Image HTML map generator

07 July 2014

Nobody got fat from too many banana's

One of the leaders at a recent Weight Watcher meeting told this to our Monday night crew:  "Nobody ends up at Weight Watchers from eating too many banana's or over-doing it on the low-fat salad dressing.  We're all here because somewhere along the way, our relationship with food got out of hand."

My relationship with food has been an interesting one.  For one, I like food.  I am fan of eating; especially sweets.  I can remember the first time I thought I was fat.  I have done a fair share of diets and work-out gimmicks in my almost 29 years.  Towards the end of high school, I did the Atkins Diet and got down to my lowest weight ever at 145-140 pounds.  I thrived on no carbs all the time.  I used babysitting money to go to the health food store to buy low carb bars and treats. 

My parents started getting worried, and I can still remember the night they sat me down and said I needed to start eating a more balanced diet.  I was devastated.  I did not have a healthy relationship with food, and it didn't help I just got a job at Panera working in the bakery; the pounds quickly piled on.  I didn't know how to interact with food in a healthy way.  When at my highest weight in college at 195 lbs I knew my relationship with food was off.way.off. 

So I decided to start the new year right by heading to Weight Watchers.  After loosing 35 pounds, I felt I was turning a corner.  I was starting to learn about what a healthy relationship with food looked like.  My clothes fit better, I felt more confidant, and how I viewed food was changing.

Fast forward to the present-July 2014.  Since loosing (and still maintaining!) the weight lost almost 8 years ago, I have been getting lazy in staying committed to being healthy.  I quit going to weekly WW meetings and would honestly rather eat dirt than exercise.  I wasn't tracking my points and my weight loss had really fizzled out.

About a month ago, I read a great book by Jennifer Hudson (American Idol turned WW spokesperson) and it was a kick-in-the-butt I needed to wake up and realize why I wasn't where I wanted to be with my health; because I stopped caring and wasn't making it a priority.

I decided to start going to weekly WW meetings again.  I need that accountability.  AND I added the dreaded e word into my life; exercise.


I detested exercise something FIERCE.  Sure, I would have occasional stints of "gyming it up" but nothing seriously committed to staying fit.  So this time I decided to go big or go home; which for me meant take up running.  

Since May, I have been training with Couch to 5K and surprise, surprise am actually really loving it?!  Folks.  I have NEVER stuck with any type o' exercise this long in my life.  I just finished week 5 and after week 8 I graduate to being able to run 3.1 miles.  Saturday I just ran 20 minutes straight. for the first time.since high school.   I probably looked like a complete fool dancing around and fist pumping it up afterwards, but it didn't phase me one bit.  I felt so proud of myself for doing something I never thought I could do.  I have pushed and stretched myself a little more each week; and its paying off in more ways than one.

Running three times a week along with tracking my WW points and staying accountable for what I eat is helping me get back on track.  I have never liked the word 'diet'.  For me it screams deprivation, non-tasty food,  and is very limiting.  I'm thinking Teresa would agree with me.


For me it wasn't all them banana's that made me gain weight.  I stopped caring.  I emotionally ate.  I wasn't thinking about what I was putting in my mouth or if I was even hungry.  This is no longer about finding the right diet.  I am so done with that crazy making.  Exercise and WW are becoming a lifestyle plan for me.


As I have gotten older, I am slowly learning to be more gentle and patient with myself...learning how important it is to care for my physical body as much I would my spiritual health. 


And amid all the ice cream, cake, banana's and low-fat salad dressing that bit of truth is so.so. good for my soul.


10 comments:

  1. Good for you, Patty! It's so hard sometimes to remember that exercising and eating healthy is actually being nice to our bodies! I definitely struggle with seeing healthy food or exercise as almost a form of punishment. But after exercising, nothing beats that adrenaline high. Keep up the great work on your running program!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, i am from USA, I want to share this great testimony about how Dr.Agbazara helped me bring back my ex lover, During my search for solution i came in contact with Dr.Agbazara details and through his help my lover came back to me within 48 hours. So with these i am so bold to advise anyone seeking for a way to get there lover back to contact Dr.Agbazara on WhatsApp: { +2348104102662 } or via email at: { agbazara@gmail.com } I am so happy at least myself and my lover are back to each other again and going to spend the New Year celebration together Thank to Dr.Agbazara once again....

      Delete
  2. You are amazing, Patty!! To be honest, I am totally with you on the exercise thing... I would rather eat dirt, lol. Good for you for sticking with running!!! <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good for you, chica! I'm so glad you're taking good care of yourself and creating a lasting, healthy relationship with food and fitness. Mentally, it really is more of a lifestyle & healthy attitude then it is a specific diet or exercise plan. Back when I worked in my degree field and personal trained clients, this was always something I made sure to address when people seemed dissatisfied. Even the biggest exercise gurus will have a hard time being healthy if their relationship with food or their mental approach towards exercise is unhealthy! This post was also a reminder to myself that I really want to begin running again (it's never been a regular thing since the early days of my pregnancy with Gabriel). Keep up the awesome work! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's awesome that you've stuck with this new exercising track for this long already! Running is one thing I can't stand, but I've figured out that I'll exercise as long as it's fun--dancing is fun for me, so I'll try just about every kind of dance there is to get moving!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello, i am from USA, I want to share this great testimony about how Dr.Agbazara helped me bring back my ex lover, During my search for solution i came in contact with Dr.Agbazara details and through his help my lover came back to me within 48 hours. So with these i am so bold to advise anyone seeking for a way to get there lover back to contact Dr.Agbazara on WhatsApp: { +2348104102662 } or via email at: { agbazara@gmail.com } I am so happy at least myself and my lover are back to each other again and going to spend the New Year celebration together Thank to Dr.Agbazara once again....

    ReplyDelete
  6. First of all thanks to Dr.Agbazara for bringing back my lover to me within 48 hour. I have nothing to say than to Thank you and to let you know that i am happy.. My Lover treats me better and he spends most of her time with me now telling me how much he loves me than ever before.. If you have any problems with your lover contact Dr.Agbazara via email: ( agbazara@gmail.com ) or WhatsApp +2348104102662 because he is the solution to every relationship problems

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I saw a comment here few weeks ago about Dr Agbazara and i decided to contact him as instructed, thanks to this man for bring joy to me as wished for. i followed instructions which he gave in other to get my lover back who left me and the kids for 3years now, but thanks to Dr Agbazara because they are back to me now for good and we are happy together. please do contact him for help too if in relationship problem via email at: ( agbazara@gmail.com ) OR Via WhatsApp on: ( +2348104102662 ). And testify for yourself.


    ReplyDelete

09 10