Today at work we had a Celebration Breakfast for a co-worker who hit his 5 year mark. The topic quickly turned to this co-workers dedication to riding his Bike to and from work, every single day. He says he lives about 7 miles from work (in my neighborhood) and he loves it. He even invented these Bike “Snow Tires” so he can ride his bike in the snow! Him and his wife just bought a house in the county and someone asked if he plans to still ride to and from work. He said he had already tested it, and that it is 13 miles each way. He says it takes him about 50 minutes to ride to work, and 50 minutes home.
I was shocked! This guy is willing to give up TWO HOURS of his day to ride his bike to and from work! CRAZY! Then everyone sat around talking about marathons (that woman who ran Boston at 9 month pregnant) and half marathons, and all the old people, fat people, young people they knew who had turned their lives around by walking, then running. It was just so inspiring.
Before the wedding I had taken up a bit of running, well…slow jogging? And it was DAMN hard! I once told someone I was working up to do a 5k, and they said “What? That’s so easy, you can run a 3.2 miles!” But I couldn’t, honestly. I still can’t. I can run MAX 2 miles without stopping, and that is EXHAUSTING! My legs hurt and I’m out of breath, and mentally drained. I wont say it’s an excuse, but I’m sorry, if you weigh less than 150 pounds running has got to be way easier for you. Seriously. Try running holding an extra 50 pound weight. It’s flat-out hard to run when you are bigger. No lie. Not that I’m not strong, I’m very strong. I’m actually (well I was before the wedding) in pretty good shape. I worked out regularly and ate healthy. I don’t smoke, I drink very little, and I am in a constant state of trying to live a healthier life. Still though, I am not thin, not at a healthy BMI, not average in size. It’s something I work on every day. I LOVE the idea of being Skinny, but I just don’t see it ever happening for me. I have never been significantly smaller than I am right now, since I was 15.
None the less, I have to watch myself, and Mr. Gaunt for that matter. We can gain weight in a matter of DAYS! So we have to constantly check ourselves, our eating, our physical fitness, to keep at an acceptable (yet still over weight) weight. Which bring me to OCTOBER 25th.
OCTOBER 24th will be the 1 month deadline I gave myself to eat whatever I wanted and NOT work out at all. It was my month off that I felt I really needed to get some sanity back after the wedding. So on OCTOBER 25th we will be back to a healthier lifestyle. Less Cheese, less bread, less sugar, less butter, less food. More moving, lifting and stretching! I’m going to get a yoga DVD and see if Mr. Gaunt and I can’t do a little of our own yoga in the evenings. I also want to get back to my strength training before bed, makes yah feel better! Lastly Running. I’m starting today. I have a NEW 3.5 mile plan that I plan to start doing at least 4 times a week. I will start with walking, then move into jogging, and hopefully maybe by the new year I will be able to do the whole thing without stopping! It’s a Goal!
I’ll keep you updated as usual! If my coworker can ride his bike for 2 hours just to get ot work, then I can dedicate a solid hour 4 days a week to keeping my butt smaller! Plus I think it’s better to start this stuff now, keep OFF the holiday weight, then start in the New Year after you gained all the Holiday weight. Booo.
Anyone else Not planning on gaining weight this Holiday season?
The Family Chapters 