Today is the first day of the next 5 months!

Today is July 1st. Although I’ve lost a great deal of weight over the past several years, like most people out there, I still have a way to go. Eventually, I plan to have reconstructive surgery…which will probably entail excess skin removal from most of the major structures of my body. I need a butt lift and a gut lift, likely a breast reduction (with a definite lift there), then there is the thigh lift and lord knows I need a bat wing removal. As long as I’m at it, I might as well throw a face and neck lift in as well. But before I bite the bullet on what will amount to extensive, major surgery, I want to lose at least another 50 pounds. Between that loss and the skin removal, I hope to finally attain normal size and proportions for my height and frame. My mother is convinced that if I exercise enough, I won’t have any hanging skin. That is completely unrealistic. I used to weigh 450 pounds. Even if I had the resilient skin of a teenager, that kind of major loss would require some reconstruction. I would have to have arms like Gov. Arnold to fill up these bat wings!

But, in essence, I want to document this journey for you on the blog. I will be reporting weekly on what I am doing, what I am eating and what kind of success I am having in the process. I will be doing things as simply as possible. I will be walking 45 minutes every morning, rebounding every evening to the news, using the exercise ball as my computer chair to improve balance and core strength. I will also be doing a strength-training routine six days per week, three days of upper body, three days of lower body. That should take about 20 minutes per day. I will be trying to stick to a 1500 calorie per day plan. I will be using natural products such as yerba matte tea, green tea, pressed coconut oil and plenty of filtered water. I will be avoiding caffeine, artificial sweeteners and empty carbs. My goal is to lose the 50 pounds by December 1, 2007. (I put the year in there just in case there was any doubt.)

I am inviting any and all readers to join in the journey. Don’t be afraid to share your tips, your do’s and don’ts, your successes and failures. I will do the same! M.E.