NSV: Becoming a Lifer

This week marked a major milestone in the health & fitness journey: I received my Lifetime Membership Key at Weight Watchers and I crossed my one year anniversary on the health & wellness road. The hardest part of the whole thing, I think, was overcoming my own skepticism regarding my ability to change. From the vantage point of a year ago, I couldn't have possibly imagined a whole new me. But voila! It actually works. Perhaps this is a good time to reiterate the saga behind On Beyond Running for those of you looking for some inspiration.

Exactly one year ago this week, I was a middle-aged, 40-something, couch-potato mom with a family, full-time job and a part-time career on the side. I'd been a plus size for most of my childhood and adult life. I was sure given the weight of four score decades of "proof," that I was doomed to be fat.

Presto! Chango! In one year, I've lost over 10 clothing sizes, 33% of my body mass, and gone from frump to fab. My former 2x self now wears size Small. My double digit jeans--hell, I didn't even bother with jeans; just too brutal!--are now a size 4. My frazzled and frantic --but completely unfit--lifestyle has transformed completely. I've run two 5k races, am training for my first half marathon and run between 30 and 50 miles a week.

On behalf of my awesome physician, who helped me on this path, I should also report all the good stuff vis a vis my health: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, BMI, resting pulse. Perfect. Every last one of them.

Unexpected and amazing side effects of these transformations: these lifestyle changes "pay it forward." My spouse is now 40 pounds ligher and hotter than ever! and my six year old kid sees the importance of regular activity (we just biked 20 miles together last week on a family outing!) and scorns trans fats and fast food!

Here's the deal, if you think it's too good to be true: None of this was done with fads or fanaticism. It took serious commitment, serious planning and serious work. None of it happened fast or easy. That being said, there is no secret that you've been missing. It was painfully simple: eat less, eat better, exercise more. Be mindful of what you are actually doing. Have a plan. Stick with it for the long haul. Between two poles: Weight Watchers and running, it was absolutely workable.

One year later--god willing--was going to show up anyhow. It could have shown up with the old me or a new & improved me. I'm really glad I chose to risk the new & improved version. One year later, as Labor Day approaches, I've never been happier about the work I've done.

Hi-Tech Training for the Type A Runner

You know its bad when it comes to this: a birthday arrives and there aren't flowers or perfume or other niceties. Instead, you unwrap a runner's GPS and think, "What a great gift!" (Thank you spouse & son!)

For all runners (like me) who are also documentation-oriented, this is a fun training toy. Till now, I've timed my runs every day with a plastic watch that doesn't always work. Now, the GPS kicks in, the timer rolls, and I can get mileage or time alerts on the road, glance down to see my pace or distance, and upload the whole thing for training logs to analyze.

And this is a gift that really keeps on giving for the Type A personality. Once the GPS is rolling and the run is coming to a close, I think, "Well....but only .3 of a mile more and that would be a nice round number." Or "Gee, that pace is faster than I thought, I suppose I could try a little bit harder." You get the idea. This device is not so much hi-tech as it is automated gadfly. Another incentive to push the limits (just a little.) The GPS induced goal for my next birthday year: log a minimum of 1000 miles in those 364 remaining days. (I probably already do that modest amount anyhow--but the GPS makes it seem official.)

I know it sounds like a bit much--and it is--but its fun. For me, the effort is real when there's data that follows. I can train against an imaginary partner, time splits, or not. More likely not. But I like the idea of it. And that's what gifts are for.

LO Details: Design (c) 2007 Ann Hetzel Gunkel; Software: Adobe Photoshop; Digital Supplies: Daydream Collection by Erica Hite at ScrapGirls