Category: This healthy life

Staying Positive

Yesterday, I went to see my doctor for my monthly checkin for the weightloss program I am doing. I was dreading it because I’ve had a few rough weeks. I had some kind of bug one week that kept me in bed for a few days. Then my lower back was bothering me. During this time, I was under a lot of stress. (Hint— I am and always have been a stress eater). Because of all of these reasons, I thought I was going to GAIN this past month.

Well, I didn’t gain. I actually lost a pound. I am down 19 pounds since I started my GLP-1 journey. I am down 25.2 pounds since December 17, 2025. I am down 46.2 pounds since 2022. While the GLP-1 helps in so many ways, I still have to put in the work. Eating healthier and moving more. I have to strength train to keep and increase my muscle mass. It is not a free ticket.

I am hoping the the cause of my stress (being Executrix of my father’s estate) will soon be completed and things can return to normal. I am tired of doing 1 – 3 hours of paperwork after I get home from an 8 hour workday.

So, when I get this estate closed and I no longer have to do this paperwork every night, I will be much less stressed and way happier.

How have you coped with stress? Do you have any experience being and Executor or Executrix for your parent’s estate? Any tips or tricks? Did you have to declare the estate insolvent, like I have too? How was your family dynamics during this time?

Please, I would love to hear from other’s who have gone through this and have helpful tips. Here are some of mine:

  • Talk with your parents about what they have put in place for after they die. This doesn’t have to be a “what am I going to get out of this” type of question. It is more a “Where do you keep your important papers that we will need when you do pass?” type of question.
  • Prepare your own “When I’m gone” file to make it easier on your family.
  • If you are named the Executor/Executrix, remember that you do have the option to say no. It is NOT a fun experience, so keep that in mind. If you do take the job, make sure to do your research. Know that you may not only end up with nothing, it may COST you money to handle the estate. (I am out about $1750 with no chance of reimbursement). Stand strong during family conflicts. Do not let yourself be manipulated. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!
  • If you decide to hire an estate/probate lawyer, be aware that, if the estate looks like it is going to come up insolvent, they will probably stop answering your emails and phone calls because they know that they will not get any money.
  • Try, try, TRY to keep your sense of humor. It helps a lot.

Tnanks for reading!

I don’t care

I don’t care what other people think. Really, I don’t.

I’ve been quite honest about using a GLP-1 to lower my A1C, lose weight, and improve my overall health.

What I do care about is the misconception that taking a GLP-1 is somehow “cheating.”

thoughtful woman training on treadmill in fitness club
Photo by Julia Larson on Pexels.com

Putting in the work.

Cheating implies that there was an easy way out, that the results came without effort, discipline, or sacrifice. Anyone who believes that has clearly never walked in the shoes of someone who has struggled with their weight, battled food noise, fought insulin resistance, or watched their health decline despite making genuine attempts to improve it.

What many people fail to understand is that there are countless reasons why someone gains the weight they need or want to lose. Weight gain is not always the result of poor choices or lack of willpower. Sometimes it is illness. Sometimes it is medication prescribed to treat another condition. Sometimes it is extreme stress, grief, trauma, or life circumstances that leave little room to focus on yourself.

In my case, a serious car accident and the spinal surgery that followed changed the course of my life. Chronic pain, reduced mobility, medications, and the challenges that come with recovering from a major injury all played a role. Add years of stress on top of that, and weight gain became a symptom of a much larger story.

Yet people often look at someone who is overweight and assume they know how they got there. They don’t see the medical history, the injuries, the medications, the sleepless nights, the emotional burden, or the years spent trying to regain control of a body that no longer responds the way it once did. They just judge.

For years, I did what people tell you to do. I dieted. I exercised. I tracked calories. I made healthier choices. Sometimes I succeeded. Sometimes I failed. More often than not, I found myself stuck in a frustrating cycle of losing weight, regaining it, and feeling like my body was working against me. It actually was. As I would lose weight, my metabolism would think it wasn’t getting enough nutrition to do daily activities – and it would store it as fat.

A GLP-1 didn’t magically make me thin. It didn’t force me to exercise, choose healthier foods, drink more water, or develop better habits. I still have to do those things every single day. What it did do was help address the biological and metabolic challenges that were standing in my way. It quieted the constant food thoughts, improved my blood sugar control, and gave me the ability to make healthier choices without feeling like I was fighting an uphill battle every minute of the day.

No one tells a person with high blood pressure that taking medication is cheating. No one tells someone wearing glasses that they’re cheating because they need help seeing. No one tells a cancer patient that treatment is cheating. We recognize that medical conditions sometimes require medical intervention. Obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic disease deserve the same understanding. Maybe I should have just had liposuction to lose the weight. Instant results. Would that be cheating? Why the double standard?

The truth is that there is nothing easy about confronting your health, changing long-established habits, and committing to a better future. If a medication helps make that possible, that’s not cheating. That’s using a tool that modern medicine has made available.

My A1C has gone from pre-diabetic to normal. I’ve lost nearly 40 pounds. I have more energy, better mobility, and, for the first time in a long time, I truly believe I can reach my goals. Those results didn’t happen because I took a shortcut. They happened because I finally found a treatment that works with my body instead of against it.

So when someone says using a GLP-1 is cheating, what I hear is someone who doesn’t understand the full story. They don’t know where I’ve been, what I’ve overcome, or how hard I’ve worked to get here.

And frankly, they don’t have to.

I’ll be over here improving my health, extending my life, lowering my A1C, and feeling better than I have in years. That’s not cheating. That’s healing. And after everything my body has been through, I think I’ve earned it.

Thanks for reading.

My 5-Month GLP-1 Update: 25.6 Pounds Down and 20.4 Inches Lost

Five months ago, I started my GLP-1 journey hoping to improve my health and finally find something that would help me build sustainable habits. Today, I’m celebrating a milestone that feels about so much more than weight loss: I’m down 25.6 pounds and have lost a total of 20.4 inches from my body.

While I’m proud of those numbers, some of my biggest victories can’t be measured on a scale.

The Progress So Far

The weight loss has been exciting, but tracking my measurements has shown me just how much my body is changing. There have been weeks when the scale barely moved, and in the past, that would have completely discouraged me.

Now I know better.

Even during those slower weeks, my body has continued to change. The inches I’ve lost tell a much bigger story than the scale alone ever could.

My Favorite Non-Scale Victories

Some of the moments that have made me stop and smile over the past five months include:

  • Being able to bend down and touch the floor more easily.
  • Reaching my arms behind my back and actually being able to hold my hands together.
  • Walking up stairs without feeling as winded or exhausted.
  • Having energy left after work instead of feeling completely drained.
  • Joining a gym and actually going consistently.
  • Tracking my workouts and seeing my strength and endurance improve over time.
  • Watching my clothes fit differently, even when the scale isn’t moving much.

These are the kinds of changes that remind me this journey is about improving my quality of life, not just chasing a number.

Building New Habits

One of the things I’m most proud of is the consistency I’ve developed.

Instead of constantly starting over, I’ve been showing up for myself. Joining a gym felt intimidating at first, but now it’s become part of my routine. Tracking my workouts has helped me stay motivated because I can see tangible progress in what my body is capable of doing.

I’ve also noticed that healthy choices don’t feel like such a battle anymore. The constant food noise has quieted down, making it easier to focus on fueling my body rather than fighting cravings all day. Even during stressful times, I haven’t wanted to stress eat, and THAT is a miracle.

The Reality of the Journey

This hasn’t been a perfect five months.

There have been plateaus. There have been weeks when I expected the scale to move and it didn’t. There have been moments of frustration and impatience.

But I’ve learned that progress isn’t always reflected by a lower number on weigh-in day.

Sometimes progress looks like another inch lost.
Sometimes it looks like lifting a heavier weight.
Sometimes it looks like climbing stairs without needing a break.
Sometimes it looks like having enough energy to enjoy life after work.

Those wins matter too.

What I’ve Learned After Five Months

If these five months have taught me anything, it’s that success isn’t just about weight loss.

It’s about moving better.
Feeling stronger.
Having more energy.
Building confidence.
Creating habits that I can actually maintain long-term.

The scale is one measurement of progress, but it isn’t the only one.

Looking Ahead

Five months in, I’m incredibly grateful for how far I’ve come. Losing 25.6 pounds and 20.4 inches is something worth celebrating, but what excites me most is how much better I feel physically and mentally.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m building a healthier lifestyle that I can sustain.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the next five months bring, and I’ll continue celebrating every victory—both on and off the scale.

Twenty-five pounds down is exciting. Being able to touch the floor, climb stairs without struggling, and still have energy after work? Those are the victories that have truly changed my life.

More Than a Number: My Weight Loss and Wellness Update.

My wellness journey is a multi-faceted adventure. I have some great updates today – from food tasting notes to some non-scale victories that have shocked me.

First, for my tasting notes: I tried this yogurt. It was very creamy. It had a delicious blueberry flavor. Macros: 170 calories, 3.5 g fat, 9 g carbs, and 25 g of protein. I added some extra blueberries.

I went to the gym today. I did well. Ten minute warm up on the treadmill. I then used the following machines:

  • Seated row – 50 lbs – 3 sets of 10
  • Back – 50 lbs – 3 sets of 10
  • Lat-pull down – 50 lbs – 3 sets of 10
  • Pec fly – 40 lbs – 3 sets of 10
  • Abdominal crunch – 50 lbs – 3 sets of 10

After that, I treated myself (It is free with my membership) to a hydro massage. Apparently this is how to get me to go to the gym and exercise – promise me a hydro massage! LOL

Kathy is enjoying her hydro massage

Some of my recently discovered non-scale victories:

  1. I can bend over and touch the floor.
  2. I can touch my hands behind my back and actually lift them up a little.
  3. I bought some new clothes that fit me and they are at least two sizes smaller than what I’ve been wearing.

I swore I wasn’t going to buy new clothes until I lost another 25 pounds, but my pants were falling down, and I didn’t want to wear rainbow suspenders to keep them up.

I’ve been using my Lumen device almost every day and yesterday I blew a 1 – which means I woke up in fat burn. That means I was burning 80% – 100% fat while sleeping. When I went to bed last night, I blew a 2, which means I was burning 60% – 80% fat.

While my weight loss has slowed a little, I am feeling better and that is a big deal.

My next gym visit will be Thursday. Is it weird to say that I’m looking forward to it?

Thanks for reading.

Progress

The excitement of hitting my recent weight loss goal has me extra inspired. Here are the ways I am supporting and celebrating my goals:

  1. I joined Planet Fitness and will have my first session with a trainer on Tuesday. I am hoping to get a good plan in place to do strength training to support my GLP-1 journey.
  2. Went to the pool today and thoroughly enjoyed some gentle therapeutic movement. I noticed a big change in how my body moves and feels. I used to be so stiff and sore even in the pool. Today showed me how much better I am doing.
  3. I have scheduled a massage for next Saturday. I haven’t had one in a while and I’m really looking forward to it.
  4. I ordered meals from Factor_75. They should be here tomorrow. I will be using these for lunches at work. I’ve had them before and they are yummy.
  5. I have some workout shorts coming tomorrow. Yay.

So, this will be a week full of forward progress.

If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them. Just drop them in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

So close…

I haven’t done an update in a while, so I figure today is as good a day as any.

I am at my lowest weight in many years. This morning my home scale said 300.9 lbs. I’m so close to getting out of the threes and into the twos that I can taste it. It tastes like low carb and strength training. LOL

What am I going to do when I get under 300 lbs? I don’t know yet. I need to celebrate but I don’t want to celebrate with food. I don’t want to buy a bunch of new clothes yet…because I am still losing.

Some ideas I’ve been thinking about:

  1. Purchase good walking shoes to encourage my continued success.
  2. Treat myself to a one-hour massage.
  3. A beauty treatment such as a facial or professional hair coloring.
  4. Go to the local comedy venue with my hubby to see a show.

If you have any suggestions, please share in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Who knew?

Who knew that the simple act of putting on a sock would make me so happy? Last year at this time, I was struggling to put on my own socks. I couldn’t bend to reach my feet and I couldn’t lift my leg up high enough to put them on. It was so bad that I was using my Dad’s sock tool.

Fast forward to today when I realized that I was not struggling to put my sock on. I am adding that to my NSV list. Woo hoo!

My next NSV happened when I visited the doctor recently. I was able to hop up on the examination table with no problems. I didn’t need assistance. I didn’t need to pause to figure out how I was going to do it. I just did it. I was pretty happy with myself but I didn’t say anything to the doctor. He actually brought it up and said he was impressed how easily I hopped up. I love non-scale victories!!

Today I was looking at clothing in the regular sized section of Walmart. I held up a dress and a skirt in a size I haven’t worn in a long time and, while it wouldn’t fit me yet, I’m getting closer. I can’t wait until I can my my first non-plus sized item. That will be a gigantic NSV.

I have three stubborn pounds to go to get under 300 lbs. I’m being extremely open and honest in my journey. I know how easily that weight came on and I am determined to get it off. I have to start doing more strength training, so that is what I will be investigating next.

Do you have any NSV’s you are excited about? How about some tips/tricks for getting more protein? I’d love to have some interaction and exchanges of ideas here.

Thanks for reading!