OK. I'm a smart girl, right? Well, maybe you shouldn't answer that question. I have known that my weight was not in the healthy range for a while. I avoided being in front of the camera by always being the one behind the camera. I said to myself that I would do something about it later. I can exercise anytime I want. I don't have time for that because I am too busy taking care of my responsibilities.
So my BMI (Body Mass Index) was in the overweight range. I thought I was ok because it wasn't in the obese range. Yes, I was the girl watching NBC's The Biggest Loser while eating junk food and saying to myself "if they can do that, I should be able to do that too." Still I did nothing. I saw the photos from our beach trip in July 2010 and I still did nothing. I just didn't think I could make it a priority.
Once the kids started back to school, I thought I might try the Couch to 5K program by Cool Running (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml). I had a difficulty time running for 60 seconds. It was embarrassing.
Finally, I went to an annual check-up with my doctor on August 24, 2010. When I stood on that scale, I realized I had gained 10 pounds in less than two months since the beach vacation and since beginning to run. How had that happened? Maybe I should really think about that. I was still in shock at what I had let happen to me. When my doctor walked in, I realized that he had lost about 20 pounds since I had last seen him and I had found it. He asked if I was having any problems, and I replied, "none other than I'm fat." My pride took a big hit when he didn't disagree. Kudos to my doctor, he sat down and really talked with me. First, he suggested Weight Watchers. I said that I tinker around with a Weight Watchers on my own at home. He gave me the look that said if I was following Weight Watchers, I wouldn't be talking with him about being fat. Anyway, my doctor is a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers and told me it was time for me to find a meeting and get going. He also said to me that I needed to get active. I told him I was running (a little). He said I needed to get running more.
WOW! I am fat! Other people notice it too! Kudos to my husband Jeremy for loving me at whatever size I am. I am fat and my husband still loves me. People love me no matter what I look like. However, I need to be healthy for those people. If I am not working to be healthy, I am not setting an appropriate example for my kids. I didn't want them to think it is ok to become an unhealthy blob after having children. I sat around thinking of all these things for a few days. I decided I didn't want to continue in this manner.
I continued to do the Couch to 5K program (C25K). At this point I enlisted a training partner, my awesome cousin Casey. Casey and I registered for a 5K race that was in 9 weeks and set up our training schedule. A few weeks later, I finally went to Weight Watchers. A few weeks after that, Casey and I (and my 9 year old son) ran the Big Pumpkin Run 5K. Casey and I were slow, but hey, first or last, it is the same finish line. Two weeks later, we ran the Tiger Trot 5K. Three weeks after that, I ran the Walk the Walk 5K with all three of my kids. The next week, I ran the Reindeer Run 5K with my two boys. All through this, I was steadily losing on Weight Watchers. I even lost over Thanksgiving. Two weeks after Thanksgiving, I met my goal weight that is within the healthy range BMI for my height (short). Weight Watchers started a new program called Points Plus, and I met the weight goal just after Points Plus began. Currently, I have completed three of six weeks of maintenance (Yes, I maintained my weight through Christmas and New Years celebrations), and I hope to earn Lifetime Membership with Weight Watchers at my meeting on January 21, 2011. I have even applied with Weight Watchers to become a receptionist.
So, between August 24, 2010, and December 31,2010, I finally (for the first time since before I was pregnant with my middle child) reached a healthy weight that I believe I can maintain. I also developed an addiction to running. I'm slow and I will likely be slow always, but slow mileage is better than no mileage.
I'm thankful for that "aha" moment. It led me to where I am now. I have put 2010 behind me and I look forward to what 2011 has in store for me, my husband, and my kids. Thanks for stopping by and keep running.
This is your sister and I think you are awesome!
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Wendy! Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about it being the same finish line for everyone. So true! I love running half marathons, good luck with you training. You are off to a great start in 2011.
ReplyDelete