Losing Weight to Lose My Hair-Comments Welcome!

[Friend of a Mouse]

Hello! I am a 28 year old woman. I am losing weight for a number of reasons (health, vanity, etc.) but the number one reason I want to lose weight right now is because on March 23, I will be bald! No, that is not a typo. I will be participating in a fundraiser for childhood cancer research called St. Baldrick's. This will be my third time shaving and my second time as an event organizer.

I have had many motivations over the years, but this motivation is extra special to me. I have a good friend who is a leukemia survivor and a student who has survived two types of cancer. We will be honoring her at the event. When I look back at pictures of the previous two times, I cringe because I look heavy. I am determined to not feel ashamed this time! Plus, having a set date and a purpose gives me more motivation than just doing it for my health or some goal many years down the line. So my goal is to lose 10% of my weight by March 23rd. I know that it is doable. Comments are appreciated!

My first weight in is tomorrow and I will post my before picture then:

[Before picture goes here]

Here is a when I first shaved my hair in 2007:

And in 2011 (a picture of the volunteers before the event. Unfortunately the battery died before I shaved and I never really took a picture after that, I'm in the green hat)

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

I didn't want the first post to get too long. As I mentioned I have many reasons for wanting to lose weight. I have a type 2 diabetes that right now is diet and exercise controlled. I found out last week that I have high cholesterol and I want to avoid statins. I also have long term goals of performing and having kids that I want to lose weight for. But unfortunately, those were always too long term to provide me with much motivation.

I used to be a character performer for Disney. While working there I actually lost a role because I gained weight and no longer fit in a costume. I lost 15 lbs on Weight Watchers. I then gained back the weight (and then some!) in graduate school. Since then I have bounced between Weight Watchers, Slim4Life, and Jenny Craig. I did lose about 10 lbs a couple of years ago, but within the last 2 months gained all of that back.

I am back on Weight Watchers. I like the new program because the tools like the Routines and the new focus is exactly what I need. I also like the Active Link because it is motivating. I am already a gym member and want to work out at least 3 times a week.

I do need to cut out gluten from my diet (I found out I have a mild allergy) as well as beef, casein, and eggs. My plan is to eventually go gluten free and vegan. I have been "trying" to be vegetarian or vegan for the last two years. I think my biggest problem was trying to do everything at once.

This year I am taking baby steps. This month my focus is on counting Points Plus and tracking everything. Next month I will be cutting out gluten. In March I will cut out meat. In April I will go full vegan. I figure doing it this way will be easier than trying to go whole hog. My hope is that by building new habits little by little I will be much more successful.

I am also looking for an accountability partner. Somebody I can check in with each day who can encourage me and give me a good swift kick when I get off track.

 

[redlight]

You brave person for shaving your head. My hair is really long, and I don't like cutting off more than an inch or two.

You look thinner in the 2011 as opposed to the 2007 pic.

Good luck!

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

I had my official first weigh in last night! I asked them to reset my weight history. I just feel like it was important to start from scratch. I did lose 2 lbs, but I still just planned on a fresh start. My starting weight is 155.2 My goal weight by the time I shave my head is 139. (I know it should be 140, but I am really wanting to be in the 130's)

I have so far worn my Activity Link both days and have exceeded my goal. My goal is 4 pt. daily by the end of the 12 week challenge, starting out at 2. I earned 4 yeterday and 8 today! I did a spin class for the first time. I am so glad I did the beginner and not the normal one. The beginner was 30 minutes. It was tough but I made it!

I did eat dinner at home the last two days, which is a big deal for me. I made salmon and cous ccous with a side of green beans and stewed tomatoes. I also planned out my breakfasts and packed my lunch. Of course, I left my lunch at home today because I am dork. I ended up eating KFC, but I tracked it and stayed on plan. Before, I would have thrown the whole week out the window.

My biggest NSV so far though is that today when I got home, I was very tired. All I could think about was taking a nap. Instead I turned on Just Dance on the Wii and did few songs. I got some movement in, had a healthy dinner and kept going. One step at a time!

 

[redlight]

Good job getting in the exercise.

 

[Terapin]

Way to go! Keep moving towards your goal one step at a time. Even if you take a step back, make the next step one forward.

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

Ugh. Gained 1.2 last week, but it was not unexpected. This week is going much better. I did not make my Active Link goal yesterday or today, but I at least came close. I am over my WPA, that's what I get for not tracking some things in advance.

That being said... I have had some NSV's:
-even though I have gone over, I am still tracking. Before I would have just given up for the week.
-I picked up some good healthy food for the week and have my meals mostly planned out. I was going to cook some in advance tonight, but had to drive somewhere at the last minute. However, I do have some quick and easy things and will make meals in advance tomorrow.
-I got my Active Link goal (actually over goal) for M-F.
-I did some housecleaning tonight. Laundry is my downfall. I have had a couple of baskets of clean clothes sitting in my room. I got them put up, cleaned up my closet, and now I feel a lot better! I am not a naturally organized person and my goal this year is to get it under control.

The one bad thing is that I have bronchitis... again. I used to get it 4-6 times a year. It would start with a cold/sinus infection and then become a month an a half long ordeal of coughing. That has made it hard to workout. I saw an ENT at the advice of the integrative medicine specialist I saw last year. I found out I had a chronic sinus infection so every time I got a cold, it flared up an caused bronchitis. After going on a month long course of antibiotics, I had not been sick like that again for almost a year!

I am debating whether or not to go back to the ENT. I got a cold/sinus infections and now the side I had the chronic infection on keeps getting super stuffed. I also have had some ear ringing/roaring and sometimes have a problem hearing out of the opposite side, but I also have bronchitis and I think that is part of it. I haven't seen the ENT in a almost a year so I might go back as a follow up. (Part of the issue is a deviated septum, but we are trying to avoid surgery) I do see the endocrinologist tomorrow to talk about diabetes/thyroid crud.

 

[redlight]

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

Ugh, turned out the endocrinologist was a quack. He told me they did the wrong test for the thyroid and I shouldn't be on Armour at all. He explained that well, so not a problem. My thyroid issue is that I have always had symptoms (since being a teenager) and it seems it gets tested at least once a year and is "normal". My mother was the same way at my age and when they removed the second half of her thyroid 5 years ago it was the biggest one they had ever seen. It had actually grown under her breast bone. Even on Armour the levels where she feels good and the levels where you should be are not the same. However, he did explain it well so I figured, he's the expert. No big deal.

Here is where I am frustrated: I have an issue with low blood sugar. The lowest I have had is 33, which is pretty darn low. (Clinically, anything below 60 is low.) I'm not on medicine, this is au naturale. I know that since I am not on medicine I am not in danger of long term side effects from it. But that doesn't mean it is okay. I still have all the symptoms of the low (shakiness, irritability, nausea, inability to function) and depending on the severity these symptoms can last for 30 minutes. Driving, working with a behavior student, etc. are not safe. Plus two summers ago i had to go to first aid at work because I could not even stand up. He tells me these levels are perfectly normal. What?! This was happening almost daily for all of December and then got better. I do tend to have cycles like that. Then he tells me that up to 200 is fine and normal. That flies in the face of everything I have read as well as what their own diabetes educators have told me!

Sorry for the long post, I'm just frustrated because this has been a nightmare from day one. I have found that if you do not fit the cookie cutter mold, doctors don't know what to do with you. I talked to my mother who is a microbiologist. I told her I don't want it to look like I am doctor shopping or trying to be sick, but I am concerned about the discrepancy between what he said and what I have always been told. She told me he was full of it. She can understand his point on the thyroid, but said his diabetes "advice" is downright dangerous. She suggested I find a younger, female endo. Ugh.

Wednesday I have an ENT appointment to find out if the chronic sinus infection has come back. They also want me to do an audiogram because I have had ringing in my ears since June. It's been a lot worse since I first got sick in December. I'm sure it's probably nothing (the ears), but it will be interesting none the less. I have read these for my deafblind students, so I'm curious what mine looks like. I'm more concerned about the sinus infection and bronchitis. This is shaping up to be an interesting week. Thanks for letting me vent.