The following guest blogger has hit a home run in my humble opinion. Katrina is a friend, mother, wife, writer. You can find her latest book, Table for Six, here if you wish and her website/blog here. In the words of Simon Cowell...If I'm being honest....I originally thought, "Katrina is so well-written. She will be a wonderful guest blogger because she has a great personal story to tell and DAMN! That girl can write!"
Well....Katrina, my friend...You have articulated what an aspiring health coach dreams his clients will come to realize. I've highlighted those ah-ha's in your writing.
When my youngest was eight and I was still 70 pounds
overweight, I decided it was time to stop blaming my posterior on “The Baby.”
And the “I had four kids in five years” excuse was getting a little old, too.
The truth? I liked Oreos. A lot.
Oh, and not just Oreos. I was an addict – a carb addict.
Perhaps “Man doth not live on bread alone,” but I was fairly certain I could
live exclusively on Noble Romans breadsticks, given that glorious opportunity.
As a former athlete, I was accustomed to eating anything I
wanted… and never gaining an ounce. But age and Oreos caught up with me as they
are wont to do. It was time to do something different, to see things through a
new lens, to make a lifestyle change.
I’d dabbled in many diets over the years – from Weight
Watchers to grapefruit to liquid only. I’d tried just about everything. And
sure, I lost weight on all of them. But I always gained it back. And then I’d
gain a few extra pounds just for good measure.
Why? Because they were temporary. Because I wasn’t learning
anything about food, exercise, my body, and how those three entities work
together.
My trusted doctor (and uncle) suggested I try the South Beach
diet. When I realized I had to give up sugar for TWO WHOLE WEEKS, I was
convinced I would probably die. Or kill someone. And I’ll admit, when those two
weeks began, I was grumpy, irritable, and less than pleased. I didn’t kill
anyone. I’m fairly certain, however, that I yelled a lot. I probably even
cried. But when those two weeks were over, I’d lost twelve pounds and no longer
craved sugar and carbs.
It was truly a Festivus miracle.
I am blessed with an incredibly supportive husband who also
happens to be a great cook. He made this journey with me, and together we lost
over 100 pounds within the course of a year. And here’s the thing… South Beach
isn’t really about dieting. It’s about making better, more informed choices.
It’s about choosing a sweet potato instead of a white potato. It’s about
savoring a bite of good, rich, dark chocolate instead of a processed candy bar.
It’s about enjoying a steaming cup of hot Zen tea instead of a McDonald’s Diet
Coke. It’s about embracing the veggies. And we all need to give the veggies a
little love, don’t we?
Once the pounds began to fall away, everything about my life
changed. I know, I know – it sounds like a bad commercial, but it’s true. My
energy returned, my motivation increased, my mood improved.
Mama got her groove back.
I’d always wanted to run a marathon by the time I turned 40,
had always wanted to check that particular item off my bucket list. At age 40
(+ a few months), I completed the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. My husband
and kids supported me through alternately grueling and rewarding months of
training, my friends met me on my long runs with water and Gu and cheerleading
in the streets. Long-distance friends sent motivational tapes and letters of
encouragement. Marathon-running veterans offered me valuable words of advice.
Apparently, it takes a village to run a marathon.
And I have never been more grateful for my village.
Crossing that finish line with my friends and kids (who ran
the last quarter mile with me) was one of the greatest accomplishments of my
life. It taught me – and my children – what dedication is all about. It was a
priceless lesson in setting a goal and seeing it through.
And I must admit that some of those early morning training
runs were downright spiritual.
Health and fitness isn’t a cross-the-finish-line kind of
event, though. It’s an ongoing process. There’s always more to learn, always
something new to try. And are there times I give into the lure of the Oreo? You
bet. Life is about living, after all. But a healthy body makes life a thousand
times more enjoyable.
And strutting my skinnier, happier, healthier self in some
“7 for all mankind” jeans? Not a bad bonus, either.
Before
and....
AFTER!!!
and....
