I won’t lie. Since graduating from high school (an eternity ago), I lost control of myself. In high school I was active, competitive, and fit. I looked GOOD. Did I think I looked good? Nope. I hated myself. DUMB.
Anyway.
I was a three-sport athlete until my junior year, and then
was a two-sport athlete. I LOVE team sports. I am a
competitive FREAK. When I became an adult, not having
a sport/team contributed to my sliding into not-taking-
care-of-myself land.
I played rugby my last two years of college. I also
practiced Shidokan karate when I lived in Chicago.
I went to the gym sporadically, but found that when I
was in a serious relationship, I’d let myself go and fall
back in to terrible eating (and drinking) habits.
And then it was April 2010.
I was at my heaviest, and I knew that I had to make a change. I joined 24-hour Fitness and began working out 2-3 times a week. I hated it. I started with 25 minutes on the elliptical. I worked up to 45 minutes and would walk on the treadmill for about 15-20 minutes, but I knew I had to do more.
So I joined Weight Watchers in July of 2010.
I started to take classes at my gym. 24 S.E.T.; PowerSculpt; 24Lift--anything with weights--and then I started the C25K program to give me something to work for. But then my knee started to really hurt and the doctor said I should take time off, and then I had to leave the state.
I didn’t want to slip back into old habits.
So I re-started C25K after giving my knee adequate time to recuperate. I finished C25K when I was living in another state, and ran my first 5 K in the snow.
I’ve found some classes I enjoy again at the gym--they have the rights to Body Pump--a class I took when I went to Gold’s Gym in Wisconsin and Iloved it--and have been making this a priority no matter how much I want to stay home and feel sorry for myself.
I also joined the women’s full-contact football team here in Portland--this is their tenth season, and I am thrilled to be a part of a team again. I don't enjoy that for the first time in my entire life I am not a "starter," but I am not going to give up, and I get in for at least 1 play every game. Usually more. I just need to work harder to improve.
I am trying to find the "want to" in me to get back to running--along with practices, games, and gym classes, but I am less motivated lately. Running in crappy, rainy, cold weather isn't fun, and nor do I have the correct attire (and I can't afford the good stuff)--these factors impact my "want to." My neighborhood and my routes around here are getting old AND it is mega-hilly and exhausting. These factors also impact my "want to."
And the biggest factor impacting my "want to?"
I still HATE running!
I need to work on this. I don't know how, but I am going to try.
Overall, I have changed my habits drastically, and slowly but surely I am seeing the results of my labors. I see more significant changes when I am completely on plan (for WW), and it is in my best interests to stay focused on eating more healthily and staying active forever--not just so I look good and am in a smaller size.
Though, those results won’t hurt my motivation!!
