It's been a while (a long, long while, I think) since I've blogged. I used to do LiveJournal; however, that site seems to have fallen out of favor with the gaining popularity of Facebook. Facebook took some getting used to -- microblogging, with only 420 characters! Impossible! How do you get all your thoughts and feelings into 420 characters? (The answer there is: you don't.)
So, I'm on this personal journey, except that I'm attempting to drag a few other people with me along the way.
I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. That is an autoimmune disease that affects your thyroid. If you get too many white blood cells floating about in your body, well, they want something to do. In my case, when the white blood cells get bored, they attack my thyroid. Apparently this isn't all that uncommon, but the attack breaks down your thyroid, which controls everything important (apparently) in your body. Most importantly, your thyroid controls your metabolism. Slow/Low-functioning thyroid = slow metabolism = weight gain that can be seemingly impossible to lose.
When I was a child, I was always underweight. Tiny and thin with bones that stuck out (ankles and wrists). I could eat anything and not gain an ounce. When puberty hit, I think I went up to 100 pounds or so. Something closer to "normal" for my just over 5 feet of height. My last year in high school, I got up to 130 pounds or so. I wasn't happy, but I wasn't worried about it, either. I really didn't gain much weight until after I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem several years later. Then, it seemed like I put on 10 pounds over night (or at least over the course of a month!) I didn't do anything differently with my diet, and, boom! There it was.
Since then, I've had a child. During my pregnancy, I was unable to be on thyroid medication. I gained around 44 pounds. It took a couple of months to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight after she was born, but, I did it. Then I moved home, and eventually got a decent job that came with a health insurance plan. Now able to get back on my thyroid medication....
...I gained over 10 pounds...
And after a few months...I needed an increase in medication. So...
...I gained over 10 pounds...
Do you see a trend? My medication has been increased 3 times, and I've gained roughly 40-50 pounds. Today, I weigh in at around 220 pounds. (In case you don't get it, that's where the "substantial" part of the blog name comes in.) I need to lose around 100 pounds.
Now, to ramble can either mean to walk about without destination or to talk and talk, seemingly without purpose. You will see, I can ramble in the talking sense with the best of them.
However. . .
I've been inspired by shows like The Biggest Loser and Fat March (that second one there only came on for one summer season). They exercise and count calories and whatnot to lose weight. I know, deep down, that I will not see that sort of weight loss. I also know that the only thing that's likely to help me is to get up and get moving. I just have to get motivated and force myself to do this when I often have very little energy.
I also have a heart problem that comes with heart palpitations -- mitral valve prolapse. I have to start slow, meaning exercises like walking and yoga will be best.
My challenge for myself is to walk 500 purposeful miles. (In other words, the sort of walking we do when shopping doesn't really count.) That is approximately 1,000,000 steps. This must be completed in a relatively short amount of time -- say, by September (although, we'll have to wait and see if the beginning or the end is a better goal.) This is a fairly substantial amount of walking, stepping, etc. (So, the name could be the endless prattle of the fat girl OR massive amounts of aimless walking. Take your pick.)
Feel free to join me with POSITIVE encouragement. The journey officially starts on Tuesday.
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