Still Here

I'm glad to know that there are still a few people who read this blog. I haven't been very diligent in keeping up with it, so seeing that people are looking at it really motivates me to keep going.
Now that the semester is over, I have some reflections on the past few weeks. In short, they have been really difficult. Balancing a being a full time student and maintaining a healthy lifestyle was harder than I ever thought it would be. I was mostly successful, though, and that is something to celebrate. Even though I may not have those washboard abs yet (HA!), every day that I made it to all my classes, had meals that did NOT consist of my vices,(i.e. macaroni and cheese or my good friends Ben and Jerry) and got a few things done that were outside the realm of my basic "eat/sleep/school/repeat" routine, should be celebrated.
Learning balance takes a long time, and there are always periods of time when balance is even harder to achieve than normal. This is okay. No one is perfect, and each of us must make our changes on our own schedule. Since no one else can do the work, no one else, except for trained medical professionals, can dictate when you make changes to your life.
A few weeks ago, I was asked to give a lesson about what I have learned over the course of this weight loss journey, and for a while I really struggled with what to talk about. There is so much that I am still learning that sometimes I feel like I am trying to drink from a fire hose, but one thing has really stuck out to me, and that is the role that our emotions play in all of this. Change is messy. It doesn't always feel good when you're first starting out, and that makes it very difficult to want to keep going. There is a whole slew of hurdles to overcome: adequate nutrition and hydration, proper exercise, staying motivated, and learning to accept your body as something that is a wonder to behold. None of this is easily accomplished. On top of all that, many of us have to come to terms with the fact that our skeletal structure and genetic makeup make it literally impossible to achieve that picture perfect look that we see in the media. It will never happen. Ever. We can't force our bodies into shapes they aren't designed for. That is okay, too. And it's okay to mourn that loss because that process of accepting our emotions will set us free. Once we feel them, we will not feel that way forever.
So, stay your course! What are some of your spring goals? I am participating in a "no sweet treats for 30 days" challenge with my sister and my mom. It's May 3 and we're already counting down until the end of the month. Check back for updates!

Out Of The Woodwork

One misconception that I have heard far too many times is that if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, you may as well give up now. After all, the statistics just aren't in your favor. I would like to just come out and say that this is not true. Sure, you may not just drop 20 lbs in one month, but making any positive change will ultimately lead you to your goals.

Now, I will say that losing weight, even if it is only 5 or 10 lbs is hard work. It will require effort, and you can  count on it bringing you out of your comfort zone. From the foods you eat to the way you move your body, there will be things that make you uncomfortable. As far as I am aware, no one has become overweight due to an overwhelming love of broccoli or the unquenchable desire to run or do push ups.

Lest you be tempted to fall upon your swords right this very second, I feel it my duty to point out an interesting fact. Ahem. Are you ready? Good. I would like to let you know that you will be surprised at the number of people you know who have been able to lose weight and keep it off. Whether they lost 15 lbs or 100 lbs, they had to do the exact same things to get there. They had to get out of that comfort zone and try something new. 

Just in case you don't believe me, let me tell you about Janene. She has successfully lost 60 lbs, and has become a health coach to help other people do the same. You can read about the program that she used and now works with here. Here is the crazy part: Janene is my cousin-in-law and I was completely unaware of her transformation until I started my on my own. I'm telling you, once you start being aware of weight loss, you'll be amazed at the number of people you know who have been where you are now. 

I bring this up because it is so important to have a support network. You may be the one who has to do the sweating, but having people to cheer you on will make your journey 100% easier. I am not a naturally athletic person, so the support from my amazing friends and family has been a major factor in my success. I recently posted about being able to finally fit in my favorite jeans for the first time in 3 years, and I got 40 "likes." Not only will your support network cheer you on, they will keep you accountable.

If you are just starting your journey, I would imagine that you are probably a little bit overwhelmed. You may be dealing with questions like, "which exercise program should I do?", "how can I actually eat that many vegetables?" and, "you want me to do what?" These early days are pivotal. The first 10 minutes of any workout are the most difficult, and similarly, the first days of transformation are harder than it will be when nervous diligence has turned in to habit. 

This is the part where I make a shameless plug for the fabulous Janene. She and I have talked a lot about this whole weight loss thing, and I love what she has to say. I don't really feel like I am qualified to tout the benefits of her program, but from what I do know, it sounds wonderful. If you're just starting out, shoot her a message. Be warned, though. Once you talk to her and see how hilarious and passionate she is, you'll really want to work with her. 

Seriously, though, you need people to go with you on this journey. Friends, family, coaches, etc. It's all good. Don't be afraid to share what you're doing with other people. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the outpouring of support they send your way.

Hooray for Inversions. Not.

So, for those random few of you who may be reading this from somewhere outside ye olde Beehive state, here's a little information about winter here. It sucks. While our license plates point out that we have "the greatest snow on earth," the good folks at the license plate factory failed to mention the nasty inversions we get, which have recently landed us a spot on the list of the worst air quality in the nation. Since I have taken it upon myself to try and walk as many places as possible, this inversion poses quite the obstacle. Right now, the air quality is so bad that it looks like I could go out and scoop it up in a jar. My eyes start to burn just walking outside to get the mail. What is a girl to do?
To solve this conundrum, I have decided to start getting my exercise indoors. This isn't an ideal situation since I have about 20 square feet in which to do it, but I have no intention of putting any of that weight back on, so I must adapt to this new set of circumstances. (Also, guess who survived the Holiday season with NO weight gain!)
So far, my plan is to do Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and still walk as much as I can when the air is clear. I have done the 30 Day Shred in the past, but I have yet to do it for a full 30 days. I don't think it is wise for me to make a vow to do it every single day since my six classes keep me quite busy most of the time, but it is something that I can commit to doing most days. Doing it every day is what I will try my best to do, but since I know there will be days that I will be too busy, I will commit to do it at least 4 days a week. Additionally, I have no choice but to walk around campus, and that will give me built in exercise every day. On the days that I have the most running around campus, I usually end up having walked about six miles by the time I get home.
What are you guys doing to keep fit during the winter? If you're experiencing some of the same weather that I am, you may be feeling that hibernating sounds pretty great right about now. I know I do. 

Some Inspiration for 2013

Well, after quite a lot of searching through my facebook photos, I've found some to assemble into a "Before and After H3" collage. Now, you must remember that these have been copied and pasted and then assembled on Paint, so the quality isn't super fabulous, but I was just pleased to see that I took up so much less room in the "After" picture that I kind of don't care. Here it is! (Although, I should say that this is really more of a "midway" instead of a complete after, but it feels so good to be able to see so much less of myself. 

Now, not everyone will necessarily be able to see a huge difference, and that's okay because I feel like the most important changes occurred on the inside. That may sound cliche, but it really is true. To once again quote the amazing Bob Wright, this journey has been one where  "I didn't know how bad I felt until I started to feel better."  When I was at that larger size, I was technically still alive, but I wasn't really living. Nothing pleasant carried the same meaning it had before, every disappointment felt like it would break me, and I was exhausted. All. The. Time.

 Fortunately, I was blessed with some really great friends who would go walking with me. Over the course of about 3 months, I took off 13 lbs. Now, that might not seem like a lot, but for someone who had experienced significant weight gain that didn't seem like it would ever end (90 lbs in about a year. Don't try it.), 13 lbs was a HUGE deal! Finally, I had done something that allowed me to feel like I was the one in control. Furthermore, I no longer felt like I needed my friends Ben and Jerry when I was having a bad day. Instead, I had friends who were real people who would go walking with me! (okay, if I'm being totally honest, I didn't drown my sorrows in ice cream. Instead, I nursed my wounds with disgusting amounts of Chinese food. It just didn't have the same ring. : D)

The next big blessing came in the form of an amazing journey to H3. I cannot say enough good things about my experience there. The people were so willing to impart their knowledge to me, and I truly will never be able to express the gratitude I have for being able to go there. I won't go into more detail about H3 right this second, but if you're new to the blog, I'd definitely encourage you to check out our past posts if you want to read more about H3.

 Anyway, back to the before and after pictures. Even though the changes might not look quite as dramatic as say, Marie Osmond after Nutrisystem, I feel like it is still really important for me to be able to see how far I have come. As far as I am aware, the difference between the two pictures is approximately 50 lbs. 

I never, ever thought that I would be able to actually lose this kind of weight, but through recognizing what a wonderful thing my body is and learning how to treat it accordingly, not to mention the tremendous outpouring of blessings from God, I have been proved wrong.

So, to anyone who is looking to make some changes in 2013, believe you me, you can do it. Sometimes it feels like nothing you do will make a difference, but I promise it does. No matter what you are trying to do this year, I guarantee that you will be able to do it, even if it doesn't happen overnight.

Now, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I am going to train for a half marathon taking place May 26, 2013! I've got 18 weeks to train, and I am so excited. I will most likely be like a turtle mixed in with a bunch of jackrabbits, but I don't even care. I'm just happy to have something awesome to work towards.  The best part? My awesome husband and sister are also going to do it! Hooray! 

What are your goals for 2013? Do you have any big plans you're just dying to get to work on?