Found the Faith to Believe in Myself!

Overboard_Eater

I had a stranger take this picture of me last year. I had just "run" for about an hour.

I had started using MFP in April 2012. I was down 25 pounds by this picture, and was feeling really positive about the whole experience. I had just increased my calories and macros (40/30/30) 5 days before based on the ‘In Place of a Roadmap v2’ thread. At lunch time, I had started walking longer and faster and up hills. I had started lifting heavy. I was feeling great about myself, but I had also come to realization that I had done a horrible injustice to my eldest daughter.

My husband (her step-father) had taken up running, and was really enjoying it. When he started, I said that he and his family were "made" for running. After all, he had run in high school, and his brother was running ultra-marathons. So it was easy for him. I was not a runner. I called myself the anti-runner. Even as a young child, I would get a massive stitch in my side when I tried running in gym class. So, to help her feel better when she struggled with running, I had often told her that some people just aren't made to run, and it seemed our family was that way.

But then as I started reading the ‘Success Stories’ and the ‘Fitness and Exercise’ forums, there were so many other non-runners who were able to teach themselves how to run and wrote about actually enjoying it. I also recognized that it wasn't easy for my husband to run; he just made it LOOK easy. He was working hard to improve himself.

I had tried jogging, and had been working on my cardio endurance (pathetic to start with) by doing interval training on the Nordic Track ski machine over the past few weeks. I had to prove to myself, and to her that we could do it if we tried. But my knees hurt when I ran, and my Achilles tendon started hurting pretty bad from the walking up hills. Alas, more proof I wasn’t cut out for running.

I had read that barefoot running was easier on the body, so as a last ditch effort I decided that day to try running on the beach instead of walking. Sure I was wicked self-conscious, but I did it anyway. I ran for an hour! I only covered 3.5 miles, but I thought that was fantastic. Since I have logged every meal, good or bad, since April 23, 2012, I can recount how I was feeling on that fateful day. Here was my entry;
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"Exercise notes

I did it! I "ran" (jogged really, well sort of) on the beach for an hour!! Whoooo hoooo!!! And the only comment I heard was "hey lady you gotta close your mouth!" HA! HRM indicated the calories burned around 500+. "
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I had a stranger take my picture, because during that "run" I found the faith to believe in myself. I somehow just knew that a year later I would go back to that beach, and take a new picture.

One year later, I have lost 50 more pounds. My body fat is at a personally acceptable level. I have been at maintenance since mid-Feb. Since completing Couch to 5K in September 2012, I've run four 5k races, with a personal best time of 27 minutes. However, it turns out that my body really doesn't like running. My knees still hurt at times, but not as much since I started taking fish oils.

I did discover that I love having a fitness goal, like races, it gets me out of bed at 5:45 am. I decided to try triathlons, because I figured since the run was the last part, if all else fails I could walk. I started training, including learning how to swim laps, in January.

Yesterday, I competed in my first sprint-distance tri with a finishing time of 1 hour and 31 minutes. I swam 1/4 mile in Narragansett Bay, I cycled 11.4 miles (on a very low-budget bike), and then ran 3.2 miles through the woods (not a cross country runner!) I had fun, and I finished with a smile. My next tri is at the end of July, and I inspired (goaded) 2 colleagues to compete with me. I have been a good example for my daughters and while the eldest does not run, I have shown her that when she is ready she can do anything, too. She was a volunteer at the event yesterday handing out waters and encouraging the athletes. I feel so good about that!

As I was driving to my last tri run-thru on Saturday, I was feeling so many emotions; anticipation, anxiety, happiness, joy, excitement and FREEDOM (said like Mel Gibson in Braveheart)!

I feel so incredibly free of the 75+ pounds of fat that were holding me back. I was buried but have been unearthed from the excess weight brought on by bad food choices and emotional over eating due to many past traumatic memories and events. I feel I can accomplish almost anything I want badly enough. I still struggle, but I really try to leave the past in the past and move ahead without shame and guilt.

Words cannot honestly express how joyful I am to be me in this moment. I relish my strength, flexibility, stability, and overall EXCELLENT health and fitness. Less than two years ago, I was suffering from plantar fasciitis, I had weird medical conditions that I assumed the doctor would attribute to being obese, I was afraid to walk down stairs without holding on to the railing for fear of falling, I was self-conscious about my body, and resigned to being the nobody that I felt like.



But, I somehow found the strength to start making better food choices for myself and my family. My ultimate goal was a healthy future, and now I get to live it. I do not take that for granted!

I want to whole heartily thank the MFP community, and especially my Pals. Reading all your stories of successes, stumbles, NSVs, arguing, questions, good and bad advice, and stories/ experiences that I could have written myself, and words of encouragement, have gotten me through this year. I look forward to another year of fitness progress and weight maintenance.

My words of advice to those who are looking to make a life change; log - log - log - move your body - drink water - log - log - log

I have faith in you, just as I had faith in myself.

Oh and that photo, (different beach and this was before pic because my after looked B-A-D, and don't mind my mix and match dollar store suit - I'm a budget triathlete)


Thank you for reading!

RhodySeth

That's my wife and I couldn't be more proud of her! Great job honey!

Syriene

Awesome job! It's great you have support from your husband too.

luvs2teachincali

Wow. You are an inspiration. My before (which sadly is STILL my current) story is very similar to yours.... I keep plodding along, falling off here and there along the way, but getting back up and trying again anyways. I hope one day I can find my faith in myself and have success like you. Way to go!! :flowerforyou: Thank you for sharing!

sandybeach11

Great job! Lots of NSVs in there too. Enjoy the new you!

AsellusReborn

You are awesome woman You have done SO amazing!

Timshel_

Ahhhh...such a great spirit, it is only natural your body would follow! Cheers.

ashm1427

You go girl! Thats awesome!

Also, what a sweet hubby!

Iron_Lotus

Great job!

Overboard_Eater

Thank you everyone! And thanks hubby, you're my rock!

Hearts_2015

That's my wife and I couldn't be more proud of her! Great job honey!

How sweet are you! What a great family attitude, change the eating, move the body and see the success! Really proud of all your hard work and all your wonderful accomplishments.

Cheers for all the changes in your family's lives!:drinker: Teamwork is an amazing thing:flowerforyou:

amandammmq

I've been looking forward to this post... thank you for sharing your story in more detail! :flowerforyou:

ginlyn39

Fabulous story and what an inspiration!!

conniemaxwell5

Awesome story! Congratulations!

1longroad

Thank you so much for sharing your success! You are beautiful and an inspiration!

soniabogonia

You look wonderful!

Keep it up!

coffeemouth

Thank you for sharing your story, it was an inspiring read at a time when I find myself in a 'funk'. : )

Overboard_Eater

I had my diary set to Friends Only but just opened it up in case people are curious. I make no claim to being a good example. Remember also that I have been in maintenance since Feb and training hard so yeah I ate a lot (of cake and cookies) I did say I still struggle... You would have to go back a year to six months to see the weight loss phase.

MCLA4mom

Wow! What an amazing example you are!

Texasparis

Wow! You look great and well done on maintenance. That is the even harder part I know having reached goal in thepast gained and still struggling with this last 10-12 pounds. Thank you for sharing.

Sarauk2sf

Wonderful post and great accomplishment. Well done!

thatgirlLeah

THANK YOU for sharing your story! It is so incredibly motivating to know what is possible with time and determination. Sending a standing ovation from Minnesota!

BikerGirlElaine

Wow!!! You are one awesome lady! And yes, you look terrific in your dollar store suit!! :laugh: Thank you so much for sharing your story.

patsyg12

Awesome! I have just started the food journal. It's amazing just how much of the wrong foods I have been eating. Your story has really inspired me to continue to eat healthy, exercise and to stay on track. Thanks so very much for helping me to see the bigger (smaller) picture.

zeusbella

Awesome, amazing, inspirational, beautiful.... you are all those things!!! WTG.

CrystaLight74

Very well written!!! I have been waiting with great anticipation for you to write your story You have done an amazing job! I'm so happy to be among your Pals... and I continue to cheer you on as you walk (run or swim) in your new-found freedom! Congratulations on your tremendous success, my friend!!!! (High five!)

Ladylouwolf

What a wonderful journey you are on! I truly enjoyed reading it! You look amazing! God bless you!!!!

alisonsurf

What an amazing difference! I hate running as well although I have done a few tris in th past I am thinking of doing one that is SUP, mountain bike and trail run. Any way, congratulations and thank you for sharing, it really inspires me!

PriceK01

Fantastic job!

caroalonzo

CONGRATULATIONS !

silvergurl518

the amount of inspiration to describe your story through words and photos could fill an ocean! you are amazing!