Debbie Cousins's Journal, 28 Jun 21

Day #58. Still fasting to maintain my goal weight until I get official confirmation that my weigh-out video has been approved. @Rckc submitted her video last Sunday and had the money in her account by Monday night. I'm guessing mine will be put in sometime today since I submitted on Friday morning early. I hope I get the confirmation early in the day so I can go ahead and get my digestive system working again.

I need to go to the store to get a banana, but, other than that, I have all the other things I will use to break the fast - avocado (on toast), cooked kale, salmon and a couple of boiled eggs. Not exactly what I WANT to be the first things I eat after being on a fast for almost two months, but I certainly don't want to have digestive issues.

I should be able to eat fairly normally tomorrow for breakfast and lunch, and then the Italian dinner is tomorrow night. I've decided I'm only going to take a couple of bites of what I order (which will probably be Veal Parmesan) and bring the rest home - just in case it doesn't agree with my stomach. Better safe than sorry. And, if sorry, better to be HOME than at a restaurant, LOL.

As soon as they confirm my video submission, I'm going to use the same video as my weigh-IN video for another six-month challenge. This time, I will go from 198.8 down to 160 (38.8 pounds). Actually, my goal will be to get into the 159's, because that is what will change my BMI to "NORMAL."

I haven't been "normal" since 1983 when I got married. By the end of the first year of marriage, I had gained up from 135 to 165. After first baby it was 185, and after 2nd, I was over 200 for most of my adult life. Two years ago, I got down to 172.2 for A MINUTE, so I know I can go that low. I HAD been planning to make my new goal 165, because I think that is more doable. But, I'd really like to be "normal" for a change.

Right now, at 198.2, I'm still in the "Obese" category, but when I hit 191, I will move over into the "Overweight" range. Both of those are better than MORBIDLY OBESE where I was for years and was as recently as the first of this year, with a BMI of over 40. My highest weight was 302, when I had gastric bypass surgery 17 years ago. That got me down to between 185-195 where I stayed for about 8 or 10 years before ballooning back up again.

Now you know my entire weight-loss history, or should I say, weight-GAIN history, (whether you wanted to or not).

I have to go into this second phase with just as much dependence on the Lord as I had to have for the fasting. I know from a very long history that I CANNOT do this on my own. In my own flesh, I am weak. In Christ, I am strong. Lord, please help me to continue on this journey to better health and a stronger, healthier, more active body with which to serve you and to live longer for my grandchildren. Please continue to give me the determination and self-control which (in my life) are only found in You! Amen.

89.9 kg Lost so far: 27.6 kg.    Still to go: 21.9 kg.    Diet followed: 100%.