3. I consider this a benefit because it has helped improve my health as well as helping my back, legs, and hips. For the past ten or more years, I have been undergoing spinal manipulations as well adjustments to my hips because they have been going out of place. There had been times when my hips were 2 1/2 inches out of place, and it caused a variety of back aches and pains. Since losing weight, I have had fewer problems with back pains, and my hips are less out of place than ever before. I now only need maintenance adjustments and those less often than before. Before, I had to be adjusted at least every two weeks, and now I can go once a month. Being at the gym has also allowed me to improve the strength in the muscles in my legs, especially around my knees, both of which were replaced during the past 7 years. The first knee I had done did not recover as well as the second one, and the result was that the knee never recovered its 100-degree bend. That has been something I have been working on at the gym, and the bend is improving, but I still have trouble on the one machine that required me to lift the leg at the knee resulting in a bend behind me. It is also at the gym that I do a lot of my walking on the treadmill, and that walking has helped me to walk more without the use of my cane. At one point in time, I needed a walker to take walks outside, and I needed the cane to walk around the house and from my car to places I needed to visit. Know, I walk around my house without the use of my cane, and at times, I can walk to and from my car without the use of the cane. If I talk a walk outside, I still use the cane because of the uneven ground and pavement.
4. I have received many great compliments.
I think the best compliment that I have received from a number of friends and family is that they did not realize it was me because of how different I look because of the weight loss. I also enjoy being told that there is less of me to love, I'm a loser - referring to the weight loss, and how I am now the smallest looking person in our home. I have also received nice compliments about how proud people are of what I have done in my life, and that I am an encouragement to them to work on their own goals.
Even though I started losing weight for myself, it has been nice to have friends and family say nice things about me. It was very hard for me growing up because I was never that extremely thin child who looked like they were walking on sticks. My bone structure has been, and always will be, on the larger side, but know I am aware of that fact, and I do not plan on making myself look anorexic but be a nice acceptable weight, which my doctor finds an acceptable weight for my build and age. I am getting much closer to my goal, and wondering if I might consider losing another ten pounds. I do not ever expect to become as thin as I was when I was seventeen years old because in my mind that is an unrealistic expectation. If I try to set a goal that is unreasonable, then it will become disappointed, depressed, and unhappy with what I have already achieved.
All good goals must be set with success possible.
This is what people are now seeing, and I am finally believing the results are true:
Taken in the early summer of 2014.
I really like the difference, and I am finally proud of myself for being able to make a major change in my life.
5. I am eating a much healthier diet.
I take more notice now of what is in the food I eat. I do not just the calories, but I do look at the amount of sugar, carbs, and protein in the food. I also look at the amount of fiber available. I have not, at this time worried about the sodium content because some better food choices have much more sodium than the high-calorie food it is replacing. One food that is making an appearance in our diet much more often is fish. Fish is high in protein and low in calories, depending on which one you choose. Chicken and pork are also served more often than beef because beef is high in calories. I did find a chart on Pinterest that lists the different types and cuts of meat along with their nutritional values. This chart is going to play a role in choosing what meats we eat in the future.
What are the drawbacks to changing my lifestyle and losing weight? I will deal with that next time.
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