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Wednesday 12 December 2007

Just Look How Far You've Come

In three weeks time I will have been doing this thing called healthy living for 3 years. In some ways it seems like a lifetime, and in other ways it seems like I started out just a few weeks ago.

This post is to remind myself of how far I have come. Sometimes I am so focused on the mountains ahead of me, that I forget to stop for a moment and glance backwards.

Today I am standing on the side of a very high mountain and in front of me is the final gentle undulating slope to the top. If I look back, I can see that I have conquered probably 98% of the climb and where I started, 3 years ago, is a small distant speck on the horizon.

I am proud that I have lost 23 kgs and I have kept most of it off for 2.5 years (it took me 6 months to lose it). There have been ups and downs, of course, but I am one of the few who hasn't regained all and more of my significant weight loss.

I am a different person than I was 3 years ago, and I want to record and reflect on these changes.

* My skin is clear and pimple free. The odd blemish heals very quickly.
* I have more energy. I wake up in the morning rearing to go. I don't drag myself out of bed every morning or fall asleep on the couch when I watch TV.
* I poop more regularly
* I like looking in the mirror
* I am strong physically and mentally. I never feel overwhelmed by circumstances. Most of the time I feel invincible
* I want (and get) more sex
* I can do backbends, handstands, and downward facing dog. I know what Shivinasana means (even if I can't spell it). I am flexible.
* I am spiritually aware and I practice conscious living
* I have a blog and a community of blog friends who provide support, encouragement and joy
* I am happy and content
* I am no longer frightened of the future
* I can wear almost anything (and almost nothing)
* I listen to my body and I know when to do what it wants and when not to
* I feel better when I exercise then when I don't - I am an athlete
* I haven't had the flu or any other real illness for 3 years
* I seldom have migraines
* I eat vegetables
* I know a lot about nutrition, weightlifting, running, yoga and pilates
* I have run in the Sydney Running Festival
* I have completed a City to Surf
* I have my belly button pierced
* I am a size 8
* My waist is 25 inches
* I have small breasts
* I have gone through 4 pairs of runners, 2 heart rate monitors and 4 ipods
* I have lost weight through 2 Christmases and will do the same this year
* I have figured out the right amount of carbohydrates for optimum performance
* I have figured out how not to be hungry or feel deprived
* I have had a lot of fun

When I look at this list, I am amazed at the changes. I started out eating good food and exercising to lose a bit of weight and get down to a size 12.

And look what happened ... if I had known I would have done this years ago. I can't believe I wasted 40 years of my life being overweight and sad. I had no idea that a relatively small amount of effort would bring about this transformation.

I still haven't reached my goal, there is still a little way to go, but I think this new way of living has finally stuck. I can no longer imagine going back to the bottom of the mountain. I think I might almost, nearly, just about be a naturally thin person. It's now in my nature to think, eat and move like a skinny bitch.

Whew, what a relief!

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:59 pm

    You have done so well and are truely inspiring.

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  2. Anonymous3:31 am

    Reading this was much, much better than comparing statistics. Your changes are profound and meaningful. Congratulations to you for your hard work and dedication and thank you for sharing. More people who are trying to lose weight should do this kind of an assessment rather than watching the scale. Thank you.

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  3. Anonymous8:16 am

    You should be proud of yourself Katie!

    You tell me that I look great, and even though I weigh 54 kilos - remember I am 5' 1, a size 10 which is far too fat for someone so short and my waist is 27 inches.

    I'm a fat bitch and all the backslapping circlejerkerish comments from other people cannot remove plain facts (not to me anyway). I have a long way to go yet! But I'm going to get there.

    Good on you! You look amazing!

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  4. Katie, You are my rolemodel. When I feel like...I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. I always read your blog and I feel much better.
    Im so proud of you, as you should be of yourself.
    Cheryl :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. perfectly inspiring!
    x

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  6. Wow, as everyone else had said, you have a lot to be proud of and you are an inspiration.

    You have achieved everything I hope to one day, I look at my journey now and, I too think, I have wasted sooo much of my life being fat and miserable, yes I have ages to go, but yep I WILL get there too:)

    Emx

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  7. Anonymous3:46 am

    What an amazing, inspiring, and absolutely positive post and outlook. You have my utmost respect and kudos. FANTASTIC job on everything you have achieved. The road ahead is not as hard or long as the road already travelled... :)

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  8. Anonymous7:25 am

    Katie, I can totally relate to all of this.... what a cool post!

    I also feel like I can now be one of the skinny people, and I enjoy working hard to achieve that!

    YAY for us!

    ReplyDelete