Measurement day was finally here… I was convinced and was sure my numbers were lower from last month! I was SURE my weight had changed. I woke up and got on the scale. I shut my eyes and was scared to look down! When I finally did I was in SHOCK. I wanted to scream and cry! I got off the scale and got back on to make sure what I saw was true. I did that three times! And all three times I saw the same number! I did NOT go down half a kilo, 1 kilo or 2 kilos! I WAS THE EXACT SAME weight I was when Ondrej last measured me! I was so MAD, annoyed name it… So I thought to myself ok this means my measurements would at least be down! I knew I had gained muscles but figured I’d be down in inches! I remember I had NO appetite for breakfast that day.
Tag: exercising
Off track… On track….
I turned 37 in October but felt as though I turned 90 years old. I felt that everything went downhill since. Two days after turning 37, I was at the Dr’s checking why I was getting these terrible headaches. She asked me to do an X ray for my neck and it seemed that my disc moved but I hadn’t noticed. I had an MRI done and it showed the exact same thing. I then went to an orthopedic and he advised me to take some strong medications. I then decided to get the cyst on my back checked out which then lead the Dr having to remove it. I did it on the spot with 14 shots of anesthesia and 6 stitches later but I still wasn’t convinced that this was all related to my headaches. I had to stop my workouts as I couldn’t move my arms nor was I allowed to sweat because of the stitches. I then traveled for work and came back very sick. I have never in my life been absent for 5 days from work! I was forced to stay in bed as I got food poisoning and the flu. It was 2 full months of one thing happening after the other. I feel super grateful to have close friends and family who supported and checked in on me during this time.
Meanwhile I was frustrated, depressed and annoyed. Everytime I seemed to get back on track with my workouts something out of nowhere popped up. I worked out throughout the entire summer and nothing happened to me. I started believing that work/stress plus working out didn’t sit well with me. We live in a world where everything is moving so fast beyond our control. We are always rushing trying to finish things and meet deadlines and at the end of the day we are exhausted from being constantly on the go. There is no time for self care nor time to think about ourselves. I promised myself once I am healthy and back on track, that I come first.
I got on a plan for my workout. Instead of doing my workouts at 7pm twice a week, I am now doing these exercise classes at school right after work hours. My workouts at 7pm always left me feeling exhausted. Now I workout at school 3 times a week. I am trying to stick to it as much as I can but there are times where I have to cancel because of work. I am trying to do something for me, myself and I at least once a week.
2020 is the year of self care and self awareness. Applying it is so hard at times in today’s world. There are things I have been putting on hold that I am finally able to do. For one, I need to get into the habit of blogging once a week.
This is a start….
Lost weight or NOT lost?! That is the question…
Four days after I arrived from Lebanon, I got on the scale. Ondrej was coming and I knew that he would be asking me for my weight after doing my measurements. When I got on the scale I didn’t want to look down. When I did, I was shocked and couldn’t believe the number that I saw. I checked it about 3 times and each time it showed the same number. I felt like crying. How did I manage to gain 4 kilos 4!? I was so active this summer and worked out every other day! My clothes fit well and I didn’t goof off with food. WHAT IS GOING ON?!! There’s no way that it’s all muscle! If that’s the case then no more workouts for me! As my mind was racing with 101 things I heard the door open and I knew it was Ondrej.
Continue reading “Lost weight or NOT lost?! That is the question…”
Yes! I inspired someone!
Yesterday, my principal and I were sitting and chatting while taking a 2 minute break. Out of the blue he says, “look, I have been good” and takes his last sip from his bottle and shakes it to show that he’s done drinking it. I looked at him, laughed and said, “bravo boss.” I didn’t understand why he was saying that nor showing me. I’m sure he felt I was puzzled at what he said because he continued by saying “I had my veggies for lunch and this is my green smoothie. I had no chocolates and only 3 cups of coffee.” I clapped! I could not believe he didn’t have ANY sweets and it was already 12pm! WOW! So I clapped even harder and louder and said, “awesome job, now keep it up boss!” He looked at me and said, “I have you to thank.”
My Healthy Journey!
As you read my career journey and know how I reached my long term goal, I decided to now share my transformation journey. I am blessed with 2 children, a girl and a boy. After having them, I decided that it was time to concentrate on myself and my well being. April 5th, 2015 was the date that I made changes within myself and my eating habits. I had woken up that morning crying not liking how I looked and felt huge, fat and ugly. Mind you I never reached obesity. But I felt ugly and fat and I knew I had to do something about it. So I called a one of my closest friends who is a registred dietitian, Dr. Lemia Shaban. I called her crying and she told me to make an appointment and come see her. I tried to see her months before but she kept telling me “ Dana you are not ready, don’t come until you are 100% committed.” I guess I had to be in tears for her to believe me that I was finally ready. I made the appointment and went few days later. April 19th, came and that was it. Time to change! The minute I sat she asked “Why are you here?” I broke down right then and there and told her that I didn’t like how I looked and that I always felt bloated and tired. She looked at me, asked me a few questions and based on my answers she knew and automatically said “Now you are ready mentally and are 100% committed.” She started by taking my weight and OMG when I saw kg79.8 (175.9 lbs) on that scale. I felt disgusted and FAT. I had never reached that weight before and the tears came rolling again. I sat down and I remembered her talking to me but everything was a blur because I was still in shock. She said, “I want you at 65”. I laughed so hard and told her “ YOU ARE CRAZY! I’d be happy if I ever reached 70 and would throw a party if I ever reached 68kg.”
She asked for specific blood tests. While waiting for those blood tests, I had to write down every single thing I ate that went into my system, even if it was a grape or a piece of chocolate! Writing everything down was hard as is. I had to keep a diary in my bag and jot down what I ate for the first two months of this journey. She also told me that I had to increase my water intake as I barely drank any water. My goodness, that was a mission by itself! The third step was to cut out everything that had wheat in it, and I could not believe that there was wheat in almost everything I ate! I had to do that for 2 weeks and then I went back to see her with my blood results. I also had to start exercising for 30 mins at least twice a week as I was unfit and didn’t exercise in years. Due to this, I had to find a trainer that could come to my house as I do not have time to go to the gym and I needed to be able to find a rehabilitation trainer as I suffer from severe back pains and have a bulging disc. My Dr. gave me a few numbers and I got home and began my research. I left her clinic feeling 1% better but I knew this was not going to be an easy road and that I had a long way to go. Knowing her weight goal for me vs my own weight goal scares me, yet I did laugh thinking she’s crazy and that it is impossible to reach it!