Running.

I was not born a runner.  Through high school and into college a mile tested my greatest endurance.  Who could or would want to run any further than that?  My participation in other sports only supported the idea that running was punishment. 

My first run with Nate was spur of the moment.  We ran with another friend.  It was awful.  I lagged several steps behind for an undetermined distance.  At one point, Nate even jogged back to me to slap me on the tush.  I vowed never to exercise with others again. Frankly, I resigned to a future of ellipticals.

Somehow, many months later, I agreed to another run with Nate.  I explained my concerns and challenges to him.  His talent seemed so natural.  He ran so effortlessly.  How could he understand that this was so hard for me?  My calves burned like I ran in stilettos and my lungs stretched as well as denim might.  I mentioned he's amazing, right?  He stayed by my side walk or shuffle the whole time. 

So, I agreed to another run and then another.  He'd encourage me to the next hill top or stop sign which I would never reach.  I bought a heart rate monitor to make sure I didn't surpass some threshold where my heart exploded.  Slowly, very slowly, my skill improved.  I ran one mile.  Then, I could run one mile a little faster.  And so it continued until one day we ran seven or eight miles. 

We stopped really running for a long time and didn't start again until I somehow got the idea that I wanted to run a half marathon.  Again, Nate trudged through training with me.  It's a long story for another day.  To my amazement, my body really could run 13.1 miles (the day after the race I felt like I was hit by a car). 

Now, I find myself looking back to running.  How did this happen?  I remember hating running!  It still hurts.  I struggle to build my mileage again, but now I know I can do it with enough time.  The voice of doubt is quieter. 

It's about more than the scale.

Nate, my amazing husband, and I are going on an amazing adventure.  In five weeks, we begin a trip to literally circle the globe. 

We have family currently living in Malaysia.  When we visit them, we will also take a quick jaunt up to Vietnam.  Did you hear that?  I'm jaunting to Vietnam!  A year ago I would have laughed at the notion of traveling some place so foreign.

Now, because the worst grade I ever got was in geography, I am showing you a map!  I may or may not have had to look up these locations.

In Veitnam, we opted for a tour that includes two days of bike riding in Hanoi and one of kayaking in Bai Tu Long Bay.

With this trip around the corner, losing weight is about more than numbers.  It is about doing stuff!  It is about the confidence, ability, and desire to travel.  It is about taking pictures not only of the scenery but also of me.  It is about wearing sleeveless shirts in humid, sweaty places.  I want to do these adventurous, active, and awesome endeavors every day with no regrets!

Goal setting.

 

How do you set a good goal?  Or rather, how do I set a good weight goal for me?

I am 5'5".  In the past seven years, I weighed in the 140s to almost surpassing the 200 pound mark.  The first time I focused on losing weight, I aimed for 135.  I don't know that I have weighed this little since elementary school.  I remember an instance in junior high gym class.  It involved an archaic scale in front of my other classmates and ~145 pounds.  Maybe 135 is not the most realistic target from the get-go. 

I researched various healthy recommended weights for my height and age.  And, here is what I've decided:

CURRENT
-2/23/13-
183 lbs
34.5% body fat

GOAL
150 lbs
25% body fat

My goal should put me on the high end of a normal body composition.  Maybe I can revisit the 135 goal weight as I approach 150 pounds. 

Wish me good luck and, more so, a large dose of hard work!

Will you?

The denim deities have spoken.  I have ruined two pairs of pants in maybe a little over a month.  The zipper broke on the first pair.  The second pair split through the seam.  This may be a reflection of poor craftsmanship, but I'm interpreting these omens differently.  The jeans are harbingers of doom.

Here I sit to acknowledge their warning. 

I don't weigh the most I've ever weighed.  I am not the most out of shape I have ever been.  But, I will be if I continue down this path.  And, this isn't about being less overweight than before.  It's about being fit, being proud,  being what I know I can be.