Running…

 

I started running about a year ago as a way to “get in shape”. I had just started working for a firm that was very healthy lifestyle focused. My manager had just lost 30 pounds, the woman I shared an office space with was a runner (and extremely healthy eater), and a representative in the branch was a gym rat.

None-the-less, I felt very out of place as the youngest person in the branch yet with the largest body. Instead of continuing my bad eating habits and poor lifestyle choices – I decided to change them for the better. I started picking up on my co-workers eating habits and her running techniques.

Instead of eating sugary cereal for breakfast, I started eating greek yogurt. Instead of bringing left over pasta dishes for lunch, I started making and bringing salads to work.  I started hitting the gym with my husband and quickly found I hated the elliptical but that I could jog in intervals on the treadmill. It all became a slow transition that built on new knowledge, stamina, endurance, and results.

I don’t want to bore anyone with a ridiculously long and overwhelming post about all of my changes but over the past year I have made a lifestyle change that has made my life better.

I have lost around 40-45 pounds within the past year and it feels great! I no longer get out of breath bringing groceries from the car inside the house. This may not be very “lady-like” and a little too much information but I was a very bad and loud snorer, so bad that Josh, my husband, would wake me up just to stop me from snoring because I was keeping him up. While I’m not thrilled to share this, I am very happy to share that I no longer snore. To some people these may not seem like big changes – but to me and especially my husband they are!

I share this because I am truly passionate about running and living a healthy lifestyle. I am not a believer in diets. I believe that to truly become healthy, and lose weight the appropriate way, your lifestyle needs to change. I’m also not going to pretend that I am a clean and perfectly healthy eater either. I have my evenings when I have two desserts, and it’s delicious. I make sure though that I get right back on track and run the next morning.

A few folks have asked me how and while it has changed from when I first started a year ago, my routine has remained pretty steady and consistent for the past 6 months. I run 6 days a week (at least 6 miles each run), I weight-lift 2 days a week, and I count calories.

To give you an idea of my physical change here is a picture from my Honeymoon in April 2010 and a picture of me that was taken two weeks ago (with my UH-mazing sister-in-law):

 

               

I also just wanted to add that I am not a professional runner and I am not a trainer and I am not a nutritionist. My blog is written based on what I practice, believe and have done. Just because something has worked for me may not mean it will work for you.

First Time

So, I have an uh-mazing sister in law. She’s definitely got the creative, bubbly, risk-taker qualities that I don’t have. I have come to terms with this because, well, she’s my sister-in-law, so I can hire her to decorate my home, teach me how to not be a debbie-downer, and live vicariously through her – or she and Josh can force me to jump off the high jump at Wakulla Springs.

Anyways, she is also a blogger. And I love her very much for that. It’s how I have kept up with her, my brother, my fur-nephew, and my fur-niece! One way she has tried to change me for the better is convince me to start a blog. Yes, this blog was created 5 months ago, and yes this is the first post. Shows you how quickly I was to be converted. After my last trip to Tallahassee, I realized I liked the idea of a blog but I didn’t know what my blog would “be about”. For example, you have your food blogs (which I LOVE), you’ve got your craft blogs, your interior decorating, blogs, etc. I didn’t know where I fit in because I don’t cook often enough to share creative recipes and I am not creative enough to have a decorating/crafting blog, but then I realized…it’s my blog and it can be about anything! Therefore this blog will include posts anywhere from my fur-child, Bailey, my new love for running, the once in 2 months meal I actually cook (and no that turkey sandwich with soup is not cooking), or my travels with my husband.

                                

    Josh and I

Hopefully you don’t get too bored – but I’m pretty sure the only person who will ever read this is Tamara (that’s my sister-in-law ).

More to come friends,

Kimberly