S.I.T - Superhero in Training

[Batgirl13]

Hi All, 

 

I'm a 36 year old mild mannered mother of one gorgeous 11 month old girl.  I work in an office in the Midwest.  In my teens I was very into softball and basketball.  I was in great shape but was always one of the largest girls on the team.   I got used to being the big one among my friends.  I wasn't even that big, just sturdy.  Back then I ate horribly.  Mom hated veggies, so we'd have corn and potatoes with every meal.  And soda - so much orange soda.  In my mid twenties, I avoided pictures, scales, mirrors, etc. until one night I was laying in bed and couldn't get comfortable because my pajama pants were too tight.  I made a change right then and there.  I then weighed myself.  240 lbs.  I started running on a treadmill and dropped 30 lbs.  The good news is I stayed there until about 8 years later and I started running again.  I lost another 20 lbs.  Completed a quarter marathon, felt like a badass, and then just hovered.  I'd gain and lose the same 5 lbs.  I stopped running because it was hard and there were some emotional issues that came up between me and my husband and I just quit.  6 months later, I was pregnant.  

So, if you are taking notes -50lbs in 10 years.  The first 3 months of pregnancy, I gained 20-30lbs.  I would eat pop tarts and pasta and ALL THE CARBS.  They were the only thing keeping me from feeling sick all the time.  After gaining 30 lbs, the real weight started coming on from the actual growing child inside of me and more of the carbs.  It was ridiculous.  I ate everything.  And my body was thrilled about it.  Then came the orange soda.  I lost my mom in my early 20s and the soda comforted me during pregnancy.  Each one was like a hug from my mom.  (Disordered thinking, no?) By the time Aria was born, I was up to 261 lbs.   So, baby is born and the magic of breastfeeding is going to kick in.  MAGIC!  Yeah, not for everyone.  Seems that my body likes weight, doesn't want to let go of it and when I weaned Aria I was at 240 lbs.  I hate it.  I hate being this big.  It's hard for me to move and to chase my kiddo.  Mostly, it's amazingly sad to think about Aria seeing me as fat and unable to do things.  I want her to think I can do anything and that she can do anything as well.  I want to be a superhero and I want to be an inspiration.  Plus, a batgirl costume might inspire Aria's dad to give her a sibling. 

I started on the keto diet in Sept. It naturally evolved to more of a paleo diet.  I'm down 14 lbs and I feel great.  This week I joined a gym and have gone to 2 body pump classes and a kickboxing class. A coworker today asked me what kind of soap I switched to because I look so great - just shiny and happy. I will eventually switch to free weights, because I love the idea of heavy lifting.  Right now, for me, I think the classes are what I need.  They get me into a routine and get me moving.  So, the story arc I see for myself is below:

 

The Big Bad (My main goal, what it's all about) Lose weight, gain strength. 

Mini Goals

Go to the gym.  Do it. No excuses.  Get out of bed and go.  

Don't run away from cameras.  I'm not only taking selfies for comparison.  I want this documented.  For the first time in my life I will eagerly jump in front of a camera. You can't have a truly kickass montage without seeing the change. 

Learn to save money.  How am I 36 years old and I haven't figured this out?

Character Development

Be kind to myself.  I'm harsh. I say things to myself that I would not say to anyone else.  I'm proud of what I am doing and where I am going. 

Be brave.  It's scary for me to meet new people.  It's scary for me to try new things.  It's scary for me to ask for help.  A superhero has to be brave above all else. 

Flex my "NO" muscle.  No Batgirl, you don't need that cupcake right now.  You can survive without it. 

 

TL;DR - Need to lose some weight and gain some strength.  Focus on my little tasks; keep the big goal in mind.

[Raxie]

I love your goals!  Especially the character development ones.

 

The camera one rings true for me... I tend to refuse to take pictures but you're right... setting out on a journey should be documented.  How much more satisfying will it be to be able to look back and see how far we've come?

 

Good luck with everything, and I hope to see you join the next challenge!

[elril]

Good job setting goals, I always fail to quantify my goals sufficiently.

[Damaramu]

Sounds like you have the right attitude! Getting started is the hardest step in my opinion and it sounds like you got that done.