EXERT & EXHALE
mom and supportive wife. That was
enough, I rationalized. What I looked
like did not – does not – define who I
am. As someone who decades before
had battled anorexia and bulimia
for 10 years beginning in the eighth
grade, this stance was proof my body
image was strong, and I was proud of
how I had evolved. But confidence
and self-acceptance were not going
to make me physically healthy.
I don’t quite know what sparked
my resolve to get off the roller coaster
of losses, gains and plateaus, but
I woke up one Saturday morning
ready for a change. Forget waiting for
Monday. The time was now. There is
no guarantee about longevity of life,
but finally I wanted to do everything
I could to lead a healthy one.
My method was simple: Reduce
portions, know my calories, no
skipping meals, eliminate alcohol,
drink at least 64 ounces of water
and exercise.
I purchased a cooler, prepped
all of my meals except breakfast,
scheduled workouts on my calendar
and set a routine: Wake up, drink 8
ounces of water while packing my
meals in my cooler, get ready for the
day with my husband and daughter,
make a simple breakfast, go to work,
eat lunch, eat again four hours later,
spend time with my daughter, eat
dinner, prep for the next day, eat a
snack before 8 p.m. if still hungry,
go to bed.
If I had an evening meeting or
event to attend, I’d eat beforehand
Before
so I wasn’t hungry. When offered a
cocktail or some sort of delicious
treat, I’d decline, explaining I was
on a mission to get fit.
When life threatened to get
overwhelming because of work
duties related to coverage of the
Kentucky Derby and my husband’s
c a m p a i g n f o r Fl oy d C o u n t y
Commissioner, I researched a local
meal service called MacroMan and
started ordering freshly-made meals
from them to supplement what I
was preparing.
As my clothes began to get
looser, my motivation, energy and
productivity strengthened. Sure,
it felt good to have my waist back
and zip up a dress I hadn’t been
able to wear for the better part of
three years, but what I valued most
was my decreased anxiety, calmer
approach to stressors and mental
sharpness. I called it “getting my
groove back,” though it was nothing
more than setting a goal of getting
healthier and – finally – proving to
myself I could do it.
O
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WHO SA
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FEATURING
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I’ve lost more than 50 pounds
since my all-time high of 180. My
goal now is to lose more body fat,
gain muscle mass and continue
increasing the strength of my heart
and lungs through exercise.
These days, when I feel my
motivation waning, I take a moment
to stand in awe and remind myself
I’m worth being a priority.
After
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JUNE/JULY 2018 : EXTOL 45
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