Healthy Living Story
When I applied to be in the Homeland Healthy Challenge, I was already trying on my own to lose weight, and slowly making changes to my diet and exercising routine. I started eating better, (not perfect but better) and running. Yes, I said running. I have never been a runner (EVER!) But, I can now say I am a runner. Even when I was thin, I couldn’t run a minute without running out of breath! I began running, as soon as I changed my thinking to get healthy and make better lifestyle choices, back in August after school started. I didn’t wait for the Challenge to begin, I wanted to get started right aways, as there was no guarantee that I would even be picked! I started charting my weight on September 4. I am kind of a numbers girl, and it is hard to not score board watch, but I do anyways. I know with me, that if I don’t keep accountable, I will spiral out of control. I record my weight 2 times a week on Saturday and Wednesday. Then, the Challenge begins on October 5, 2013.
What I have learned so far, this time around in my weight loss journey is to enjoy every small victory. Be happy with who I am, and what God created me to be. I have learned, that I need to not starve myself, and I need to eat when I am hungry, and not just because it is time to eat. I also need to eat small snacks throughout the day. I would like to say, it used to be my addiction, but once an addict always an addict, and I am trying to gain control my addiction and my body’s reaction to sugar. Hopefully, what I have learned can help you if you struggle with food addiction. Yes, food tries control on me, it is my addiction.
So, this time I am stepping up my game. Thanks, to Homelands nutritionist and to Title Boxing of Edmond, I have added Boxing to my weekly routine and am continuing to run, and I am proud to say I can run a 5K in around 38 minutes and I am learning how to Box. I am also, down 10.6 pounds (as of 4 weeks into the challenge). I am on my way to my weight loss goals. ( I would like to lose about 38 more pounds)
I can confidently say, I am feeling amazing. I love running, Boxing class, and have a ton of energy. The battle of the food is getting much easier, I have cut out sugary foods such as cookies, ice cream, candy, and so called junk food. After a few weeks of cutting these items out of my diet, I really don’t crave anything sweet and sugary like I did before. Another important thing I am focusing on is my mental game, and working on having more fun.
Something I never gained control over in the past, when I was on various weight loss programs, is losing weight and having fun. I would diet and HATE it. If I went out with friends I would be consumed with my diet, that I wouldn’t have any fun! I would stay home to avoid temptation of food and alcohol. My circle was very small, boring and depressing. I lost weight, but in the end I went back to my old ways. I didn’t learn how to have the lifestyle of being healthy. I just learned a diet, which my lifestyle was not willing to sustain.
This time is different, this is now a lifestyle. I am focusing on being happy and loving myself now, by changing my weight if I am not happy where I am now, I will not be happy no matter what I weight. I have recognized this as a problem as when I was thinner back in 2010, when I dieted and had absolutely NO fun, I hated the diet, but results were awesome but my mental game and lifestyle after the diet didn’t change and I still had the “I am fat” mentality. Becoming thin, didn’t make me happy and gained 50 pounds. This time around, I can and I will. No excuses.
For more details, read my first post before I began this challenge! Click Here for the Homeland Healthy Challenge
