Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Saying Goodbye to 289 & New Goals

I was treated to an impromptu girls day out with my mom and my sister, and since we just happened to be at the mall I checked my weight.  Say hello to a 285lb Ginger.  We're talking 4lbs lost since Saturday!  I cannot tell you how excited I was to break through that plateau of 289.

I ended up eating at El Chico today, it was my sister's treat so I figured I'd splurge just a little.  I've decided that I'm going to try to do a 5 day on / 2 day off eating plan for another week or two.  This means that Mon - Friday I stay on the restrictive 1200 calorie plan and that on the weekend I adopt the final eating plan that will maintain my ultimate goal weight (145), which is 2100 calories.  Whether I eat that much or not remains to be seen, and whether or not the 1200 calorie plan will even work long term remains to be seen.  I figured I'd give it a week just to see what will happen, just one more way to keep my body guessing what I'm going to do next.  My goal is to lose 2-3lbs a week until I get my averages back up again.  Then I can adopt a 1600 - 1800 calorie a day eating plan, more in line with my nutritional needs, and hopefully will maintain that steady weight loss.  If not, we know that the 1200 calorie diet will break through the plateaus, and good news is I've only needed to adopt it twice in 8 months in order to get things moving again.

Also I signed up for The President's Challenge - You're it. Get fit! where I have committed to 30 mins of activity, 5 days a week.  If I keep this up for six weeks, I get an award.  I thought, that's pretty cool, so I signed up.  If I'm going to do it anyway, I might as well get a nifty prize along the way. 

I've also decided, in line with facing the fears I have been talking to you all about, that I'm going to go to college.  Not back to college, but to college.  And I've decided to pursue a commincations degree.  Not only that, but once I do get involved in the university, I'm going to enroll in their drama department.  I'm going to come out of the shadows and into the limelight literally.

It won't happen overnight, mind you.  Financially it's a big committment.  But Susan Jeffers book Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway made me see that I don't have to worry about making a wrong decision.  Every decision is the right decision, because of the opportunities it affords us.  I've always been so reticent about going to college, even though it's the one regret I have from my youth, because I was afraid that I'd invest so much money in something I would inevitably not even use for my ultimate writing career.  But a communications degree could place me right in line with jobs that utilize my writing career (Public Relations/Editing/Proof Reading/Speech Writing), so I don't have to be afraid anymore.  Even if I sell my work and don't have to get "a job", the idea is going out and accomplishing something that I always hated I never accomplished.  And ultimately, every experience is going to broaden my horizons and expand what I can offer as a writer anyway. 

Therefore I'm going to experience it to the fullest.  Getting involved in campus activity, being a part of the whole experience.   I may be an older 34, but I'm really just being born, learning how to wobbly stand to my feet. 

Which is true for every aspect of my life.  I'm transforming my body, breaking out of this coccoon to emerge a beautiful butterfly.  I'm going to get dental work done to improve my smile, tackle things like learning how to swim and dance so I no longer sit on the sidelines watching everyone else have their fun.  All this and college too?  Pretty soon y'all won't even recognize me.

Oh, and yesterday I sent out 7 queries to literary management companies to see if they wanted to read My Immortal.  I got one rejection already, and it hurt for a moment.  But then I released it and figured, that just wasn't the one.  Each no is going to bring me that much closer to a yes. 

DAILY AFFIRMATION:  I am a strong and worthy person.

Calories: 1878 / 32% fat
Sodium: 3534mg
Calcium: 1361mg
Water: 60oz
Exercise: Shopping till I dropped 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

You go girl, wit cha'self!!!  Rock those numbers, babeeeeee!!!!  FOUR pounds gone forever...EXCELLENT!  I'm proud of you, Ginger, I really am. You persevered in the face of adversity and in my book, that's a HUGE accomplishment. You never cease to amaze and inspire me.  

And congrats on joining The President's Challenge. I love doing it and helps keep me motivated. I commend you for making the decision to get your degree. Hey, I was 37 when I graduated with my Finance degree and I'm so glad I did. That's something no one can EVER take from you.

Keep doin' ya thang, girl! I LOVE IT!  :o)

Anonymous said...

LOOKIN GOOD!  Way to go!!! :)  I'm proud of you.  

Now, I want to know more about your 5 on/2 off program as that is what my son was trying to preach to me ... he lost over 50 and joined the US Navy ... this was something his recruiter put him on.  He's currently out to sea and after you mentioned it, I'm curious now!

I signed up for the president's challenge myself ... after reading about it here.  

Smilin Mon

Anonymous said...

Ginger,

I went back to college at the age of 48.  Yes most times I am the oldest person in the class but it's okay.  I have made many new friends of all ages and I am pursuing a dream I have had for most of my life.  Good luck to you.  Knowledge is power.

Oh, and by the way, I learned to swim at age 37 and also learned to ride a bike for the first time at age 37.

Gloria

Anonymous said...

Well Miz Ginger, I thought you'd probably lose about 3 pounds but look at you go!!  Four pounds down, that is fantastic!  And look at what is now in sight - you will be leaving the 280's behind before the end of May!  Wow!  College eh?  Is it that big one in your town?  I have a cousin that is a professor there.  Best wishes on all that you try!
Love you,
Jeannie

Anonymous said...

Wonderful job.

Anonymous said...

Hi Gin,
 It's me again Margaret ...hehehehe.
 You know I just realized that being short stinks!  Because I am short AND over 50 years old, my caloric intake each day is only 1200 to 1270 calories a day.  Hummm, I must grab a sign and protest!
Peace sister moon ... hehehe
"Sunshine sister Burgess"  ;)