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.