Getting Some Weight Off My Chest (and other places)

I've never been the skinny girl. Even when I was "normal sized" way back in kindergarten, I still wasn't the one that people said "Look at you! You're just an itty bitty bit of a thing!" In about fourth grade, I went from wearing girls sizes straight into grown womens. Totally skipped the juniors section, but then Pamida didn't really have much of juniors section to pick from, and we couldn't afford any of the mall's stores. From there I gradually grew in size. Out not so much up. (I've taken Miss I'm a Little Teapot's lyrics to heart. Girl knows all about being short and stout. Preach.) My weight issue stems from several factors. I come from very sturdy Scandinavian/German/British stock. I love to bake, and to eat what I bake. Physical activity doesn't hold much allure for me. It doesn't help that I'm also pretty uncoordinated and think most sporting events are boring. I also lack any kind of competitiveness when it comes to playing sports or games. I much prefer to spend my time reading, drinking coffee, watching a favorite show, baking, or fan girling online. Combine all this and you get me.

Through the years, I've made half hearted attempts (really not even "half" hearted, more like quarter hearted) to get healthier and try to lose weight, but they lasted maybe a week or two before I lost any motivation and returned to my old friends Chocolate and Couch. Why? Because it's easier to be lazy. Easier to do what feels comfortable. Easier not to try. Didn't I want to be healthy? Didn't I want to feel better? Have more energy? Look better? Of course! Not be made fun of, looked down upon, or treated differently then anyone else? Because even though the Lord has protected me from a lot of the pain and ridicule that overweight people go through, I've still gotten some. I've had teens moo at me. I've overheard a little girl say to her mom while pointing at me "Mommy, why is that lady so fat?" I've been asked if I'm pregnant. I've had to ask for seat belt extenders on an airplane because the seat belts were too small. I'm all too familiar with the pain that is shopping in the plus size department which is typically a third of the size of regular women's sizes, and three quarters of the clothing in that department looks like something straight from your grandmother's closet. Hoorah. Again, of course, I don't like this, but I could never motivate myself to do any more than just imagine what it would be like to be healthier.

This lovely number is what can be found in many plus size departments...Fine for grandmothers, not so much for this 30 something.

All of this changed this year. My dear friend (and my brother Nick's girlfriend) Chelsey and I were talking, and I mentioned to her that I would like to walk a 5K sometime. Chelsey, who's an avid runner, said I should do the Summit Classic. I said that that would be fun, but didn't think too much more about it. Chelsey, on the other had did. She thought a lot more about it. She's a planner, folks.  Well much to my surprise, one day while she was over for dinner, she presented me with the 13 week Coffee Bean Workout Challenge to get me ready for the 5K. At first, the Lazy part of me was like "Meh, I don't knooooww." Then something in me was all "No. Why not try? It would good to get a little more active!" So before I could think anymore about it, I signed on the dotted line and committed my self to the Challenge, and guess what? I finished the Challenge. I walked the 5K. I survived, and even better something within me was sparked to life. It was like, hey if I can workout for 13 weeks and feel so much better, why can't I keep doing it? And for the most part, I have, and wonder of all wonders I've lost weight!!! What?! For the first time in my life, I have lost weight. To date I've lost almost 24 pounds. It's crazy! Gaaahh!! I still can't believe. Everytime I get on the scale and see that I've lost even half a pound I do a little dance. (No, you may not have a demo of said dance. That's for me and the scale.) So what made this attempt much more successful then others? I think the biggest reason is that it all started with Chelsey. All my previous attempts are something that I tried on my own. This time I had someone who cared about me, wanted to see me succeed in getting healthier, put a lot of time into making a game plan for me, and encouraged me all the way. That's what made the biggest difference for me. That's what I needed.

When I started out the Challenge I told myself that if by some chance I managed to lose 20 pounds, I could by myself a present. Even better a GEEKY present. Even better yet, a DOCTOR WHO present. Well, as I said above I reached that goal, and I am now the proud owner of these gorgeous earrings!

Look at them! Bask in their beautiful sheen!! 

 They're so pretty!!

Oh, I am a very happy nerd girl!

Now that I've reached the 20+ pound mark, I know that I can reach the 40 pound mark. (Yes, I've bribed myself with the promise of another geeky gift to myself when I reach that goal.) I'm realistic about the fact that it's going to hard. Winter's coming. The short days and snowy, icy weather make it much harder to get outside. My hermit tendencies become even more prevalent in the winter. It's still not easy to eat healthy. Chocolate cupcakes, french fries, and bacon all still sound a-mazing. I'm going to keep working at it, though because I've got the Lord, family and friends cheering me on, and now I have proof that I can do this. 

Thanks for reading!

Manda

Thankful Thursdays 09/05/2013

September is here, folks! Yay for fall!! I'm so ready for it. The sweaters, the boots, the scarves (I have a serious scarf fetish...), the pumpkins, the fall foliage, the crisp mornings, the hazy evenings, and the baking...oh, the baking! I love it so much that I've already decorated the apartment for it ( no judgey judging, mmm-kay?), and yes, I made my roomie roll her eyes and laugh at me over this. She still loves me, though. ;)
Okay, enough of this fallishness (Get it?! Fallishness instead of foolishness? Oh, the wittiness abounds!). Let's get back on track.

1. Morning rain showers. I know some with disagree with me, but I adore rainstorms. I love cloudy, cool days waaaay more then hot, sunshine-y ones. Why? Because they give a girl an excuse to curl up on the couch with a book, a cup of coffee, or an old musical. Sigh, that's my idea of the perfect way to while away a few hours...

2. Classic car shows. I know. I know. Me? A fan of car shows? What?! I do really enjoy them. Why? Well, my Dad is an upholsterer, and he worked on a number of classic cars while we were growing up. So naturally, I developed an appreciation for them. Also, I'm somewhat of a history nerd, and I especially love the 1920's-1970's. This 50+ years span is where most classic cars fall into so there you go. Plus, they're so pretty, what with the vibrant colors of paint and shiny chrome finishes (What. I'm a girl. Of course, I'm going to say a car is pretty.)!

3. Re-reading a favorite series of books, and still loving them as much as I did the first read through.

Happy Thursday, all! Thanks for stopping by.