tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11871474469549479972024-02-19T10:15:13.149-05:002 Pounds DownMy journey: two less pounds at a timeKara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-69302044258714334952023-11-27T19:56:00.000-05:002023-11-27T19:56:12.320-05:00Dad & Pugs<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">My friend Keda tagged me in a post of a dog available for adoption at the Scott Co. Humane Society. He was super cute, so I called and scheduled a meet and greet for a couple days later. He had one the day prior, but they didn’t adopt him. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So, me, my dad, and my aunt took a trip to Georgetown to meet this little dude named Pugsley. The man who was fostering him happened to get out of his truck with him just as we pulled in. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I love dogs, but I had just moved into my house, and I was hesitant to get one so soon. As soon as we saw him, my dad said “Okay. Load him up!” I said “Dad, we have to go in and meet each other and fill out paperwork.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">After not even knowing Pugs for more than five minutes, I was signing my life away. 😂 Now that I think about it, I think I adopted him solely on seeing the look of pure joy in my dad’s eyes. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As we make the drive back to the big city, I start to fall in love with this sweet, little, grumpy-faced boy. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Twenty minutes later, we pull into my driveway. I open the car door, and Pugs jumps out of the car with his collar and leash on. Then, he decides to back out of his collar and run away. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Me and my in-their-seventies aunt and father run to grab him. Okay, got him. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We go inside my house, and I take my dad to my backyard to look at my fence. There was a small gap in between mine and my neighbor’s fence we were unaware of. But…Pugs seemed to know about it all along. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">After a good (err, bad) ten minutes of chasing Pugs and finally trapping and grabbing him, we brought him home safely. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Anyway, that’s a random story about my dad. And Pugs. And why I miss my dad so much. It sounds crazy, but he brought this little shithead into my life, and for that, I am forever thankful. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Love you, Daddy. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLeO53J0-ZlVkmvm5oOBo9YLuw-NbF20fMI2lLogl-4C967-ExCMNj0mDueCMHqrzLrJZhQ0k7ej8mlGF-4snrtBikYTUQkN79bwJelSx431wj_c9LcjLkgMapna8yEeCRmEzg-pCjfWGhnRmyMrHalKQ0mhmxkp4VDNVLMicJScg_iBVOmByq0nQht8i1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3581" data-original-width="2844" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLeO53J0-ZlVkmvm5oOBo9YLuw-NbF20fMI2lLogl-4C967-ExCMNj0mDueCMHqrzLrJZhQ0k7ej8mlGF-4snrtBikYTUQkN79bwJelSx431wj_c9LcjLkgMapna8yEeCRmEzg-pCjfWGhnRmyMrHalKQ0mhmxkp4VDNVLMicJScg_iBVOmByq0nQht8i1" width="191" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-22496862186101184362023-08-23T19:45:00.001-04:002023-08-23T19:45:09.471-04:00Your Daddy<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You will be okay. I promise. Life goes on. That’s going to take a while to realize, but most of all…accept. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You’ll grieve him before he goes. So much. You won’t be able to face friends and coworkers often because although they care (so much), they will ask. They will ask how your dad is and how you are, and you never have a good answer for them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You’ll have regrets. You’ll waste time being anxious, waiting for the inevitable phone call. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You’ll love him. You’ll love him like you always have and even more because you know you don’t have him much longer. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And when he’s gone, you will miss him more than anything. You’ll be so strong recently after his passing that you’ll amaze yourself. He always told you that you were smarter and stronger than you ever thought. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">And after a couple months, you’ll sit down, and every single wall you’ve built up until this point will fall. You’ll find every emotional song he loved, and you’ll listen. You’ll cry. You’ll cry so much. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You’ll question your religious beliefs and hope Heaven is everything he thought it would be while wondering if he’s reacquainting himself with friends and family who were in his life before you were even born. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">You’ll wonder what’s in store for your life because you finally realized it goes on. The joy, happiness, and humor isn’t gone. It’s just going to appear in different ways, and no matter how it shows itself, your dad will always be there. He will be a part of every happy moment until you see each other again. </span></p></div>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-8392213179023713922022-03-03T22:24:00.001-05:002022-03-03T22:24:20.828-05:00One Year Can Change Your Life<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I was the girl who was afraid to raise her hand in class even though she knew she had the right answer. I stashed trash at my desk to throw away as I walked out because I was too self conscious to walk in front of the class. I didn’t have friends that had the same lunch hour as me, so I sat in a bathroom stall and ate my lunch. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">But around my family, around my friends, I didn’t care. I didn’t care about my size, my clothes, my hair and makeup. I was me. I was so talkative around my family that my mom and dad would say “Kara, you’re doing it” when I talked too much. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">But…people change. Now, I don’t care. If you don’t like me, you don’t know me. I wear my heart on my sleeve, along with everyone else’s. I care so deeply for the people I love, the people I’ve briefly met, and people I don’t even know. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Sometimes I tell myself I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish I felt then how I felt now. But, if I did, would I be who I am right now, at this very moment? Absolutely not. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We make mistakes. We show up. We show out, just to show ourselves the good and bad parts of us. Do I have regrets? In theory, yes. But again, I’ve lived, I’ve learned, and I’ve changed. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">People are shocked when I tell them the story about eating lunch in the bathroom. But, it is what it is. I’ve learned to be who I am and who I love to be. I am 100-percent me, and that is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. </span></p>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-55893473699599861122021-11-25T12:44:00.001-05:002021-11-25T12:44:09.971-05:00I’m Thankful for Me!<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ve been pretty absent from the blog for awhile, as I mostly focus on documenting my journey on TikTok, so here’s an update!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I am down 118 pounds since starting my weight loss journey on March 4 of this year. I began taking a prescription weight loss medication called Phentermine. I also started focusing on my nutrition and exercise by counting calories and working out 6 days per week. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I started counting calories with the MyFitnessPal app. I am also a fast food addict, so I promised myself I would stop eating fried food. As far as physical fitness goes, I started out walking around the block. The next day, I walked a tiny bit farther, then a little farther the next day, and so on, and so on. Now, I am proud to say I am up to THREE miles, and honestly, I could probably do more than that. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">My year has also been filled with several vacations. I got to see Chicago, Charleston, SC, and OBX! I had so much fun on all of my trips, and while I did not go insane with my calorie intake, I did give myself a break from the workouts. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Fast forward to October. My success was so swift and steady up until that point. From the beginning, I told myself this journey is for life, and I meant it. Through a six week plateau of losing ZERO pounds, I fought. I stuck to my workouts, ate well, and kept telling myself that even though the scale wasn’t budging, I was still improving my life and getting healthier everyday. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I am so incredibly proud of myself. In the past, a plateau is where I would just give up. I would throw in the towel, say “eff it,” and speed to McDonald’s. Not anymore!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">This morning, I was down three pounds! My hard work was so worth it, and it always will be, even when the scale or the tape measure may not reflect that. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As we started cooking the Thanksgiving meal today, my aunt showed me a picture she was saving. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqqmV3yZedJEQTiQOrySh7WNCjPF_LSQD_DgHFq8wOk_aAqcPq-sgHdCRjni9D5wlPcYIsmoDFVi6amxpSRtp6ZphSTROIiYCPDvUePdhOuw3Ik02prOCEdliXlj-VaXTxsRmnpZpjRnU/s719/E58D8DD4-1261-40C5-9A2F-3B7A48DA09CD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqqmV3yZedJEQTiQOrySh7WNCjPF_LSQD_DgHFq8wOk_aAqcPq-sgHdCRjni9D5wlPcYIsmoDFVi6amxpSRtp6ZphSTROIiYCPDvUePdhOuw3Ik02prOCEdliXlj-VaXTxsRmnpZpjRnU/s320/E58D8DD4-1261-40C5-9A2F-3B7A48DA09CD.jpeg" width="189" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">This picture was from June. I had already lost 70 pounds, and I still looked miserable!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So today, I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for my dedication and will power. I am thankful for all I’ve done for myself and how far I have come. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now, let’s eat. Happy Thanksgiving!</span></p></div>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-25971179719014204372021-09-15T09:58:00.002-04:002021-09-15T09:58:36.139-04:00Believe it Does<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It’s so hard to look at yourself and see everything everyone else sees. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You’re great</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You’re pretty. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You’re talented. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You’re dedicated. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You do some things people only</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">wish they could do. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Open your eyes, girl. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Look at not what’s right in front of you, but what’s in you. You got this. You’re strong enough for this. I promise you. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You have been through and will go through worse. You’ve experienced things some people haven’t experienced, and you’ve had a better life than others have. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Just because your life is different doesn’t make it any better or worse than others’. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Life is crazy. It throws you curve balls and makes you think you can’t handle it, but sometimes it throws you home runs. Some of those you experienced early in life, and some are still yet to come. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Just be patient, sweet girl. Believe in yourself. Believe in life. Believe that it gets better, because I promise you it does. </span></p></div>
<br />
<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-16315883685726563332021-06-09T19:32:00.006-04:002021-06-09T19:32:58.601-04:00Give Yourself Three Months<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1">I’ve always seen the quote that says “It takes 4 weeks for you to notice, 8 weeks for your friends to notice, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice the change.” However, this time, it has taken me months to notice the results of the hard work I’ve put in. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1">Give yourself three months. No matter what it is. Whether you’re trying to lose weight like me, learn an instrument, be better at a sport, anything! Just give yourself THREE months, and I promise it will be worth it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1">I gave myself three months, and now I know I can’t give up. The amount I’ve changed mentally and physically is astounding to me. I have wanted to give up so many times throughout the last few months. There were days I gained weight, days I was so depressed I hated myself, and days I wondered if all of my hard work was even going to be even a tiny bit worth it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1">Well, it was worth it. It IS worth it. The reason I started this blog was so I could remember what it was like when it was all just a goal. It’s so important to remember where you came from so you can never go back there again, and only three months into my journey, I can tell you that I am so much happier where I am now. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1">I’ve worked so hard, and although I’ve not yet reached my ultimate goal, I am so pleased with the progress I’ve made. It’s been a rough few months, but today, I realized all of the sweat and tears wasn’t for nothing. You can’t change overnight, and although it seems like a lifetime, it all goes by so fast in the end. So, enjoy the ride, and please, PLEASE give yourself at least three months. </span></p></div>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-50774859806904412812021-05-27T21:18:00.002-04:002021-05-27T21:18:29.249-04:00Food addiction is real, man. <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">I’m not hungry. Yet, I’m sitting here doing everything I can to not walk in the kitchen and stuff my face. Food addiction is real, man. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">I used to eat when I was bored, angry, sad, happy, you name the emotion, and I was eating to satisfy it. It scares me. It scares me that after so much hard work, I still have to battle this addiction. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">Some people don’t believe in food addiction. They look at morbidly obese people and think they’re lazy or weak. And yes, part of that is true. However, there is so much behind the scenes that you don’t see. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">An alcoholic doesn’t have to drink. A drug addict doesn’t have to do drugs. But, you HAVE to eat. This addiction is something you have to face three times per day. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">Food has always been there for me. When humans let me down, food didn’t. Food was there through depression and celebrations, and it made me so happy. But the happiness didn’t last. When the good feelings I got from food were gone, the guilt set in. And I have finally realized that the one thing that has comforted me my entire life, is also what was killing me. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">The struggle is real, and although I have had major success over the last few months, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. I’m terrified I will fall into my old habits and let food re-take control over my life. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">No matter what happens, no matter who enters or leaves my life, I have to stay in control. I have to tell myself that I am the most important person in my life and make that all-important decision. I have to decide day, after day, after day, to put my health first. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">I will not fail. I know this because I’m not doing it for anyone else this time. Not for the people who asked “Are you going to stick with it this time?” or “Should you be eating that?” But, for me, and only me. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22.7px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">It’s soooo hard, but I know that I will continue to fight with everything in me. Because after all, I am the most important person in my life. </span></p>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-91772373954567971532021-05-12T16:45:00.003-04:002021-05-12T16:45:59.854-04:00Decisions<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal">Nothing worth having comes
easily. It takes strength, dedication, and perseverance to get what you want. I
can promise you, that after years and years of trying it myself, wishing will
get you nowhere. I always said that there was a switch in my brain that needed
to turn on in order for me to start losing weight, but as I get deeper and deeper
into this journey, I realize that’s not true.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It’s all about making decisions;
decision, after decision, after decision. You have to wake up and decide that
you’re going to change your life. If you haven’t decided, you’re not ready, and
that’s okay. But if you are ready, get ready to make some difficult choices.
Decide that you’re tired of the way you are and want to change. Decide that you’re
going to prioritize your health over everything else. Once you make the first
decision, the next one gets a little easier.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I decided I was done. I was so
tired of being tired and waking up every morning with nothing exciting to look
forward to. I was sick of back pain, sick
of knee pain, and I was sick of feeling like my lungs were going to collapse if
I had to park any farther than the first few spots in the parking lot at
Walmart. I didn’t enjoy the embarrassment of purposely arriving early at a restaurant
before my friends to request a table because I couldn’t fit in a booth. I had
to order slip-on tennis shoes from Amazon because I could no longer bend over
to tie my shoelaces, and I had to forget even trying to sit down at an outdoor
event because I knew I would break the chair.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve lost 50-pounds so far, with
about 150 more to go before I reach my ultimate goal. Some of the thoughts
above still race through my head, but I’m working on that. I’m working on being
kinder to myself. My life is slowly changing before my eyes, and although some
of those decisions I was telling you about may be hard to make, I promise you each
and every single one is worth it. It seems like I have something new and
exciting happening every day, whether that be noticing my reflection changing in
the mirror, the number on the scale going down, or somehow finding a new way to
love myself just a little bit more. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Each day is not easy, but I have
decided that being happy is easier than being sad and miserable. I have to
decide that every day, and sometimes it’s super hard, but I have finally decided
to put myself first, and I am so excited to see what happens when I don’t give
up!<o:p></o:p></p></div>
<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-20073479015823004572021-05-10T16:35:00.002-04:002021-05-10T16:35:28.960-04:00Maybe our best days come from our worst<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal">I thought I was doing well and
that all of my crazy thoughts I’ve said over and over to myself in the past
were gone. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You’re worthless”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You don’t deserve the be happy”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You’ll never find a man who
loves you”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet, here they are…back in FULL
force.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve always found it extremely
difficult to love myself, and I’ve always treated myself worse than anyone else
ever could. I thought I was good. I thought all of those terrible thoughts
about myself would never come back, but that’s just not how life works.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After working extremely hard over
the last two months, I’ve lost 50-pounds. I was doing so well physically AND
mentally. I convinced myself I was happy and that I was heading in the right direction.
But yesterday, all of that changed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was Mother’s Day. My mom is
still here, but after being diagnosed with Dementia, life has not been the
same. She used to be my person. I would call her when something exciting happened,
and I would crawl in bed with her when it was all falling apart. I don’t have
that anymore. Over the past three years, I’ve had to learn different ways to
cope with my problems and new ways to celebrate each success, but it has been
hard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve also had a problem equating
my worth to whether or not I have a significant other. Generally, I am fine
being single, and sometimes I even enjoy it. But, every now and then, when a
guy ghosts me or I have no prospects, it makes me spiral into a black hole of
loneliness.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I find myself frequently saying “I
don’t have a person” since my mom got sick. And, I don’t. I don’t have one
person I call when I get good news, and I don’t have one person whose arms I
can’t wait to jump into after a hard day. And you know what? That is totally
and completely okay.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As a matter of fact, I have tons
of people I can run to when I get upset. I have tons of people who support me
and support every single pound I lose. I have tons of people who wish they
could take any pain I have away, and I have tons of people who have picked me
up off the ground and forced me to look at myself and realize that I <i>am</i>
worth it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And it’s days like these, where I
am rescued from the black hole that is depression, that I realize that I am so
lucky and fortunate to have everyone in my life that I do. I don’t need ONE
person. I need them all, and I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends
and family in my life. They are the ones who show me that I am doing amazing
things, and that I am an amazing person, contrary to what I sometimes may
think.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve always said that my best
workout days are the days I don’t feel like exercising. Maybe that applies to
life, too. Maybe our best days come from our worst. After all, the sun shines
brighter after the darkest storms. All I know is that I have to keep going and
work on myself, mentally and physically. This is the year of Kara. I refuse to
give up because I know if I even tried, if I even came close, that I would have
so many people in my corner who wouldn’t allow it. And even though it will take
time and patience, one of those people is going to be me. <o:p></o:p></p></div>
<br />
<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-69210023264220987922021-04-01T16:16:00.000-04:002021-04-01T16:16:07.038-04:00Change is Scary<div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal">I saw this quote, and I have been
thinking about it alllll day:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Never let fear decide your
future.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was scared. I was scared I was
going to try again and fail, just like I’ve done 100 times. Changing your life,
no matter in what aspect, is so, so scary. You take everything you’re content with
and familiar with and throw it all out the window. You’re left facing new and
strange things you may have faced before, or maybe not. You’re out of your
bubble, and for most of us, that is a very uncomfortable place<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My bubble consisted of eating,
smoking pot, and being sedentary. Since the pandemic started, I became a huge
fan of DoorDash. I would order food two, sometimes three times per day. Not
only did that make for a giant pit in my wallet, but it caused me not to be
able to even walk out to the sidewalk in front of my house without getting
winded. I was addicted. Sure, it made me feel great for the 10 minutes I was
consuming the delicious greasiness, but when I finished, I was miserable again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Aside from the terrible eating I
was doing, I was also smoking pot. Every day. I thought it was something I
needed to escape from the anxiety I had over real life. It seemed to be keeping
me together when I felt like coming unglued, but the truth is, smoking made it
worse. If I went too long without smoking, I became irritable. Do I even need
to talk about how badly it gave me the munchies? And by “munchies,” I mean I
would have a full-blown meal or <i>two</i> after I ate dinner.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The pot not only made me hungry,
but it made me lazy af. All I wanted to do after was eat and watch TV. The
thought of exercising didn’t even cross my mind when I was high. In fact, my
thoughts and actions were the total opposite, which is one reason why I ordered
food so much. I didn’t even want to walk to my car to go get anything.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I finally became so sick of
everything. I was so tired of being tired, and so sick of being addicted to food,
smoking, and being lazy. I was so overwhelmed thinking I had to stop everything
at once that I sought advice from my doctor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After discussing my options for
shedding a serious number of pounds (my goal is to lose a total of 200), my
doctor and I decided for me to try phentermine. <span style="color: #111111;">Phentermine
is an amphetamine-like prescription medication used to suppress appetite. It aids
with weight loss by decreasing your hunger. But, guess what? In order to take
the medication, the patient has to take regular drug tests.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It wasn’t even a
question for me anymore. I told my doctor I was going to quit smoking pot, and
the next day, I did. I also started taking the pills and suddenly noticed that
even when I would get hungry, food wasn’t constantly on my mind. I know there
is no such thing as a “miracle pill,” but phentermine has helped majorly with
my food addiction, and for that, I am so grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Like I said, the pill
won’t do all of the work for you. You can’t just take the pill, eat the same terrible
diet, and not exercise like we all wish for! I have been eating at a calorie
deficit and fasting for 16 hours each day. I have also made it a priority to
get in about 20-30 minutes of exercise six days per week.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m almost a month into
changing my habits, and I am so proud to say I have lost 30 pounds! Am I
nervous to eventually go off the medication? Yes. But, I believe with the strength
and will power I possess, I will be successful long after the meds are out of
my system. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I have a long road to go
because honestly, the road never ends. And yes, taking the first few steps down
that road is scary, but don’t let that fear cripple you. Being healthy is a
lifetime commitment and doesn’t end when you reach your goal. My new goal is to
be healthy for the rest of my life, not just to get down to 175 pounds. I can’t
wait to keep you all updated on my progress!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div>
<br />
<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-14947038288921773332020-02-11T16:12:00.004-05:002020-02-11T16:12:28.292-05:00I Need to Respect Myself<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been a few months since I’ve
blogged about my life and weight loss, or lack thereof. In these past few
months, a lot has changed! I started a new job, bought my first home, and
adopted a new fur baby! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve always been one of those who
worries about everything and looks at things negatively. I always think “If I
get this or that, I will be so much happier!” So, you would think I’d be super
duper happy with all of the great new additions to my life. I am happy.
However, something is missing, and that something is loving myself and treating
my body the way it deserves.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am miserably fat. I am the
biggest I have ever been in my life. You’d think I’d learn after going through
cycles of losing and gaining 20, 50, and even 100 pounds at a time. But, I
haven’t. One thing I <i>have </i>learned
throughout my life, and especially over the last few years, is that working to
be healthy makes me so damn happy. So, why do I stop? Why don’t I start? Why don’t
I stick with it?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I always see and share
inspirational quotes on Instagram thinking that might somehow give me the
motivation I’m desperately seeking. Quotes like “When you feel like quitting,
think about why you started” and “Every new day is a chance to change your
life.” These are great words to live by, but they’re not enough for me. Reading
words on a screen is not going to make my brain change the way it thinks. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One quote that does always come
to mind when I get sad about my life or think about how much work is ahead of
me and how much weight I have to lose, and that is “Be happy now, without
reason – or you will never be at all.” OMG. So true, right? Instead of thinking
about how long it will take me to lose the 200 pounds I want to lose, I need to
be happy with the small victories.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I need to most of all be happy
with the non-scale victories. Like the fact that I can take the steps up to
work without almost dying or the fact that I actually brought my lunch today instead of grabbing fast food. Don’t get
me wrong, seeing the number on the scale go down makes me unbelievably proud of
myself, but I am not just a number.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, motivation is not what I’m
lacking here. I have the motivation in me. I am lacking respect for myself, and
that has to change. Motivation only gets you so far. It’s all about making
conscious decisions and realizing that this whole thing is about life, not just
weight. I need to do what makes me happy and what keeps me healthy and stop focusing
on how much work is ahead of me. Because we are all a work in progress, and
that never stops, even once the fat is gone.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-36614332635778744362019-10-22T15:00:00.002-04:002019-10-22T15:00:20.561-04:00 Another day, another weight loss journey<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm tired of my usual post stating how "I'm back" and how I'm really going to stick with it for life this time. I get on here every few months spewing my guts with the same 'ole story about how I'm finally going to change for good, because it's simply not true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you that are familiar with this little-known blog, you know I've battled my weight my entire life. I'll go a few months being super motivated, lose 50 pounds and gain 60 back. Then, I just stop. I give in to temptation, and I give up on myself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">For the last few weeks, I haven't given up. I can say this time is different, but to be honest, I don't know that it is. I want it to be, yes, but I can't promise. It's easy to stay motivated in the beginning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is, this isn't a short journey for me. This is my life. Yes, I want to lose a significant amount of weight, but the last few months have taught me that it's more about my health than anything. I want to be around to meet my future husband and child(ren), if that's what's in the cards for me. I want to be around to see my truest self, my greatest self, and what the next 32 years will bring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This is hard to admit, but I got to my heaviest weight ever just a few short weeks ago. I could barely even tie my shoes, my feet were swelling frequently, and I had more anxiety going to restaurants than ever. It's so embarrassing asking for a table because you're not sure you can fit in a booth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast-forward three weeks. Although I haven't lost a ton in this short amount of time, I have felt the weight loss in the form of more energy, being able to do more at the gym, and not stopping as frequently when taking the stairs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It feels great, but I know it will come to a point where I just want to give up, but I'm going to try with everything in me not to. It's not about the number on the scale. It's about actually trying to survive life at this point. I can't give up. I am going to keep telling myself that one small decision can change my life, and one small mistake can ruin it. Ten minutes of pleasureful eating is not worth gaining 5 pounds, nor is it worth losing to a life that makes me so incredibly happy.</span></div>
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-78515430608407432592019-01-24T08:48:00.003-05:002019-01-24T08:49:00.047-05:00Are you going to stick with it this time?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have always received so much
support every time I have decided to lose weight, and it’s one of the reasons I
continue to keep my journey public. Being so open about my struggles not only
lets others see they are not alone; it reminds me that I’m not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being so public about something
so personal is liberating. It’s like you don’t have to hide yourself from the
world anymore. However, being open comes with the good and bad. The good being
the support you receive, even from complete strangers, and the bad being that even
the closest people to you may completely crush your soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ah yes, the soul crushers. These people
know you (and your journey) very well. They appear to be some of your biggest
supporters, but sometimes they don’t quite get it right. You’ll hear statements
like “Is that on the diet?” or “You’re losing too fast.” Yes, these people mean
well (I think), but they don’t understand how such seemingly innocent words can
hurt someone working so hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think the worst question I’ve
gotten in the past month has been “Are you going to stick with it this time?” I
have to hold back every time I want to respond with “Looks like you’ve stuck
with being an asshole.” Most of you know this is about the 50<sup>th</sup> time
I’ve worked on losing weight. Sometimes my journey lasted as little as a few days
or a week, and sometimes it has lasted months. However, this time it has to
last forever, and that is what I’m working on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, if you know someone trying to
lose weight, quit smoking, or trying to undertake another huge lifestyle change
in some form, please be mindful. We all have our issues, and we don’t need to
constantly be reminded by other people what they are. Yes, my journey is
public, and the negative comes with the positive. However, if you love someone
and truly support them, be kind or be quiet.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-19683557090521336722018-08-29T13:40:00.000-04:002018-08-29T13:41:13.562-04:00Small Wins<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Does the term “baby steps” mean small steps or steps like a baby? If it means that I’m stumbling, falling, and wobbling towards something I desperately need to get my hands on, then “baby steps” is exactly what I’m taking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It’s been a few weeks since I decided I was tired of living in my own body. Yes, you’ve heard this before. I’ve lost 30 pounds here, 50 pounds there, and even 100 on my most successful journey. But, I gain the weight back (and then some) every single time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Realizing I’ve done it again, I’ve been thinking about ways to be successful and stay that way. Yes, a weight loss journey, a journey of creating yourself, is filled with ups and downs, but losing weight only to gain it back is not healthy. It’s a vicious cycle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">While looking for ways to find success, I realized that every journey I’ve been on, I’ve jumped in head first. I would go to the gym everyday, try to eat things I hated just because they were healthy. I can’t stick to that. That is one thing that has made me fail. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">So, for now, best advice I can give myself is to try to take it one day at a time. I’m going to keep on the move and stay within my calories everyday, but if I mess up, I mess up, and I will get right back on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is why instead of going full-force, I have decided to take it one wobbly step at a time. </span></div>
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-43478858519887429092018-07-02T13:57:00.000-04:002018-07-02T13:57:03.643-04:00I Am Going to Change My Life<div style="text-align: justify;">
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So, I totally could have had a baby in the amount of time it
has been since I’ve written. I didn’t! Just sayin’ it’s been way too long!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Instead of birthing a child, I gained 50 pounds. It sucks. A
lot has happened in the last nine months, but that’s not an excuse for no
longer being selfish when it comes to my health. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In December, my mom became ill and was diagnosed with
encephalitis. Encephalitis is like dementia, and although my mom is still with
us, she’s not the same, and I grieve the loss of her everyday. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In May, my dad made three ER visits within just as many
weeks. After the last visit, he was admitted to undergo a blood transfusion.
Two days later, he was more than excited to be discharged after breakfast. An
hour later, I got a call from a concerned physician explaining that my father
may not make it. His ulcer had ruptured an artery, and my dad was going through
emergency surgery. The situation was very touch-and-go for the next 72 hours,
as the doctors explained his “very poor” prognosis. Like the miracle I so
desperately needed in my life, he was able to be removed from the ventilator
and is currently at home recovering. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve been wanting to share what has been going on, but I
could never really put it into words until today. I really have to have the
urge to write, and the writing bug finally hit me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I promised to share not only the best, but the worst of my
life with you, and again, I disappeared when things got tough. But, the tough
things made me stop and really think about how I can be my best self again. I
started asking myself when in my adult life I was truly happy and what I needed
to do to get there again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It all came back to one thing. Being healthy. Although I
have been through several big weight loss journeys, I couldn’t stop thinking
about how freaking happy going through that process made me. Focusing on my
health didn’t make everything else fall into place, but instead forced it
there. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So for now, my goal is to be healthy. I’m going to start
incorporating healthier foods instead of telling myself I can’t eat something.
I’m going to get to a point again where exercising is a fun stress reliever
instead of a near-death experience. I’m going to write more. I’m going to be a
better version of myself. Slowly, but surely, I am going to change my life.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-5419024077334576012017-09-11T16:33:00.001-04:002017-09-11T16:33:23.238-04:00Baby Steps, Y'all<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've really been riding the struggle bus lately... I have hit a plateau, and I have no one or no one thing to blame but myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I enjoy socializing and having a beer (or five) every now and then. Unfortunately, my socialization has been occurring every weekend lately. Of course, it's not bad to have a few beers or dinner from a food truck sometimes, but when I have indulged recently, let me tell you, I have gone hard in the paint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One beer leads to five, one Los Hermanos food truck quesadilla leads to dessert, you know the deal. When I indulge, I tend to not stop. I have the mentality of "I ate crappy for lunch, might as well eat crappy for dinner!" Then, that leads to me eating crappy over the entire weekend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was doing great in the beginning of my journey, but I have let myself slip a little bit, and because of that, I have not seen progress. In fact, the last few sets of weekdays have been spent working so hard trying to get the weekend weight off. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This just shows that I will have to work even harder to maintain my weight once I've hit my goal than I worked trying to reach that goal. Losing weight is all about the mental battle, and just because you've lost a significant amount of weight, doesn't mean that stops. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Although I have hit a few bumps, it doesn't mean I have given up. I plan on working on being more in control and not going overboard just because I ate badly the day before. The struggle never stops, but I have a choice. I have a choice to do better than the day before and work through my journey one step at a time. Baby steps, y'all...baby steps.</span><br />
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-71402838366117291992017-08-23T19:57:00.001-04:002017-08-23T19:57:51.276-04:00The Success Cry<span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Sometimes you just need a day that smacks you in the face to let you know you're doing a great job. Well, today has been one of those days. </span><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Anytime I have gone through a weight loss journey, I have reached a point in that journey when I've just broken down and cried. Not with tears of pain, failure, or disappointment, but with tears of absolute joy. That is when you know that everything you have been doing has been worth it, and today, that point was reached. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On my run tonight, I got stopped by a neighbor asking my name. She told me she's noticed me walking and running around the neighborhood, and it has made her want to start exercising. I told her anytime she feels like it, she is more than welcome to join me. Soon after, I got stopped by another stranger who said he could tell I had lost weight and that I was doing an amazing job. He said anytime I needed a walking buddy to let him know. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It's nights like tonight that make this journey worth it. Yes, I enjoy buying new clothes and seeing the number on the scale go down, but when someone you've never met is proud of you or motivated by you, that's when you know you're doing something right. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">No, I don't need the approval of others to make myself feel good, but damn, I have to admit it's pretty amazing. I started this blog as a personal diary, but I've always said that if I can make even one person want to change their life, I've done my job; the one that I never knew I needed to do in the first place. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So, if you're feeling discouraged or have no idea where to begin, think about this moment. Think about the moment you're going to cry happy tears while you watch all of the pieces of your puzzle fall into place. Because they will. I promise you, they will. </div>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-59591191003691152492017-08-14T20:24:00.001-04:002017-08-14T20:26:43.047-04:00It's Just Like Riding a Bike<span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I bought a bike tonight. I was so excited to be one of those people who takes quick trips on their bicycle instead of their car. However, considering I didn't even make it one mile tonight, anything qualifying as a "trip" is something I'm going to have to work up to. Luckily, it was only $30.</span><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><br></div><div>Have you ever heard the saying "It's just like riding a bike?" That saying is supposed to imply that something is as simple and comes back to you as easily as, well, riding a bike. But, I am here to tell you that riding a bike is as an adult is hard as shit. </div><div><br></div><div>I got a bike in college, and my friends totally made fun of me. I had plans to write a book about my experience of riding a bike all summer instead of driving a car. While being a crazy party girl who didn't care about fitness whatsoever, my career as an author quickly came to an end. </div><div><br></div><div>So, I'm back. No, I'm not going to write a book, but I'm going to try harder than before. It was hard getting used to at first, but I took it for a spin. Riding a bike is definitely the hardest workout I've done in the past three months, but I need to add a little variety, and this is an activity that appealed to me.</div><div><br></div><div>Now, variety may mean that I barely made it twice around the block, but my endurance will improve. I remember when I could barely walk half a mile, so I know I will get better. </div><div><br></div><div>I've learned to actually enjoy challenging myself. I like seeing how far I can push my body, and I like the fact that I'm trying new things I was too scared to try before. </div><div><br></div><div>With that being said, I will continue to try new things. Some things I may like, and some things I may hate. It's all about finding what you enjoy and doing those things as often as you can. </div><div><br></div><div>This journey isn't easy. Sometimes you go uphill, sometimes you go down, and every now and then, you just have to hit the breaks. As a matter of fact, "it's just like riding a bike."</div></div>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-7125526139230503482017-08-07T20:02:00.001-04:002017-08-07T20:02:52.044-04:00Create Yourself<span style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Have you ever accomplished something you never thought you would and felt overwhelmingly proud of yourself? Today, I did. </span><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I jogged my first two-miler in over three years. When I started my weight loss journey again, after gaining back 90 pounds, I never thought I would be able to hear MapMyRun come over my headphones to tell me my two mile stats ever again. I thought ever going over a 15 pound loss was a lost cause. At over 300 pounds (again), I felt defeated. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Some of you may think two miles is nothing, and that's your prerogative, but today, in this moment, it means everything to me. For two months, I stayed at 1.5 miles, being too tired or too scared to push myself to my limit. But, I finally did it, and I couldn't be more proud of myself. </div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm almost three months into my new journey, and I've gotten rid of 42 pounds so far. It's been a difficult, fun, tear-filled three months, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Nights like tonight are what this journey is all about. The journey is not about finding yourself, but creating yourself, and I can't wait to see what great things the next three months will bring!</div><div style="color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-32702501900720526672017-08-03T11:03:00.003-04:002017-08-03T11:03:29.613-04:00Nevertheless, She Persisted<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTsyyjfCMLAmCbinJm3JfTIEJvPiTAjyj4UdX2ECjRLZjfY4nT7_4nq6I5l_Cll57_xPXzZQheL3qKVdKXz_0Idhqd6HiH5sxf6cmUMIIZsaUE8teYbrb_gv8cT4_6Qh_Wk0-MU9hcion/s1600/IMG_5100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTsyyjfCMLAmCbinJm3JfTIEJvPiTAjyj4UdX2ECjRLZjfY4nT7_4nq6I5l_Cll57_xPXzZQheL3qKVdKXz_0Idhqd6HiH5sxf6cmUMIIZsaUE8teYbrb_gv8cT4_6Qh_Wk0-MU9hcion/s320/IMG_5100.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It has been a struggle over the past month, but I made it to -40 pounds! Next up, 50!</div>
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-92026726231836098112017-08-01T12:34:00.001-04:002017-08-02T09:08:09.994-04:00We All Need a Little Help<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have been wondering when it was going to be my time to say "enough is enough" this go around. It typically only takes about three weeks for me to give up and go back to my old ways. I thought I found that moment this weekend, when I ate terribly and didn't workout for three days. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, I caught myself this time. Thanks to my willpower and a few very good friends, I found my motivation again. After receiving great advice like "Today is a new day" and "Three days is nothing compared to your whole life," I got out and walked instead of dwelling on my failure and feeling guilty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's very important to have a good support system because there will come a time when you alone are not enough. It's easy to keep yourself motivated in the beginning, but once you reach your first (or fifth) plateau, are sick of exercising, or simply feel deprived, it's hard to keep the momentum. That's when your friends, family, or even strangers on the Internet come into play.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes we all just need a reminder of how great we actually are and how much progress we've made. While I started this blog as a personal diary, it quickly became something different. It became a way for me to share my successes and struggles with those close to me and those I've never even met.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With that, came great things. People started reaching out to me to tell me I was saying the things they only wish they could say, and it was refreshing for me to see that so many others felt the exact same way I did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as I am to have such great support. And if you don't, go ahead and create your own. Start a blog, write in a journal, or participate in online chat rooms or message boards. There are so many avenues where one can gain support even without ever leaving their home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, if you find yourself needing support or motivation, do all you can to get it. After all, we all need a little help every now and then!</span><br />
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-62669109394616438092017-07-25T16:50:00.002-04:002017-07-25T16:52:26.304-04:00That Stupid Box<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every now and then I get discouraged because I don't feel as if I'm losing weight as quickly as I have done in the past. However, it is a good reminder that every journey is different, and just because the scale doesn't move, doesn't mean I haven't seen success. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've lost 38 pounds in just a little over two months. I take steps into work instead of taking the elevator like I used to. I don't get winded climbing those two flights anymore, and that is something to celebrate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you get discouraged, look at how far you've come, and when the number on the scale doesn't budge, think about all of your non-scale victories. Do your clothes fit better? Did you run that mile a little bit faster than before? Sometimes, these wins can be so much better than seeing decreasing number appear inside of an electronic box.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm going to start focusing more on how I feel instead of the number in that stupid box. It's going to be difficult, considering I have based my success on that number my entire life, but I know it's possible. I am more than just a number, and I'm doing this for me. I started this journey to get healthy, feel better about myself, and become stronger than I have ever been before, and I can't wait to accomplish so much more.</span><br />
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-51872164304472687562017-07-21T13:37:00.001-04:002017-07-21T13:37:07.918-04:00<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-68446853834349987232017-07-21T10:51:00.002-04:002017-07-21T10:51:27.734-04:00Don't Get Crazy!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a terrible habit of beating myself up. I ate too much, I exercised too little, I walked when I should have ran, you know the drill. I am constantly feeling guilty for doing something I "shouldn't" be doing with my healthy lifestyle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">But, should the rules really be that strict? Absolutely not! If you read any articles out there about becoming healthy, mostly all of them say you have to treat yourself every now and then, or you will fail, and for the majority of us, that's completely true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you tell yourself you can't have carbs, you're going to binge on carbs at some point. If you tell yourself you can't have sweets, get ready to become really good friends with Little Debbie. Completely removing certain food groups from your diet just isn't sustainable, at least not for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, if you are one of those carb-less dieters, and it works for you, then great! I am pretty jealous of you, but I would be absolutely miserable. I would go so long without having carbs that I would eat every plate of pasta, every piece of bread, and every form of potato I could get my hands on. I would constantly be the epitome of "hangry."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">With that being said, everyone's body is different, so finding the right diet for you will take some exploring. You have to make sure you're satisfied while also seeing results. If eating clean leaves you hungry all the time, eat a little bit of processed food. Trust me, it won't kill you if you limit yourself. If you love carbs (like me), then eat that plate of spaghetti. Just make sure not to eat three!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you do decide to eliminate certain foods from your diet, and you happen to indulge every now and then, don't get crazy! Don't feel so guilty that you hate yourself. Slip-ups happen. That's life, and it will happen many more times. This journey is all about finding what works for you and sticking to it, even if that means falling off your horse and having to climb back up again and again.</span><br />
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1187147446954947997.post-67096183049274468372017-07-17T19:21:00.003-04:002017-07-17T19:21:36.806-04:00My Body's Telling Me No, but My Mind, My Mind is Telling Me Yes<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am now two months in<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">703rd round of my weight loss journey. </span></span></span>Every inch of my body is telling me to <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">quit. My muscles hurt everyday, and I'm so tired. <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I haven't seen much progress lately, and it's killing me.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weight loss is not line<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ar. No matte<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">r how <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">much you exercise</span></span> and how well you stick <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to your calorie allowance, you will see both ups and downs on the scale. Sure, it's so exciting to see the number on the scale go down, but that shouldn't be all your success is based on.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I feel happy<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span>accomplished, and proud, and to me, that is a non-scale victory. Even though I gaine<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d a few pounds this weekend, I deserved it. I deserved to eat t<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">acos<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, drink <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">mixed d<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">rinks, and </span></span>float in the lake with my girls. However, I got back on m<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y weight loss plan as soon as I got home.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though my body is telling me to quit, my mind is telling me to keep going. I have lost 35 pounds, and I am so p<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">roud of myself for that. Now, it's time to amp it up and remember why I started. I started because I want a better life. I sta<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">rted because I want to be healt<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hy. I started so I can be the best me I can b<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's hard not seeing progress on the scale, but I know it will come. Until then, I am going to enjoy this journey and do everything in my power to make sure I stay on track. </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<br />Kara Vasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01417175612322203576noreply@blogger.com0