I am new here, so a quick little background. I first made a decision to change up my diet and exercise habits in 2009. My oldest was starting preschool 2 days a week and my youngest was 19 months old. I just didn't have the energy I wanted and felt very "blah". I was pounds away from moving on the BMI chart from overweight to obese, and with family histories of health problems related to weight I knew I had to change things up. I was fortunate in that I had a friend and neighbor who was very fit, but very low key about it. She didn't flaunt it or make a big deal when she won a triathlon or 5k. It was simply a way of life for her, and the way she'd actually grown up. I wanted that for me and my kids. When I nervously told her my plan to loose weight she encouraged me to join the same gym as her and try spin classes early (545) before the kids got up a couple of days a week. She also said she'd put her kids in the childcare with mine on another day or two so they'd all be able to play together and we could do our own thing in other classes or the fitness center. Huge difference quick. I lost 10 pounds the first month doing that and cleaning up my diet just a bit. A month later another 5-6 pounds with some additional dietary tweaks. Month three a few more pounds (don't recall exactly) and made it to "normal weight" albeit on the high side of normal. I am 5'3" so normal for me is 105-144, if I want to stay in a healthy BMI range. My goal was to split the difference, and hit 125, because I am not small or large framed, I am medium, so right in the middle seemed a good goal. I never made it. I eventually made it to 130 (from a 6 week post partum high of 170 and pregnancy high of 192) and that is where I stayed for years, and pretty happily. I had a nagging voice in my head from time to time, but I felt great and it seemed like I just had found a happy weight, even if it was not ideal in my mind.
Fast forward to this spring. I had surgery in April and because of the nature of the surgery and the hoped for result, I had to have a very low impact recovery. I was not allowed to lift anything over 10 pounds for weeks, I could not run, bike, swim or anything that had impact. The most I could do for 6 weeks was gentle, slow walking. That restriction ended just as the school year was ending for my kids and my normal routine for exercise was thrown on its head. I just never found my groove this summer. Food is also my "drug" of choice, so when I felt bad about myself or wanted to punish myself for failing to get up and exercise before my husband left for work, I'd overeat junk. All that led to a quick 10 pounds back on. So after that longer than intended introduction here it is:
Goal:
- Lose 5 pounds. This is my primary goal. I don't want to set myself up to fail, I am not sure how fast I can loose this time around, because I have less overall to loose than the last time. I figure half of what I lost the last time in the first month is a reasonable goal.
- Go to the gym 3x week. That friend and neighbor I mentioned who got me on the fitness wagon moved at the start of summer
. The gym just hasn't felt the same without her, so I haven't been going. I was using the kids as an excuse all summer, but they are in school. My butt needs to get back to the gym.
- Follow my Avengers training schedule at least 4 of the 5 days a week. I have been keeping up with it only sporadically. I am only a little over two months away from the races, and I need to do this. My increasing weight means running is getting harder not easier, so I am hoping achieving these goals will be a double whammy. Keep up with my training will help with the weight loss, losing weight will make it easier to keep up with my training. I am scheduled to run/walk the 5k with my kids (7 & 9) and DH. I am also registered for the Infinity Gauntlet challenge of the 10k and half marathon.
- Refocus on my physical training and strength training. I had a running injury in the winter, at the time of the GSC, I have never fully recovered from. I see a physical therapist people come from all over the state to see because he is that great. I ran into him by accident because his office is .1 mile from my house
If I would follow through better I would be much further along with the injury. Granted the surgery/recovery cycle above interrupted things, but I really need to focus on this now.
Plan:
- Use My Fitness Pal. Back when I first lost a significiant amount of weight, recording food was a big part of my success. MFP did not exist then, that I know of, but I used a different site. I since began using MFP. I find it easy and its quick evidence that the handful of chocolate chips when I need an energy boost is doing more damage calorie wise than I think.
- Go to the gym. It is that easy, once I'm there, I am happy and feel energized. I just have to get myself there.
- Look at my schedule each Sunday night. If I have obstacles for keeping to the plan for a given day that week, I will look at the week so I can at least reschedule the week so I meet the plan requirements most days. I will do every long run, and if anything has to go it will be a day of short, easy running.
- Just do it. Simply put, my PT exercises should take about 15 minutes twice a day. It should be easy to find. I get up ahead of everyone in the Am, and I should make it part of my my morning "me" time. After all it is for me. But I find excused to put it off, and it doesn't get done. I need to prioritize it. At night I am usually simply sitting on the couch watching tv from 9 until bedtime. I should just do it while I am otherwise not busy. I have made a spreadsheet
with all my daily exercises, and I will check it off morning and night (just 1x a day for some) and hopefully seeing my consistency or lack there-of will help.
Obstacles:
- Me. I can come up with an excuse for anything. ANYTHING!
- Poor planning. I set up such ideal plans. Oh the spreadsheets I have with exercise goals, training plans, nutrition plans. But, they are way to idealistic and not realistic. So, my plan is to look at the ideal each Sunday and try to predict what might get in my way each week. Then, I will try to determine what I can to mitigate any interruptions and adjust it for that week.
- Lack of motivation. I am going to be honest here. Most people think I look fine and healthy. They don't see the scale, or know my family history. If I complain about weight I get rolls of the eyes or underhanded comments. I a not technically overweight right now, but I am getting close, and I've been gaining not losing all summer. I need more motivation, and since my friend moved, I feel like I have no one else but my ill-motivated self holding me accountable. Thats why I have joined these challenges (this and the exercise challenge). I am hoping having others to be accountable to will make a difference. I never want to let others down, but I am fine letting myself down. I know it needs to come from me, but, in the early stages, if it takes having outside support to help keep me on the wagon, then thats what I am going to go for.
Man that was long winded. But I feel like getting it out there and writing it down was a solid first step for me. I can come back and read it if I am feeling unmotivated. Looking forward to getting to know everyone and experiencing our success and rebounding from our disappointments together!
Here's hoping we can all get through the month successfully withOUT having to pawn off our voices! I've definitely got some leg that I wouldn't mind losing, though... 
We are happy to have you here! This is a wonderful board if you're needing the motivation! I think we all know here that whether you need to lose 10 pounds or 100 pounds, it can be a struggle. No ones knows your story better than you so shake off the haters and join us instead. Only you know where you need to be in order to feel happy and healthy.
