I've come so far....

I woke up on New Year's Day and thought "I'm going to do Weight Watchers".   So I started that day.  People ask me if something happened that made me want to make a change.  No specific event made me want to make a change.  I literally just woke up one day and decided to do it.  I am not one for New Year's Resolutions so I did not make any resolution.  I just made an immediate lifestyle change.

On January 20th, I joined the gym.  I had already lost a few pounds just from eating right, but I knew there was more to healthy living than that.  My friend had been bugging me to join the gym for the longest time, and I finally did.  At first, I hated it. HATED IT.  I would go every day.  But I felt out of place.  I felt like I did not belong there.  And I thought people were looking at me and judging me.  But no one really cared about me.  I realized pretty quickly that everyone was in their own little world there.  I still didn't like it even though I was seeing some results.  I just felt so out of shape.  It was not enjoyable, but I plugged along.  Even if I only went for 30 minutes of Cardio, I was there at least 5 days a week. 

After a month or so, I began to feel the effects of my efforts.  I began to have a lot more energy.  I started looking forward to going to the gym.  In March I signed up with a trainer for 'Fight Like a Girl' -- a striking/kickboxing program that was twice a week for 6 months.  Sounded great, I thought it was outside of my comfort zone so it had to be good.  And I was going to like it - it wasn't cheap and there was no way of getting out of it so I better like it!  I didn't at first.  It kicked my butt!  And I didn't think I would make it through 6 months of it!  But my trainer (Erin) and my partner (and awesome new friend Shelby) had faith in me - way more than I had in myself!  They were both so encouraging to me.  Even though I was very motivated on my own, it's so nice to have people that believe in you.

In April I signed up with an additional trainer for twice a week - just for general personal training. Four days a week with personal trainers?  What in the world was I thinking?!  He took it kind of easy on me at first.  I was his first client here at this gym, and he wasn't sure how hard he should push me.  Another trainer and his client trained with us one day - He insisted I 'had it in me' and that my trainer (Daniel) could push me - and from that day he started kicking my butt too! 

For months, the cardio I was doing on my own was either walking on the treadmill or riding the bike.  I tried the stairmaster once - I was about dying after 5 minutes!  Daniel made me do the elliptical one day - I hated him... But after that I started doing the elliptical almost daily - I do the stairs regularly now too.  It's fascinating to me that now I can do over an hour on the elliptical at one time - and not die! And 20 minutes on the stair climber on a decent pace is nothing!

I was told I should try classes.  My friend at the gym - Tony - suggested Pitaiyo -- and I thank him for that now.   At first, I didn't want to try classes.  What if I mess up?  What will people think?  Everyone will be watching me - eek.  Well once again, I was wrong.  They're paying just as much attention to me as I am to them.  NONE! Pitaiyo (which is not offered everywhere I've learned, but is at my gym because one of the founders/creators works there) is a blend of Pilates, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Qi Gong.  Yea, I'm not coordinated, and my balance I've found is not great.  But I love the class, and I go as often as I can.  I still want to try more classes - Body Combat, Body Pump - and I may even want to try a water class as well. 

The gym is the highlight of my day, and has been for a while.  I work from home now full time, so the gym is like my escape!  I have friends there.  People know me when I walk in.  How did I go from being someone who has never set foot in a gym to someone everyone knows there?  I've even been the topic of conversation at trainer meetings! I've been told I'm an inspiration -- that's flattering, but I don't really see it.  People have asked me how I do it.... What diet am I following... What diet pills am I taking.... 
*I am not dieting.  I made a lifestyle change - and that's the only way to do it I believe.  A diet is temporary.  Diet sounds like you're depriving yourself of things you may really want.  I did weight watchers - but if you know about weight watchers, you know it's not a diet.  You eat what you want.  It just teaches you how to track your food, and helps teach you how to make healthy choices.  I stopped doing weight watchers over two months ago.  I started using a wonderful app called MyFitnessPal.  This app counts calories.  Let's face it, counting calories is a lot more practical than counting points.  Eating right + working out + sleep  = a healthy lifestyle. 

As of my last weigh in on Sunday (9/18/11) I have lost 74.8 pounds.  In my head I know this is a lot.  Everyone tells me they can see such a difference.  I don't always see it.  I notice little things.  Like I know now you can see my collar bones all the time.  I've had to basically get rid of ALL of my old clothes because nothing fits.  I see a difference, but it doesn't seem as dramatic to me as everyone makes it out to be - but I guess it is.  Isn't that like what a super model weighs?  LOL My quest is not to be super thin.  It is to be healthy and happy.