Which got me to thinking, how did I get into my fitness habit? I really am pretty dedicated. At least four days a week I do something. For over 14 years now I have been a slave to the habit. I started in college at the beginning of my sophomore year. I had been rejoicing when I went back to college about the fact that over the summer I had lost all the weight I had gained my freshman year. I don't remember how much it was 10 or 15 lbs. Enough that my skinny jeans didn't fit and I was uncomfortable in my body suddenly. I didn't like the way the extra weight felt. A couple months into my sophomore year I noticed that my clothes especially my jeans were starting to feel tight again. UGH.
I tried a couple of crazy crash diets like saltines and chicken broth for lunch, a Costco muffin for breakfast and saltines and honey for supper. Shocking that I couldn't stick with it for very long I know. I gained more weight. Ate greasy cheesy fries after midnight. By the end of my sophomore year I was once again 15 lbs heavier than I wanted to be. UGH
During the summer I joined a gym, I started reading health and fitness magazine and the weight started to come off. I couldn't believe how much better I felt. I transformed my eating habits and pretty soon my weight was back where I wanted it to be.
It wasn't easy to drag myself to the gym at first. I am a little shy and hated the openness of the gym where everyone could stare at you. I hated that everyone could see everything I was doing and I wasn't sure if I was doing it right. Then I started to look around. There were people in worse shape than me. I realized that if they could do it so could I. I went to some kickboxing classes and made some friends. I asked trainers for pointers and pretty soon I loved the gym.
It was no longer a place I had to force myself to go but somewhere I wanted to go. I was doing something healthy for me and I felt better for it. I don't belong to a gym anymore, but I do still miss it. It just isn't as feasible for my anymore since I live out of town and have kids. I have learned to adapt my workouts to home workouts and am in what I consider the best shape of my life. BodyRock.tv has helped so much. It showed me so many great things I could do at home and how I even make up my own HIIT routines when I want to try something different.
Happy Veterans Day to everyone and thanks to all the vets that have served our country. I am so grateful!
I have found that exercise not only keeps me feeling great physically, but it also keeps me mentally in check-- and gives me more motivation to eat more healthily because if I've done all this running to keep in shape, I should eat in a way to match it!
ReplyDeletePeople often tell me that I am lucky that I have that natural runner's body but that's a dumb comment- I look this way because I am smart about what I eat and have a decent level of activity!
I'm kicking my sugar habit again. After the first week or so without, you don't crave it as much and it's way easier to avoid it. Unfortunately, when you start eating it again, it's worse. lol
ReplyDeleteMy gym/workout routine is a lot like yours. I didn't gain weight in school (mostly because the food options were awful and I couldn't afford to buy my own food), but I started going to the gym and being super awkward, but then started loving it.
I hate when people tell me I'm lucky I'm so skinny or have a fast metabolism. It makes me want to smack them.
Great post!!! I love it. I just figured you were always into some sort of fitness thang since you were little. It's nice to know that you had to work at it to make it a 'habit'. Gives me hope that one day it'll be my habit too!!
ReplyDeleteAgree with Running Ricig - I'm annoyed when people say, "You're lucky, you're skinny" ... I work my a-- off to keep weight off. It's a problem for guys too, but most guys just ignore it. Not sure about the habit thing - I would like to think I could pound it into my brain in less than 66 days, but I'm pretty thick, so who knows.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you all about the "you're lucky, you're skinny" - I've been told, "oh to be young and thin". My come back was "when I was younger - I weighed 200 lbs and I work hard for this".
ReplyDeleteUgh!
I always get told "but you're so tiny!" - like all the running and working out I do has nothing to do with it! I know I have a genetic predisposition to being on the thin side, but I take full credit for my fitness and strength!
ReplyDelete66 days to form a habit? Yikes!
Hang in there, you can kick the sugar, too!
ReplyDeletelove love love the last photo w/ saying- so true. Sometimes its really hard for me to get through to people when I coach them because a lot of them say "your young, tall, and skinny- you don't understand"
ReplyDeleteI always respond that what really makes a difference is I just want it more and don't come up with a bunch of excuses on why I can't, but more reasons on why I CAN.
Great post!
Love this post!
ReplyDeleteI agree- I hate when people tell me how lucky I am to be skinny (after 5 kids) and that I must have some good genes. Um, HELLO. I get up way before the sun 5 days a week and work dang hard to keep myself healthy/happy... something everyone can do. That being said, I will never be able to kick sugar. Just ain't gonna happen ;).
Love this post!! I'm with you on the sugar habit...66 days? That'll explain a lot!
ReplyDeleteAfter years of going off and on (mostly on) the unhealthy eating habit, I finally decided (after seeing my young kids eating the same way, wanting the same things) that I needed to cut it out forever. It wasn't easy, but I have been this way for over 4 years now- 4 years of sugar free except for 1 tsp in coffee. No junk, deserts, soda, etc...It is hard, but you can do it! I was a 4-6 mountain dew a day guy plus candy, lots of sugar in coffee, deserts, etc...My energy level skyrocketed after about 6 weeks and has not subsided! Stick to it- it really is a way of life, not a crash diet. Make the change YOU CAN DO IT! ALL OF YOU!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah I hate it when people say that "you are lucky to be skinny". Like it's easy! It's way easier not to work out and to eat whatever I want whenever I want! THAT is easy! This is hard!
ReplyDelete"Every damn day Just Do It!" I LOVED THIS!
ReplyDeleteThe most annoying thing I hear about being thin is "wait until you hit 40". I feel like that is such a hater type of comment like they are just waiting for you to balloon up. I work really hard to be fit, I don't just sit around and eat bon bons all day!
ReplyDeletei didn't get into the habit of fitness, 100% committed until i was 24. i am just glad i didn't wait until i am 40. and i am thinking all the time that i formed the habit when i did, especially when i see others struggling with it.
ReplyDeleteand ummm bummer about 66 days to form a habit!!! maybe that's what i struggle so much with all my new habits hahaa... i like the 30 day theory much better (what i've always heard.)
I'm so good with my exercise habit, but need to work on the eating. I loved my race today, but as childish as it sounds I hate the way my body looks in the pictures. I look like....a mom (and I don't mean that in a good way, even though it IS good to be a mom). You are so right. It takes work. I just have to make up my stubborn mind, as you have.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Christy! I feel like I've said some of this same stuff to my sister in laws before after getting the "lucky to be skinny" remark. Hard work, not luck, keeps you fit!
ReplyDeleteExercise videos Weight Loss, Diet Plans recommendation.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI've just found this website and am enthused about all the health and fitness tips located here. I dont run much anymore because of my knees, but do try to stay healthy and incorporate fitness into my life. Thanks for a good site!
Well, I have to post a comment. Because in addition to working toward a lifetime fitness continuem, I'm also a trained hypno-therapist. Indeed it does take 21 times (more or less) to create a habit! That level differs with each individual, but is basically true. What's even more significant is that every day, and in every way, each of us is either creating a new habit or enforcing an old one. We eat in certain restaurants because of our "memory imprint" of previous experiences there, we drive certain paths to work for the same reason, etc, etc. So the real key is not the 21 times it takes to create a repetitive habit, but rather that we should make sure that we are re-inforcing the correct habits on a daily basis!
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