10

Well hello there.  It has been a while….again.  I’m hoping this changes.  How have you been?  I’m hoping well. I have some bad news.  You may have noticed the title. 10.  Allow me to explain that to you.  

A cinnamon role I bought to support a friend's church booth and Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts.  The largest volunteer run festival in the country I believe.  The festival is awesome! As was this cinnamon role, which I promptly ate entirely by myself.  I should've shared it with someone

A few years ago  I hopped on the scale and saw that I was heavier than I was in high school and my early college years.  Happens to the best of us I think.  I have always had this fear of progressively getting heavier and heavier over time and the affects that would have on my health and my self-esteem.  I assume this is what happens to those people who are so big they can’t get out of their house (<- irrational fear of mine). 

As soon as I saw that number on the scale - 20 lbs heavier than I was in high school – I knew it was time to make the change and start exercising.  Although I hated running, I grabbed my little brother for protection and motivation and starting running at night.  2 miles, three times a week.  That first 2 miles was killer and if it wasn’t for my brother I wouldn’t have finished it.   I stuck with this for about a year or so, maybe the better part of a year.  And I lost about 20 lbs, maybe even close to 25.  I felt great!

Lately I have been noticing my pants getting tighter.  A couple weeks ago I stepped onto the scale - up 10 lbs!  Ever since then, each day I notice the tightness in my pants, the bulge in my stomach, the food I am eating, how tired I am.  It’s making me very unhappy.  Why did I gain this weight back? I stopped working out regularly and I stopped watching what I was eating.  Once again I know it’s time to make a change.

This past Monday, I went run/walk as part of a couch to 5K program and we did 2.5 miles.  

I tripped over a root, scraped up m knee as you can see.  I also took all off my weight on mostly one arm, so that was pretty sore for a few days.

After that I went to Zumba for an hour in no air conditioning (talk about sweaty). It was not easy.  Many times I throughout the hours, I fought with myself about leaving, but I stuck it out.

Red faced after zumba

Following that I ran/walk as part of a couch to 5K program for a mile with Mike.  It was a tough day of exercising, but it is what I need to whip my butt into gear.  Mike is also struggling with his weight.  Next week, it’s go time.  I have finished up my summer class this week and have made a commitment to myself to only work one full time job – no 2^nd job, no volunteering, interning or classes for the next year, so I can focus on myself more than my on career for a change.  This means that I can get back to putting my health first.  I’m determined to get the body I want for my wedding (and hopefully help a few others in the process).

This experience has also helped to cement what I already know which is that being healthy is a lifestyle, not a few month trend.  I have got to make these changes and make them for life and it is going to happen.

Sh*t’s about to get real. 

*update* 

Thursday night I hung out with a friend and after eating out, I knew I needed to work off some of that food, so we took a walk downtown.  Check out this photo I took of downtown Grand Rapids, MI

I love this city!

 

Friday night I hung out with a couple of my girls.  Spent sometime in the pool and we may have went to get ice cream ;)  but then we had a very healthy dinner!

Mandarin chicken salad (spring mix, seasoned chicken, mandarins, strawberries and blueberries) with a side of mixed fruit (strawberries, grapes and pineapple)

How do you get motivated after set backs?