Past
I think what sets me apart from many people is that I can pinpoint precisely when I went from a normal kid/teenager to an overweight teenager: turning 16 and getting my driver’s license. I got a job pretty soon after getting my license and what came next was many quick fast food meals. I frequented Wendy’s and McDonalds like it was part of my job and over the next several years I packed on the pounds. As a child I was also pretty active in sports (softball and basketball in particular) but when my skills weren’t up to par for the high school teams, I quit playing everything and therefore quit working out. By the time I reached sophomore year of college, I was a 220-pound sedentary college student.
Ironically for me, I joined a sorority my sophomore year and instead of being motivated negatively, I took being surrounded by skinny girls to be a sign that I should lose some weight. The summer between sophomore and junior year I did the Atkins diet and lost 60 pounds by the time school started again. By my 21st birthday that year, I was the skinniest I ever remember being (I think around 160). That fall I also joined my sorority’s trike team (competitive tricycle competition — sounds ridiculous but oh so much fun!). However, the downside of training for the race was that I realized that Atkins wasn’t the greatest diet for an endurance athlete. I quit the diet soon after when training got intense and I started experiencing light-headedness. I was on the trike team again as a senior (I’m in the upper left corner).
I started working out more the last two years of college (mostly weight training and the elliptical machine) but started packing on the pounds very soon after quitting the diet. I’m sure turning 21 did not help this matter nor did the cafeteria style buffet help.
I was probably in the 190-200 range when I graduate from college. I waited tables the nine months before college at Red Lobster and I’m sure that alone helped me pack on 10 pounds. However, the summer between law school and college was when my love affair with running begin. I started at the canal in Indianapolis only being able to run .10-.25 miles at a time. I don’t know that I ever made it all the way around the canal that summer. When I moved to DC, I kept running and did the Couch to 5k program. I recommend this program to anyone and everyone who wants to start running.
Here I am over Memorial Day of 2006 (first summer after law school):
What you can’t see in the picture is that that dress was so tight. I was so uncomfortable the whole day of the wedding. I moved in with a great roommate during the summer of 2006 and overall she was a great influence on my health. Sometime in the fall/winter of 2006 I decided to run my first Mini Marathon. I trained really hard during the spring, so hard, in fact, that I ended up with what I think was a stress fracture in my foot in April (the month before the race). I could hardly walk yet alone run while it was at its worst. I took at least 2 weeks off, but managed to run the race anyway (by the way, this half marathon was my first race ever. I’m not sure I’d recommend that to beginners). I ran my first half marathon in 2:37:37 which is a 12:00 min/mile pace. I have never been so proud of myself.
I was a summer associate at the firm I currently work for during the summer of 2007. Between working, the social events, and spending far too much money at the drinking establishments in Indianapolis, I did not find time to run. I got totally out of shape by the fall. I recommitted to running again that fall and winter and managed to train for the 2008 Mini Marathon. I thought I was in so much better shape leading up to the event than I had been the previous year. I managed to only improve my time by 3 minutes and 15 seconds (2:34:22 for 11:46 pace). I was pretty disappointed with the outcome, but still proud I did the race again. After this race, I had planned to do the Chicago Marathon that fall with a sorority sister. I trained into July (did 15 miles on a treadmill which was awful) and then quit. I was studying for the bar exam at the time and I just couldn’t swing it (or at least I let myself believe that).
During these two years of training, my weight always decreased leading up to the race but when I quit running after the race my weight would start creeping back up again.
I started my first “big kid” job in September 2008. I’m a lawyer at a large law firm in Indianapolis. Despite the name of the blog, I try not to talk about work much on here.
By October 2008, I was out of shape and hadn’t run in several months. I joined a new gym and recommitted myself to working out. I didn’t quite jump on the diet bandwagon at that time, but I did start working out again.
Present
On December 1, 2008, I started the first version of this blog (called “Fast Food Detox” at first) and committed myself to losing weight. I weighed 204 pounds.
This picture was taken of me over Thanksgiving and is probably the best example I have of me at my highest weight in recent years:
In January 2009, I decided not to drink alcohol for the month. This was the best decision I’ve made along the way. I did start drinking again in March 2009 but I now drink much less when I choose to drink and I drink far less often. The most important thing that happened in January though was that I met M:
He has been crazy supportive throughout this process. I couldn’t ask for a better person in my life. I look forward to his support for a long time to come.
In February, M and I tried not to eat out for a whole month. We managed to do very well and I wish I could say that we learned a lot from that but we still eat out too much!
In March, I managed to hit the 30 pounds lost mark by the end of the month. I also bought my first road bike that month and signed up to run another half marathon in 2009 (besides the Mini Marathon, which I plan to run annually until I can no longer run). Because of the bike purchase, I also signed up for my first triathlon this month.
In May, I ran my third Mini Marathon. To say I set a PR is a bit of an understatement. I ran the half marathon in 2:12:50 which is a pace of 10:07. I PR’ed by near 23 minutes. The difference between 2009’s mini marathon and the other years is that I did not quit running after the race. I changed my training to be focused on triathlons, but I kept running. Running was my first love and it will always be a big part of my life. I have found that even when I struggling with my eating, if I am running consistently my weight stays consistent.
I struggled with my eating between May and August as I trained for the triathlons (I signed up for a second sometime after May). Since March, I have essentially not lost any weight (I’m hovering between 175-180 right now).
I ran my first and second triathlons in August 2009.
Although I love running and always will, after that first triathlon experience I was hooked. I officially will be focusing on triathlon training in future years because I honestly think I have some potential with it. I finished second in the “fat chick” category and 9th in my age group (of 37)…and I walked a significant portion of the run segment, which gives me so much room for improvement.
I ran my second triathlon, an all women’s race, two weeks later and did fantastic. I had a much better run (it was also 20 degrees cooler) and placed 18/62 in my age group and 57th overall on the bike! I also learned of a third triathlon to be held three weeks later and signed up for it that day (it’s an indoor swim).
At this time, I’m training for my last triathlon of the season but, more importantly, training for my second half marathon of the year on October 17. I had grand dreams of breaking 2 hours at this half but I think 2:05-06 is more reasonable. I’m going to shoot for sub-2 hours at the Mini Marathon next May.
Future
I can only speculate what the future will hold but these are the things I’d like to see (goals if you will although I have another page of those):
• Sub 2-hour half marathon
• Age group podium finish at a sprint triathlon
• Complete an olympic distance triathlon
• Run a marathon
• Lose these last stubborn 20-30 pounds
I admittedly have not been doing well with the eating well portion of my healthy lifestyle as of late and this will be more of a focus of mine in the coming months. M and I are planning a tropical get-a-way in February-ish of next year and I want to wear a bikini!