2 years down

     Exercise.  That word alone can bring on a wide range of emotions from dread to excitement. For me exercise started out as a means to an end. I wanted to run a 5K with my son and  I simply wanted to not be overweight anymore. I also wanted to my Wii fit lady to not get all short and squaty, frown, and tell me I was in the obese category. I wanted to wear cute clothes and not be the fat twin anymore. I wanted to be skinny. On June 18, 2012 I did my first day of Couch to 5k. Run for 60 seconds it says, sure no problem I got this!! Turns out I did not have this, not even by a little bit. Those 60 seconds were some of the most miserable moments of my life! Was I really this out of shape that 60 seconds was going to put me out?? Apparently I was because I feel like I barely survived that first day. There were some definite touch and go moments that first day. I surprisingly did survive and I went back two more times that week. I was so proud  that I basically was high fiving myself as I went down the sidewalk.
     My starting weight was 176. No bueno is all I can say about that. My goals that  week were to survive first and foremost then to stick with it and lose 40lbs. I had seen enough Biggest Loser seasons to know that by Christmas I should be slim and trim and at my 135 goal. I also knew to not get my hopes up since I wasn't actually on the Biggest Loser and my results would be no where near as astronomical as the contestants were. Week two I weigh myself and drum roll........ I weighed in at 176! What?? Nothing changed! How did that happen!? I worked out three days and I changed my eating habits! Ok no worries I got this! I continued to weigh myself and for 8 weeks that scale never budged. Thank God I wasn't a BL contestant because I would have been kicked off weeks ago!
After a month or so I realized that I was actually enjoying working out! Gasp! I know I was shocked as well when I had this little epiphany. I had a desire to go to the gym and I loved the feeling of accomplishment I felt when leaving that place.
      I had read a thing on pinterest that said "Six months from now will you regret not starting today?" That little quote was my motivation to give it a try. I mean what did I have to lose? Weight? Perfect! As I said before the weight didn't just come off and in fact it still hasn't. Today marks two years since my first day to of Couch to 5k. I have been working out faithfully for two solid years and I have only lost 14lbs. My body seems to be stuck at 162. I have gotten down to 157 for about 3 seconds, but I am consistently at 162. It is pretty common to gain weight during the winter season and I feel it is directly related to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the fact that we don't have to be seen in a swimsuit. Even though I was still working out it had slowed down to 1 or 2x's a week I gained about 10lbs. I should also point out that I stopped weighing myself. I did so because I was focusing more on what those stinking numbers said or in my case didn't say and not focusing on the positive changes I was making. 
     For me and so many others I have some health issues that have kept my body from working like a "normal" body. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease 5 years ago and my thyroid is non working. The thyroid is the brain of the body kind of and it is in control of basically every part of how your body works. Without it your body is driving with its eyes closed and eventually it will crash. Once it crashes it takes a lot of work to get it back up and running and unfortunately it is never as good as it was before. This past April I was diagnosed with another autoimmune disease that effects the skin. It was after this that I decided to cut out Gluten. All of the research I was doing kept pointing to the fact that my body was attacking itself and gluten was the culprit. After my diagnosis I started on a gluten free diet the next day. Lots of tough choices there, but that is a whole different post! I went back to the doctor after 40 days for a check up and low and behold I had lost 7lbs!! This had never happened that fast in the entire time I had worked out!! Bad news though is I was back and stuck at that 162 number that I just could not get rid of. 
     I post this blog book to mark my two year anniversary, but to also maybe encourage others who are working hard and not achieving those Biggest Loser results. So what have I learned in 2 years? I have learned that I really enjoying working out! I love that my kids see me and work out with me and I am creating good habits for them to continue when they have moved out. Once you start to workout your body craves it! My kids do and will continue to crave movement and exercise when they have flown the coop ( moved out for those non country people).  When you exercise and even more so since we have cut Gluten out of our diets you make better choices when it comes to eating.  I can not even begin to describe the sense of accomplishment that comes from feeding myself and my family healthy food! It is like non other! I have learned how to actually work out on my own! Thanks for the help of my friend Bethany who meet me at the gym and kicked my booty and Reggie Parker who did a boot camp they both taught me so much when it comes to working out and using my own body weight as the tools to get fit! I have found that I prefer to go to the local track and workout more than I do the gym. And yes my body has changed even though the scale has not moved much. I have lost over 10 inches in my waist and gone down two pants sizes! I can do a sit up now!! With three csections I didn't think this was ever going to be possible! I can feel and see muscles in my body. I went from doing one push up to being able to do at least 20 real pushups in a row. I am more confident in everything I do now because I know I am healthier. My goal is not just be skinny now, my goal is to be fit and teach my kids a life style that will  last them forever. I want to a be a mom with muscles, a mom who can run with her kids, swing at the park with them, play with them, ride bikes with them, and enjoy so many other activities I could not enjoy two years ago. 
     I know for so many people they say they simply do not have the time, but when there is a will there is a way. Pinterest and you trusty google  search option are great places for finding exercise you can do in the privacy of your own home. You do not need a pricey gym membership to get in shape. Find a group of like minded people and set up times to meet and do things! Sherry and I meet on Tuesday and Thursday at 7 people with an open invite to other families who want to be active. If you are local to us we would love for you to join us!! We bring our kids with us and we workout about an hour. I work three part time jobs and I  have three kids who are very active in sports so I very much understand busy schedules, but when you want it bad enough you make the time even if it is a doing walking lunges down your hall as you head to the bathroom. Here are a few before and after pictures to share to show that even though my scale didn't move much, but body did change. The black outfits are from Nov. 2013, Jan. 2014 and June 2014. The face pics are from May 2012, May 2013 and June 2014.  The green dress and black workout are June 2012 and June 2014. The workout picture is Bethany and myself after an awesome workout at the track.  The green dress picture is the one that made me decide I need to do something because I didn't like what I saw. Good luck on your health life style! Two years down and hopefully 50 more!