Lightbulb!

Although this link-up started three weeks ago, my journey towards getting healthy did not. It started in January of 2010 and hasn't stopped. It's had it's ups and downs, many of which I have discussed on this blog, but I have never quit it completely and for that, I am super proud.

I was not raised healthy. I am from Mississippi after all. I am still probably not what most would consider healthy. I love food. I love country food. I love Coca Cola Classic. I love a good cocktail. And I have not and will stop these things. But I have changed them ALOT.

I used to drink quite a few cokes a day. A few years ago, I didn't even know a calorie existed, much less what it was. And I certainly didn't know how many of them were in every beer that I drank.

In January of 2010 (I had put on about 10 pounds since being married just 6 months prior), I set a goal to start running. All of my friends from college had gotten into running and had all participated in the St. Jude Half Marathon just a month before. I thought to myself, "If they can do it, so can I." They were no more athletically inclined than I was, but running? Running was just not my thing. The farthest I had ever run was around the bases in a softball game. Or possibly to the bathroom after holding it in for an hour on a road trip. I'll put it this way, I lasted less than a week in track before the coach made me cry. Running made my knees hurt. He didn't care and simply told me to "Get over it!" That incident is all that I thought about when it came to running. Little did I know that the running is not what made my knees hurt. It was growing pains. And possibly the wrong pair of shoes.

So, in January of 2010, I put that memory behind me and turned on my brand new Ipod Touch that I had just gotten a few days before for Christmas. I don't think I was gone for even ten minutes and may have run 30 seconds of those ten minutes. But I made it out of the driveway. Shortly after, I began the Couch to 5K program and for once in my life, I stuck to something. I completed the program and if you can believe it, I ended up joining my friends at the St. Jude Half Marathon that December. Exactly one year later I ran 13.1 miles. It still gets to me every time I think about it.

What? Callie? Half Marathon? Those words don't go in the same conversation much less the same sentence. But I did it. I was not at all prepared, but I crossed the finish line.. alive.. and that's all that matters. 

Since then I have continued with working out. I have tried everything from running, to spin class, to the Elliptical, to the treadmill, to weight machines, to P90X Kenpo and Ab Ripper, to Jillian Michaels dvd's (ggggrrr), to Zumba. I have spent many, many an afternoon making a fool of myself in the comfort of my living room for all passers by to see, as I flail my lanky arms around and shake my booty (much less sexily) to the Zumba video going on on my T. V.

All of this with little to no results. Small changes, but nothing major. 

In January of this year, I began counting calories with the My Fitness Pal app on my phone. I miss a day here and there, but it has helped more than anything. I am down 10+ pounds and have kept it off for 8 months now. I now think about every little thing I put in my mouth. While I am not above a good ole juicy hamburger or some Sonic Cheesesticks, I eat these things alot less often than in the past.

I knew that I had made an actual "Lifestyle Change" for the first time on Tuesday. Yes, after all this time it just hit me two days ago. A co-worker and myself went to a local pizza place for lunch. A place that I LOVE but don't get to eat often bc it is not convenient at all to my house or our old office. But the new office? It's right down the street and I had been dreaming about it for three weeks. We got there and it was just as I remembered. I placed an order for a small Pepperoni, Bell Pepper and Bacon Pizza. It was going to be glorious. 

Wrong. 

(Lightbulb! Lifestyle change? Yep)

I just about couldn't eat it bc it was so greasy. That grease would have never phased me a year ago... if not, even more recently than that. I picked up my first piece and under it was a pool of grease. I almost threw up in my mouth. I ate two pieces and it was great, but not near as delicious as it used to be. I guess because I have finally trained myself to realize what is good, what is bad, and what is worth it.

The pizza wasn't worth it.

I don't have before and after pictures like most of the O, so brave participants bc my journey started long ago. And although I have accomplished alot, there are still many things I would like to improve upon which is why I joined the link up. So that maybe, just maybe, it would hold me accountable to putting forth a little extra effort in these areas. And to possibly help encourage some ladies who are just getting started bc it is definitely not an over night process!

Maybe this will really help push me to get back into working out and eat healthy hardcore. Maybe next week, I'll have another revelation. Maybe not. We will see. In the meantime, here's what I need to work on.

~Abs

~Thighs

~Arm Definition

~Routine Workouts 

This requires working out in the mornings, so that there is never the excuse of "something came up."

Until next week, my friends!
We can do this!