There comes a time when you look in the mirror and ask yourself the question, “what happened?”
Stuck in a job you really don’t like anymore… Maybe you put on a few pounds… or did you just make a huge purchase that you weren’t really planning?
Regardless, you now need to face the reality of your actions and move forward.
All of you that have been following my adventures over the last few year know that getting healthy has been a HUGE goal for me. I don’t have a “target number” on the scale, or a size that I want my jeans to be. I want to be strong and healthy. But part of being strong and healthy is getting to a healthy weight for me. Not a healthy weight according to my doctor, the BMI scale or the health bio-metrics for my health insurance. (A healthy BMI is the ONE category that I have not received all the point on for our insurance bio-metric screenings each year so far… goals!). A healthy weight where I feel strong, have the energy to do all the things that I love, sleep better, keep the migraines away and so much more.
However, there comes a time when you need to stop and pay attention to that number on the scale to get you back on track, heading back towards the goals you have for yourself.
I can honestly say that is exactly where found myself a few weeks ago. It was the moment of truth. We were going out with some friends for a birthday celelbration and I grabbed my favorite pair of jeans out of the closet. I attempted to put them on, but was stopped cold in my tracks. I say attempted because there was no way that I was going to be able to button them, let alone be comfortable going out for the evening (including eating dinner!).
It was at that moment that I realized I needed to wake up and make some changes. But I knew that I couldn’t do anything in the next 5 minutes to make those jeans fit, so I grabbed a pair of leggings and a sweater and got ready to head out. I was going to enjoy the evenings festivities.
But I also knew that I needed to address the situation.
A few days later, I took some time to get a grip on everything that came to light that Saturday night.
There were a few key things that I realized. Last fall, when I realized I was dealing with some issues with my foot, I scaled back my running. I did pick up attending cycling classes on a regular basis and taking a few other classes at the gym, but I wasn’t running. After I ran my last half marathon in October and 10k in November, my running became almost non-existent, to let me foot rest and hopefully heal. By December, the foot was not doing any better and I was not running. I has started spending more time in the cycling studio, going through training as a cycling instructor. Between December 5th and January 23rd, I didn’t run a single mile. Yes, I did some walking, plus I was going through all my training to start teaching cycling classes (December) but I was not running.
I was keeping myself active, but when I stopped running, I forgot to stop EATING like I was still running 15-25 miles per week! I kept eating like I was fueling my body for those 5-10 mile training runs. Plus, through the Christmas and New Years holiday’s in there, I forgot to think about what I was eating. No, I wasn’t eating pizza every day or filling myself with donuts and chocolate all day. I was still trying to eat mostly clean and healthy, I was just eating more than I needed! Don’t get me wrong, there were desserts in there, I enjoyed a glass of wine (or 5) and a variety of other treats. I wasn’t deprived.
But now that brings up back to now.
I have no one to blame but myself.
I was the one that was in control over what I ate and how much.
I was in control over how much I moved.
After working hard for many months and hovering around the same weight (within 5 pounds for the past year, During the month of December, I gained 10 pounds! Through January, a few more pounds crept back. Then at the end of January, the jeans incident was my wake up! I found myself back at 203 pounds! When I got married 12 years ago, I was down to 145. Yes, you read that right. over 12 years, I slowly gained back over 50 pounds.
Now, I know that I will probably never get back down to that 145. It’s just not realistic. I’m older and have also done a lot to change my workouts. Back then, exercise for me was walking. Now, I am doing more strength training and long distance running. But I do know that I need to get back to a weight that is healthier for me.
The last few weeks I have taken control again. I will not be controlled by external factors. I have reminded myself that I am worth it. That I can achieve all of the goals that I have for myself. I have some pretty crazy running goals for this year and getting my food and nutrition back on track is going to be key to me reaching those finish lines. Besides, dropping a few more pounds means less overall stress on the knees and joints while running!
I am back on track and am determined. I am armed with tools and motivation to get me there. This year, come fall when we have to do our bio-metric testing again for our insurance, my goal is to pass ALL of the requirements – including that healthy BMI! Time to get healthy inside and out!
Why am I telling you all of this today? To remind you that weight loss (or maintenance) is not easy! We all will stumble. In fact, we all will fall at some point. The trick is to get back on your feet, wipe off the dirt and get back on the right track. Find your motivation and your support team! They say it takes a tribe to raise a baby, but it also can take a tribe to help each other reach our goals!
Yes, I am still going to enjoy dessert and a glass of wine from time to time. But I am also going to take control over what and how I am fueling my body. I am going to hit that healthy BMI this fall when we do out bio-metric screenings! As an added bonus, I am determined to have to go buy some new summer dresses for vacation in October… in JAMAICA!
Come join me on this journey! No matter if you have 5 pounds or 50 pounds that you wish to lose, let’s do this together! I’ll be back over the coming weeks to let you know where I am at and share some tips along the way!
Here’s to a happy, healthy 2018!
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