Remember to weight loss

May 2004 I returned with my family from a Disney vacation with the realization I had a weight problem. I had a hard time fitting into some of the safety harnesses on some of the rides. I also had lived in my house for 6months and never saw the end of our own yard. The walk was to hard. I was winded just going to my mail box.

I was 5ft 3 inches and 265 pounds. When we were at the beach and a child said something mean about me to my son, not knowing I was his mother. My son defended me but was very embarrassed. I had just worked my way out of another depression. I was tired of not having energy to do anything. I had had enough. I began with an announcement to my family that I am going to lose this weight! I cut out all junk, extra carbs and doubled my vegetable intake. I made two dinners every night, my family's and mine. I cried the first two weeks at the dinner table. This was so very hard. Being obese was harder though. After one month I dropped 20 pounds. I started to have energy again. I needed to so something physical. I needed to move. I started walking. At first I walked about 1/2 a mile every morning. It was embarrassing and hard. I had reached the point when I didn't leave my house much. I was exposing myself. I was laughed at, yelled at, had things thrown at me, but I remained steady in my course. By the end of the second month, I was walking 3 miles every morning. I was push mowing my yard ( the one I couldn't even walk before). I Lost another 20 pounds. I wanted to move more. I ordered a beginners low impact aerobics video. I did it every morning and followed with a 3 mile walk. I was no longer getting harassed. My husband began telling me he was so proud of me. I decided to keep the dietary changed permanent. My Family joined me. We cut out red meats, sugar, and started eating vegetables, and whole grain products. I was beginning to laugh more. I created a more specific goal. I wanted to get out of plus sized clothes. I started out in a size 26. I was down to an 18. I wanted a 12. I wanted to move more. I decided to try jogging. I lost 15 more pounds. On September 15, 2004, I ran for the first time. I made it a whole 1/10th a mile. I did the walk-run program. All I wanted to do was to be able to run a mile some day. I achieved that goal on October 1, 2004. I cried. I did it. I loved it. I wanted to run more. I had lost another 10 pounds. I decided to try for 5 miles by January. I was still doing aerobics every morning. I graduated to medium impact. So I would wake up every morning at 5 am, do my workout for 45 minutes, then head out the door. I ran 4 times week. I went down another size. The scale became my favorite part of the morning. I wan down to a size 14 and lost another 10 pounds. I made my five mile goal. I decided to see if I could go 8 miles. I did. I was addicted. By May I had left the plus department and bought my first size 12 jeans. I cried again. I bought my first pair of technical running shoes. I bought running shorts. I had a secret goal. I wanted to run a 5 k. I did not tell anyone. Every morning It was on my mind. I read everything I could fine to prepare. September 2005 I ran my first 5k. I had lost almost 90 pounds. I ran it faster than I thought I would. I was flying high. I did it. During a run in October, I broke 10 miles and survived. I decided that I wanted to run a marathon. I picked one out in the following September. I marked my calendar. I was very very scared. Weigh loss was no longer important to me. Training was. I re-arranged my diet to accommodate running. I developed a very strict running schedule. I graduated to high impact aerobics. I began strength training. I made sure I was finished before 9 am. I had a family to take care of. I had found balance. I found my time. I found myself out there some where. September 30, 2006 I ran the Akron road Runners Marathon. It was very hard. I made several mistakes. But at mile 20 I knew I was going to finish. I had run the whole way. I was in pain. My foot was swollen. But I was going to finish. I crossed the finish line at 5:08:10. I sprinted the last 100 feet. I thought I was going to throw up. I did it. I ran 26.2 miles. I was a "runner". When I crossed that line, several things happened to me. I left the old me behind. I found a new identity. The fat me was still at the starting line. I had self esteem for the very first time in my life. I had lost a grand total of 125 pounds and dropped 10 sizes in clothes. My husband takes me out more often. I can go out to eat and not feel like I am under a spotlight. I can keep up with my two kids. I turned 40 and feel better than I have ever in my whole life. I am running a half marathon and a a marathon this coming summer. I encourage others to find themselves through exercise. My son wants to begin running 5k races. My husband even managed to loose weight and become interested in weight lifting. As a family we are happier and healthier. I hope someone reads this and realizes that what I most important is your health, physically and mentally.
by: Chrys Marty