Thursday, October 2, 2008

Don't Let a BIG Butt Get In The Way Of A BIG Life

A lot of people put off living until they are in their perfect size six jeans. You know, "I'll travel when I'm thinner, I'll be more active when I'm thinner, I'll start dating when I'm thinner."

For me, I'm shaking an extra healthy butt right now and there's nothing I'd like to do more than crawl under the covers until it's gone. But actually, crawling under the covers and doing nothing is how I got this body that most now resembles the shape of an old time refrigerator.

I always said this wouldn't be a diet blog but it is about starting over and new beginnings. And I am determined to prove my theorem (Hello SAT word, it's been awhile) that I can go from being in a down in the dumps rut-tacular to a happier, new and improved me - by taking action.

I wish ACTION could have been following the "Eat, Pray, Love" guideline of chucking my life for a year and traveling the world. Italian food sounds so good right now. Pass the cheese! But... have you seen the economy lately? And even if it was great, can people really quit their jobs, throw their dogs in a suit case and drop out of life for a year? I know I can't.

That's why I started the Adventure Bowl - to live in the now and to really reboot a life that feels like it's gotten a little stale, old and rut-a-licious. And Adventures don't have to cost anything - they're just something that surprises you! Something that takes you out of your comfort zone and gives you that tingly, "I'm alive" feeling.

So part of me doing my Adventure Bowl has not only led, in this past year, to more work than I can handle - and the super fun, creative kind, but finally - a dent in my weight. Like six pounds, people!

I think in order to really commit to something, it always takes a "click" in your mindset and I'm a little afraid to claim the "click" but I think the "click" has finally clicked. You know the click, "I'm so sick of this giant butt not fitting in my jeans!" That click. "I'm so tired of having cute clothes and nothing fits right." Click!

"I'm tired of doing these super fun Adventures and feeling like my chunky butt/arms/thighs/jiggle in the middle is making me slower/tired/unable to enjoy what I'm really doing."

So about two weeks ago, I started keeping a food journal, then I added taking my dog for a bi-nightly walk and finally...

THE GYM.

Let's face it ladies, the gym can be your own best friend. You just have to treat her right. My mistake is I have treated her like that friend that you hang out with five times a week for hours at a time and all they do is talk about themselves and their stupid boyfriends and then YOU NEVER WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN.

Yeah, I did that. Being too much a perfectionist at the gym, I overdid it and made myself sick of it. Hence, the bread dough butt. So now, new rules - three times a week forty five minutes in and out. This is hard for me, I want to dive back into old habits but I keep telling myself not to because I never want to NOT see the gym again and be back where I was.

For me, it's still a loooooooooong road. I, like, have only reached .00000000000001% of my goal. But I won't hide under the covers until I do and I won't stop living a big life until I do. Because what I learned is all this having fun and doing these adventures is why the weight is coming off...

Well, that, the gym and ungodly amounts of broccoli. But mostly "the happy."


This blog is dedicated to the female torture that is - the Ab Crunch.

Share/Bookmark

19 comments:

Two Date Diva said...

Congrats on the 6 pounds!

Unknown said...

Woo Hoo!!! 6 lbs is great!

I need to lose 6 lbs :(

Krista Lou Cook said...

Horray for you!!!

it's not a gravy train said...

Wooooooooo hooooooo

Tonya said...

Awesome!!!

Anonymous said...

congrats on the 6 lbs! its so hard not to let the weight interfere with living a normal life, let alone a life full of fun and adventure. my problem is that i dont like going to the gym alone. and i dont know anyone else that belongs to the same gym as me. so i tend not to go when im feeling fat. can u believe it? "i feel fat today, i dont want to go to the gym, where i might LOSE the fat, because people, who are probably also fat, will look at me"... im ridiculous.

well look at that! CLICK! even writing comments to your blogs are inspirational!!

thanks for writing! i needed a boost. keep it up!

XOXO

Anonymous said...

Congrats!! Can't wait to hear about the next 6! :D

Debbie Young said...

Hey, did you throw that 6 lbs over here? kidding
keep shakin your groove thang. baby!
deb

Forgetfulone said...

Good for you! I need to get my butt back to the gym. I haven't been in a while.

Anonymous said...

This is my favorite post - so inspiring... I tend to be an all or nothing girl, too. Ugh! Now I totally have to hit the gym tomorrow!

Michelle said...

Hey there AG, 6 lbs ain't nothing to sneeze at my friend!!! Keep up the gym. Do you like running at all? That is my gym!! Outside and near the ocean!!!

Love this post!

Anonymous said...

the gym is totally the way to go! good for you! i also just lost six lbs but from an evil stomach bug... i must confess i was slightly excited that i might fit into an old dress, but it seems 6 lbs of water loss doesn't shrink the size of my butt! i shall have to join you at the gym...just as soon as this bug is gone.

Anonymous said...

I love your blog... I'm just catching up, I can't believe all you've been through but it's better than any book I've read - more inspiring too.

Mom Watch said...

Congrats on the weight--and I so love your adventures (my fav is the pool hopping). Recently I saw a program advertising the "10 minute workout" with all of these success stories. (I hope they were true because I am so buying that program--lol) The main message was that if you START with just 10 minutes a day--it will motivate you to do more--little by little. Just takes that first step!

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I do the same thing with running. Go out and try and do it every day for 4 miles a day and then kill myself with it.

Carolyn said...

I constantly let my weight rule who I am. It's hard to do what you want when you are so self-conscious. For me, it’s like having this extra weight allows me to not go after the things I really want to go after. I applaud you and the fact that you are doing something about it and are facing it head on! It really helps to inspire me to follow suit! I look forward to hearing all about it!

Linda Salas said...

Hey I extend my congratulatios! keep having fun, all work to increase one's energy is a big deal and a great decision to make!

Keep it up!

jae said...

You go, Girl! What a great start and more will follow. I've read all your archives and love to see new posts! You've been a great motivator in getting my ass out of the house these last few weeks, keep it up!! :) ~j

Mal said...

I embarked on a similar adventure several years ago and have never regretted it -- not one single, solitary moment of it. I have a job that I love and am unbelievably passionate about. I have finally experienced love and romance. I love who I am. Nice to meet your blog...