My journey.

Inspired by all the posts I've been reading about those bloggers out there who are on their own journeys to a healthy body, I thought I'd share my own journey.

From about age 10 on, I was a chubby kid, as proven in my recently shared photo from 1990 here.  In high school, I thinned out a bit but was never really thin, just average.  Here's me circa 1996.  Pretty sure Sonic Youth would've revoked my fan club membership for this photo. So uncool, Alicia.

I had been on the tennis team in high school but was not really very athletic.  It was fun but mostly just a social outlet for me.  I really knew nothing about exercise until I went to college. Once in college, I joined a gym and quickly became a gym rat and started shaping up.  This was great but I became too obsessed and quickly developed an unhealthy relationship with food.  I just didn't get it.  I was starving myself and ended up in the hospital twice because of what the diet pills I was taking did to my heart.  Crazy. Again, so uncool, Alicia.  Here's a pic of me at, oh, about 21.  (Barbara Streisand and I were just kickin' it at the wax museum in Vegas.)  Probably about 125 lbs. Totally appropriate weight but killing myself to stay there.  I didn't know how or what to eat and I was spending sometimes 5 hours at the gym a day.  Did I mention that I worked at Gold's Gym back then, too.  That gym was my whole life in those days.

I soon met my sweet husband and we were married about a year later.  I felt healthy and happy but I still hadn't gotten a grasp on appropriate nutrition. About 140 here on our wedding day (Aug. 2000.)

Right after we were married I started gaining weight.  I got a full-time job, stopped exercising and soon (within 2 months of our wedding) had my drug-addicted baby sister living with us as we tried getting her help.  I was super stressed and I ATE! Within a few months, I had gained about 15 lbs and was at about 155 lbs.  Here I am at about 155.  Firstborn was 2 here. He's now almost 8.  So, about 6 years ago.  I stayed at this weight (minus when I was pregnant) for about the first 5 years of our marriage.  I wanted to lose weight and tried several times unsuccessfully.  I just seemed to always end up back at 155.

After Little Red was born (in Aug. 2005), I was hoping that some of the weight I had gained while pregnant would just melt off but 3-4 months after he was born, I still weighed 180 lbs.  Way too much for my 5'5" frame.  I remember the day this picture (with my Mom) was taken. You wouldn't guess it but I had a girdle on under that sweater, trying to suck it all in.  I felt so defeated.

 

I was SO unhappy. I was taking care of a newborn, suffering from postpartum depression and my oldest had just been diagnosed with autism, which brought along a whole new set of struggles. My life felt really out of control.  And I was in a downward spiral. I had seen the doctor and he had given me a prescription for an anti-depressant.  I wasn't sure about getting it filled so I talked to Thai Guy about it.  He suggested that I exhaust all my other options before deciding to rely on a pill to make me happy.   I have to admit, I was disappointed at first.  I was looking for a quick fix but he was looking out for my best interest.  I'm so thankful that he gave me that gentle push I needed to take control of my life again.  I read Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Solution and began making small, healthy changes in my eating habits. We then bought a treadmill and I began run/walking while my baby napped everyday.  Within 6 months, I lost 50 lbs and had run my first 5k. I was finally feeling like myself again.  I was smaller than the day we got married! And that felt good! I began making time for me everyday and I was becoming the mommy and wife that I wanted to be.  It was like a revelation!  That was 4 years ago and I have been able to keep my weight between 127-135 lbs since.  Right now, I'm at 132.  This pic is from my half-marathon finish in Sept. (Also, 132 here.)

 

I always have a goal to eat better or tone up or lose a little here or there.  My journey is not over. It continues everyday and I just feel so blessed that I've had the strength to make it to where I am now.  I would have never believed it if you had told 25 year old Alicia that I would be a marathoner at 32.  I'm so thankful for my body and that I have an opportunity to treat it the way it deserves to be treated.  I am healthy and strong and couldn't be happier with the direction I've chosen for my life. Life is good!

 

Thank you, Tricia!

I can't believe I won! Tricia from Endurance Isn't Only Physical has named me winner of this awesome Nathan hydration belt and I couldn't be more stoked about it. 

If you haven't been over to Tricia's blog (who hasn't?), you definitely should!  She is an amazing mom who has lost 122 pounds (!) and continues to support her new healthier lifestyle by eating well and running.  She has a contagious positive attitude and seems to never let anything get the best of her.  What a great example to me of perseverance and optimism.  Thanks Tricia- for the belt and your shining example!

I leave you with a pic of my view of my 4 yr old from the treadmill this morning.  He has a habit of getting in my bed in the middle of the night.  (I have to admit, I kind of love it.)  But I still had to run first thing so I hopped on the treadmill thinking he'd wake up pretty quickly.  My treadmill is not quiet. In fact, lately, it's been quite loud.  (In desperate need of a tune-up, I think.)  Imagine my surprise when he slept through the first 5 miles!  Somebody was tired! 

Oh, and by the way, that is my Hello Kitty pillow. And, yes,  I am a child trapped in a woman's body. What can I say?

I should really be in bed right now...

...but it's been almost a whole week since I've posted anything on here.  Since I always love reading lists in others blogs, here's a top five of my past week.

1. Back from "vacation" and feverishly planning the next, which is Disneyland at the end of February/beginning of March, with a stop in Vegas on the way back for the Red Rock Canyon Half.
2. Finally getting around to really planning out my race schedule for the next few months. You can see it in my sidebar.  Four half-marathons and the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay over the next 5 months.  Probably some 5 and 10k races sprinkled in there for good measure (and PRs, hopefully.) I'm also planning on volunteering at the Lake Chase Relay in May just for fun. I've never actually volunteered at a race and it's definitely time for me to give back a little. I'm looking forward to it. :)
3. Had my yearly physical today.  I'm in good shape overall but will be anxiously awaiting my cholesterol test results.  I had my first high cholesterol reading when I was just 11!  And ever since, it has bordered on high unless I'm paying extra careful attention to my food choices.  I haven't been great lately but let's just hope I've been good enough. *crossing fingers*
4. Thai Guy has been feverishly training for his first amateur MMA fight.  That means he's been hitting the gym twice a day most days and leaving me with little options when it comes to my runs.  I've been squeezing them in but usually on the dying treadmill, while my 4 yr old hangs out in my room watching cartoons.  I really need to get outside again, like, soon.
5. I've run 74.9 miles since Jan. 1st (and that's with a whole week off post-marathon!)  I'm well on my way to 1000+ miles for 2010!

Can't wait to see what everyone else has been up to in the last week but first- I must sleep! Until tomorrow!