This post is going to be incredibly difficult to write. Friends, family and first time readers... we would truly appreciate your support, love and prayers for us as we take this step to change our lives [please read to the end. There are also pictures].
Let's start at the beginning: I have always been bigger. I've never had a ton of friends and people have never treated me with kindness or the respect a great-looking person usually gets. I was one of the tallest and biggest girls in elementary school... Throughout my school years I was very active. I played soccer throughout elementary and middle school. I started to play volleyball and participate in track in middle school and became part of the varsity teams in high school. Despite being active, participating in weight-lifting and various work outs, etc. I never reached my target weight. I was in the best shape of my life the summer of 2008 [the summer I met my husband]. During the summer of 2008, I was a camp counselor, a lifeguard and out in the sun all summer.
This part is the hardest to share. However, I know if we don't share it...no one will ever know and therefore the support and help is not there.
Let's start at the beginning: I have always been bigger. I've never had a ton of friends and people have never treated me with kindness or the respect a great-looking person usually gets. I was one of the tallest and biggest girls in elementary school... Throughout my school years I was very active. I played soccer throughout elementary and middle school. I started to play volleyball and participate in track in middle school and became part of the varsity teams in high school. Despite being active, participating in weight-lifting and various work outs, etc. I never reached my target weight. I was in the best shape of my life the summer of 2008 [the summer I met my husband]. During the summer of 2008, I was a camp counselor, a lifeguard and out in the sun all summer.
This part is the hardest to share. However, I know if we don't share it...no one will ever know and therefore the support and help is not there.
Here it goes...Somewhere in between the summer of 2008 and this moment... something went terribly wrong... I gained 100lbs! Apart from being highly disgusted and disappointed, I don't feel comfortable in anything I wear. I know that any one who has struggled with weight knows what I'm talking about.
My husband is pretty much in the same boat... he used to play baseball and spent a good portion of his day working outside. I'm quite certain he would agree that he was in the best shape of his life in 2008, as well. We moved into an apartment in the city when we got married and there is no yard work for him to do.
On our wedding day, in 2011, we were in pretty good shape. My dress fit like a glove and his tux made him look like James Bond. We're about 4 months away from our one year anniversary and now these memorable outfits do not fit...
Do not misinterpret what I'm saying here, please. Our marriage is an extremely happy one! We love each other, we are intimate [as newly weds should be], and we could not be happier.
We are just not satisfied with our physical bodies...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
So we have decided to take action!
We are not going stay sad or depressed... we are not going to eat our troubles...We are going to take control of our own health.
We are making some fairly important changes, starting with our exercise habits. Our options right now are: P90X, Planet Fitness, Zumba, Just Dance Workout and running outside. We haven't decided on a certain schedule, but starting on Monday we're making that change.
The other change that needs to happen is our food. We've never eaten completely terrible food; we love our fruits and vegetables. Our changes will primarily be with how we grocery shop. We'll be focusing on more fresh foods and less processed items.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
So, yesterday we decided to have a "last meal". We ate something that will no longer be a regularity in our lives. We ordered a BBQ chicken pizza, bread sticks, and some pop. Starting tomorrow... everything will be different.
Here is our past couple days in pictures! Be sure to check out the last one... it's a shocker!
 |
| Our "Last Meal"... We're huge Cottage Inn Pizza fans, so it was perfect ending meal. |
 |
| Followed with a bit of ice cream. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 |
| Eating fresh: avocado, garlic and onions. Who knows what I'm making? |
 |
| Some peppers, cucumbers and snow peas. |
 |
| Organic juice smoothies, grapes and apples. |
 |
| Feta cheese and yogurt/artichoke dip. |
 |
| And my favorite, tomatoes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, here we are starting out on this journey. We'll try to post weekly updates and pictures of our progress. Here are our starting stats: Mr. EZ: 6'3", 255lbs Mrs. EZ: 5'11", 295lbs |
 |
| Here is where we are starting at... We're in rough shape. Thank you for your support! It really means the world to us. |
9 comments:
I love you both and am so proud of you two. I will be here to support you guys! I am doing the same thing for the wedding so I can relate. Keep up the awesome attitude!
~megs
Love you two kids, Just to let you know I'm on the same field with you two also. I've been going to TOPS and it not easy changing those bad habit but I'm slowly wining the battle.Love Gramms
Proud of you two!!!! I'll be keeping in touch, with how you kids are doing.
First off I want to tell you that I love you both just the way you are. I also understand your desire to become healthier and more fit. You both have all the love and support I can give you. I know you can reach your goals and will become so much closer while you are working towards them. Who knows, you may become an inspiration to several of us! Love ya bunches, Mom
I love you and am incredibly proud of you both. It's gonna be hard but I'm here for you. as hard as it's gonna be it will be worth it, but please never forget that you are gorgeous regardless of size. That's enough sappy crap, you can do this! Kick unhealthy in the a$$! Love you ~ Kibbie :-)
First off Zumba is super fun! Although you have to be pretty shameless if you do it in public. lol. If you have a video or something though DO IT UP!
Second, a suggestion from someone also doing the same - write down a plan. Give yourself some framework to hold yourselves accountable. A little flexibility is good, but a schedule really really helps me stay focused.
Third, eat something after you work out. A serving of fruits or veggies is best. In my experience, if you don't and wait too long between working out and eating, you'll be super starving and want to eat everything in sight. Plus, fruits and veggies are good for replenishing what your body loses during the exercise.
Bethany--you are so awesome--I miss you!
I am praying for GREAT success for the two of you. My suggestion is to start slow, maybe adding on one very small, new change every few days or week. It's so much easier to make it a part of a long-term routine if you do it that way :) I'd love to see you both sometime--if you're ever in GR let me know!! Hugs!
Katie Jewell
This is great, i'm excited for both of you! If you have smart phones or ipods (i have an iTouch 4th gen), there are free apps i've been using from the "Health & Fitness" category that are really helpful. It looks like you had a good start with shopping. For groceries, i use 2 apps: ShopWell and Food On The Table. These recommend what you should be eating based on your physical level, and you can even find recipes.
For exercise, arms are generally the easiest part of the body to work out. Just lift any weight (for low weight, do lots of repetitions; for high weight, do few reps), or just doing pushups -- and modified pushups. I find the the core and the legs are the hardest to work out and tone up. There's an app called Ab Workout that shows many different ways to work your core. Trying to do these workouts will burn lots of fat.
There is also an app called Leg Workouts that is really helpful for burning fat and building muscle. It offers a wide variety of exercises that goes beyond what i'm able to do at the gym. All the apps i've suggested are free.
Just remember, it will get easier & more natural over time. It sounds like your overall goal is weight loss and better health in general. Set up small goals to help you reach your main goal, and try not to back down the goals you've set for yourself (unless of course they just aren't going to help you reach your main goal).
You *must* be willing to cut out sugar from your diet. I saw a dramatic change in one of my friends who had always been overweight, when she cut out sugar and exercised regularly. She looks great today, and has still committed to no sugar.
~Jacob C.
Bethany, I came across this post, and I just wanted to say YOU GO GIRL! You are BEAUTIFUL inside and out, and I'm excited about your journey! I'll be praying and thinking of you along the way! -- Jennifer Shafer :) (your old Select Choir buddy)
Post a Comment