Jan 2012 Progress (?)

Sunday, January 22, 2012

I promised myself that I would post photos to track my progress and give myself some accountability, which I think has been a serious problem for me in the past. So here goes.


OK, so there are clearly many, MANY things wrong with this photo. But here we're going to focus on the weight. There's just too much of it. This isn't really the starting point (unfortunately) because it was worse a month ago. But, it's also still a long ways from where I want to be.

And I don't have a witty or inspirational way to end this. It's a bit depressing but it's hopefully just the start...

  

Lazy Saturday

Saturday, January 21, 2012

I'm having a very lazy Saturday today. Laying around the house and watching TV. But I got up this morning with the alarm clock and did yoga so I have decided to let myself have this one. I'm even choosing to ignore the outlook inbox for the day.

9 more months until I get to move home. I am absolutely planning out what I will do when I have my own house in the U.S. It's so exciting, but so overwhelming at the same time to think about. I know I'm just getting ahead of myself, but I can't help it!

I think the single thing I'm most looking forward to is being around friends. And having the ability to socialize away from food and booze. EVERYTHING social here is about gigantic beer (this country's standard bottle of beer puts a 40 oz.-er to shame!) and restaurant/cafeteria food. So I'm avoiding packing on the lbs. by staying away, but that has meant a lot of time NOT socializing. And it's getting lonely.

I am also so so excited about fresh food! This country is better than the last in terms of availability/affordability/accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables, but it's still not great. And even if it were, I need to learn how to cook. As in, I need the most basic of the basics. And this is not the place for that. A two-burner stove, mini fridge and lack of ingredients makes real "cooking" seem impossible. So that's priority #2 for the States!

Meanwhile, I'm still here. And I'm trying to make the most intelligent processed food decisions I can get my hands on while focusing on my work and on myself. I'm trying to take time as my opportunity to work on myself and deal with this extra weight before it stops me from really living my life.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

NWLIFESRC 1/21/2012 7:30AM

Turn some of that alone time to walking time might meet people also so not to be as lonely Report Inappropriate Comment

Giving this a try

Friday, January 20, 2012

I've never really done this blog thing, but I am in a place right now where I don't have a lot of emotional support so I need to try reaching out in new ways.

I work in international development and have lived outside the U.S. for most of my adult life. Traveling from one developing country to another has really done a number no only on my weight (constant new foods, relying on local ingredients without really understanding what they are, etc) but also on my overall health. I am planning to move home to the States in a year and am really very excited to be heading back!

The move is also very daunting though. I have lots of wonderful friends from various locales who are back Stateside and am really looking forward to connecting with them again, but it's not the same as having a community of people who know each other and who I can rely on as a group. And I guess that in general I'm just shy about discussing my weight and my body issues.

So my goal is to really take advantage of my last 9 months in Africa to get in shape and gain self-confidence before I head home. I read on someone else's blog their plans to do a photo journal documenting their progress every month and I was very inspired by that so I will do the same. Photos to come on the last Sunday of each month. Hopefully it's not too horrifying for everyone!!