This was me, yesterday morning, hitting a five-mile workout, surrounded by the pine board walls of my semi-finished basement. Running in place. If I were just two inches taller, this workout would not be possible without the running the risk of possible concussions. That ceiling is low, my friends.
It's been a while since I've posted on the whole Move More, Eat Well gig from Zielske Central. But those of you who follow me on Twitter already know (and possibly are annoyed by) that even when I'm not writing about it here, I'm still down here in the basement, getting my move on.
And how's it all going so far?
How about if I say pretty well?
It's an interesting place, where I'm at right now. Back when I started documenting this process it seemed a lot more exciting in that you could actually see the effects of what I was doing. In fact, I have an entire year in one post (click here) and to me, it's a pretty motivating thing to see that belly slowly and steadily shrinking.
But what was more exciting to me in some ways, though I didn't really connect to it at the time because I was so fixated on losing weight, was that I was becoming a different person mentally as well; one who actually felt more than a just physical kick from exercising. I was teetering on on the brink of becoming an athlete of sorts.
But all of 2011 felt like even steven. Like maintenance mode. I really never lost any weight last year. From an all-time low of 141 in October of 2010, I inched my way back up to the mid-150s and haven't really looked back. But the Moving More part remained a strong and steady and part of my almost everyday life.
I'm at a place now where I am trying to figure out if this is as good as it gets. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that from a negative place. But I am wondering if those thoughts of fitting back into those size 8 Lucky Brand Jeans need to be shaken out of this head of mine.
I am wondering if I can simply say, "Okay, I'm good."
It's a funny thing, positive self image is. Some days you might have it in abundance. Other days, you couldn't find it if it was standing directly in front of you shouting at the top its lungs, "LOOK AT ME!"
But it's definitely all tied into the process.
Here's the other part of the puzzle: it's never not going to take an effort. I am really starting to get this. Heading out to the gym for a swim, or hitting the treadmill, or doing a Jillian Michael's DVD is never going to be effortless. I think part of me really hoped at some point that I either a) wouldn't have to focus so much on all of this, or b) would become magically in shape for all time.
It takes work.
Sometimes though, it does help if you have a new gadget. I decided to pick up a high tech pedometer in the form of a FitBit. It's a pretty nifty (albeit pricey) device that tracks your movement, and syncs with an entire website devoted to health, fitness and the like. Plus, it says hello to me.
You can learn more about this nifty little guy by clicking here. I even accidentally washed it last week and lo and behold, it still works. God knows I'm a sucker for tech gadgets.
Otherwise, yep, it's going pretty well. I Move More regularly and I try most days to Eat Well. I still soak in all the info I can get my hands on as it related to health and nutrition. I remain a student of the process and I am still seeing the benefits in my life every day.
I'm stronger, calmer and more focused. Sure, sometimes I limp up the stairs after a workout, but whose to say I wouldn't be doing that anyway?
I guess at the end of the day I know that I'm never going to have a tiny little butt, but I sure as heck am trying to make its generous circumference just a bit more stable. I dream of the day you can bounce a quarter off of it.
What about you out there? Is 2012 being good to you on the health and fitness front? Are you being good to you?
JOIN IN: People are still signing up for my Move More, Eat Well workshop. We're a community now over 1,550 strong, of women (and men) trying to make changes. Tomorrow at 9 a.m. Pacific Time, I'm hosting my first quarter video chat with the students of Move More, Eat Well. Feel free to sign up and join in.
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If you're interested in making changes to your overall health and fitness, Move More, Eat Well is a 12-month online workshop at Big Picture Classes. The focus of this class is to embark on a personal journey that works with your unique lifestyle in helping you to find ways to make the changes you'd like to see on a fitness and health level. Registration is open all year and you can jump in anytime to join the more than 1,550 women and men who've made the decision to try to make changes in their own lives. Move More, Eat Well revolves around a robust community of users who are all creating a scrapbook/journal of their progress. To learn more, click here.
