Inches, not Pounds

Last year leading up to the wedding, I was very active, running, hiking, and keeping so busy that it was natural for me to stay in shape.  But, the last 10 months of my life I have literally been in hibernation bliss.  I would come home from work and nearly every day throw on comfy clothes, make a delicious dinner, and vedge on the couch catching up on recorded shows.  Well, with that type of lifestyle comes consequences... you gain weight, bad weight. I honestly haven't stepped on a scale to know how much I've gained, but from the tightness of my jeans and the looks of my tops, I have definitely gotten out of shape.  The thing is, you don't realize you're gaining weight as it happens, rather, when you come down to sunny weather where tight tops and shorts are a must, you realize you have failed miserably.

I thought I'd write about what my action plan is to get back in shape.  My goal here is not to lose weight, but to lose inches and substitute fat for muscle weight.   I have learned to love my curves and realized that skinny just isn't in my genetics... but to be honest, for me, being healthy and fit is far more important than being skinny.  Twiggy just isn't my style.

Since being back down here, I have already formed accountability with friends, co-workers, and when Trevor is down here, him too.  I have set realistic goals for myself and realize that I'm going to have to work hard at the results I want to see by our anniversary, June 11, 2012.

Here are some action plans...
Co-Workers: We have a weekly calendar with a few people from the office that holds yourself accountable to how you did the day before.  If you did really well, worked out & ate healthy, you put a green "X" on the day before by your name.  If you ate well but didn't work out, it's a yellow "X," and if you didn't eat well or work out, it's a red "X."  I love that my co-workers strive to be healthy and want to encourage each other to do well and be fit.

Friends: Mondays are reserved for Convention Center stairs. Ouch! Right after work I am going to meet with a friend and run for 30 minutes up and down the Convention Center stairs. These babies aren't a walk in the park!

Tuesday & Thursdays are reserved for boardwalk runs with another friend.  We both want to be held accountable and think that it's important to get fit together. This is my absolute FAVORITE place to run in San Diego.  There's just something about the beach that clears your mind and makes you appreciate where you live.

Hubby: Wednesdays are a good night to lift and build some muscle.  With all the cardio I'm doing, it's important to get some weights in there as well.  We also both bought road bikes up in Washington and have hardly used them.  We have decided that we want to participate in the MS Bike Ride in October which is 150 miles from Long Beach to San Diego.  Trevor will do the full stretch, but my goal is to do the last 50 miles.  If we start training on weekends, we should be able to train pretty well!

With 5 days of exercise and eating healthy, I know that I will quickly see results.  My ideal physique would be to have a big smile on my face, knowing that I'm doing the best I can to be healthy.  This blog isn't for anyone else, but myself.  It's a journal that will help keep me accountable in life.... whether it's being fit, keeping happy, being a positive and encouraging wife, and being a good friend; it's for myself to reflect on and see how far I've come.  

Gotta run!