Fit by 40? What’s that you ask? Well, it is a motto that I came up with last year and I am sticking to it! Of course, some of you may think I’m already 40–and you would be WRONG! Ha! Ha! I have a little more time before that hits, but it isn’t really about the age. I’ve always felt that age was just a number. But weight, on the other hand, was a totally different subject. That was a number I was not willing to talk about.
Like a lot of people in America, I am not in “great” shape. I have tried & succeeded & failed & succeeded & failed & failed & failed at losing weight. This past year in May I had determined that I was never going to lose the weight for good. I gave away almost every stitch of clothing I couldn’t wear (both smaller & larger than my size at the time)!
Then in June, I talked to some friends who were going to do a Biggest loser “competition” starting at the end of July. I decided I was going to do it with them. I found that having friends who were wanting to eat healthier & exercise helped me SO much! I didn’t feel like I was alone in my struggles. That was the BEST decision I have made in a long time!
Prior to the competition starting I lost 13 lbs. That was motivating, but I knew that would come back in no time if I stopped exercising. During the actual competition, I lost 27 lbs. I was so excited! It was like a switch flipped for me and I was ready to be (& stay) healthy!
    
Me in May 2012Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Me in Dec 2012
I took a month off after that and some friends and I began another competition. I wasn’t working as hard as before because it was the holidays, but I was still watching….just not exercising. I just didn’t want to get back in that mode of making excuses for why I didn’t exercise or why I didn’t eat healthy.
Now, the new year has come and I am back at being motivated. Thankfully I didn’t put any weight back on during my lull, but I know if I want to get the rest of this excess weight off I have to become serious again! So far I have added an additional 6 lbs to my total weight lost from my starting weight in July….that’s 46 lbs total! That is some serious weight, BUT that isn’t even the big picture! I can do things now I never thought I would.
I was able to begin running last year. Although I’m not what you would consider a “runner”, I really enjoyed pushing myself to do something SO outside my comfort zone.
I actually just signed up to do my very FIRST 5K! (Told you I wasn’t a runner.) I’m going to run the Color Me Rad 5K in Knoxville and I am super excited! I don’t hope to come out with the fastest time. What I do hope to come out with is the ability to mark something off my bucket list AND the knowledge I did something I never thought I could. In reality, almost 50 lbs ago I wouldn’t have been able to!
For those of you who want to know HOW I did this and if I used unhealthy products or lived on bread & water to lose 46 lbs in 5 months, I can assure you I didn’t! There is no “miracle” way! We all put weight on 1 lb at a time and we have to take it off the same way. I have LOTS more I could write on this subject (and will some day), but know that if losing weight or becoming healthier is something you want to do you are NOT alone! Basically, it is hard work, but VERY worth it!
Here is a list of products, websites or workout plans that I use:
   Lose It Website
1. I started using the Lose-It app on my phone to find out how many calories were in the foods I was eating and to log those foods so I knew how many I was actually putting in my mouth during the course of a day. Trust me, when it says you should have 1405 calories, but you log your food and you have eaten 2600 you get a rude awakening! Cutting calories HAS to be done in order to lose weight and your calorie amount goes down the thinner you get, so Lose-It automatically adjusts what you should have in order to continue losing weight. Do you realize that to lose 1 lb you must either cut out or work off 3500 calories?!?!?! That’s why the average person can cut back and eat less, but still not lose weight!
Zumba with Letitia & Kim
2. I started working out with weight machines, ellipticals, stationary bikes & the track at my church and doing Zumba at Talley Ward. Letitia & Kim are great inspirations! They have come up with creative exercises & toning and mix things up so you work your entire body. They are even going back to get a new certification soon and I’m SO excited!
        Xooma Products
3. I started using Xooma products–the X20 sachets for water and the AM Xtra capsules. These products helped me to drink more water (which is essential in losing weight), but they also contain minerals that your body needs, so I also became healthier. The AM capsules help give you energy and that helped me to maintain a workout regimen.
4. I have found LOTS of suggestions, healthy recipes and motivation on Pinterest! It has definitely helped me create healthy recipes that are different than “old standbys” that are not healthy for me. It is an online pin board where you can “pin” things you like and go back to them at any time. To me, it is MUCH better than having 10 different cookbooks taking up room in my kitchen when you only like 3 recipes in the entire book! 🙂
Do you have any tips for losing weight? I would love to hear them!
Life Changes 