Quarterly Report

So it's been a long time since I blogged. What's new? I'm going to be selfish today and just blog about the journey I've been on with my health for the past year. I promise to follow up with another post about the family soon!

On Tuesday I ran my first race! A St. Patty's Day 5K at the Portsmouth Coast Guard base. I've been running 3 miles a day through the winter so that part wasn't hard. It was the 80 degree temps that was a challenge. I was so hot! But my partner, Jaime and I finished in good time.

This morning as I was getting dressed to work out I realized it had been about a year since I decided to get serious about eating healthy, losing some weight and getting in shape. I looked back at a journal app that I use called Collect and discovered it has been exactly a year and 2 days. This is what I looked like then and

what I journaled that day. 

"I'm tired of having the muffin top, flabby arms and my jeans being too tight on my thighs. I've decided to eat healthier and exercise regularly. I'm taking pictures today to compare with in 1 month.

 I don't want to be a stick but I do know I can be healthier than I am now. My goal is to lose 20 pounds and gain muscle. "

I started by using a app called My Fitness Pal to track my food. I had always felt like I ate healthy but didn't pay attention to the labels. I began to actually look at what I was consuming. Using that app has been the biggest advantage in getting to where I wanted to be. It helped me be aware and educated about what I was putting into my body and to change what I ate from what tasted good to what was good for me.

By May a little had changed but it was very gradual.

The summer I continued to eat well and work out. I workout partner (Jaime) and I begin to run but I don't remember exactly when we started. I know we were walking in the spring for a good  couple of months before we tried running. Having a partner that is consistent has been my 2nd greatest gift. I don't like to work out so having someone to do it with and talk to helps the time pass so much quicker. Jaime has been a such a trooper. Every time I ask her to up the ante on our routine she is always up for the challenge. I could have not made it this far without her. 

Emil and I even began to run together some this winter and we've enjoyed it- which has been a really nice thing to learn. He's much faster than I am. (I've decided men are just genetically engineered to be better runners.) However that helps me to pick up the pace and strive for a better time. He'll even walk with me if I ask to slow down. 

I hit my weight goal before Christmas then kinda went off the rails. However, today I can say I've achieved all my goals. 

No more muffin top. No more tight thighs. No more flabby arms.

 I did it and it's been such a good lesson to me that I can do hard things. Hard work does pay off and taking care of myself and being healthy is worth the effort. 

I've signed up to run a 10K at the end of May! I've enjoyed having physically demanding goals for myself which is weird since I've never been a athletic person but it's nice to discover something new about yourself.  I encourage you all to give it a try! Try something new and scary! You can do it too!