Running and Weight Loss Experiment, Week One

I've decided to try an experiment.  I have body image issues, like most women.  I have come along way in the weight loss department.  If you don't believe me, I'll show you.  This is a picture of me at my heaviest.  198 pounds.  Almost 200 pounds.  Pre-diabetic belly and all...

Looking back, this picture disgusts me.  I don't like anything about the person in that picture.  It is a painful reminder of how fat, depressed, negative and physically and mentally unhealthy I was. When I brought my son home from the hospital, things changed. I decided to forgive myself for every bad decision I ever made.  I decided I would make a fresh start and be happy.  After all, those fertility treatments and dark nights screaming for a baby, any baby, were definitely behind me.  If you are experiencing infertility, you know what I mean.  With every friend's or family member's pregnancy comes overwhelming anger and sadness.  But that is not the point of this post.

I started running in September 2010 and instantly fell in love.  I had many obstacles to overcome.  One being the damage I did to my lungs from smoking.  Secondly, I had to learn how to eat like a healthy person and give up my nightly bottle of wine.  Yes, I said bottle.  Remember how I just told you I was sad, angry and depressed?  I was self medicating.

I have been running now for a solid 19 months now.  A half marathon is just a few weeks away.  I will be scheduling a full marathon and two 50k's in the next 8 months.  This is all training for my Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim run that I hope to cross of my Bucket List in 2013.  I started thinking, how much weight would I shed if I stuck to this partly Vegan diet and all these weekly miles?

Well, let's find out together.  I already put that fat picture out there, so these two won't hurt as much.  This is Week One.  Today (April 15th, 2012).  A full frontal and a side view of yours truly.  I'll try and keep up this series on Sunday.  I have no idea what I weigh in pounds.  I do not own a scale.  My cycling instructor and sometimes run trainer Julie, told me to "throw that scale out the window".  Which is exactly what I did.  Well, I put it in the trash anyways.  I pay attention to the way my body feels, how my clothes fit and that is exactly what every other woman should do.  It doesn't hurt to measure your inches either, but I am lazy and that means more work.  So getting to the pictures:

Let's just see what all this hardcore run training will do to this 35 year old body, shall we?  I'll keep you updated weekly, so please check back.  For the record, only a few, very few, people read this blog so it was easy to post embarrassing pictures of myself.  Unless you share it, then I'm embarrassed.

Happy Running!

Mallorie


Edited to Add:

Just a little fun I had....

Turning 35!

I look forward to my birthdays.  Not for reasons you might think.  It isn't what gift I can buy myself with the gift cards I'll get.  I look forward to my birthdays every year so I can reflect on what I've learned, my experiences, my relationships with others and my walk with God.  I like to take some good quality quiet time in the morning on my birthday and really think about the things I could have done differently and the goals I would like to set for myself, personally.

This year alone, I have met some really incredible and inspiring people.  You can read about a couple of them here.  Others include women in my community who inspired me to start a non profit.  You can read more about that here.  I stuck to my New Year's resolution of casting a wider net and forging lasting relationships with meaningful people.  I could not be more excited about the friends I've made in 2012. 

I found a church that is satisfying my spiritual needs in so many ways.  It has been a struggle for me for two reasons.  I have always felt totally disconnected from my home church, which I was a member of until my early twenties.  I couldn't give you any specific reason.  I just never felt a fulfilling relationship with anyone there, not even God.  It is a great church, but it just didn't satisfy me.  Secondly, since my Grandma Edna passed, it was just too hard to attend any church.  If there was one thing I could put my finger on that made her so special to me, its this: she spent my entire life worrying and fussing over my salvation.  It was special to me that she loved me so much.  Most of my memories of her are in the backyard at her home, or in the church.  Any time I would listen to a choir sing, go to Sunday school, or here any sermon, my heart would just hurt so badly, because I missed her so much.  Oh, I still tear up at church, especially at Easter, because it was her favorite.  But it is getting easier.  And the congregation at my new church would just come over and hug me if they saw me crying.  Which is AWESOME!  Most importantly, I feel closer to God than any other time in my life.  I actually want to glorify him.  I want to spread His amazing love to everyone.  I want to serve Him in any capacity.  I want to lead my life with Christ in it, and I want my son to have me as an example of faith, like I did with my Grandmother.

However, within this last year, there have been some mistakes.  I've snuck in a few bad habits I successfully gave up in the past.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, I smoked a few cigarettes.  My husband totally busted me, which was exactly what I needed.  If you truly know me, you KNOW I hate to disappoint people.  Especially those I love and care about.  I am working hard again to overcome that habit, and I am headed for success.

I want to stay committed to a healthy lifestyle and stay active.  I want to continue my walk in complete faith in Jesus Christ.  I want to continue to serve my community in any way I am able.  I have set some goals for my 36th year and they include (but are not limited to) registering for and running more races: 1/2 marathon, marathon and the Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim run.  I've started my non profit and will diligently work to get a charitable status through the government.  I am joining more than one group at my church to also serve.  I am also committing myself to instill in my son a want to serve his community humbly, when he is old enough.  And to serve his God.

Hope you all are having a happy Spring!  And a belated Happy Easter to you all!

Happy Running!

Mallorie

Half Training

I'm training for my first half marathon this year.  Yesterday, and for the first time ever I ran 8 miles.  It was a HUGE accomplishment for me.  As some of you know, three years ago I was almost 200 pounds, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day and downing about a bottle of wine EVERY night.  I haven't given up my wine, but I drink a bottle over the course of a week now.

Back to the training, that is what this post is about.  I am using a simple beginner run from www.marathonrookie.com  I thought it was a little advanced for me, but so far Ive been crushing the goals.  And the distances.  And my knees.

But no pain, no gain.  And my second favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Believe me, I repeated that verse several times on that first long run.  Long runs take place every Sunday for me.  I don't think that is coincidence.  Next week is my 10 mile run, then it goes to 12 miles.  I am looking forward to proving to myself I can do it.  Because I know I can.

In the words of the late Navy Seal Jon Tumilson, also a marathoner, "Go Crush It."  And make sure you check out his page at www.3minutesout.org



Happy Running!

Mallorie