I am often asked, "What are you doing to lose your weight?"
The simple truth is work, work, and more hard work.
Seven months and 43 pounds ago, I bought a gym membership. After 14 consecutive days (yes I'm serious) of grueling cardio workouts and ZERO weight loss, a very overweight, and scared (but determined!) me entered the strength training area of the gym and approached a complete stranger, Amasa Jay, fitness trainer. (By the way, how is it you can feel so small on the inside when you are so big on the outside? hmmm)
She pulled out this nifty yellow sheet and began taking me around the weights area, machine by machine, filling out a plan for me. I'll never forget her promise: "Follow this chart consistently, Rebekah, and I promise you WILL lose weight."
And that's just what I did. Notice the dates at the top. I was there on Christmas Eve in a snowstorm, then again the day after Christmas, and again on New Year's Day, etc.
Seven months later, my yellow sheet is now four yellow sheets, filled front and back. I've completed a triathlon. And yesterday I swam a MILE--my newest and most exhilarating achievement to date. Just sayin'.
I am obsessively goal oriented and I seriously dig charts. BUT . . .
I could not have done it without my cheerleaders. See this guy:
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Many of you know my sweet dad. Saturday he came with me to my 5K run. The coolest part? He didn't just come with, he walked the mile race with me before my race. It was a blast. I was proud of him and proud for him to come see me run.
He did it just for me. Because he loves me, and he believes in me, and every time I plateau he's in my ear immediately cheering me on. Because he's just that cool. And then there's mom. She came to my triathlon. She arrived in Columbia, MO at 11 p.m. the night before and got up with us at 4 a.m. to cheer me on.
Not to mention Nathan . . . my sweet. You know about him.
So here's to charts and cheerleaders. I hope you have some of your own.
Thanks for listening.
Love this post! Congrats on the awesome weight loss. I'm so glad you have such a fantastic support team!
ReplyDeleteKeep talking about this..you are an inspiration! So proud of you!! I've been at the gym for 3 months, and no significant weight loss...well 3 pounds. I've been doing all the classes- kickbox, spin, zumba, women on weights, group power, yoga, and a little pilates....so maybe I do need to work those machines that scare me. Ugh. Any insight would be great!
ReplyDeletei need a yellow chart right about now. Just started a work out program that is the death of me...P90X. I can barely move. Did you go through days like that where getting out of a chari was agony? Do you just persevere or take a day of rest?
ReplyDeleteyou are amazing. you really are. I too wonderd what your secret was.
wow you are awesome!!!! i love charts too hehe. this post is so encouraging...i'm having baby#2 in august and i need posts like this to motivate and encourage me to get my pre-baby body back!! i didn't have to try the first time..but i have a feeling it'll be harder the second time around!
ReplyDeletelove the charts -- i would have lost mine by now -- but they're super u
ReplyDeleteYou go, Rebekah! So inspiring! I've slowly lost about 20, but going up and down all the way. Maybe I'll get a chart...
ReplyDeleteTo do lists keep me going! :-) good job on your accomplishments!!
ReplyDeleteYay! We'll at Second on Father's Day! We haven't been there in so many years, and your dad wasn't even teaching that day! I hope we can visit for a few minutes that day!
ReplyDeleteRebekah, you may recall I worked hard (starting 2 years ago) on a gluten-free, sweetener-free diet my doctor put me on. The first week I lost 7 pounds! Prior to seeing him, I was eating low-carb & no fat (or very very low fat) and gaining weight. Anyway, on his diet of eating high healthy fats, no grains and lots of veggies, I worked out at a gym, and after a year, I was down 35lbs. But then I started little cheats, but mostly being good. Now I have gained it all back. Well, almost...34.5lbs back. So you motivated me (3+ weeks ago) and I was really good for 2 weeks. I got on the scale and I had only lost 2 lbs. DEPRESSING! So I went to Dunkin' Donuts and ate two donuts. Then I rode my bike 20 miles. The next day, I was up 4 lbs. Not kidding. So the next day, I started a 21-day cleanse my doctor put me on a year ago. I refuse to get on the scale until the end of the cleanse...8 days to go. I lost 7 lbs the last time I cleansed, so we will see...
ReplyDeleteKeep reporting. I think about what I read about and I need to keep reading about fitness because I do what I think about! (usually) **uhmmm, as a man thinks, so is he.**
ReplyDeleteYou are an inspiration! Keep it up.
karen