A Pound of Flesh

I've been talking a lot of blah-blah-blah about getting fit for how long now? Yep, way too long. As I thoroughly examined my saggy mid-section in the mirror apres shower one day not so long ago and played the 'lets-see-how-things-look-if-I-do-a-gentle-lift-and-tug' game I had the realization that I'm way too young to enter frumpville.

I used to have just the little rounded pooch at the base of your abdomen. I used to have really nice legs. I've never been thin, but in high-school and the first parts of college, I was really strong. I had visibly present musculature in my arms and legs, and any bulk I had was just seen as being athletic, which is so much more fun than being see as, well, obese (according to the medical definition).

I'm an active person, I'm social, I get out and do things, but that does not a fit person make. So, I decided to stop talking about an event in the future as yet undesignated that I would complete at some point, and actually do it.

I signed up for a 5k in April and a 9k in May, then posted my 8week 10k training plan on facebook so that everyone would know what I was doing. Once you announce your goals it's a lot harder to back away from them, right?

From there my sister-in-law told me about a half-marathon in July; Fueled by Fine Wine in Dundee, OR wherein runners traipse through beautiful vineyards and are rewarded with a logo'd wineglass and some vino. I could get excited about that! So, I signed up for it. Then as I was logging my first couple workouts on dailymile.com I noticed that one of my 'friends' was doing a half-marathon training workout, so I asked her what it was.

Lo and behold, there is a network on Facebook for half-marathon training, so she suggested I sign up. Oh, but it's so much more than that; turns out there's a half-marathon in Worcester in June, for which a personal trainer has created a training group with training runs, nutrition information, muscle conditioning and general support. And, did I mention that since I'm already a member of the Y, it's free?! Yes, free. His goal is to motivate a whole group of people to successfully cover the distance, no longer how long it takes them, and to do it in such a way that they've trained properly, will have fun, and be injury-free. As my friends say; complete, not compete.

I'm already amazed at the difference in my endurance. After only one week, my 'Ugh, have I hit five minutes yet?' point came and I looked and I'd been running for almost 20...I use the term 'running' very loosely, as it's technically 'jogging' according to Mr. Treadmill.

In hopes of trying to keep this simple, I'm not adding any new dietary restrictions, other than the fact that whenever I'm exercising, I generally choose better food anyhow. I've already lost four pounds...now only fifty-six to go.

My family planning is dependant on this weight-loss, because I do not want to get pregnant again until all the weight is gone. I'm setting my sights on Spring of 2011; one short year from now, to complete Operation Fatty Freedom, and I have high hopes that by not doing a crash diet, embracing consistent fitness (read: going to the gym, and not relying on 'chasing my kids) and an active life, and just accepting that this is going to be really hard, I'll be successful.

So, now I have all of you to hold me accountable as well. I am physically signed-up for four runs; one each month starting in April, with the distance increasing each time. I've never run a half-marathon before, so it will absolutely be a challenge, but I'm just plain tired of being fat.

After however many years of finding pleasant euphamisms for my current shape, I'm just gonna own it, and be done with it. I'm a fatty. Does that make me any less fun, or smart or vivacious? No. But, it does make me less healthy. And, I really want to finally be able to pull together all those outfits that are dancing through my head, feel the fabric slide over my head and onto my body, turn around, glance in the mirror, and smile at what's reflected back.