I am a runner … in my dreams!

Health, Wellbeing, Happiness

By minsmash on January 8, 2014 • ( 14 Comments )

I really, really wanted to be a runner.  I could see it so clearly.  My long, lean body sailing through the air with ease, burning calories with every graceful stride.  Running wherever I wanted, out in nature like I love.  Running was easy.  I was fit and healthy and lean and graceful.

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Ok … so that was the dream – and I tried!  Back in 2011, I was really on top of my game.  I lost a lot of weight and was looking and feeling good!  I was eating clean and training mean.  Well as mean as I could manage anyway!  I struggled with running … got puffed out really quickly … but I kept trying and I did improve.  It was when I was on holidays at Bargara that I really put the effort in to become a runner.  I had the C25K running app (couch to 5kms) on my phone and I was committed every day of that holiday to following it.  It wasn’t long though before I got the message that I was not destined to be a runner – in the way of pain in my hips and knees.  I didn’t know it then, but I had osteoarthritis and all that running was aggravating it.

I knew that I did not have the body of a runner or in fact of an athlete of any type really.  I mean, I’m vertically challenged at just a smidge over 5ft and though I like to imagine that I have long lean legs, they are in fact um … not.  This did not sway me though, but the pain in my hips and knees did.  So, I decided then that I was a walker with some intervals of running … sometimes.

Fast forward to now, the very beginning of 2014.  While I have spent the last 1.5 years exploring my inners (me, myself and I), I have neglected my outers (body).  I have been a little self indulgent in that I have been reflecting, exploring and writing my way to finding out who I am, what I like to do etc so that I can create a future of loving what I do and doing what I love.  I am very glad I have done this, but it is time to come clean and admit that I have let myself go somewhat whilst doing it.

I have gained some serious poundage!  Late last year (only just over a week ago!), I decided that enough was enough, it was time to do something about it.  I saw a Dietician yesterday and you know what?  I don’t think she told me anything I didn’t already know.  I think I just needed to see someone to feel accountable in some way … you know?  Anyway, together we identified my main problem areas.  Here they are:

• My portion sizes (particularly for dinner) have got waaay too big
• I’m an emotional eater.  I snack sometimes when I’m not even hungry but rather just for something to do or for a treat or a pick me up.
• I have not been doing any regular exercise.  I know, I know … a big no, no.

So today, I created a spreadsheet.  I’m tracking what food I eat.  I’m not counting calories because I hate doing that and besides, I know what is good food and what is not.  I’m tracking what exercise I do and the big one … I weighed myself this morning and it was not pretty.  I needed a start weight and I’ll be weighing myself once a week and tracking my weight loss … and there WILL be weight loss.  It may not be fast but that is ok.

I decided that I need to design a weight loss regime that is sustainable for me.  It has to realistic and something I can stick with FOR LIFE.  I cannot cope with excessive, intensive exercise so have identified walking (with some intervals of running), swimming and aqua aerobics in my pool (perfect for me who hates being hot), yoga and some Wii Fit activities as my exercise of choice for now.  I would also like to buy some dumbbells for some weight training for toning – particularly for my arms.

Another avenue that for various reasons, that I won’t go into now, I plan to investigate is going ‘gluten free’.  I’m doing my research and I plan to cut out the major gluten laden foods that I currently eat.  I believe that this will have a significant impact on improving my general overall health.  This topic will most likely be a whole other blog post in the near future! 😉

Today, before I was allowed to float in the pool (as I love to do), I had to do 15 minutes of non-stop action in the pool.  I set a timer on my phone.  I swam laps, held on to a noodle and kicked for laps and walked from one side of the pool and back.  I mixed it up and before I knew it the 15 minutes was up.  It’s not a lot but it is a good start.

And there I am after the fact, just before I allowed myself to float.  I didn’t want to get my hair wet so had it pinned up.  I was pretty successful, even though some escaped.  I’ve got my glasses on because after the glare of the sun, I couldn’t see or read my phone without them (the joys of middle age!).

Tomorrow, I will be dusting off the treadmill!  I know they are boring things but it is just too hot for me to go walking outdoors at the moment.   If I was a morning person, I’d be down at the waterfront for a walk at 5am … but I’m not a morning person … yet anyway.

So the weight loss regime has begun.  I’ll let you know how I go.  Wish me luck!

Linking up with With Some Grace’s #FYBF

Categories: Health, Wellbeing, Happiness

Tagged as: #aquaaerobics, #c25k, #emotionaleating, #exercise, #food, #gluten, #glutenfree, #intervaltraining, #osteoarthritis, #portioncontrol, #runner, #running, #swimming, #training, #walking, #weightloss, #wiifit