Melt-Down Monday {1 of 7}

{My Story}

Growing up I never worried about my weight per-se, although I wouldn't say I was thin, I certainly wasn't fat.  That all changed when I got married and started a family.  I feel it was a curse that I hadn't had to watch my weight because when I had good reason to, I didn't know how.  My mom had been on as many diets as days we'd spent together and none of them seemed to satisfy her for long nor did the results of her efforts last.  So to say I was ignorant and skeptical are understatements.  I did try some of her diets and began exercising but with learning to be a wife and a mother, my weight was the least of my priorities!  I made one excuse after the other when my loved ones would try to gingerly broach the subject with me, I don't know how to diet - why lose weight now? I'm not done having kids and will just get fat again - I'm breast feeding, it's not healthy for the baby if I cut calories or diet - and the list goes on and on.  So, now that I feel my family is complete, not to mention, I've had some less than desirable blood test results in the last few years, I am more ready than ever to tackle this demon called obesity.  Weight related diseases run in my family so when I was told I had high cholesterol at age thirty I freaked out! I knew that was just the beginning if I didn't get my weight under control.  After trying and failing at many crash diets and even begging my doctor to recommend me for the lap-band (unsuccessfully) I prayed and begged God to point me in a direction that was parallel to His will for me.  And wouldn't you know it, the very next day at bible study after forcing myself to get out of bed and go, I ran into a friend from a group I was in the previous year who had dropped 60 pounds on the HCG diet and that, as they say, was that!  I purchased the HCG drops from said friend and began my journey after MUCH research (this diet is NOT one to enter into lightly or without educating oneself on the workings thereof).  This diet goes by courses -if you need to lose more than 15 pounds, you'll need a full 40-day course vs the optional 23-day course- if you need to lose significantly more than that, you may repeat the course as often as necessary, but there are guidelines.  Upon completion of the first course (four phases) I am proud to say I'm down 25 pounds and holding steady!  However, my overall goal was to lose 78 pounds so I'm on to the second course - - please follow my progress and help encourage me!  I need and appreciate all the help I can get!

{Me at my biggest - December 2010}

You don't mind that I snuck a picture of my

handsome husband in here, do you? -Good!

 {Me today (minus 25 pounds) - May 16, 2011}

Now, some of you are following my blogs via Facebook and are therefore most likely already aware of my previous "Wednesday Weigh-Day" status updates being posted March/April when I was doing the first course.  Well, since I did so well on that, I've decided to track the rest of my weight loss journey on my blog!  However, I already have a running Wednesday blog (Wow, God Wednesdays) so I decided to do a seven-week Melt-Down Monday blog to track my progress on this second course of the HCG diet.  The best part is... I've recruited a partner!  That's right!  None other than my beautiful mother, Diane Gather.  Here's a little background information about her. 

{Told by Diane, herself}

 I can't remember a time when I wasn't on some form of weight-loss program.  I've struggled for many years, yo-yoing from my efforts and after a while my health was affected -- that was the last straw!  My doctor recommended me for the lap-band procedure in 2009 after I had suffered many health risk factors including a series of mild/moderate strokes.  June 30, 2009 I had the surgery after which I lost 47 pounds.  However, I found myself bouncing back up again!  You can imagine how frustrating that was for me.  I mean, I'd undergone surgery and even that wasn't working like I'd thought!  I'm still considered "obese" and even my doctor isn't completely satisfied with these results after nearly two years.  I've been following my daughter's journey and although she hadn't told me what particular program she was on, I was impressed with her swift success.  You see, the apple don't fall far from the tree and after having her children, she'd gained quite a bit and I've watched her struggle to lose weight and keep it off for over ten years.  I begged her to reveal to me her secret but she was weary of all the skeptics.  Finally, after she completed her first course of the HCG diet, and seeing her successful results, she decided she couldn't keep this amazing diet plan to herself (and I thank God for that!)  Now she's ready for her second course and I'm joining her in the effort to become a heathier, thinner version of myself.

{Diane at her heaviest, just before her

lap-band surgery - June 2009}

{Diane today - May 16, 2011}

Now Mom & I weigh the same so we'll both have some healthy competion over the next seven weeks.  I will post weekly updates and encourage all of you to be our cheering section!  Thanks!  Here we goooooooo!!!!!