I’ve been working out forever and a day, but within the last few years – the last decade? – I noticed that my weight and anger gauge were both going up, up, and away. I had a "moment of truth" that, in point of fact, added to several moments.
Here they are in no particular order: I viewed myself in some rather hideous photographs that I could not write off to poor artistic rendering, my elbows were touching my waist when I was standing straight up and this seemed anatomically incorrect, and I was really noticing that my "all carbohydrate" eating approach was just not cutting it physically or mentally as I did not feel so swell. This led to me signing up for our (South Yuba) Club's Fitness Challenge that was held last April.
Immediately I decided to up the ante on my work-out by taking on the "Body Combat" class, along with healthier eating. Some words on "Body Combat." That class is phenomenal! The team is so inspirational, consisting of four energetic, positive, taut people who are outstanding both physically and mentally. I walked into that work-out room an angry, puffy, middle-aged testimony to what happens when you let your job take control of your life, knowing I needed to shift my paradigm. Body Combat allowed me both a) a venting of this not-small resentful ball 'o' angst and anger blend, but also b) it showed me that I can build myself back into the strong, positive, fit person that used to greet me in the mirror about a decade ago. Now on with my story...
When the challenge began I gritted my teeth and submitted to the measuring of my Rubenesque physique, body fat calculations, and stepping on the freaking scale, which I detest! I knew I had to suck it up (okay...literally) and do things differently and the ballpark approach to figuring out my weight had me headed toward a ballpark figure of having gained about twenty-five pounds yea these last several years. Blech! Hubby and I set out to remove white foods, keep the carbs to a dull roar and do another dreaded thing that I declared I'd never do -- count calories! (Insert pathetic dog whining sound.)
We took off for our "Fitness Challenge" journey with a bang and my weight went down steadily in small increments of one to two pounds a week, while my husband lost twenty pounds like that -- snap! He was such an inspiration and incredibly supportive, so I was determined to meet the same goal as he. Next stop: add weights. I asked a woman in my Body Combat class – who is also such an inspiration! – to help me with some weightlifting sets and she did. I noticed immediate changes in my mid-section and, just as she said it would, the muscle started to take over the – ugly word – fat – with a vengeance.
It has now been about seven months and, all told, I am right about at a place of maintenance, having lost thirty pounds, three sizes, I'm not sure how many inches, and my icky attitude. (That last one was at LEAST a hundred-pound loss!) These changes that my husband and I made are lifestyle changes that we have adopted as part of our commitment to a daily health plan and, in the process, my paradigm shift goal has also been met with more of a focus on health, family, having fun, and creative pursuits. (Big surprise that I'm a writer/teacher because this story is so long?!) And the best part? Though I didn't take on the Fitness Challenge to fit into a summer bikini or tiny black dress, I've got to admit, these days when I get dressed, it doesn't make me crabby because I don't have to find something that works, I find something I like and that works. Now I have to push my elbows down into my waist for the two to meet. I may not be anatomically correct, I may not be politically correct, but my strong body stands corrected.
Ta-dah!
Thanks for reading/listening!
Best,
Diane
Lean(er) and Not Mean
Diane Dean-Epps, author
Website: www.dianedeanepps.com