A Life Less Overweight

Ok, so you know how in gym class in high school, they make you run the mile cold and expect you to not only: a) finish it but, b) do it under 12 minutes? Yeah, I sucked. I couldn’t even run one lap around the track, I always had to do the whole thing walking. I especially loved doing that in front of my classmates. Oh, but wait, my favorite part of the whole experience? Getting lapped by people twice on my way around once. And it was always by the wicked hot guys and the cool girls. And I felt like such an idiot. I truly believed I just couldn’t run. How embarrassing!

Now, I realize that how it is done is so unfair. The sports kids obviously can bang out a mile easily because they do it all the time in practice. I think a more effective and positive way to do it would be to teach kids HOW to run, and how to build up endurance, then give the test.

So here’s the uplifting part. I am sure there is someone who is reading this and identifies with the high school mile mortification. Well, there is hope. Just a few years ago, I decided to give running another try. When I first started running on the treadmill, I literally couldn’t even run for two minutes. But each time, I did a little more, then a little more, even just in 30 second increments. Before long, I could run .25 mi (one lap) then a half mile, and so on. Now, about three years later, 2 miles is my standard run. For me, that is a huge accomplishment! I am working on my goal of running a 5K this Sept. 15th. (that’s 3.2 miles). I am a little anxious- I am tough on myself and will feel really shitty if I try and fail. But, when I look at the progress I have made, I do see that the high school running experience could have turned me off of running forever. But I wouldn’t let it. I hope this inspires you to try something you thought you couldn’t do.

Well considering I did not stick closely to SB this weekend (there were a few cheats), I am happy that when I got on the scale today, I was still down a pound. My weight loss is going soo very slowly, more slowly than promised by the book. But I can see and feel a difference in the way I look and how my clothes fit, so I am using that as encouragement. My exercising has just been so consistent and fantastic, I would say that is probably what is helping me the most. I don’t care what anyone says, the only way to lose weight permanently is to exercise as well. Simple as that. I have fought that tooth and nail for so many years, but the truth is the truth. You cannot be a lazy ass and be thin and eat whatever you want. And if you think that other people can do that and they are thin, chances are, your perception is wrong. And it doesn’t matter anyways, because how their body works isn’t how yours works.

The best thing I have done for myself is stop making excuses. That is my best advice to someone like me. Stop finding 10,000 reasons why you can’t get to the gym. Including your health. The only way it’s going to improve is if you move!href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/w9MIBh9/">