I always thought I had everything under control. I mean, my goodness, I'm a barn manager. I'm on my feet all day cleaning stalls, leading horses here and there (and up the giant hill...), just non-stop always on the go. I had always been chubby, even as a kid. We always joked that I just never lost my baby fat. Well, a doctor's appointment last January changed my mind. When I got on the scale, it was everything I could do not to cry. I didn't know how that number came to be, but it had to go.
So, over the past year, I've lost around 50 pounds total. It started with just tracking my food and counting calories. In a few months, I joined a gym and started lifting. Then I started branching out into the scary "cardio" area (which can be really terrifying when you're an overweight asthmatic). I ran my first full mile April 1, 2017. Hey, I survived it! From there, it became almost a challenge to myself to see how far I could go. I got really into thinking of my food as fuel for running and cross training.
The holidays rolled around and I got lax on my eating habits. (I'll just take this moment to say that given an inch, I will absolutely take a mile every time.) So, even though I was running regularly and working out plenty, my weight started climbing again. I just couldn't get myself back on track. Which brings me here. I need some accountability and a good support system behind me.
I have goals I want to achieve this year; running goals, weight goals, experience goals. All the goals! I've seen such a big change in my life in just a year of really focusing on taking care of myself that I want to see how many more amazing things I can do that I never would have thought I could. Don't worry, no marathon goals for me; I'm a short distance runner only ;)
Here's to the start of taking care of ME again. I'm feeling better already and today is only day one.