Day 74

"Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care."

Buddha

 (My dear friend Sonia and I after completing a 5k!  Never thought it was possible)

I am sore. All over. I just started a new workout program and it is kicking my butt. And I am grateful for every sore muscle. Because they are reminders. Reminders that my body needs this work. A few years a go I was in pretty bad shape. I was heavy, did not eat right, and barely moved from the couch after work. I didn't realize the problem then. I didn't see it. Then all of that changed. I was home for Christmas one year and stepped on the scale at my parents house and saw a number that I do not wish to share. Suddenly I became aware. Of everything. And I knew something had to be done. And I have my dear sweet best friend Kat to thank for giving me the best kick start ever.

Kat had purchased the P90X workout program. (No, this is not a commercial for P90X. This is just where my journey started...though I do highly recommend it!) She let the housemates try it out as well. Talk about sore! YIKES! My body hurt in ways that I didn't think were possible. I could barely walk! And if I laughed or sneezed, oh forget about it! But I also started to notice results. In the first week even. But it wasn't just results I could see...those were there for sure...but I felt different. I felt better. I had more energy, was sleeping better, even my mood was elevated. And that's when it hit me. That is when I realized how awful I had been treating myself. And that's when things really started to change. I finished the P90X workout program. All 90 days. And the results were incredible. I lost 30 lbs and felt amazing. I saw my family the following Christmas and they were taken aback. I think my sister cried. They were proud of me. I was proud of myself. But I also knew that I had a ways to go. 

After that Christmas, my sister became a huge supporter of my journey. She sponsored me on this other program called Precision Nutrition. Its a 6 month online nutrition coaching program. The education I received through this program about my body and things I should fuel it with was mind-blowing. This was a huge step on the road to a healthier me.

Since that fateful day on my parents scale, I have lost 60 pounds and am proud to say that as I turn 30, I will be in the best shape of my life. Over these past few years health and fitness has become a big part of my life. I've tried all kinds of things. Different programs, gyms, activities. Earlier this year I started running, which is something I had never done before. I found a great meditative peace from my evening jogs at the park. It wasn't just good for my body, it was good for my soul. In April, I went with my friend Sonia to help her train for a triathlon (she's a total rock-star!) and ended up doing my first 5k run right along side her! (Thank you Sonia. You've been such an inspiration!) The new program I just stared is Jillian Michaels' Body Revolution. I find myself much busier these days and this one is only 30 minutes a day. Some people may say I'm a sucker for fitness fads, but I say that variety is the spice of life!! I love trying all these new things! And with each one I learn something new about my body and its abilities. 

There were 2 major points in making this journey that I think were necessary for success:

1. I had to want it. You have to have the will to change or you'll never get anywhere. 

2. Education. I had to educate myself about nutrition and the human body. 

Once I made all these changes, I started listening to my body. Believe it or not, it will tell you what it needs. I started craving fruits and vegetables. And if I splurged on a Whopper from BK, you can bet my body would tell me just how it felt about that the next day! Now that doesn't mean I stopped splurging. I just have to make sure its worth it. Mike and I cook every night. We make healthy meals together (and super delicious. Yes, healthy can be and IS scrumptious!) and have so much fun doing it. But every Saturday night, we take ourselves out and eat whatever we want. Its our "cheat" day. Moderation is key. 

I'm starting to sound like I'm preaching on how to lose weight and feel great! And maybe I am! Bottom line is, I'm so glad I took action when I did. The older we get, the harder it is to get our bodies into the shape we need them to be. And I want to stay this way for as long as this body will carry me. I want to do it for my future children. So I can run and jump and play with them. So I can feed them healthy nutritious meals. Mike and I want to do this for each other. So we can live a long happy life together. And I want to do it for me. So I can give this life all I've got.

Day 74: I am grateful for a transformed and healthy body. I am grateful for the tools that helped me get into the shape I am in. I am grateful to my dear sweet Kat who helped me get things kick started. I am grateful to my sister for her support and wonderful gift of a quality education through PN. And her continued support through sharing recipes and tips. I am grateful to Mike for not only supporting me, but joining me on this journey (he looks amazing!). I am grateful to my parents who are an inspiration. They go the gym several times a week and have also taken an active role in their nutrition. I am so proud of them! I am grateful for the journey itself. It truly has been a  physical, mental, and spiritual awakening.