It’s Day 22 of #30DayHomies and I’m doing something different. I have a friend from High School that is on an amazing journey to get healthy and I asked her to share it with me. She is doing so great, read her story and show her some support in the comments!
Hello How My World Runs readers, my name is Leslie and I am going to tell you about my journey with getting fit and losing weight.
Seeing 249.5 on the scale, busting out of my size 20’s, being tired and cranky all the time and not wanting to be social was the motivation to make many changes. How did I let myself get this way? Well that is easy. My diet was full of fried, processed, fattening and fast foods. I was also very inactive and having a desk job didn’t help either. Let’s not forget the weekends. My world revolved around having a good time and that almost always included food and drinks, which lead to Waffle House or Jack in the Box after 2 in the morning.
So why did I decide to make the lifestyle change? Health reasons were #1. My legs, ankles and feet would swell, we are talking like 9 months pregnant cankles in full effect! Vanity is a very close 2nd. I’m not gonna lie I’m 33 and single and I am tired of being the funny fat friend who is usually the 3rd, 5th or 11th wheel. It is all about how you look in life, period. People judge and many people cannot look past the physical to get to know the person on the inside. That is sad but oh so true.
On August 1, 2011 I started walking around my neighborhood. By the end of October I was walking 3 miles a day 5 times a week. By this time I had lost around 20lbs. I hibernated for the winter, well most of it. Luckily I maintained during that time and then I did a little zumba which helped me lose a little more weight but it wasn’t my cup of tea. I started walking again once it warmed up and when the time changed in the spring.
During my down time I would read health and fitness blogs and my favorite Mama Laughlin, it’s about her journey to MILF status. Anyhoo, she ran and then did workout DVDs. I got this crazy idea/desire to switch things up and start a Jillian Michaels DVD… WTC? (What the corn) I wanted to workout to America’s toughest trainer? (I’ve had one experience with tough, it was called boot camp and it was outdoors in the dead of winter. I hated it and quit after 2 maybe 3 classes…ok 2 classes since we’re being honest. Feeling like you were going to throw up was not my idea of healthy or a fun way to get fit.)
So, on June 21, 2012 at 222lbs I started the 30 Day Shred and finished it on July 23, 2012. I lost 6lbs and 11.75” total! That doesn’t sound like a lot but that video transformed my body. I cannot sing her praises enough! I have purchased several of her other videos and I have done the shred again, kickboxing video and Ripped in 30. I just started her 90 day Body Revolution on 01/06/13. Three weeks in and going strong!
It is not all about exercise though. My fitness guru, Jillian says “You can eat your way through any amount of exercise.” This is so true. Getting my eating in check has been the hardest for me. I love food and I don’t discriminate, I LIKE IT ALL, the good and the bad! I think this is why it took me so long to lose the weight at first. I count calories and I use an app called Myfitnesspal I have logged my food in for the last 330 days consecutively! I tried a week of high protein cleaner eating, which was tough but it reflected on the scale. I plan to keep up with the cleaner eating 3-4 days out of the week. Baby steps, I do allow myself a cheat meal or two a week. It keeps me in line and I work too damn hard to be so restrictive on myself. Plus being super restrictive is a disaster waiting to happen. Just eating lean cuisines or reducing your calories too much may get you going but it won’t keep you there. It is all about moderation not deprivation.
I love working out, getting my sweat on makes me feel accomplished and strong and we all know “exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy and happy people just don’t kill their husbands!” Thanks Elle Woods, it’s true I am happier and nicer and my kids will agree 95% of the time. I treat my workouts like appointments and I don’t want to disappoint or anger my workout buddy so I always make sure to show up. My appointment to workout is Monday through Thursday immediately after work and around 8am on Saturdays and Sundays. I am not a morning person but I do like to get it done and that way. It sets the tone for the day for me to make better choices and I have the rest of the day to do whatever I want.
I also had to stop making excuses. Excuses are like…well you all know that phrase. I made so many for so long. I want to continue to see progress so my excuses are at a minimum these days. It is rare that I skip out on a workout, but I know what my triggers are so as soon as I get home I change into my workout clothes because if I park it on the couch or try to take that 5 minute power nap, the excuses start.
So, my goal is to lose 100 lbs total. I am half way there. I just hit 50lbs lost a week ago. I don’t want to be skinny, I just want to be fit with my curves of course. I am not giving myself a specific cut off date. Slow and steady wins this race. Speaking of races, I would like to run a 5K eventually, maybe after I finish Body Revolution in April. I can start training and run one with my buddy Sarah who has inspired & cheered me on virtually since I started so long ago. I must give shout outs (LOL yes, like I’m on the radio…”to everybody that knows me!”) But seriously all my friends on myfitnesspal, each one of you really motivate and inspire me with your workouts, diets and your successes. I hope I can do the same for you. My family and close friends that know the daily struggles I have, thank you for always having something nice to say and for keeping it real when it needed to be. To my workout buddy B, thank you for agreeing to start this crazy journey with me. If you don’t have a workout buddy, get one. I have several friends that are on my fitness train and my daughter Olivia even joined in too and has lost over 25lbs from zumba, shredding and eating as well as a teenage girl can. I am very proud of her and I always want to encourage both of my daughters to take the time for them to stay healthy and not let themselves go like I did.
Don’t forget about the giveaways this week and the photo contest! What was your workout today?
