20 Things I've Learned Since Becoming a Charlotte Loser

1. I am blessed beyond belief to have loving, giving, funny, caring, accepting, and scrappy family and friends (I feel bad for anyone who has to go through the awkward adolescent years with an Anonymean in their life).

2. The claim that pizza is a vegetable-based food is crap.

3. Losing 10 pounds is harder than gaining it or getting 2 undergraduate degrees and a masters. Fit-monsters preach the theory that it's easy- calories in versus out. The mass-energy equivalence formula also seems pretty simple; I'm betting once you get into it, it's a doozy.

4. The world is full of perfect human beings - it's just impossible to meet them in person. Like the Trojan Horse virus, they seem to enjoy lurking on the Internet.

5. I really like Weight Watchers fajitas.

6. I'm definitely more intellectual than physical. Based on some impressions I've recently experienced, that may be a good thing.

7. I need to wash my face immediately after exercising or I'll break out like a 13 year old even though I'm 31.

8. Tough love is beneficial when it doesn't feel like berating.

9. I can still rock out to Prince like it's 1999.

10. Even if a garlic meal is eaten days before exercising, it will seep like lava out of the pores of the body during a workout (hint-hint gymsies).

11. I work too much and spend too little time taking care of myself.

12. Lots of people never stop using the "bully lingo" they learned in school (maybe because it's like so totally awesome).

13. The saying that people don't change should never change. Changing is difficult and time consuming, so it better be worth it. I've accepted that my husband will never break the habit of balling up his socks before throwing them in the hamper.

14. Even fit and healthy people are insecure and unhappy with themselves.

15. I sweat a lot. No, a lot.

16. My beliefs about humanity aren't wrong. Most people have good hearts and kind words - they just don't constantly yell them.

17. Eating healthy is more expensive than eating bad-for-you fare. Mind your opinions; it just is. Have you ever seen a buy one, get one apple deal?

18. Spandex is a really unflattering fabric regardless of shape or size. It also make you sweat in just the right spots if you exercise in a thong. Sweat underwear = not as sexy as some women may believe.

19. It is easier to be judgmental than to be supportive of something with which you disagree or can't understand.

20. Feeling sore after the gym is better than a sore conscious due to guilt.

I lose weight, then it finds me again

As I bust butt along the way to lose weight and get back into better shape, I recall that I've done this before. Twice in my adult life I've lost a lot of weight and been in tremendous physical shape. Once was for years of running competitively, including marathons. The most recent was a fanatical immersion into ballroom dancing with my wife.

Each time, however, I ended up going back to being overweight. Each time was due to relocating to new states or having a major lifestyle change such as an elderly parent moving into our house.

Those occurrences were both "reasons" and "excuses" as to why I slipped and stopped my fitness routines. So, I have to plan for the future. You never know when you might be laid off from work, like I recently was, or get injured falling down stairs or getting ill.

I/we have to diversify our diet and fitness activities to survive these bumps in the road. Don't just run or just lift weights. Do both those things and bike and swim or play tennis etc. Don't just do an extreme diet like Atkins. Do a diversified total lifestyle diet. My overweight buddies, we have to plan for the long battle and be sure to never give up whatever the problems that face us in life. Now get out there and go for a walk.

Charlie Sheen, I am Not

Nancy Johnson

You can blame ANONYMOUS' words and the tone that was conveyed in his/her post. You can blame society's attempts to make people who are different feel inferior. You can blame the continued negative posts that Melissa, Dan and I the "obese crew" must endure as a part of our weight-loss blogs and journeys.

It doesn't matter who or what you blame, but in my response to ANONYMOUS March 9th 8:34am's post suggesting that it's easy to lose weight that I should quit "talking about it," I allowed myself a Charlie Sheen-like rant. This was inappropriate.

Many of you have stated that I was WELL within my rights in my response to this post. I appreciate all of your support. It's so easy to get sucked into the negative cesspool. However, in whatever I do I must answer to: God, myself, and my daughter, Brittany. The latter was not pleased by my response. In Brittany's words, "I had become one of them -- a bully." In a way, she was right.

My daughter is the reason I am doing this blog. Earlier this year she shared her weight struggles in a news article in hopes to encourage others like her – those who are different. Brittany has endured much ridicule from kids because of her size. These kids don’t see a kid who loves music, plays several instruments, loves animals, and is one of the most compassionate people God has put on this earth. Most don't see these great attributes when they look at her. Why? They can't get past her size.

So when Brittany looked at me and said that I was wrong and that I should apologize to ANONYMOUS, I listened.

To the person named "ANONYMOUS March 9th 8:34am", I apologize for my choice of words in responding to your post. Everyone has a right to have and to state their opinion to a public blog. Thankfully, I am not doing this blog for you or any of the other negative people. Last week, I forgot this very important fact. Thank you Brittany for reminding me on why i signed up for this gig. to educate, to motivate and to encourage. .

As said by the author Robert Pirsig, "The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands." This is my goal for my future posts -- to share my journey towards a healthier future. I hope you all enjoy the ride.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

Too many beers....

Charlotte's Biggest Loser is supposed to relate to losing weight. Well, for the last two weeks I've been just a regular "loser." A loser as in a person who just doesn't accomplish what they know they should. My weight has been stuck at 14 pounds loss and now this past week I gained a pound.

Its not some huge mystery though. Yes, I've been exercising. However, my exercise level has fallen short in one area or another each of the past two weeks. Either my total miles walked/jogged or my number of times doing the SPEW (sit ups/push-ups/exercise bike/weights) workout have fallen short. I know this because I keep a detailed log of my exercise.

I do not, however, keep a detailed log of my calorie consumption. That has got to change. Right now. I do know that due to some social activities I've had way too many beers the last two weeks and those things fill up the "keg" of my body and prevent any chance of the "six pack" from making a comeback.

I also have to acknowledge that the psychological "mess" that lurks in most of us is the other part of the battle. Why do I not always exercise enough and/or eat properly or the correct amount? I suppose each of us have some weird inner workings that make each of us unique. I also want to point out that being fat or fit doesn't eliminate or define all of our faults.

My overweight friends out there must join me in just keeping up the fight. Don't give up. Admitting you are not perfect is fine. But never admit you can't do it. I'll kick my own butt this week and start a food diary to help me not mess up as much and get back to it. Now get out there and go for a walk.

I went on a food bender...

Weekends are hard for me; I'm out of my routine and my eating tends to suffer. Sometimes I go on a food bender and can't get right until Monday. Then I feel that all my hard work and exercise during the week is ruined. I know I have to break the cycle, but I'm struggling in my attempts. Remember that "Stop the Insanity!" lady from the 90s? Yup, I'm livin' it loud and clear. That said, it's not like I just sit on the couch huffing whipped cream and licking the inside of potato chip bags. It's just that my lunches and dinners are a little bigger and a little less fat-free friendly - more Paula Deen than Rachel Ray. Being that there's a weekend every 5 days, this is starting to be an issue.

Filled with Clorox and laundry, my weekends consist of vacuuming, organizing, errand-running, and catching up. Unfortunately, they also happen to include some take-out and a low-fat fudge pop (or two). By Friday night, I'm sick of slicing vegetables and scrubbing dirty pots; healthy dishes take planning and prep time. Come Sunday morning, the guilt rolls in like a work-week fog and by Monday I'm back on the wagon, cursing my lack of will-power. This sabotage circuit is starting to get on my nerves, not to mention ruin my weight loss. But in my free time, I'm not naturally a schedule-driven person. It seems I've come across yet another bad-habit booby-trap that I need to overcome. On this journey, there seems to be no rest for the weary...or the weary just can't rest when it comes to weight loss changes.

A good workout with an Elvis lip

Obviously, my right side is way stronger than my left. Though I used both arms in my workout, I tried to raise my left hand to "scratch" my nose and felt a definite lag. Surprised?! Oh yeah, momma's got a brand new bag! After a rough patch following the Tennessee trip, I am back on track. I worked out twice since Monday and my fancy-smanchy scale says I am almost down 10 pounds. I know -- it's been a million weeks and I should have lost at least four watermelons by now. That said, I'm just happy to overcome the neurotic insecurity of thinking I am the fattest, most unfit person in the gym and everyone is staring at my totally fascinating ability to sweat gallons of moisture.

To be honest, I have to attribute most of my move-it mojo to Kristen and Marcia at the Y. I may have an intrinsic predisposition to do lots of things, but exercise is not yet a mastered motivation. Not only did Kristen text me Monday to remind me about "my homework," but Marcia also announced that I will start meeting with her to do some deeper exploration of my relationship with food - totally dependent dysfunction (duh).

During my last session with Kristen, we focused on lifting weights and using the machines that always intimidate me; the ones that only the true gymsies work out on as they listen to the iPods that are strapped to their fit upper arms. It was during this venture into the Magic Gymdom that I also discovered a freakish feature: when I start to push against the weight, I get this weird Elvis lip strain. I don't know if Kristen noticed. It started to distract me, but I buckled down and got serious. I didn't even worry that I'd get sweat marks in awkward, inappropriate areas. Everyone at the Y is so great anyway, that even if I had the sweat outline of boob-eyes and fat-roll-mouth, it wouldn't faze them.

I did have a mini-panic attack because I went to the gym instead of doing grades the day before parent night. Hell knows no fury like a parent and child who swear something turned in is not reflected on the progress report! But I ended up getting everything done and learned that sometimes I am going to have to force myself to put working out before working. I also realized that I am strong; the strength burning inside me no longer has to be focused solely on my dreams and goals. Instead, I'm beginning to uncover a physical strength that had been long-forgotten and hidden beneath the daily grind and comfortable blahness of life. Tickets to the gun show anyone?

What should I do about this reunion?

Nancy Johnson:

It seemed like such a reasonable goal for 2011. Lose 36 pounds in 36 weeks. This goal was set in preparation to attend my 25th reunion at my college homecoming on Oct. 7, 2011.

Well, surprise, surprise, surprise.

I had just gotten home from the Y when I saw it in the mail -- the invitation to my 25th college class reunion. When I opened the envelope, I was shocked to learn that my class reunion is scheduled for May 6, not Oct. 7 -- a mere 22 weeks earlier than I had planned.

When I saw the date, my initial response was, oh well. OK, maybe those weren't the exact words. Remember I am a work in progress.

Now, how do I prepare for a 25th reunion in May when I had already visualized how I'd look at 40 pounds lighter in the cool October air? I have jotted down a few options:

• Option 1 -- Go to the May event without a care. Just buy bigger clothes.
• Option 2 -- Don't attend the May event. Just ignore it and go to the October homecoming as originally planned. I can just read about the festivities after the fact because I will be too heavy and don't want the "looks."
• Option 3 -- Kick it in gear. I have 7 weeks to lose as much weight as I can. Then attend the event with a smile and looser clothes.
• Option 4 -- Hand out copies of this blog, explain that I am a work in progress and enjoy myself.

I choose Option 3. Who knows how much weight I can lose if I kick it up a notch? Plus, this will give my new support team at the Siskey Y a real short-term goal to work toward -- 10 more pounds by May 6.

I know all of the anonymous people will post their comments and I am looking forward to reading them. I'd like to also hear from people with actual names. So, send your comments and ask your Facebook friends to post ideas to help me kick it up a notch!