basically.
I recently went for some routine blood work (routine! ha! It was the first time I had blood drawn in 18 years and it was an ordeal. You can ask Joel for more details...) and while everything came back normal, my doctor reported that I had slightly elevated levels of bad cholesterol. Exsqueeze me? Bad cholesterol? "Isn't that what older people experience..." I naively thought. Does this mean I'm an older person?!
It was a surprising result as I usually pride myself on being "healthy". I started to get interested in running as a hobby when I was a junior in college. I lived right by the beach and I would run right along the coast. I eventually had to move from that oasis, but I kept up my running habit, slogging miles almost daily. I also was an active member of the gym, taking spin and kickboxing classes. When Joel and I moved in together, I kept up the healthy habits. I signed up for Bikram yoga and half-marathons. I was on a health roll.
Then last year I started a strenuous job search process that took a lot out of me. I would go to work for 9 hours, come home and immediately work on cover letters and lesson plans. My free time was consumed with job hunting. When I landed my dream job, all the hard work I was putting into the hunt was channeled into my work. I love my job and I want to do my best which often means 9.5 - 10 hour days on campus, plus more work when I get home. Working out just isn't on the agenda. While I love to cook for Joel and myself, we tend to love the comfort foods: lots of cheese, pasta, creamy soups and well... more cheese and pasta. Oh, and tacos. And dessert. And wine.
I want to look AND feel my best every day, including my wedding day. Being active and eating healthy make me feel better mentally, plus there's the added bonus of looking fly as well. I know that I can still commit 1000% to my job while making more time for myself. It's going to take some planning and commitment to follow through, but that's an important habit to develop.
The best way to get back in shape? Make a plan and post it on the internet to keep yourself accountable! Here's my current plan:
Workouts:
- Sunday long runs: I have a half-marathon in April I'd like to not collapse at...
- 2 other run days: 1 day of sprints and 1 day of a casual jog of at least 3 miles
- 1 day of Body Attack at the gym (which means only putting in an 8 hour day at work)
- 1 day of Saturday boot camp OR 1 day of Bikram yoga
Eating:
- Oatmeal for breakfast! The commercials tell me it's supposed to lower your cholesterol, and I listen to my TV.
- A salad or juice a day to up the veggie intake
- No carbs at dinner and fruit for dessert only
- Wine only on the weekends... we'll see how that one goes
Seems like a pretty reasonable plan...just kidding, this is going to take a while to get used to! But with a dress hunt outing approaching and our engagement shoot in April, I want to feel a little better about myself and just working out more often will at least trigger some happier feelings in my brain, tricking myself into thinking I look better! Let's check in in 6 months and see how it's going. Hopefully I'll have some positive results to report.
Are you 'getting in shape for the big day'? Or are you happy with what your mama gave you, no need to add additional stress into wedding planning?
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