Hi everyone,
Over the last 6 months, I’ve lost just about 100 pounds (M25, Starting weight: 320, Current weight: 225, Goal weight: 180 for now - but I’m gonna keep going). It was all through strict calorie counting and 3 hrs a day in the gym, which I’ve really enjoyed. However, the gym has gotten a bit boring (since I’ve exhausted my podcast and YouTube to-watch/listen lists). Just after The new year, I joined the Loseit Challenge, and I started C25K to add more intense cardio to my routine, which is something I’ve avoided my whole life. For those who don’t know, C25K is a program that aims to make a couch potato 5K-ready in a measured program that starts with alternating walks and jobs that trend toward more and more running over time.
Today’s run was the first time I ever actively enjoyed running, in any capacity, at all in my life. After every run in the first week, I could feel how intensely my heart was beating while I was left absolutely panting for the intermittent walks. Today, on Week 2, Day 2, the runs felt smooth, and I wasn’t nearly exhausted. The kicker: I decided to run through the 5 minute cool down walk before doing my own cool down. This felt like an absolute marathon compared to the 90 second bursts I was doing for today’s run. Going to the gym and working out have made sense to me for a long time now, but this is the first time running has really clicked with me (as someone who spent all of middle and highschool gym classes absolutely miserable).
I’m not someone who agrees at all with the “if I can do it, you can do it” mantra - I see it on a lot of posts across the usual fitness, weight loss, and motivational subreddits. I disagree for one main reason: all of our situations are different. I have some lucky situations that have made my weight loss and my C25K experience easier than some have it: I have a job with a flexible schedule so I have time to go o the gym, I can afford the gym membership and healthy foods, I have supporting friends and family, I don’t take any medications that would make it difficult to lose weight, I don’t have any physical or mental/emotional differences/difficulties that would make going to the gym more challenging, etc etc. etc. Just because I lost weight one way (with a lot of hard work and dedication, but not without some helpful privileges), that does not mean the same strategies or advice would helpful everyone else.
However, I have felt for the longest time incapable of fitness or healthy living. The person I was at 320 is drastically different from who I am now almost 100 pounds later, and I still have a lot more to go. For those who feel like they are not capable, or that things will never work for them, I know how that feels, my advice is this: losing weight and getting healthy is for one person only: you. You live in your body and you know what it would mean for you to accomplish the goals you set up for yourself. Staying accountable to yourself and for yourself is the main key to staying on track. Eating healthy for just one day, working out for 10 minutes, and losing just one pound is still progress, and you should be proud of yourself for any success along the way.
I just wanted to send out a quick thank you for everyone here for being such positive, motivational people - especially those who are struggling since they let me know that it’s not just me. A special shout-out to the folks at /r/C25K and /r/CICO for their help too!
[link] [comments]
from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2RbFmh3
No comments:
Post a Comment