The Road to Weight Loss with Ronnie, Part 2

Hi friends!  My friend Veronica is back this month with her weight loss journey.  If you missed the first post last month, go here to get caught up.  I am so happy that she is sharing her story with me and you, the readers.  Make sure to comment with any advice, your own struggles, or just a word of encouragement.

'I'm so fat even my lumbar discs are bulging.'

By Veronica Batton

So, last time we met I was telling you all about my goals and how I wanted to be fit and healthy. And while that is still true, I haven't done much to make those dreams a reality.

Even though this past month has been a bit more challenging than I expected, I'm not going to give up. 

Last month I started my diet and exercise routine. I even joined a group of runners at my work on "Monday Run day." 

And Monday Run day was when I noticed the burning issue. 

My back was on fire. 

We started out with a light jog, but I soon had to slow down to a walking pace, where I took frequent breaks to stretch my back. It was bad news. 

I went to my chiropractor about a week later and discoved I had a bulging disc. 

Decompression table at the chiropractor's office.

He told me no more running and to take it easy until I heal, which meant only walking or swimming.

A few weeks later when I went to visit him, I described more pain after vaccuming. 

"Think of vaccuming and sweeping like exercise, and take frequent breaks." 

I felt defeated and discouraged. Vaccuuming as exercise? That's pathetic!

Relaxing on the decompression table.

I admit that I gave up. But only for a little bit. 

On top of this I had a lot of stress: buying my first home and the need to deliver a great post for my employer's blog. (check it out here!) When it came to losing weight this month, I, unfortunately, fell to the wayside. 

But that's OK because, well, you'll see at the end. 

Tired of being fat … and using too many excuses

I promise that was the end of the excuse train. Last stop. 

My back is slowly recovering, but I did receive an OK from my doctor to start exercising again. Although my back is getting better, I still need to take it easy and stick with low-impact workouts. 

So here is my old-lady-bones plan for this month of February:

• Perform low-impact exercises three to five times per week for 30 minutes or more. 
• Increase water intake by 80 percent. 
• Stop eating two to three hours before bed. 
• Soda allowed in moderation only on the weekends. (come on, that's a tough one to give up.)

Back in the saddle

So I know that I may have disappointed some people, hell, I disappointed myself. 

However, my therapist taught me something truly amazing and outrageous, which is that I can start over again. Just because I didn't accomplish it the first time, doesn’t mean I can't try again. 

So here I go! And I'm going to keep going till I get those skinny jeans! Wish me luck and I'll see you next month! 

Thanks for reading, and leave me a comment! I'd love to hear from you. 

“You never fail until you stop trying.” — Albert Einstein