112 to go!

I'm SO overwhelmed by the support and appreciation I've already received about my blog. I really wanted it to be an accountability system for myself. I wanted my friends to know about the secret trips I take to the pantry for chips and how I raid the fridge daily for a taste of anything chocolate. I have gotten truly touching feedback about how it has been a big motivator for my friends. As long as you are reading, I will keep writing!

My goal for the summer was to run 200 miles by the time school starts back. I added up my mileage from the last week in May until yesterday, and I have run 88 miles this month! Needless to say, I was over the moon.
Yesterday was one for the books, my friends. It began with a fabulous run with my running partner, Rachel. I find it difficult to find people as dedicated to exercise as I am. Rachel and I went to college together and will be teaching at the same school next year. She asked me in April to start running with her, and folks, there are very few people that I know that are as self-motivated as this chick. Rachel is a mother of one of the smartest children I've ever known. She completed college while raising her baby and working at the same time. Did I mention that she is fabulously in shape? Seriously, she is the girl you look at and want to punch in the face because you would absolutely kill to have her body. And she eats healthy? What's up with that, Rachel?! When we began running together, Rachael was up to a solid mile and I could do 4. We wanted to run a 5k to support a local school for students with special needs that I worked at for 3 years. In one week... let me say it again. In one week, Rachel increased her distance by 2 miles. I think it took me months and months to work up the endurance to run 2 miles, and it took at least a year before I could run 3. We completed our first 5k together in 32 minutes. 
Rachel tells me all the time how inspiring I am, but in all reality, she's the one that inspires me the most.

Here we are pre-run at the 2012 Trot for Tots! 

On top of running, we are incorporating the Malibooty workout into our exercise routine. The Malibooty workout is a gem that I came across on Pinterest a few weeks ago! I promise if you do it correctly and really engage those buns, you will feel it the next day! 

Here is a link with video tutorials of each move:

The Malibooty Workout

We have also used the 300/30 day challenge to start toning our tummies. It's a series of 300 ab exercises that you do everyday for 30 days. It's another Pinterest find that is based on the P90X ab workout. The before and after pictures are pretty impressive, but we'll have to see after 30 days! 

Here is a link to the 300/30 day challenge:

300/30 Day Challenge

Did I just go off on a tangent? Get used to it. After my run it was off to an overwhelmingly hot Hotlanta. The high yesterday in Georgia was 108 (reason #239230420394 why I want to move to Colorado). Once I trudged through the extra hour of ATL traffic, I was able to grab a tea with my friend Tim. It is always nice to catch up with Timmy. Should I ever end up in jail, he will be sitting right beside me. I then met up with Steven. Uh-oh, I feel another tangent coming on...

Steven and I went to college together briefly. We somewhat knew each other through mutual friends, but I guess we never conversed long enough to see if we had anything in common. Steven is what they call an "ultra runner". In my opinion, he is absolutely out of his mind. Ultra running, from what I've gathered, is running any distance that is greater than a marathon. He's a beast. Once we realized that we both shared a love for running, we had much more to talk about! 

We ate BBQ at some restaurant that had the word Fox in it's name; I'm not really sure. I was super prepared for a fat attack because I love barbeque. I feel like I controlled myself well. I followed my own advice of halving the entire meal. The fries, though... The fries were sweet! What's up with that, and why were they so delicious? It probably would have been in my best interest to choose a salad as my side. Before the end of May, I went on a 3 month break from fries. Our relationship was moving too fast for me, and we were seeing a great deal of each other. I decided that I needed some time apart. Now that I have rekindled my love with the savory fried potato, I've never been more lustful for them. Sometimes I think it'd be easier to throw my hands up and eat myself into a coma. My best friend, Emily, once told me that she hopes she dies eating so she knows that she will die happy. I can't say that I disagree. It was definitely somewhat of a cheat day, but I've had worse. It's always important to reward yourself as long as you don't go overboard. Tomorrow is the start of a new week. I am going to go ahead a set my distance goal at 22 miles. That sounds pretty reasonable.
Eat well and work hard! Keep these words in the back of your head when you feel like you just can't do it!
"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle."

Mama said they could take me anywhere...

My day began with an absolutely gorgeous 5 mile run on Fort McClellan. It's perfectly for running because there are very few people out and about in that area, and the majority of the roads are shaded. There are only a few hills. One of the hills is a fairly steep incline, so Rachel and I try to complete it during the beginning of our run. The first time we experienced that hill was absolutely miserable, but it has slowly gotten easier as we continue to run it. The other hill is a very gradual incline. I hate those. It doesn't help that my running shoes are about to be retired. We've completed hundreds of miles together, so it's sad to say goodbye to them. My pre-run breakfast consisted of maple oatmeal with half a banana. I realize that I told you to fill up on breakfast yesterday, but if you're going to run for any serious distance, cut back! I have actually gagged during a race because of the amount of food I ate beforehand. It wasn't fun at all! 

(This is the mapmyrun app for Iphone and Android. If you don't have it, check it out! It counts distance, elevation, calories, and rate.)

Never in a million years did I ever think I would be a runner. The only running I can remember doing prior to 2010 was back to the buffet for a second or third helping of FAT. Blakely and I LOVED buffets when we started dating. How sweet, right? We could gorge together on endless fried meats and best of all, we could cover every bit of it in gravy! Then we would come home and take a nap for 3 or 4 hours. It was the good life, the fat life. As much as I miss the gravy and endless desserts, I traded them in for fruit and a decent pair of running shoes. 

Kelsey beat my tail until I loved anything and everything cardio. Naturally, running was the only thing left to do once step aerobics and kick boxing became too easy. I expressed my interest to the beast, Kelsey, and she took me upstairs to the cardio room and MADE me run a mile. She told me that I couldn't get off until I completed one and then proceeded to watch me run said mile. At that point in my life, it was the farthest I had ever run, and I had never been prouder of myself. To improve my distance, I followed Kelsey's advice. I would give myself a distance to run and wouldn't stop until I reached my goal. 

I spent at least a year and a half on a treadmill. I thought there was nothing better than the convenience of having a television in front of me while I exercised, and what better to watch than Paula Dean deep fry a chocolate filled cupcake while I did it? It took a good year to work up to two miles simply because I never cared about distance. Weight was pouring off me at a seriously alarming rate. For a brief period I thought that I might have some form of stomach cancer or Lupus when in all actuality, my hard work was finally paying off. I saw the most results I had ever seen in my first year of running. It wasn't until August of 2011 that I became interested in wanting to complete a 5k. It was a goal that I had yet to reach, but I knew deep down that I could do it if I pushed myself hard enough. 

Kelsey and I had taken different paths after we graduated. She was in TN and I was hired in Oxford, so I no longer had a cheerleader every time I stepped foot in the gym. You'd be surprised how upsetting it was to me. I was used to having an accountability system. Kelsey was my personal trainer that accepted payment in the form of laughs. After a month of turning back to the fat side, I picked myself up and began training. 

The 5k was a Halloween race. It only made sense for Kels and I to fulfill our three year dream of going out in public dressed as Trudy and Ranessia from Reno 911: Miami! 

Here are their actually outfits in the movie:

Obviously, we weren't going to run 3 miles in the town I teach in dressed this way, so we were forced to improvise. 

It was pushing the end of fall. The temperature the morning of our run was somewhere in the low 50's. After getting 4 hours of sleep, Kelsey and I made our way to the starting line. I had not yet completed 3 miles the day of my race, and I had yet to run outside. The biggest obstacle you will face as a runner is overcoming your brain telling you to stop. It probably isn't natural to run for that long, but you have to listen to your body when it's screaming back that it can. I knew that I was going to run 3 miles that day if it killed me. It also didn't hurt knowing that we were going to pig out on Shoney's breakfast (our favorite) buffet after the race. Hey, any motivation works! With my headphones blaring in my ears, Kelsey and I took off. Time was never a consideration during my first race. I will tell you right now to get any time frame out of your head because it will only hold you back. Master the mileage and then worry about improving your time! My only goal was to COMPLETE the race. I can't tell you what my thoughts were during the run or how I possibly made it through. I had my biggest fan beside me every step of the way, and I knew that I had to follow through. 

Our time was exactly 30 minutes. We averaged a 10 minute mile, but most importantly, I didn't die because I ran 3 miles. My body still functioned properly and the sun still hung in the sky. 

That day changed my entire life.

I am working toward a 10k by the end of the summer. Running is my escape, and I can't picture a week without doing it. I've also moved from the treadmill to the great outdoors. Words cannot describe how free you feel when it's you, your favorite jams in your ear, and an endless world ahead of you. My love for running grows every single day. This motivational picture can explain it better than I could ever put to words. 

Perfection....

Re-evaluating

The first step in living a healthy life is evaluating what you are doing now! A lot of people think that a health transformation can be accomplished by increasing the frequency of exercise and taking on whatever fad diet is popular at the time. I'm not saying that diet and exercise aren't important, they are essential. If you are looking to get skinny for a boy or because you want to look good for the summer, then I am not the one to look to for advice. I am all about enlightenment and transforming myself from the inside out. Being healthy is a complete lifestyle change. Simply altering your diet and exercise won't suffice. It is crucial to evaluate every aspect of your life to ensure that you are living it to the fullest. Only then can you become the person that you want to be. 

Step one: Find a support system

To me, this was the most important change that I made in my life. I've been known to associate with the wrong crowd. Obviously, I don't surround myself with thugs or druggies. I'm not talking about that type of crowd; I am talking about Negative Nancys. People that would rather sit around and talk about doing things than actually doing them. For my Grey's Anatomy friends, these are referred to as "watchers". Putting more effort into the friendships I had with positive people motivated me to make better decisions in all aspects of my life. I cannot stress the importance of surrounding yourself with people that WANT to see you succeed and people that would do anything possible in helping you achieve your goals. These are the people that wake up at 9 in the morning to drag you to the gym when you had every intention of sleeping till noon. These are the people that wake up at the crack of dawn to run with or watch you run your very first 5k. These are the people that cross the finish line with you in tears because they are so proud of all of YOUR accomplishments. If you don't have friends like this, you don't have an adequate support system. Find a friend to hold you accountable. Report your daily eating habits to them. Exercise with them! If you are still drawing a blank as to who you can ask to do this with, then it's definitely time to re-evaluate your friendships. Lucky for me, I have the most wonderful and faithful group of friends that support me in all that I do. 

If I were into women, Kelsey would be my soul-mate. Since I am very much not into women, she is someone that I consider to be a very best friend. Kelsey and I met in 2006 during our first year at JSU. It was love at first sight. The first few years of our friendship were spent making each other laugh until we hurt or cried, and our eating habits usually resulted in the same way. We'd eat and gossip for a solid hour during every meal. It was truly the best of times. Kelsey has always been a health nut, but my unhealthy lifestyle never seemed to affect her. She was able to drag me to the gym a few times freshman year, but it wasn't until our first senior year in college (yes, there were two) that she was able to coax me into getting serious about my fitness. She drug me to the gym to attend her dreadful step-aerobic and kick boxing classes. I'd leave dripping sweat from every pore on my body and begging her to never make me attend her classes again. For my first 5k, Kelsey drove 3 hours after working all day to run the race with me. For someone that was used to running marathons and ULTRA-marathons, she kept my incredibly slow pace and never left my side. I crossed the finish line panting like a lioness, but she crossed it in tears. I've never had a friend that was so proud of ME that they cried because of my success. Kelsey Crow, you are one in a million. 

After crossing the finish line! It was a costume 5k. I promise we don't go out in public dressed this way...too often. 

Bless my boyfriend. He is the farthest thing from a morning person that I've ever known. Regardless of how irritable he is in the a.m., Blakely is always waiting for me at the finish line. He has been forced to change his lifestyle to accommodate mine. If that's not a good man, then I don't know what is! He might not ever learn to appreciate exercise or understand the value of drinking water on a regular basis, but as long as he continues to support me in every crazy thing I do, I can't complain.

There are too many people that support me to write about here. You know who you are, and you know that my love and gratitude for you are endless. 

Step two: Get physical! 

Please reference the chart above. If you want to be slightly healthier, take a pleasant stroll in the park 2 or 3 times a week. If you want to lose weight, run or find a workout that you enjoy and do it until your body gives out. Don't stop until your shirt is completely saturated in sweat and your body aches all over. Repeat 3-5 times weekly.

 My biggest fear when I started exercising regularly was being out of breath. I can't explain it any other way. I think people are afraid to push their bodies because rapid breathing seems unnatural. You are going to be out of breath when you exercise; get used to it and learn to love it. 

My love for exercise began in a very simple way. I started walking to my classes rather than driving. That led to a love for being outside which eventually developed into a passion for running. I also started attending exercise classes at school. Most colleges offer free gym access for students. PLEASE take advantage of it! I pay $45 dollars a month to attend a gym that does not have half of the resources that my college's gym had. 

Another common fear is looking ridiculous while exercising in public. I find motivation in working out in front of people. If I am completing a workout DVD at home, I am more likely to quit sooner. If I am running or strength training in a park, I want people to see me and think "Dang! That girl is gettin' it! WORK GIRL!" 

Don't be afraid to exercise in front of people. Chances are, they are focusing more on what they are doing. You are going to look rough. There's just no way around it. When I see women at the gym in their matching yoga suits walking out of an aerobics class with their hair and make up still in place, I can't help but think they didn't apply much effort. If you don't leave the gym looking a hot mess, then you didn't go hard enough. Start slow in your exercise routine, but always remember in the back of your mind that you are going to have to increase the frequency and magnitude of your workouts if you want to continue improving. 

Is time a conflict for you? Too bad. There is a 30 minute time frame in your day to do SOME form of exercise. I am a full time teacher, and this past year was my first year teaching. Because it was my first year, I was at school from 6:45 a.m.-6 or 7 at night. I simply refuse to feel sorry for you because you are pressed for time. Make time to be healthy! I promise it is the most important decision you will ever make. 

Step three: Look at your eating habits

Please believe me when I tell you that I have never dieted for any length of time. I love food and the act of eating too much to ever give it up. My secret was portion control. I knew that I also knew that I didn't have the discipline to count my calories. Eating breakfast is my religion. The first thing I ask people when they tell me about their diet is if they are eating breakfast. Fill yourself up in the mornings! You will feel recharged and energetic through out the day if you have a satisfying breakfast. You will also snack less! It really doesn't matter what you eat in the mornings as long as you are eating! I try to eat within 15 minutes of waking up. It seems like every health magazine/blog I've ever read has said that eating within 15 minutes of waking up will jump start your metabolism. For lunch and dinner, make simple changes to your food choices. Make sure that you have a fruit or vegetable for each meal. Make substitutions where you can. One of the most difficult changes I made to mine and Blakely's grocery list was when I started buying whole wheat bread instead of white. He still hates it, but it's healthier! Little things like that make all the difference. 

Use this chart as a reference when you are planning your meals. 

Self-control is what I struggle with most in my never-ending journey to be healthier. I love chocolate and desserts of any kind. Surprisingly, I haven't given up on them. It's important to be realistic. I always look at what I've eaten and how much I've exercised before I decide on dessert. Consider it a reward! Treat yourself when you deserve it. 

Eating out? Who cares! I love to eat out, especially when it involves cheesy or fried things. Cut your meals in half from the get go! As soon as your server delivers your plate, ask for a to-go box and take exactly half of it home. The best part is that you get to enjoy two meals for the price of one! If you're eating at McDonald's or a place similar to it, order off the kid's menu. You will be surprised to find how filling the smaller portions are at fast food restaurants. 

I will post healthy recipes and tips for not being so fat throughout my blog, so stay tuned!

Here is a small list of essentials in my kitchen. These are things that I HAVE to have on a weekly basis. 

Avocado 

100 Calorie Wholly Guacamole packs with baby carrots for dipping

Bananas 

Turkey bacon

Oatmeal

Yogurt (preferably Greek yogurt, but it can be expensive)

Granola bars (for after workouts- look for the 90 calorie kind!)

Like I said before, healthy living is not an overnight adjustment. It is a lifetime commitment and complete lifestyle change. You have decide when YOU are ready to commit, and most importantly, you have to be willing to make changes everyday. It's not impossible. It's just new.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me!

Please let me begin my blog by explaining my use of the term "fat". Much like most people, I was raised knowing that the word fat was a derogatory and offensive word that was used for overweight people. I'm not saying that it's still not used in that context. I use fat to describe a state of mind. 
"I was so fat today." Obviously, I didn't weigh a great deal more all of the sudden. I probably gorged myself on chocolate covered peanuts or tortilla chips (two of my favorite fat foods). I apologize if anyone is too sensitive to try to understand what I am saying, but I'm sorry I'm not sorry for using the word. Fat, as in can't pull your pants over your stomach because it is so big, I've been there and done that. I've earned the right to use the word as often as I'd like because I absolutely know what it means to be fat. 


Whew! Many of my friends from high school and people that I work with have asked me what I've done to lose weight. Over the past three years, I have shed 117 pounds without serious dieting, purging, or starving myself. 


Before:

                                               

This is the fattest picture I have ever seen of me. I used to adore that dress. It was my not so "little black dress" at that point in my life. This picture was taken at a friends wedding in summer of 2007.  Now, I am 5'11, so when I tell people that my weight was 285 at the heaviest point in my life, they look completely stunned. Personally, I am stunned that they're stunned. It has always been completely apparent to me that I weighed that much because I could feel it with every step and breath I took at that point. Even looking at this picture makes me want to drop what I am doing and run. 


I have been overweight my entire life. I was destined to be heavy because the majority of my family is overweight. Exercise and careful eating were never encouraged in my home. For as long as I can remember, I have been involved in sports. You name it, I've played it. But seasonal sports and marching band are not adequate means of exercise for someone that was as heavy as me. It also didn't help that my family ate out almost every night. Was I insecure? Absolutely. I hated the way I looked and nothing anyone said would have ever changed that. Hating your appearance and hating yourself are two completely different ideas. Regardless of my size, I absolutely loved being me. I hid my insecurities by playing the loud, funny girl. It's not like I didn't have an amazing group of friends. I wasn't singled out at school and people generally liked me. High school, which is often described as being a dreadful time for someone of my stature, was a fabulous time in my life. I look back on the stupid decisions I made and smile. I was large and loving every second of my life. 


The first two years of college were even better. I pity kids that came to school with the intention of learning. You know, the people that pulled frequent all-nighters because they just HAD to ace that biology test, even though their major wasn't even related to that field. College, in the beginning, isn't about school. It's about learning who you are and finding your place in this world. Like in high school, I immediately fell into the funny girl role. I met the most incredible people at JSU, and we had some crazy times. I also met Blakely, the love of my life, in 2007. It was my second year and his first year at school. 

Together we were fat and happy. He didn't care about my size or my love for all things fried. He found my foul mouth and vulgar sense of humor to be endearing. After a few months of dating, we began working together at Applebee's where we snuck in the kitchen and stole endless amounts of fries and fried shrimp (SO romantic). Yep... we were just a couple of fatties in love. In the first six months of our relationship, we each packed on about twenty pounds, but it didn't matter one bit. I was endlessly happy to have found someone to spend my time and unhealthy life with.

So what changed? When did I begin caring about my body and health? Let me begin this part by saying that I've NEVER been a quitter. I have always prided myself in doing exactly what I say I am going to do. I have always believed in setting goals and following through until they've been accomplished. In 2007, I signed up to do drum corps (competitive marching band). This was absolutely shocking to those that knew me because it was a grueling process that would have required me run multiple miles everyday and spend my summer doing various forms of exercise. This was a VERY foreign concept to me. Much to my surprise, I made the corps I auditioned for. The instructor pulled me aside at one camp and gave me the "you're the fattest person in this corps, so you have to lose weight before the summer or you aren't going to make it" speech. It was a great deal of pressure because deep down, I didn't want to spend my summer away from Blakely doing ridiculous marching band related activities. To prepare for the approaching summer, I ran... a little. Like, for 5 minutes... one time. The month before I was set to leave, I made the decision to quit. I hadn't done my part in preparing for tour, and I wasn't ready to leave Blakely for three months. 

Soon after my failed summer I had an epiphany. I woke up one day and realized that I was capable of being so much more than I was. My first two years of college were a joke, and my life-style was similar to that of an MTV reality show. I realized that our time here is so short, and the unhealthy life I was living was not allowing me to take advantage of it. 

Anyone that knows me know that I have always had a passion for working with children with special needs. The kids I worked with in high school and through out college taught me a great deal about determination and overcoming obstacles regardless our abilities or disabilities. I didn't want my weight to be an obstacle or a "disability" in my life. My kids also taught me that life is SO, so short, and I want to experience as much as possible in my time here. 

I am so fortunate to have been given a chance to start my life over. I feel like a new person and there is nothing in this world that I am incapable of doing. Finding the motivation within myself to reach my goals in life has been the greatest gift that I've ever been given, and everyday since this awakening has been devoted to accomplishing the goals that I have set for myself. Here I am in 2012, 117 pounds lighter and 5 pants sizes smaller. I have never felt more confident and sure that I am living my life to the absolute fullest. I want this blog to be a place where I share my continued journey. I've made great gains, but I am not half the woman I know I'm bound to be. Cue Journey's Don't Stop Believing!

2005

2006

Apparently, I enjoy giving a thumbs up!

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

I am literally and figuratively on-top on the world!