Although, I suppose the best place is to start at the beginning.
I haven't always been heavy. When I was younger, I was "thin as a rail" as my mom used to say. She would have to give me vitamins to ensure that I was getting enough nutrition. However, once the onset of puberty crept up (along with some life hiccups), weight began to creep up. I won't bore you with my past, I have another blog for that; however, I did get pregnant at 19 and gained 60 pounds. Once he was born, the weight came off fairly easily but I soon became pregnant again. With that, I gained another 60 pounds. From that point on the yo-yo diets commenced.
I spent my entire adulthood fighting a never ending battle. I would lose a few pounds, gain a few, lose a few, gain a few. It was frustrating. Then I discovered a stimulant on the market that contained ephedra. It was great. I could eat all I want and as long as I took that little purple pill, I lost weight. I lost a considerable amount. However, once the scare of its danger to the heart and liver caused it to be pulled from the shelves, I gradually gained weight again.
Then Atkins became the craze. My husband and I both jumped on the wagon. He lost over 100 pounds and I lost about 30. We were feeling good. But again, the weight crept back on - both of us.
We tried it all - Weight Watchers, South Beach...even considered juicing. But they all had the same mentality.
Eat what you want.
That is how I got into the state I was in in the first place. These diets boasted on eating as much as you want of certain foods and omitting others. It didn't teach portion control, good fats, proteins, balanced carbs or that exercise is as important as what you consume.
So my weight escalated. Once the scale tipped 250 pounds, I knew I had to do something. Enough was enough. I was at the point that I was NOT going to live like this. I wanted to have adventures. I wanted to experience life. I wanted to LIVE.
After much hesitation, I decided to join the gym. I was freaked out by this, thinking that I was going to be "that girl'. You know the one. The one that outweighs everyone else by 100 pounds, where everything jiggles and where sweat pours off the body like Niagara Falls.
But you know what? I wasn't. Sure, there were some people that were fit and made me a little self conscious but there were some that were heavier than I was and some that were the same. However, we all shared a common goal - to get healthier.
So I was diligent. I began to take classes, I ran at home (I loathe - despise - running, believe it or not) and I was determined. And here I am - 90 pounds lighter with some muscle tone happening and feeling great.
With that being said, this blog is not to toot my own horn. Not in the very least. It is to encourage and motivate. I have done three 5k's so far and I will be doing one a month for the next 12 months. As I do, I will review the races so you can get an insider's opinion. I will also be posting recipes that I try, tips that actually WORK, and will even be transparent and post days that I fall short.
I just ask that you take this journey with me and be encouraged. We only have one life on this spinning rock. I don't know about you...but I want to LIVE, not just survive.
So, I will close with my mantra......
BeastModeActivated
 |
| I am on the left (your left) in both pictures. After/Before |
No comments:
Post a Comment