So one day I hit a low point...I had to buy a size 24 jeans. I was 260 pounds. How in the hell did that happen!? It gets to a point where you know you're gaining, and you know you're heavy, but you have already crossed the comfortable line, so 260 didn't feel all that different from 160, it was all excess weight. I just figured it was in my genes, and that this was how life was going to be.
For me, I was always small and very active. Standing at 4'11, I always had curves, but 115 seemed to be my normal weight for me. But then I went to college and moved onto adult life, I gave up most activities that kept me in shape and then had to deal with the "real world", which as most adults know, is a struggle. Food was comfort and social for me, nothing beat meeting with friends and having a wonderful meal, or a few drinks, it reminded me of happier times growing up with family around the table talking about our days.
At first I didn’t even mind gaining weight, the first 15 pounds looked better on me! But then it kept piling on….finally one day I said enough. I looked into some options from my benefits at work and found that with a Doctor's note I could join Weight Watchers and have my flex spending cover it. Most people use this for surgery or for some major medical work, but I used it to change my life.
My weight loss journey actually started a little before I joined Weight Watchers, so let me rewind. I downloaded a calorie counter and added some activity, before I knew it I had lost 25 pounds. After about 3 months, I came to a standstill and tracking calories got tedious, so I joined Weight Watchers to push me over that edge, which it did that and more! My view on food totally changed, instead of reaching for a Granola bar to snack on (90ish calories for some) I would reach for a banana (120 calories), although the banana is more in calories, it is much better for you. Calorie counting scared me away from fruits whereas Weight Watchers encouraged it. Not to mention, with portion control, I could have whatever I want!
After joining Weight Watchers, (and before that, Calorie Counting) changing eating habits alone, I lost 30 pounds. With some encouragement from the most amazing Weight Watchers leader of all time, (Vicky….I miss you) I decided that it was time to add some activity and joined a running group. This was another turning point for me; I couldn't run more than a couple minutes without feeling like I was going to DIE! But I was eased into it and ran my first 5K, with another 20 pounds down (for those of you doing the math, that's 50 pounds, baby!)
After my 5K, I felt good, kept running and was excited about finding something that was very hard, but also something I loved to do (I will do another blog later about things that helped me personally as I began running, and things that still help me....) but as my weight stabilized, I felt like I was stuck in a rut. Then, as if God knew I needed an extra push, I went to watch my older sister (and declared bad ass) compete in an Iron Man….what a life altering experience that was! These people start by swimming 2.4 miles, then biking for 112 miles, and then finish with a full marathon, 26.2 miles! I cried for them, cheered for them, and worried for them! After that, I felt like although my accomplishment of 3 miles was huge for me, I could do more.
So queue today, my first day of my self-training for a full marathon; it called for a shorter distance (2 miles) at a faster pace. I was a little nervous last night because I’m really comfortable at a light jog at a pace of 16 minutes, and I woke up with a dry/sore throat from a cold, but I still got up and did it. It felt great after I trucked through the first mile; I didn’t walk any of it (except the warm up and cool down that I don’t count towards the activity) and did it at a 12 minute pace for 30 minutes, which is really fast for me. It let me know also of another change that I have made, that I don’t make excuses anymore. If I’m not running a fever and can move, I can run. The old me would have used a sore throat as an excuse. I’m growing stronger, in more than just physical ways!
The Marathon training has me working out 5 times a week with some days for cross training, so I need to find another sport to get into. I love riding my bike, but it’s old and it’s not very good for exercise (although great for commuting.) I don’t know if Dancing/Zumba counts, I’ll have to check into that. But for now my motivation is high and I feel empowered, in control, and accomplished. I’m sure I’ll have just as many days where I feel completely opposite, but I love days like this!
Day one: check!!
