My friend, Kate, recently had a beautiful baby girl. To help the new mommy out, I was delighted when she asked me if I would do a guest post for her wonderful space on the internet, Kate Schmate.
Of course I said yes and of course I stuck to what I (try to) know best: healthy living.
If you are so inclined, mosey over to Kate's blog and read my guest post on exercise motivation here.
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
The Golden Ticket of Weight Loss
The Secret to Loving Your Body Isn't Losing Weight
A friend shared this link with a group of us on Facebook and it really struck a chord with me. After leaving long, rambling comments about it, I realized a blog post should be dedicated to my thoughts on the subject.
The article has some very true points. We do think things like, "if I could just lose 20 lbs [insert guy's name here] may notice me." Or, "If I can just lose 50 lbs I'll be happy with my body just the way it is."
We as human beings aren't satisfied with what we have or are. We continuously try to "better" ourselves. Whether it's for personal accomplishment or for vanity, there is always something we want more of - more weight to be lost or another rung on the corporate ladder to climb, it's always something.
I feel a little out of the norm, but at my heaviest I never had terrible, life consuming thoughts about how horrible my body was. Of course I hated being morbidly obese. It was uncomfortable. I missed out on a lot of things. But I always accepted it as how I was and didn't dwell on a guy not liking me or being passed up for a promotion because of my size. Of course I had moments where I was depressed about my size, but overall I didn't stress about it on a regular basis.
Now though, now I feel like my insecurity about my body is worse. What, the what? Yeah, it makes no sense. Girl loses 115 pounds. Girl gets more insecure.
I'd like to point out here that perhaps the reason I have the tendency to be MORE insecure is that I wasn't really living all that much life at 355 lbs. I hid behind my weight and the angry, tough girl persona I took on. (This could be a whole blog post all in itself).
The article is right - weight loss is no golden ticket to happiness. You have to choose that on your own. BUT I do not agree with this loaded statement:
I'm not saying "I lost 115 lbs and now my life is all flowers and butterflies." There are a lot of things that are HARDER now (Read: learning how to deal with new found attention from the opposite sex). But overall I am a happier and more content person than I was as a morbidly obese 20-something and to say I am the same person I was at that point in my life doesn't give credit to how much growth we have to do as we lose a significant amount of weight.
The final point of the article - that exercise breeds confidence - I do agree with. The fact that I could go out yesterday and run 9 miles? THAT definitely makes me confident that I can do anything I put my mind to and gives me a feeling to WANT to take care of myself.
If I never lose another pound? I'll figure out how to accept and love my body. But if I were to stop exercising regularly? There is nothing that could replace the confidence I feel from a good workout.
A friend shared this link with a group of us on Facebook and it really struck a chord with me. After leaving long, rambling comments about it, I realized a blog post should be dedicated to my thoughts on the subject.
The article has some very true points. We do think things like, "if I could just lose 20 lbs [insert guy's name here] may notice me." Or, "If I can just lose 50 lbs I'll be happy with my body just the way it is."
We as human beings aren't satisfied with what we have or are. We continuously try to "better" ourselves. Whether it's for personal accomplishment or for vanity, there is always something we want more of - more weight to be lost or another rung on the corporate ladder to climb, it's always something.
I feel a little out of the norm, but at my heaviest I never had terrible, life consuming thoughts about how horrible my body was. Of course I hated being morbidly obese. It was uncomfortable. I missed out on a lot of things. But I always accepted it as how I was and didn't dwell on a guy not liking me or being passed up for a promotion because of my size. Of course I had moments where I was depressed about my size, but overall I didn't stress about it on a regular basis.
Now though, now I feel like my insecurity about my body is worse. What, the what? Yeah, it makes no sense. Girl loses 115 pounds. Girl gets more insecure.
I'd like to point out here that perhaps the reason I have the tendency to be MORE insecure is that I wasn't really living all that much life at 355 lbs. I hid behind my weight and the angry, tough girl persona I took on. (This could be a whole blog post all in itself).
The article is right - weight loss is no golden ticket to happiness. You have to choose that on your own. BUT I do not agree with this loaded statement:
"You may have lost weight—and that's great for a lot of reasons—but you are likely the same person with the same outlook, same personality, same level of overall happiness."I'm challenging this statement with my own bold statement: I am NOT the same person I was 115 lbs ago - or even 90 lbs ago. I also have a completely different outlook and I KNOW my (actual) happiness level is way higher than it was when I was 355 lbs (or 329).
I'm not saying "I lost 115 lbs and now my life is all flowers and butterflies." There are a lot of things that are HARDER now (Read: learning how to deal with new found attention from the opposite sex). But overall I am a happier and more content person than I was as a morbidly obese 20-something and to say I am the same person I was at that point in my life doesn't give credit to how much growth we have to do as we lose a significant amount of weight.
The final point of the article - that exercise breeds confidence - I do agree with. The fact that I could go out yesterday and run 9 miles? THAT definitely makes me confident that I can do anything I put my mind to and gives me a feeling to WANT to take care of myself.
If I never lose another pound? I'll figure out how to accept and love my body. But if I were to stop exercising regularly? There is nothing that could replace the confidence I feel from a good workout.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Bike Adventures
Saturday I went for my second bike ride on my new-to-me bike! I've stuck to paved greenways, but so far I am loving to ride.
Saturday I rode a little over 8 miles on a flat trail. I was only out for about an hour, but because I'm still getting used to riding that's about all I can ride at once before the bike seat makes riding less than comfortable. I need to look into a better gel seat or some bike shorts with the gel inserts.
I also should look into a helmet. Yes, I've been riding without one. Eventually, I'll want to bike from my house to the greenway (about 1/2 a mile or so), so a helmet will be required.
Here are a few pictures from my ride yesterday.
Hey, it's hard to take a pic of yourself on a bike!
Car windows doubled as mirrors can work.
Saturday I rode a little over 8 miles on a flat trail. I was only out for about an hour, but because I'm still getting used to riding that's about all I can ride at once before the bike seat makes riding less than comfortable. I need to look into a better gel seat or some bike shorts with the gel inserts.
I also should look into a helmet. Yes, I've been riding without one. Eventually, I'll want to bike from my house to the greenway (about 1/2 a mile or so), so a helmet will be required.
Here are a few pictures from my ride yesterday.
Hey, it's hard to take a pic of yourself on a bike!
Car windows doubled as mirrors can work.
Overall, I am loving my bike and riding it. It's something you can do when it is hot out (yesterday was 90+), but it doesn't feel that miserable because of the natural breeze of zooming down the pathway. I know there are runners out there that won't admit it, but biking is so much more fun than running. Except when hills are involved. :)
But man, just like running, this is an EXPENSIVE hobby. As I mentioned, I still need a helmet and I'd like to get a gel seat. Also, I need a bike rack for easier transportation. Until the money Gods shine down on me, I'm left with lifting my bike in and out of the back of my Element.
I can't wait to have more bike adventures and build up my riding endurance.
But man, just like running, this is an EXPENSIVE hobby. As I mentioned, I still need a helmet and I'd like to get a gel seat. Also, I need a bike rack for easier transportation. Until the money Gods shine down on me, I'm left with lifting my bike in and out of the back of my Element.
I can't wait to have more bike adventures and build up my riding endurance.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Diary of an overweight runner - Chapter 1
I completed my first official #5Kin100days run last night, which is a program designed by Brad Gansberg (of #7daychip fame) to teach non-runners how to run. I'm really excited about this program because I feel like it will offer me the support I've been looking for in wanting to learn to run.
Running does not come naturally to me. I know my friends have heard this story a thousand times, but every time I think about running, I think back to the time in grade school when we were running the mile in gym class. Now, I'm pretty sure we were graded on our time. None of this "everyone's a winner" they probably teach now. We didn't really have a track, just a long narrow concrete path, which they would divide into lanes and it took something like 10 times down and back to equal a mile. To keep count, we were given popsicle sticks and each "lap" we dropped a stick in a bucket. Now, I was easily the heaviest kid in my class and being lapped by even the slowest of runners wasn't my idea of fun. So I gave myself a little edge, a handicap per se, and would occasionally drop 2 sticks in after only one lap.
Cheating is bad, I know, right?
But my point is I've always hated running. My first attempt at learning to run was a huge, big #fail and ended in my doctor telling me not to run until I lost more weight (I was around 318 at the time) and bed rest for 2 days. To say I've been scared to run again is an understatement.
While I was waiting for #5Kin100days to start, I randomly began running 1 minute at a time several weeks ago during my walks on the treadmill. Since then, I started Couch to 5K and just finished Week 3.
Since I was already running up to 3 minutes at a time, I asked Brad his suggestion of how to modify the program to my skill level. We agreed I could do 3 minute intervals until the program caught up to me.
(Example #1 of how Brad has the ability to help, encourage and modify his program to fit every. single. person. and skill level.)
Going in, I thought, "no way can I run FIVE 3 minute intervals." But I can, and I did! Here are the stats on my run:
Today, I feel pretty good. No pain and I'm ready for my next running session tomorrow! Maybe I do have a chance to be a runner afterall? I'll continue to do these 3 minute intervals until the program schedule catches up to me. Friday, I will attempt 7 intervals.
Oh, did you know today is National Running Day? Since today is my rest day, I'll be celebrating with yoga. How will you be celebrating National Running Day?
Running does not come naturally to me. I know my friends have heard this story a thousand times, but every time I think about running, I think back to the time in grade school when we were running the mile in gym class. Now, I'm pretty sure we were graded on our time. None of this "everyone's a winner" they probably teach now. We didn't really have a track, just a long narrow concrete path, which they would divide into lanes and it took something like 10 times down and back to equal a mile. To keep count, we were given popsicle sticks and each "lap" we dropped a stick in a bucket. Now, I was easily the heaviest kid in my class and being lapped by even the slowest of runners wasn't my idea of fun. So I gave myself a little edge, a handicap per se, and would occasionally drop 2 sticks in after only one lap.
Cheating is bad, I know, right?
But my point is I've always hated running. My first attempt at learning to run was a huge, big #fail and ended in my doctor telling me not to run until I lost more weight (I was around 318 at the time) and bed rest for 2 days. To say I've been scared to run again is an understatement.
While I was waiting for #5Kin100days to start, I randomly began running 1 minute at a time several weeks ago during my walks on the treadmill. Since then, I started Couch to 5K and just finished Week 3.
Since I was already running up to 3 minutes at a time, I asked Brad his suggestion of how to modify the program to my skill level. We agreed I could do 3 minute intervals until the program caught up to me.
(Example #1 of how Brad has the ability to help, encourage and modify his program to fit every. single. person. and skill level.)
Going in, I thought, "no way can I run FIVE 3 minute intervals." But I can, and I did! Here are the stats on my run:
- 5 minute warm-up at 3.0 (20 min/mi pace)
- 10 minute fast walk at 3.6 (16:40 min/mi pace)
- (5) 3 minute jogging interval at 4.3 (13:57 min/mi pace)
- (4) 3 minute walking intervals at 3.3-3.4 (18:11-17:39 min/mi pace)
- 5 minute cool down at 3.o, gradually slowing down
- Stretch
- Total Distance: 2.81 miles
Today, I feel pretty good. No pain and I'm ready for my next running session tomorrow! Maybe I do have a chance to be a runner afterall? I'll continue to do these 3 minute intervals until the program schedule catches up to me. Friday, I will attempt 7 intervals.
Oh, did you know today is National Running Day? Since today is my rest day, I'll be celebrating with yoga. How will you be celebrating National Running Day?
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