I angered the Pilates Instructor. I know I did. The way she looked at me in class. I could feel her disapproving eyes. They seemed to ask, “What are you doing just lying there?” At the beginning of class she said, “Listen to your body!” Well, I listened to my body. Did she not mean it? Well in her defense, I shouldn’t have been in that class at all on Wednesday night. See what had happened was . . .

This year on my to-do list was to become a healthy me. I’ve been on the obese side of the scale since 2007 and its been a bitch beast to get down to a “healthy” weight. I’ve done the walking thing, the personal trainer thing, the eating right thing and the I don’t care anymore thing. If I had consistently done the eating right and exercising thingys, I might have reached my goal already. If it weren’t for the I don’t care anymore thing I’d be 137 pounds.

I’m exhausted by this roller coaster ride called Weight Loss.

I’ve come pounds away from no longer being obese and then I’m back to where I started. I get so into this I don’t care phase that I end up worse off than where I was to begin with. I know because I keep the journals. I see my weight fluctuate. I don’t want to be on this roller coaster anymore. I want to be there for my future children. I want to be there for my future husband. I want to be there for the people who rely on me right now. I want to be there for you! I want off this roller coaster ride.

Are you with me? Do you want to be a healthier you regardless of where you are on the scale? Your weight might be effecting you more than you think. Over the past five years I’ve noticed I’ve become somewhat of an insomniac. I had a horrible time finding clothes that fit. I got rid of any and all mirrors in my bedroom. This might be the reason why I leave the house with my clothes inside out OR backwards. I became anti-social. I had trouble breathing. I can go on and on and on … Maybe you haven’t had such extreme symptoms, but I never want anyone to feel like I’ve felt about their weight.

This year I’ve made a conscience decision to stay off the roller coaster ride. I’ve been sharing with you my Confessions of a Runner stories in hopes that I will speak to your heart and you’d join my on my journey of being the healthiest us we can be. I started up my running again this past August, a whole two years after I had made my first attempt. Well really that was my second attempt, as I ran track in high school. OK, I ran one meet and that was the end of my track career. Three months later, I’m addicted. On Sunday I ran with the Marathon Runners during the ING Race in NYC. OK, I was on the treadmill at the gym watching the marathon on the TV screen. I’m technically not lying. LOL I’ve been pushing my body to do things I haven’t done in years. It feels good. I feel good. I’m getting my mojo back loves.

TIP: Slow & Stead wins the race!

See what had happened was . . . I’ve been talking my girls Leo and Shirley to go with me to the gym. So … I was meeting Shirley for Zumba and Leo for Pilates Mat. The classes were half an hour apart. I was going to rest in between the two classes. After Zumba I walked over to the studio to relax and stretch. I sat down with my mat and started thinking about my weigh-in this Saturday to see if #TeamArelis or #TeamDanny would win; loser will be paying for our anniversary dinner. I got up and decided, hey you should run a mile. I changed my mind by the time I walked over to the treadmill because I could already feel my legs had a good workout from Zumba. I walked at a 4.0 incline instead. I did half a mile before I realized Pilates was about to start. It’s been a while since I’ve taken Pilates and all I remember was that it was a great abs workout. I forgot how many other muscles are used, like your legs. We start with a few warm-up moves.  I’m feeling good. I’m excited. I’m at the gym. I’m working out. Go me! We do our first Pilates exercise. My legs lift off the mat and I wanted to scream out. My quadriceps muscles were so tight. I should have left right then and there. I didn’t though. I did the best I could. I walked out feeling like I had a person on each of my legs as I took each step. What was I thinking? 

Tip: Exercise. Rest. Repeat.

OK. The Pilates instructor probably wasn’t looking at me with an angry glare or thinking that I wasn’t doing my best. I knew I wasn’t doing my best because I was doing too much. Like everything in life, not just exercise, we need to remember to listen to our bodies. Exercise. Rest. Repeat.  If we’re doing too much our bodies will let us know. We might not be able to sleep. We might start becoming anti-social. We might start making unhealthy choices. Fast and furious… for a prolonged period of time will actual hurt us in the long run. Slow and steady wins the race. Let’s focus on being the healthiest us we can be!

Penny for your thoughts:

Do you listen to your body? Do you stop when you know you’re pushing yourself too much?

Until then,

PS. Daniel wants you to know we’re both winners.