Doin' it for me!

 It's been a rough year. Last summer, I was on a mission to get in shape and stay that way. I've always wanted to look and feel strong - to be strong and resilient. And, I have always struggled with my weight, despite how easy it is for me to gain muscle. I think it is funny how we always have this number - a weight that will freak us out when we start to get close enough. That weight is like a caution signal to warn you that "you're getting too fat!"

I remember all through high school that was 170. I would get to 165 and think "ok, its time to get serious." So, I would lose some weight and be ok. Then just out of high school, it moved to 180. So I would lose the weight for a bit, but go back to my old habits. Then college rolls around, and I'm 196 over new years in 2007 - NOPE! That's too much! So, that was my first real effort. I lost 25 pounds and kept it off for about 4 years! I was in great shape and really happy with myself.

I don't know what happened over the last few years- any combination of things, really: grad school, a great and comfortable relationship, a CRAZY busy schedule, working until 10:00pm and wanting food after. The summer of 2013 I was gross- 5'6 and 212. I couldn't take it any more. I started South Beach Diet and working out with weights 4 times a week, walking or some form of cardio the other 3. In a few months, I was down to 179! I still had a ways to go, but it was a GREAT start. (This picture is after I had already lost some weight, and I lost 2 more the first week of Aug)

Then, in the sfirst week August, I hurt my back at work; it was December before the pain dissipated. Too late, though. The holidays were in full swing, and I was back up to 205 pounds. I started working more active jobs at work (at a new job from where I hurt my back), jumping in any chance I had. Just at the start of spring, my scale was reading a "1" as the first digit; I was on my way to making a great change. WELL, then I got tendonitis in my shoulder from over working (at work, sigh). SOOOOO much pain, all the time. Using my arm was excruciating. Sleeping was very hard. I was miserable.

Just over 2 months later with lots of anti-inflammatories, 2x a week physical therapy, and getting sick of the scale creeping up on the 2-teens, I am READY for a change. I am serious. This is the long haul. Physical therapy was a sad experience, because I have become so frustrated over how far I let myself go. When lifting 3 pounds over your head (when laying on your tummy) is almost impossible, when bouncing a basketball above your head off the wall for only 1 minute is hard (like, makes you want to cry, hard), it is TIME for a change. I want to be strong. I want stability in my joints. I want to be free of these constant and ridiculous injuries! So, I'm doing this for me! :D

I more or less look like I did in the April 2013 pic. So here's to beating my old accomplishments, to keeping it off, to being healthy and confident and strong! #Doit4U!!