When I graduated from high school, I weighed in at 120. A year later, I shot up to 200 because I was pregnant with my first child and I ate whatever I wanted. Let me give you a glimpse of how I shot up to 200 at 19 years old...
I had a favorite place with my favorite food.
- Zippy's: Saimin and cheeseburgers
- Sizzler's: Prime rib
- Pizza Hut: Large pepperoni with extra cheese (I consumed that all by myself)
- Sears Pearlridge: A big barrel of buttered popcorn with an extra large mixed icee that I bought at Sears located in Pearlridge (back in the days)
As we skip through the 90's of curling irons and hairspray, we breeze through three more kids popping out of me with the additional retaining weight of 165.
Did I ever try to lose weight? Yes, I went to Spa Fitness Center with my girlfriends who were fit and into aerobics. Did I drop? Yes but not where I wanted to because I would actually convince them of stopping at KFC to eat.
One thing great about being in your 20's is the fact it is easier for a female to burn off and remove the excess weight.
However, being that I was being fruitful with kids...the weight would remain.
During this time, relationship was on a roller coaster and we were pretty young/immature for parents. Call it depression or just plain frustrated but this caused my weight to remain steady between 165-175.
As I entered my 30's, I was working and decided to try to lose weight by doing it the right way. I started walking and doing 30 minute strength training workouts while watching what I ate as well as drinking meal supplements in between. I started dropping by summer time, however, a life-changing event happened between me and Dan and I started working out like a fiend. Guess how much weight I was then in 2003-2004? 145....
Then, in 2006, I let myself go... and go...and blooming breeches...by 2010-2011, I'm over 200, which I didn't know because I kept assuming I was 185-194.
During this period, I tried taking phentermine and my weight would fluctuate. I wouldn't eat since it is a hunger suppressant. But, oh my...the mood swings were dangerous and I didn't care to be "Sybil" to my family.
I tried Zumba at the beginning of 2011 but that was a phase.
As the year went by and summer came along, I was disgusted in myself because I would always say to myself at the beginning of the years before that, "This is it..I am going to eat healthy and lose weight." I would project myself 3 months from that time and then six months. But, did it happen? No.
I was beginning to feel emotionally depressed, disgusted with myself but I would just eat because it was a big ole' pity party for me.
It didn't help the fact that I would read and review posts on Twitter and Facebook of "before and after" photos and stories. And would be inspired and I would dream about "what if I do that?"yet I wouldn't do anything. I would ask Dan if he would go walking with me after work but we are pretty wiped out after work.
The Wake-Up Call: I seen a picture of myself at a Tweetup. Holy schnikey's...I am a whale.
As I kept looking at that pic, I thought "I am 40 years old and you need to do something."
I really had to do something. I was tired from walking... I hated the stairs... My office always had food out and about... and I started to look pregnant with a swollen stomach and swollen ankles.
Because I love writing on Yelp, I decided to see if there were Beach Boot Camps like the one my friend was involved in North Carolina.
Enter in...SOHI Fitness
I read their website.. I looked at Crossfit... I looked at other websites. I looked at 24 hour fitness but I dislike that place because it's literally a meat market of 20-30 somethings...or you can count the over 40 who are sometimes going through a mid-life crisis.
I returned back to reviewing SOHI Fitness because I wanted something that would work. I read the reviews and noticed the following words:
- Gasping
- Sweating
- Wanting to vomit
- Sand bags
- Burpees
- Bear Crawls
It peaked my interest and I looked at the class times. It was the timeframe that I wanted because if possible, I didn't want to work out afterwork or on the weekends because the weekends are always taken with family time or ministries.
I scrolled down to the prices and debated should I?
Then, I thought to myself that if I pay for the classes, it was a push for me to get my money's worth and not give up.
Determined I called up Dan, "I want to join a bootcamp class. I need it."
While I am saying this, I am hoping he doesn't say anything because there are times where I would assume that his tone sounded discouraging but I know he is not discouraging me at all. I think it was the fact that he seen me start something then not finish. I didn't want him thinking this was another one.
After speaking with him, I emailed and inquired if it was too late to start a Monday class. The response was quick. I paid through paypal and printed my confirmation. Through all this, I was excited. I was determined to do this.
Sunday night, I got my bag ready, so I could wake up at 4:30am to head to Ala Moana Beach Park.
I was almost late to class but it was a good thing that the other bootcamp class was nice enough to point me to SOHI Fitness.
First day...I wanted to die.
I wasn't measured until the 2nd class. I was 217 lbs...She advised me to send her my meal diary. Talk about wanting to ignore that fact but there was the talk going on in my head that if I was serious...I need to be brutally honest with Megan (my trainer) as well as myself. No sugar coating anything. I was afraid she would be like my cousin's trainer but to my surprise after I sent the email. She came back with suggestions of eating moderately and substituting food here and there. She later explained that you can't ask someone to cut out anything because they will go back on it. However, I was already drinking more water and minimizing any soda. I started eating healthier breakfast as well as lunch.
Two weeks went by and she just wanted to weight me. I dropped about 8 lbs. We were both surprised.
About almost 6 weeks into my class sessions, the worst thing happened. I sprained my calf muscle attempting to run up a hill. I had to rest it from 4-6 weeks. Megan assured me that I could resume my sessions once I was recovered.
First day back to class was at Kakaako. She was so enthusiastic and supportive that she wanted to weigh me. I was hesitant because I ate Jack in the Box the night before and worried that I gained weight.
But, I actually dropped under 200.
She shared she wanted to do this for me by checking up on me periodically because she knew it was my goal to lose weight and get fit.
During the holiday season, I was lazy and would go to class here and there but one particular class, Megan decided to incorporate TRX with a regular boot camp. That was the beginning of my budding fascination of TRX.
She posted discussions about having TRX classes in the morning and I decided that at the beginning of 2012, I would switch to TRX classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays but start running on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday because I needed to start doing things on my own to maintain a healthy lifestyle on my own without depending on classes to keep me fit. In addition, I felt like my body was at a plateau.
Mind you, this is all going through my head during the holidays. So, to celebrate this decision and my pursuit for a healthy lifestyle with the thought to challenge myself, I decided to celebrate it by hiking Koko Head Trail.
If you are on my Instagram, Facebook or Path--you would see the before and after pics of me.
Was I happy? Of course because my husband wasn't expecting my son and I to make it up there that fast.
I cannot explain the exhilarating feeling I experienced and it is because 6 months before that...I would have not even celebrated this way. There were so much reasons for me to climb that trail and one was for myself but for my son as well because he went through so much. This accomplishment was more than just making it to the top. It went deeper within ourselves that most likely set in our hearts that with God...all things are possible. With determination and prayer...we will reach our goals.
I was so excited that I posted these thoughts as well as my before and after pictures because heck yeah...I am proud of myself. I actually didn't flake out.
As I write this blog, I have realized that only a handful of people knew how much I was working out. I barely spoke with anyone about my bootcamp and eating habits. Call it silly but I didn't want to screw myself up. This was something personal for me. It wasn't a "Look at me-I'm going to try and lose weight." It wasn't like that all...it was something that I knew I was serious and determined to make a change in my life not just physically but emotionally/mentally.
Working out or getting fit was something that I have been wanting to do but never finished before August 2011.
Is it because I lacked self-assurance? No, because I know who I am despite the fact that it is annoying when people will comment on my assertiveness as being bossy and headstrong.
Is it because I feel old? No, I am not afraid to admit my age and am not about to buy clothes that doesn't match my age.
However, it is because I was on a downward spiral of unhealthiness and it was creeping on my weight. In addition, after reading articles over and over that once women reach a certain age, it is difficult to lose weight. It can happen BUT it takes extra effort as you advance in age.
Plus, I knew that I needed to step up or face being a sad, miserable overweight person who was not comfortable with being fluffy.
Don't get me wrong, I know there are women who are comfortable with whatever weight they are in and for me, that is downright sexy because of their attitude and outlook.
But, I wasn't comfortable with being overweight. I wanted to make sure that I was comfortable with how I look as well as eating a little more selective to make sure that I don't fall away.
Don't get me wrong, I still eat my junk food...with moderation. Do I think twice about what I want to eat? Yes, I do. However, if I am craving for something...I'll definitely eat it (not gorge).
I have given myself 3 month goal lines. Hopefully by the end of the summer (it makes a year of bootcamping), I will be down to my goal weight.
Am I going to make it? I know I am because there is nothing else to do but go forward.
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