Tonia Haight Walker. Losing Weight Like a Bear

This weekend,  Daniel and I went to Branson to have a short getaway to celebrate our 25th Anniversary.  While we were there, we did a little shopping. I found this red, white, and blue shirt on clearance for $5. They only had smalls left on the rack. I thought that I might be getting close to it and by next summer it would more than likely fit, so for $5 I was willing and to “risk” it. I was floored when I put it on this morning and it actually fit. (My 9 year old picked the picture.) Then we went to Walmart and we were looking at shoes for Daniel. He suggested that we see if they have anything in my size since their store is larger than our small town store. 21 years ago I had to go from a size 10 ladies shoes to a size 12 while I was pregnant with my oldest boy. I haven’t been able to shop at Walmart for shoes since. Today, I found 2 pair of shoes that were a size 10 and THEY FIT!!! I’m a happy camper.  

  I’ve been thinking about this post for a while, but life has been crazy busy for the last 2 months.  As people lose weight, it is a side effect that we end up with “bat wings” and hanging skin. I have now lost almost 175 pounds and I do have a bit of a bat wing on both of my arms. Both my 9 year old and my 11 year old at different times have “played” with my bat wings. I asked both of them separately, “Why are you doing that?” Both of them responded with almost the exact same wording. “Mom, I gotta play with it now before it disappears.”   I replied with,”oh really?”  To this question my 9 year old shook his head yes, but my 11 year old said “It already disappeared on that part of your arm” (my forearm)  Now how do you respond to that?  I’m going to tell you one more story.  My 17 year old noticed one day that my neck was looking more wrinkled than before and he was concerned that I was starting to age. I informed him that I was alright with that sin...

 I’m officially no longer obese, just over weight!  I started at 375 pounds on August 13, 2019 My goal is to get below 174 (no longer over weight)

  You would think that as I lose weight, I would get used to seeing the new me. However, there are still times that when I walk by the mirror, it surprises me at who I see. I still feel like I should see the same morbidly obese frame of a person where I was trapped in my own skin. Instead, I see a person who is starting to show an hour glass figure. I still have a ways to go, but I am getting much closer to my goal. 

I had fun with this today! The purple shirt used to fit me and it was my paint shirt. I may have stretched it a little bit, but I don’t think that I did. Then I needed some bottoms to go with it while I was painting. I found my son’s paint pants in the same drawer. Yes, my 17 year old who is 6’4” and I thought I wonder.  After I took the knot out of the draw string, they slid right on. 😮😦I just about couldn’t believe it. I asked my son what he thought of my paint pants, he said “I think that I have worn those.” 🤣😂

  I don’t post about my husband very often, but I had to brag on him a little bit. He has lost 100 pounds since he joined me with this WOE. A few years ago, we went to his sister’s wedding and the black suit was very tight on him. He almost couldn’t button it. That was not his heaviest weight either. Now, look at all the room that he has in it.  The other suit has been hanging in the closet for more than 10 years. It was bought about 20 years ago and he had thought that he was going to have to pass it down to one of our boys. Today, it fits like a glove. I’m so happy for him. He is seeing more NSVs now and I am excited to see what will happen in the future for him. Before "Eat Like A Bear"

As I type this, August 13, 2021, it is my 2 year mark since I started this journey.  The first year, I lost over 100 pounds. To be specific, I lost 110 pounds. The second year, the weight loss has slowed down. Earlier this week I had to go get my yearly physical done for my job. When I looked up what I weighed a year ago, it shocked me. I have lost 59 pounds in my second year. All that I could remember was that I had only lost 19 pounds since November. That isn’t very much. However 59 is still a good number for a year. Don’t get me wrong, 19 isn’t bad, but I would have loved to do better in a 9 month period.  I know going forward the number will probably be smaller this next year, but I plan to stay the course and stay focused.  One thing that I thought was exciting about my two physicals was a note that the two different doctors wrote.  Last year, the doctor wrote that I needed to have a consultation about my weight.  This year, even after I told the doctor tha...