m back to running I am right on target.  

 

I recently decided with the help of my Weight Watchers Leader and my doctor to set my end goal higher than my original goal.  My body has been happy where I’m at for a while and no increase in exercise or change in eating habits has changed that.  I’m okay with being happy where I am.  And now I can work on maintaining my over 100 pound weight loss.

 

 I’m building strength (see Exercise goals) and stamina through my healthy habits I’ve formed.  Hard work and determination for me are key.  It is a journey so I’m still moving along with the changes.  Everything has changed since I started my Weight Loss and I know it will keep changing.  It all changes after all.

 

See the photos page for more detailed photos.