My weight battle began with Superwoman Underoos - my “S” kept folding into a “C” and my cape seemed more like a napkin than a shield. Except for a brief time during college when narcissism resulted in religiously healthy eating and a workout regime of the Gods, I’ve always been “big boned.”
Fast forward the hamster wheel of life and I’ve spent lots of time ignoring healthy living. Instead, I focused on the important stuff - how tired I was after working all day, and getting my husband to understand that chocolate is like cocaine because it fixes all wrongs in the world and requires increasingly larger amounts to satiate the appetite. I trained myself to believe that a full time job, spouse, mortgage, bills, and dogs aren’t so bad when I can order pizza for dinner and pop M & Ms according to color scheme.
Now the extra pounds are starting to become evident via my blood pressure pills and stalled future plans. I’m tired of sticking out my neck in pictures so my double chins don’t show. My weight doesn’t define me, but my extra pounds are affecting my life.
So, I’ve declared 2011 the Year of the Khaki Slack and vowed to dedicate myself to losing weight before a friend’s November wedding. I’m aiming to get rid of 80 pounds or a large 5th grade student. I chose the khaki slack to represent my quest because it is a true fashion anomaly – never has one article of clothing been so comfortable yet so accepted in the workplace. I’ve envied the khaki wearer but always remained chino chagrined.
Khaki slacks are for fit women who jog and wear white without worrying about their silhouette; khaki slackers make a muscle and there’s actually a tone outline. I’ve never lived up to the canvas expectation, but this is my beige, pouch on the thigh, tiny butt-pocket year!
I'm no stranger to the gym, but the gym is strange to me. I’ve experienced flying off a treadmill; I broke my pinky so badly it required surgery. The guy next to me picked up my cassette player (in 2006), and I tried desperately to reach the emergency stop while attempting to run on my knees. It was humiliating, but I am climbing back on the workout horse and riding it to the finish line.
Melissa Sykes
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29 comments:
Congratulations. What a great way to start the blog!
Great start Melis! You always make me smile, and I know you'll start this journey with a great attitude, and reach your goal!
Fabulous writing and a fabulous goal to a new wonderful year ahead!!!! I know you can do anything and will!
You can do it Melissa!!!
Congratulations!! I am pulling for you.
You can do it Melissa!! I have faith that this will be your year of the Khaki Slacks!!!!
Great blog Miss. I know you can do it and we're all pulling for you!
Eileen
Melissa Sykes is beautiful and I'd have her heavy or light.
I think it's fine that you want to lose weight. But, you seem to either have no plan or arent' planning on sharing it. 80 pounds is a huge amount of weight to lose and implies you are seriously morbidly obese. You are trying to lose over a pound a week. Have you consulted with a doctor? Do you have a trainer or someone who works with extremely obese people to help you along and provide a plan? What about your nutrition? Who is helping you there?
Most people who understand that your type of weight loss is a massive undertaking will tell you that you don't just start by setting a huge goal a long way down the line. It starts with a diet and exercise plan, a visit to your doctor and then periodic realistic weight loss goals. What you have described in your first post is a recipe for failure.
Melissa, I admire you for being so public about this, even when you know how hard this is going to be. And you know how cruel people can be too. Even though I struggle with weight as an adult, at least it seems to be easier for us guys to burn off calories at a higher rate. I’ll tell you what. I need to lose 75 lbs myself to get back to a healthier weight. I will try to shadow your results to get there by the same deadline in November. I also want to tell you this. Believe it or not, there are many guys out there who find plus size women attractive. I think you are a beautiful woman and hope that you can make this happen. But even if you can’t sustain, you are still who you are. Those who truly matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.
Any one sharing a personal battle an inspiration. I am very proud of the 3 people selected to do this blog. I believe that there will be a lot more people to support you than try to keep you down and if anyone doesn't want what is best for there fellow citizen of the world- you need to look at yourself. I know that I ultimately want to weight 150 lbs but that is a long way from where I am now, so I broke it down into pieces that I can reach and celebrate! You may want to do this with your November goal too. All the best.
Sounds like you are off to a great start, Missy! Stay positive, you can do it! Time to break out our old 80's/early 90's Firm workout videos, lol! Spandex thongs over shorts! haha
P.S. you look beautiful in the pictures!
Best wishes to you Melissa, I will be following your progress!
Melissa,
I wish you nothing but success. I look forward to following the 3 of you to success.
To the spineless coward known as anon 8:46 AM - If you're going to hurl personal insults like that, at least be man/woman enough to identify yourself. To make personal attacks without identifying yourself is among the most cowardly things a person could do. Not to mention that your rant about her trying to loose too much is bunk. To lose 80 pounds from Jan. 1 to Thanksgiving requires an average weight loss of 1.75 pounds a week. Every health professional will tell you that loosing 2 pounds a week is fine, but any more than that can lead to problems such as gaining the weight back. There's nothing wrong with Melissa's goal. Only thing wrong here is you.
I will be following along! Just be prepared to hear from all the naysayers and know-it-alls.
I'm not that overweight, just out of shape. This has inspired me to start working out again. I can't let you three out-work me.
Missy I agree with "J." Don't listen to any negative comments. Just put your mind to it and get it done! You are gorgeous and able to accomplish ANYTHING you put your mind to. And remember people-if you can't encourage then keep it to yourself!
I have the same amount to lose PLUS 10 pounds. I'm on the way. More sqagheeti SQUASH and less spaghetti noodles. More pan grilled chicken and less chicken nuggets. More exercising my body and less exercising my remote. :)
You can do it.
I can do it.
WE can do it.
(Now it's time to get off the computer for the day and DO it!)
I am sooo glad someone else commented on annon 8:46 am on Jan. 25th comment. How dare this person tell Melissa she has no plan. Who are you to cast judgement on someone elses goals and aspirations!!! I know Melissa will do great!
P.S. Annon, have you ever heard the saying "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" try it out sometimes!
Hey Miss, I loved reading your blog considering I am on the same kind of quest!! My friend Sam and I walk around once a week at the Colonel Francis Beatty Park which is just down the street from you!! Anytime you want to go walking over there let me know, plus we can catch up, it's been FOREVER!! Love you girl, and I know you can do it... PS may I suggest myfitnesspal.com it has been such a motivator for me and helps me stay super accountable. Let me know if you go there so I can add you as a friend :-)
You go girl!! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. You inspire me and I'm going to follow along with you.
Gina M
I believe in you! -Can't wait to see how you progress.
You are totally inspirational. Can't wait to follow you along and see all your progress. Wish I had teachers like you.
Linda L.
If you can handle the whooping my Yankees gave your Phillies in 2009, you can handle anything! In lieu of your quest, tell your mom to send all future Tastycakes to me. On a more serious note, I'm rooting for you and am inspired by your honesty and courage. Go Sykesy!!!!!
You go girl!!!!
That was a hoot - keep that attitude as your travel this tight rope walk towards Khacki's!! I like your exercise plan - track it and follow it... If you get in a rut - ask friends for help and support. You can not climb a mountain without support of those who care! And now you have a bunch of strangers supporting you too!
Your writing style is absolutely wonderful--a joy to read. If anyone can accomplish this goal, it is you!
Go Missy. I'll be following your blog for some great tips so we can all lose weight - just go a little easy on the knees - cause mine are shot. And, I'm not giving up those delicious pepper and egg sandwiches that your grandmother used to make.
Love Mrs. Fields
I don't understand why people are jumping all over anon 8:46. He hit the nail on the head. And I say that as someone who is cheering Melissa on all the way. He was just putting it out there that goals are one thing, but having a plan to get there is quite another. By pointing out she needs to consult with a doctor and/or nutritionist, I would say he was doing her a big big favor. As an overweight person, you really have to be careful about how you lose weight, and having a plan of action is totally necessary. I think she admitted in her post that she didn't really have much of a plan yet, and he gave her useful tips on how to get there.
He didn't hurl insults at her, as someone suggested, he was just being factual.
Lifestyle changes don't happen overnight, and the more help Melissa can get to make the best desicions for her, the better. Go Melissa!
Greatly enjoyed reading your blog...You are off to a wonderful start!! I am looking very forward to following you on your journey. I have recently lost 50 pounds...safely...in about three months. (I'm doing a nutritional cleanse)...My doctor says whatever I'm doing...keep doing it...SO don't listen to any naysayers...do what feels right to you! You can do it...I've still got around 20 lbs to lose so I will be journeying with you!! I'll be pulling for you along the way!!
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