My younger sister is getting married in August. There is a certain horror for every overweight woman about fitting into a bridesmaid dress, especially a dress that is bound to be short and sleeveless. Instead of sugarplums dancing through my head for the holiday season, I have visions of underarm sweat stains, strained pantyhose and underarms flapping in the wind. So like every overweight sister (I'm projecting here, certainly some women probably have a lot more self esteem than I do) of a younger, skinnier, more beautiful sister- I have decided to lose weight for the wedding. A mad dash before sleeveless season.
Basically I plan on eating healthy (following "Clean Eating") which means for you diet illiterates out there: no sugar, no cola, no white flour, nothing processed. I also plan on working out pretty much everyday. Like a maniac I jumped right in instead of pacing myself like the experts advise (but when have I ever been one to listen to experts) and went to the Y this morning.
My friend Wizard has agreed to attend the grueling torture that is known as "working out" with me. She, of course, is 5'11'' and probably weighs 112 soaking weight. I looked like an overweight asthmatic pug standing next to a great Dane this morning during our first excursion- BodyPump. Not to be confused with BodyPlump- you don't get to sit around eating donuts (which Wizard did promptly after our workout while I slurped down High Fiber Oatmeal- yum). Basically we lifted weights to music. It was fun until my muscles started trembling. I don't know if I was more concerned with collapsing onto the floor into a sweaty heap or passing gas.
I was the most overweight person in the room, which is starting to be an embarrassing trend. I also was slightly invisible. If you're not overweight you probably don't know this- the fatter you are the more invisible you become. It's true...today I realized that I've even avoided looking at myself in the mirror. I didn't realize this until I was surrounded by mirrors- it was like shock therapy. I kept looking around the room for my own reflection...because I didn't believe what was in front of me.
This is going to be my record. I will blog food, exercise, thoughts, and etc. everyday. Family will be able to follow my progress without constantly having to ask me what I'm doing to lose weight, how much weight I've lost, whats the deal with my weight, whether I should eat that steak and I will have an outlet for my...frustrations.
So far today:
Workout: BodyPump for 60 mins
Food
12oz coffee with 2Tbsp Hazelnut Creamer
1 Package High Fiber Oatmeal
32oz water+32 oz water
1 PB and J sandwich on multi grain bread (haven't started the clean eating yet- next week)
24oz of Diet Coke
1 fortune cookie given to me by a student (Fortune: You wear your heart on your sleeve)
So proud of you!! I tried clean eating for a week and thought I was going to die! Love and miss you! Mel
ReplyDeleteRachael, I know everyone can tell you you are beautiful, smart, funny and wonderful in all your own ways but until you believe it yourself they will not hold true to your own beliefs of yourself. Although I may be smaller I have not always been healthy. I guess what I'm getting at is that I hope you are doing this for yourself more than anything else. It is hard to talk about with others because any advice may seem like criticism. I want you to know that I am here if you want to talk or would like ideas or motivation. I LOVE you no matter what but mainly I want you to be as happy and healthy as you can be so that you will be in my life for a very long time. Enjoy the journey because you will find out a lot about yourself. I will leave you a quote that motivates me everyday:
ReplyDeleteIt is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." Teddy Roosevelt. Ask yourself every morning if you're in the arena.
~M
Rachael,
ReplyDeleteYou are hilarious and beautiful and, although I commend you for using your sister's wedding as a catalyst for weight loss, your motivations should be for your benefit and no one else. Be happy with you and if that means losing weight, great and if it doesn't than that's okay too, as long as you are happy with yourself. (Spoken Like a true health teacher:-)
Either way, you're awesome and I am proud of you and will help in any way you need!
You are a rock star! I will subscribe.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachy Enjoy reading this, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteHi Rach You want to go up the Lou's I'll buy a dougnut?
ReplyDelete