The Long Weight

Last night I worked out. I missed my last two work outs, and it felt good to finally do it again. I missed one because I was traveling and one because I was sick. Yesterday, though I still wasn't feeling 100%, I forced myself to do it. I have 4 pounds to lose before I reach my end of the month goal. When I do that I will be in the next ten pound bracket...It has been a long time! I'm really proud of the progress I've made so far. Since giving birth, I have lost over 25 pounds (last night my weigh in indicated that I've lost 27) and I'd like to lose at least 25 more. This will put me into the range of weight that is healthy for my height.

I can already wear all the clothes I wore before I got pregnant, but I still have some clothes that are waiting patiently on the shelf for me to wear them again. After my oldest daughter turned 2, I realized I had been carrying around a lot of extra weight and had done nothing about it. So, I decided to get moving and lost 40 pounds. Then I got a full time teaching job. Throughout the year, I gained a good 25 pounds. I no longer had time or energy to work out, I ate all the goodies and treats in the staff room, and I was depressed. Teaching is a difficult job, and your first year is ten times worse. I struggled with curriculum, discipline, marking, planning...I absolutely drowned in work. I fell asleep as soon as I sat down after school, and it was all I could do to just get through the day. I gained weight. A lot of weight.

Now I'm still dealing with the aftermath of that year, as well as trying to shed those baby pounds. I am back in pretty good shape, I am fitting my clothes, and I can see a difference in my body. It's not enough yet though, proud as I am. I want to have my body functioning at optimum capacity before I turn 3o next year! I want it to last until I'm 100 and have great-great-grandchildren! The time to get ready for the rest of my long life is right now. I feel the urgency of this, a great desire to change my habits, my body and my lifestyle. I'm not doing too badly, but I know I can do better! This body is such a gift, and I feel I must do everything I can to take care if it and cherish it. I want it to work the way it should.

This part of achieving balance is particularly hard for me. Because I'm so out of whack in everything else, this is the part that slips more often than others. I am bound and determined though to hang on for dear life and kick my own butt into shape again. I want to be healthy. I want to be fit. I want to live.