What’s Your Story?
Happy September Ya’ll!!! You know what that means… its BIRTHDAY month! WOO! Who else has a September Birthday? Leave me a comment letting me know!
I really love today’s WYS, Lexy is such an inspiring person! Check it out…
Hi… I’m Lexy and this is my weight loss story.
Throughout most of my childhood and teenage years I was pretty average… I wasn’t very aware or concerned with weight loss issues. Although I never had the “perfect” figure that every girl dreams of…. I was a fairly confident person and was generally happy in my life.
It wasn’t until I got married and had two children that I became more aware of my body shape and weight. After my second child was born, I followed the “Body for Life” program and regained my fitness and weighed approximately 150lbs. By the time my boys were 5 and 7 yrs old … I found myself at my lowest point emotionally. I was overweight, frustrated, miserable, embarrassed, and annoyed at my appearance. On the inside, I still felt like the same athletic person I had always been… I even went for walks and occasionally would go running. I felt defeated because my physical body could not keep up with what I assumed I was capable of mentally! I never wanted to go anywhere… didn’t want anyone to see me… dyed my hair dark brown… and hid out at home. My turning point was the day my sweet grandmother commented on how “fat” I was getting. I finally faced reality and decided to do something about it. I weighed myself at my husband’s office and to my horror….. the scale read 188 lbs!!!
I signed up for Weight Watchers online and began my weight loss journey. I began long distance running for my main source of exercise. I had always wanted to run a full 26.2 mile marathon! After losing the first 25 lbs, I ran the Country Music Marathon in Nashville in April 2007 finishing in 5:15! After I lost another 20 lbs while training and following WW, I ran my 2nd full marathon at the Texas Marathon on January 1, 2009 and shaved an hour off of my finishing time… completing it in 4:15!! After taking a break from long distance training, I began to maintain between 148-155lbs. However, at the beginning of 2011, I weighed 160 lbs and was ready to start WW again. After some initial frustrations with the NEW PointsPlus program, I decided to start with a fresh new attitude. Over the course of 4 months, I lost approximately 20 lbs… surpassing my WW goal of 140. I currently weight 136 lbs. 2 more weeks until I receive the “Lifetime” award!!
There have been many struggles along the way. It took my mind a while to catch up to my physical progress. I have decided that the slower the weight comes off, the more lasting it will be! Being on program is not always easy for me … I don’t want you to think for a moment that it’s easy for me. IT HAS GOTTEN EASIER…..I am constantly planning my meals, making sure I have the right food in the house and making better choices when I eat out. I think it’s because I started way back in 2005 and became accustomed to the whole concept of WW, keeping a food journal, drinking the correct amount of water, getting good exercise, etc. It hurts to look back to how I was eating through the holidays. I was miserable and didn’t feel good at all. Now that I’m back on track, I feel great! I love the freedom to be able to eat whatever I am craving!
Following WW is the one thing I have complete control over! I’m the boss of it. I decide what food I’m putting in my mouth. I decide if I’m going to work out. It has become a kind of “game” that I love to play and I want to win at it.
You have to give yourself some credit. Appreciate the positive changes. Acknowledge the progress you are making each day. You are doing a great job! Keep journaling… keep thinking about it…. keep trying to figure it out. Don’t give up!!. You will have success!! We are all in different phases of life right now. Please don’t be so hard on yourself! You are gorgeous!!! Smile…. you are great!!!!! You can do this!!
Here is a link to my website with other pictures and another version of the story….. My Story
If you’d like to share your story of what got you to the point that you decided “I want to be healthier!” Send me email at [email protected] with the subject line “What’s Your Story?”
2 Things that I used to be scared of…
And 1 I’m still scared of…
As I was working out the other day, I was thinking of the areas in the gym that used to make me nervous to try…
1. The Free Weight Station
There’s something very intimidating about the free weight station at a gym… Its not necessarily the weights itself, or the display of said weights. No, its the group of people who hang around the weights… as if they own the weights and the weights are only to be used by them. Its happened before that I’ve gotten enough bravery in my stomach and picked up my little 5lbs weights and found a bench to park it at for my sets. And then it happens, a ridiculously over-muscled man comes up and looked irritated that I have his bench. Never mind that either bench on each side of me is open and free… but no, I have the exact bench that he wants. Oh the drama. Years prior, I’d probably have gotten nervous and just stopped my workout and left. Oh, but not now… I pay to use these weights too buddy, and I’m not going to be intimidated to get my workout in. Boo-Yah! I’ve come to realize that the gym is such a funny place, a resemblance of “high school” even. You know, those snotty kids that think you’re at “their table”. Oh the drama. At any rate, I’m no longer scared of the free weight station due the people around me. I’m there to get my workout done and that’s all that matters to me!
2. The Stairmaster
Ok, so first off, this thing is huge. I remember my first thought when I saw it “um, how do you get up there?… without falling?” The first time I ever attempted the stairmaster, I was 18, very overweight (and very much so aware of my size), my friend and I went to the gym for our normal treadmill workout. My friend thought it’d be a great idea to try the stairmaster this time. I hesitated, but I agreed to go along with it. What a nightmare that was… I guess when I started it I some how put it on a high speed and pretty much went flying off the machine. Embarrassed and feeling like a fool, I vowed never to get on that evil machine again. Well… years later, it was time to conquer the stairmaster. Once I got over the fear of being embarrassed again and learned how to work the machine properly, I found that it was a challenging yet rewarding cardio exercise. I enjoy adding this baby bad to my cardio routines.
And now a fear I haven’t quite faced….
3. The Gym Pool
I mean really… I have no idea where to begin… what to do… when to go, what to wear (bathing suit, duh… but what type?!). Ya know, so much to wonder about and yet I want to take up swimming laps… maybe I need a swimming buddy? Any gym swimmers out there? What tips do you have for a newbie?
There you have it people… those are my 2 things I used to be scared of a 1 that I still kinda sorta am scared of. 
What about you? Have you ever been intimidated by something at the gym? What was it?
Back in Business
The blog is fixed! YEA! I simply cannot think in HTML and since wordpress and I were having words, writing a post just wasn’t working. Thankfully, the “visual” issue is fixed! What I was going to tell you about last week, is about this gem (I posted this on my facebook page last week)…
This tshirt I’m wearing is from Words To Sweat By new tshirt line. This shirt is super comfy and fantastic to workout in. I’ve exercised in it already and felt cool and comfy. Its a lightweight cotton blend, and felt breathable to me. You can get 10% off any tank or tee until Friday, Sept 2nd, buy using coupon code “teamgiles”. Click here to check out all the new styles: Here.
I don’t know about you, but this week feels productive and promising already, despite that I missed Zumba this morning due to a flat tire issue (Iwillnotbesad, Iwillnotbesad, Iwillnotbesad). How’s your Monday starting off?
This week I have some fun posts line up for you.. greek yogurt review, someone’s getting an MRI, and how to have a clean house, all. the. time. 
Be sure to check back soon!
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