Highballs and Hair Do's: My year working out

So, at the end of last December (2017) I was approached by a friend to try a week-long trial of a workout program that she was a coach for and to say that I was skeptical is an understatement. I have always been proud of the fact that I did not work out and have even referred to myself as a ‘skinny fat person’. And it was true, I was thin, but incredibly out of shape. But I tend to go to the direct sales parties, the independent concerts and I try to buy all of my friends’ albums and books. I think that it is important to support friends when they are starting out in a new business, so I said yes.

I also had two ulterior motives. The first is that I am getting very close to 40 and am desperately afraid of gaining forty pounds when hitting forty. It is in my genetics to get heavier as we age, and although I had managed to stave off the weight so far, the 60 pounds I easily gained during my pregnancy still lingered near the front of my memory. I did not need a repeat of that weight gain. Truth be told, I never fully lost the weight from my pregnancy and was still about 20 pounds heavier than I was before. Let me be clear, my son is 12, so it is not like I was just being impatient with myself, I was not going to lose the last twenty pounds without putting in some work.

The second reason is closely related to the first; I love to eat. I really do. All my life I could eat anything I wanted and never have any consequences. As an example, every day in high school I had a snickers bar and can of coke for my lunch and I stayed 90 pounds. Even as a 38-year-old adult, I could eat practically anything I wanted, but I noticed that I was starting to creep up from that comfortable 115 to a less comfortable 123. I could no longer binge eat chips in bed with a glass of red wine. I knew that if I kept that up that the scale would keep moving in the wrong direction and that I would get more and more out of shape.

Again, don’t get me wrong, I was not ashamed or embarrassed by my weight. I in no way thought I was fat or had a problem. However, I knew I was out of shape. I couldn’t jog up the stairs at the metro without being out of breath. I was tired all the time and just not feeling great. So, I took the chance that a program of daily exercise could help. I found out very quickly how out of shape I was, as these 20-minute exercise programs were kicking my butt! I couldn’t even do one unmodified push-up, not one, and I could barely do modified ones. Well, that settled it for me. I signed up for a year-long membership and started down a path that I don’t think I will ever leave. I started working out every day. I wouldn’t let myself miss even one day early in the program, because I knew I would not go back if I started allowing myself ‘skip days.'

After six months do doing this straight, I was able to relax a little, having built not only a habit of working out but a love for it as well. I love the way it makes me feel. I love the way I look. I really enjoy the activity itself, but I LOVE how strong I am now. I can now do sets of unmodified push-ups. I have cardio endurance that allows me to keep up with my 12-year-old as we play basketball. And honestly, I am way less tired. Although I don’t follow the program's nutrition and diet, I have altered my eating habits. I don’t eat junk food as often, once or twice a month now, versus once or twice a week. I have lowered my portion sizes and have removed soft drinks almost completely from my diet. I do still splurge, eat out, snack or enjoy some wine…who am I kidding, I was not going to give up wine. But I can do so, knowing that I am working hard every day, so that these indulgences won’t do me in.

Now for the results. I have lost about 10 pounds over the year and am consistently keeping it off. I used to have very sore knees after a long period of walking, but after slowing building up strength, my knees no longer hurt. I can do 30 push-ups within a 30-minute workout routine, not to mention all of the squats and lunges.

Let me end with this. I have grown to love working out every day. It has changed my life and I will continue to do it. I do it for me. Not because I think I am fat or because I am unhappy with the way my body is or was. I do it so that I can still indulge when I want. I do it so that I can be fit and happy, keeping up with my 12-year-old. I do it inspire him to stay healthy as he grows.

So here are some pictures so you can stop having to read this post. Lol (excuse the bad bathroom selfies...and the lack of makeup and all of that.)