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me in my Easter dress. There is a blue towel hanging behind me. That is not part of my butt!
This is me at my thinnest since joining Spark
I have 33 pics in my gallery
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On a Quest to be my Best
After regaining 70 pounds two years ago, I struggled and lost and regained the same five pounds over and over for the next two years. That brings me to the 14th of April 2013 when my husband and I embarked on a journey together to try to regain our health. He had five cardiac stents placed and knew that if he didn't do something drastic, he would not be long for this world. I too was struggling with numerous health issues: asthma, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension,to name a few. We did some ...
After regaining 70 pounds two years ago, I struggled and lost and regained the same five pounds over and over for the next two years. That brings me to the 14th of April 2013 when my husband and I embarked on a journey together to try to regain our health. He had five cardiac stents placed and knew that if he didn't do something drastic, he would not be long for this world. I too was struggling with numerous health issues: asthma, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension,to name a few. We did some research and decided that DR. Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live program made the most sense. It is now the beginning of my 2nd week as a nutritarian and thus far I've lost 7 pounds. My husband has lost 6. I still have a long way to go on my journey but know that if I can not give up hope and can maintain the effort necessary to eat right, we will both reach our goals and will end up much healthier than we are right now. Nothing is impossible, For him who believes. I have faith that God will complete that which he has begun in me and that soon I will be updating here that I have reached my goals for the second time.
the following was written April 1st 2012:My Spark Story has been full of hills and valleys...It took me some time to get going initially (then under the name Cynthia47). I began at 220 lbs in January of 2010...by August of that year I'd gone from a gasping and weak asthmatic needing two hip replacements, to a much stronger woman, down close to 70 lbs from my start and able not only to make it down my driveway (as was my initial challenge) but could power walk 4 miles without a pause. I had my first hip replacement--and 3 subsequent dislocations which necessitated another surgery. So in March of 2011 i had my left hip redone and then the following month, my right hip replaced as well. However, three massive surgeries in two years proved to be very hard on me and I was in rehab for a very long time and since have not fully regained strength or flexibility. I became discouraged by my new set of limitations and by the fact that the Psoriatic Arthritis was now rather quickly destroying my spine as well as many other joints in my body...causing me intense and constant pain.
I also began to be plagued by critically low sodium levels and Stage 2 Hypertension. Slowly, the weight crept back onto my body, just as the black ooze of discouragement settled in settled over my spirits.
I made numerous attempts to regain my enthusiasm and commitment...and one of these "restart" attempts led me to change my name (after all, I was no longer '47" but now "49") and became "Dedicated2Him" meaning my wholehearted commitment to my Lord. And I was excited to find that there was a team for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis which is a similar disease to PsA...Recently I've become a leader of that team. That connection to the truly brave and dedicated people on that team helped me greatly in regaining my breath and my zeal to persevere and see this fight through.
If there is anything that characterizes my life, it is the fact that as soon as I get on my feet, there comes wave after wave of difficulty and challenge....mostly from my own body in the form of health issues. Medicines such as corticosteroids and psychotropic meds have caused me to have enormous weight gain at various times in my life. Right now is one of those times. And it has been so tempting to just roll over and give up....To let the drugs and entropy have their way with me. After all, why continually fight to be in shape and at a good weight when, inevitablly and beyond my control....will come even more weakness and weight gain? But I am not--and never have been--a quitter. I've been called dogged (and worse) in my determination to always fight to perform at my best capacity and to be my best in any way I can.
Here are some thoughts from Ps 37 I would like to share with you:
Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
I've been knocked down....but I always get up again and again...like one of those punching balloon men....Because 'I QUIT" IS NOT IN MY VOCABULARY.
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| current weight: 202.0 |
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Profile
Member Since: 1/15/2010
SparkPoints: 28,044
Fitness Minutes: 12,016
My Goals:
to get to a healthy weight (145) this new year.
to maintain at least short bursts of activity throughout the day.
To reduce pain levels and perhaps to avoid more surgeries.
To find ways to make my life more meaningful despite severe limitations...To help others whenever possible rather than always being the recipient of help.
to get rid of the HTN meds and hopefully reduce some of the other medications as well.
My Program:
--to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
--to make sure when I leave the house for the day, that I am bringing with me healthy food to eat to avoid eating at a restaurant
--to have at least 2 periods of ten minute long activity each day.
--to begin to journal this leg of my journey.
--to make 90% of my foods nutrient dense foods.
Personal Information:
I suffer from a debilitating form of a Rheumatic AutoImmune Disease (PsA) and have had 3 major joint replacement surgeries thus far, with 5 more pending
I love the Lord Jesus and wish to live a life of moderation and restraint.
I hope to begin to simplify my life. Shedding excess things and getting down to what really matters
Other Information:
I am married and a new empty nester, with one chickadee flown the coop after 19 years of enjoying her company.
I'm looking for ways to continue my creative output despite physical limitation.
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I know, it sure seems to me too, that some salsas have more sodium in them than others. There's the bean & corn salsa out of WalMart that we love. I think it's even a WalMart brand. Also, WalMart has a pineapple salsa that is heavenly like with chicken, etc. It's tough sometimes figuring out what we can eat that's healthy that has a little more variety than the plain this and that. No wonder we have a tough time figuring out what to cook sometimes, right? I think you and me are in the same boat in that department! But we do the best that we can every day. Good luck to you. I think of you lots and lots! 
