Okay, so today we are getting personal. Lately I have been making some lifestyle changes (which I mentioned briefly here). I married an athlete. He is always moving, doing something. If he’s not, he’s not happy. So, whether it’s basketball, softball, ping pong, whatever he can fit in he’s doing.
I on the other hand have never been an athlete. I was blessed with amazing metabolism which served me fine until I turned 40…
Over the past 4 years, my weight has continued to rise. Gradual enough that I didn’t notice until the last couple of years. I was doing a great job of ignoring it. But, that wasn’t the only problem. My energy, my mood, my motivation all declined. I chalked it up to hormones and getting older and just went on. This year however, when I went for my check-up and stepped on the scales, I was shocked honestly. And then, the blood work. Some numbers came back not so great. Not horrible, but definitely not ok.
So, all that to say that was my breaking point. I really wanted to HAVE a fit! I was done ignoring my health, and I knew I had to DO something whether I wanted to or not. I wanted to be in control of my health, rather than letting my health control me.
I hate the idea of counting calories (so. much. work), worrying about what I’m eating, and I hate exercise. But, I knew I had no choice. I’m no fitness expert, and my idea of health food is would probably make most nutritionists cringe. 😎 I’m learning.
I found some supplements that I fell in love with. Because of that I started feeling better. I had a little more energy, and I was sleeping better. I have cut pop out of my diet pretty much completely (I splurge every once in a while). I have almost completely cut out caffeine – I love my coffee – I have switched to decaf most days, but some days require a little kick. 😀 We are trying to eat a little healthier – we still have a long way to go in that department, but we are taking steps in the right direction.
When the weather got nicer, hubby and I started walking…everyday. We bought a couple of workout videos, but we really prefer to get outside and walk. It’s a great time for us to talk about the day and reconnect too. It’s a great stress reliever for me.
I found this app that has helped me with tracking my calories and my exercise. I was seriously amazed at the amount of calories I was eating on a regular basis – hello, fast food is bad. At the end of each day it gives you an estimated projection of your weight in five weeks. It’s a good motivator for me.
When we first started walking, our two mile route took 45-50 minutes and I was frazzled at the end. (hence the look on my face in the above picture that I can’t believe I’m sharing 😐 ) Not to mention the two small hills that had me huffing and puffing when I reached the top. Now, we can walk the two miles in 30-35 minutes. I’m not dead at the end and the hills don’t kill me. Progress is good. I have lost five pounds of the 35 I would like to loose. But more than pounds lost I just want to take better care of myself.
God gives us this body to live in this world. I want to make the most of it and live my days to the fullest. Years take their toll on a body. But, if we stay active and mind what we are putting in it, our bodies will serve us better for the years we have.
Hubby is making changes with me. He is taking the same supplements as I am, and he is exercising with me. Of course, he is still keeping up with all of his sporting activities. The exercise he does with me is not as hard on him as it is on me but he is so sweet to come alongside and encourage me. He has been telling me for years that this is what I needed (in a sweet way), but remember I said I was doing a good job of ignoring the problem. 😉
Maybe you are where I was and feeling like your body is giving out on you. Maybe you’ve tried to get fit, and don’t feel like it worked. I’ve been there too. I have to remind myself often that I didn’t get where I am now in a hurry, so I’m not going to get where I want in a hurry either. Any progress is progress.
I’m not sure that I will share every week, but I will be sharing resources, recipes, updates, and encouragement as I come across it. I’m not done with DIY! But, everything I share, I share to encourage. So, hopefully this will be an encouragement to someone!! Have a great weekend and get out there and DO something!
Leave a Reply