I know you've seen this saying everywhere and it's probably not a super accurate statistic but my diet did play a huge part in my weight loss. The other part was hard work at the gym or just plain getting active almost daily. I wanted to share just a bit of how I got to start being active because I get asked this question often.
I didn't have a gym membership at first. I didn't let this stop me because it would be yet another excuse and I was done with excuses. I traded in my 4 wheel stroller and got a 3 wheel jogging stroller and walked outdoors. Once I was walking long distances, I tried jogging but that didn't go so well. It was really tough for me. It was hard for me to even breathe. I have to say that I was never a runner. In fact, I hated running growing up. I was that girl who was always last to finish running because I walked. I would see people running while I drove down the street and think HOW do they do that without dying and also WHY do people do that to themselves?! I didn't get it. Having a difficult time with jogging was discouraging.
At this point, I decided we should invest in bikes. We didn't have money to spend on brand new bikes so I went to Craigslist and found two used bikes for my husband and I that were in great condition but dirt cheap. Then I found a bike trailer for my youngest daughter at a second hand children's store. We biked everyday. After building up more stamina and endurance, I tried jogging again and was surprised that I didn't feel that it was as hard as before. It was still difficult but I did notice a change. My husband and I jogged and everyday we went a little further than the day before, from a few blocks to half a mile which then was pushed to a full mile. This didn't happen overnight. Maybe a whole month passed before I got to a mile. As the days passed, running daily, I noticed that I ran better and with ease. I actually began to enjoy running and looked forward to it (and began to understand why so many people love running!). Before I knew it, I was running for half an hour straight without walking. This was huge for me. And it dared me to come up with a goal that seemed super crazy at the time: run a full marathon.
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| Team In Training |
I decided to do the SF Nike Women's Marathon with Team in Training. TnT is an organization that helps raise money to help find a cure cancer as well as raise awareness. You help them with fund raising, they help you with your running goal. It was easy for me to decide to go with TnT because I've had several family members who passed away from cancer and have always wanted to do something to help find a cure. Training for NWM was very intense but the group of people I trained with at TnT helped me.
During training, I eventually got a gym membership...and actually used it! So different from the past. Joining the gym helped me incorporate weight training into my workouts. I had a lot of time from the day I signed up for NWM to the actual race day itself so I set smaller goals along the way to continue to motivate myself. I invited a few friends, as well as my husband, to do some shorter distance running events. We eventually got a little group going regularly and that is how Team Get It Girl was formed. I completed my first half marathon in July of 2012 at the Davis Moonlight Run. It took me forever to finish but I did it. I was so emotional at the end of that run because the sense of accomplishment I felt was overwhelming. Remember, it was only less than SIX months ago that I started walking down the block and back home. Never in my life did I think I was capable of doing anything like this. But I did. And that is the exact moment I knew that anything is possible. |
| me with my cheering squad at the end of my first half marathon |
In August of 2012, I incorporated CrossFit into my workouts. CrossFit helped me build lean muscle and stamina which in turn helped me run faster and helped my marathon training. I only share this because I do feel it is important to switch up your workouts to continue seeing improvement in your health. Doing just one activity would have caused me to get bored and perhaps eventually quit. Also, by doing these different activities, I was able to get over some plateaus by working out different parts of my body.
The day of NWM was amazing. So much hard work, blood, sweat and tears culminated for this day. I will never forget that whole experience from the start line to finish. All of the thoughts going through my head as I ran really made me emotional. How proud I was for coming this far. How my daughters would be proud of their momma. How I was running for my family who I loved but passed away too soon. How I have proven, not only to myself, but to everyone around me that I was capable. I remembered those who put me down and put my goals down and in turn, put down my dreams but this just fueled me even more. I looked back on this whole journey leading up to NWM and those who always supported me and encouraged me everyday. I completed my first full marathon feeling accomplished and humbled. I was thankful and blessed to be surrounded by those who really loved me and encouraged me to live and be healthy.  |
| NWM finisher medal: a Tiffany necklace |
After NWM, I tried new ways to keep active. I participated in my first mud/obstacle run. I practiced Bikram Yoga for two months. I also went to try my first Hot Hula Fitness class and was hooked. So hooked that I was inspired to become certified as a Hot Hula Instructor in January of 2013 and the rest is history. If you are in the area, come check out a class and say hello!
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| me with the hot hula fitness class |
So eventually I arrived at goal weights and made new goals. My journey to this point was agonizing yet so gratifying at the same time. I started at almost 200 lbs. My goal weight is to be at 124 lbs and TONED with a four pack. But today I am 60 lbs. lighter than what I started at. This is a major accomplishment for me but I'm also left with questions. How do you maintain after losing so much weight? What is normal? The answers I find keep changing and I hope you follow me as I continue my journey. I really had no frame of reference for my new body and weight because I was used to living my life overeating and then crash dieting. Learning to maintain my weight and continue to lose was, and sometimes still is, as hard as losing.
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