#MLtransformation

[measuringlife]

Measuring Me: Weighty Issues

Weight is such an interesting thing. As someone who weighed upwards of 225 pounds at one point in my life, there was something so magical about reaching a healthy BMI. I remember in like 7th grade stepping on a scale in a store and it read 175, I had no idea what that meant. Well aside from always getting a lecture at the pediatrician about my weight, cholesterol, other blood work. AKA more things that I had no real idea about. It wasn’t until my 2010 weight loss journey at age 26 that I started to learn.

For so long I fantasized about reaching 169 pounds, that was 24.9 on the BMI scale which was the very top of the healthy range. I got as close as 174 back in 2010 and 2012. My body seemed to really like being 190 for years. Which I accepted, somehow finding “comfort” that “at least it was 200 pounds.

Last summer I finally saw the 170s after 6 months of being back on Weight Watchers and a solid fitness routine. Earlier this year I saw the 160s for the first time ever. I hit my goal of 169 prior to my March 31 “deadline.” It’s funny how the numbers really don’t tell the whole story. I thought I’d look like a different person at 169 pounds, but I don’t I’m still me albeit leaner. Seeing 169 didn’t flip a switch it’s been all the habit changes that have changed me. I carry myself differently, I dress a little differently, I’m more toned, I find other things to occupy myself besides food. Although I hit this goal weight, it’s not my goal body yet. I’m not quite sure what that body will look like, but I know how hard I’m working and how strong I am and how much stronger I am capable of getting.

At 5’9.5 inches tall the internet tells me the low 150s is an ideal weight for me. So I’ve sort of settled on a new target weight - which I like better than goal weight, but a target can be changed. My new target weight is 154 pounds. This would mean I would have lost exactly 50 pounds since first joining Weight Watchers in February 2017 and 42.5 pounds since I fully committed to this journey on December 28, 2017. Overall that will have me a 68.8 pounds lost since I started Measuring Life in January 2010. 70 pounds lost feels INSANE, like unimaginable, but as of today I’m 166.6 pounds which means I’m down 56 pounds overall!

I often think about meeting my friend KO back in fall 2010 early into my journey and running career. I was introduced to this tall thin blonde woman who I was told is also a runner - in fact, she was training for a marathon at the time. I remember thinking oh great I have to share running stats with this skinny lean chick who could run circles around me. I later learned KO had lost 100 pounds years before I met her. Looking back I hated myself for judging her, but I smile at thinking well that’s gotta be an NSV right there - someone envying your body and ability at first glance.

I look forward to the people in my life “who couldn’t imagine me at 200+ pounds,” but I also greatly appreciate the support I’ve received along the way on this journey. Once I hit whatever weight, the real test will be maintaining it. Very curious about that leg of things, however I know I’ve learned so much about nutrition and fitness over the years. I have lost this weight (and gained it back sometimes to lost it again) slowly over time, so I feel more confident about keeping it off forever.

[thefakerachelray]

“Xuppu, showtime!”

Miraculous + Transformation sequences 6/?

[measuringlife]

Throwback Thursday aka a belated 10 year challenge: Feb 2009 ➡️ Feb 2019! . The picture on the left is 10 months before I started my health and fitness journey in a committed way through my Measuring Life blog. I would guess I was around 225-220, so it’s a ~50 pound difference between these two pictures.

[measuringlife]

I love these pants, but these Old Navy XLs are getting stupid big on me 😭🙌😭🙌

[measuringlife]

Okay this isn’t 100% true, but let’s talks boobs for a minute. . I think regardless of my weight I’m genetically predisposed to bigger boobs, but that coupled with the rate in which they grew left me with me stretched out skin, even in my teens and 20s. I was never without a bra except to sleep. I HATED how saggy my boobs were. . I thought about getting a breast lift numerous times, but considering how many people I have lost to surgery complications, I am not going to have elective surgery. . I always knew there were exercise that could help perk up my boobs, but never fully explored them. Well apparently the chest exercises in BodyPump do the trick! I took off my bra yesterday after the gym and I was like HELLO perky boobs. Post sports bra boobs are ALWAYS my best boobs, but even this morning after being bra-less they looked good. . Talk about a NSV!!

[measuringlife]

A little #transformationtuesday after being inspired from @kodessa_does_ww today! . November 2016 ➡️ January 2019

[measuringlife]

Sunday secret time! These shorts sent me to the emergency room. Let me explain. . In grad school I spent summer 2006 interning and needed to wear a uniform including these shorts which my employer was going to order for us from J. Crew. I never wore J. Crew before this and I didn’t have a chance to try a pair in stores before telling them my size to order. . At the time I was in a size 16, I would have probably ordered an 18 to be safe, but 16 was as high as they went so I ordered them. My internship was in Alabama, land of fried foods and sweet drinks which I indulged in for the 10 weeks I was interning. Around week 8 I noticed a large red bump with red around it under my belly fold and it was an angry red bump. . Being far from home I went with a friend to the emergency room out of an abundance of caution. The doctor and I eventually determined the bump was a result of my belt which was getting too tight and was pitching my skin via the belt loops of these shorts. I was mortified to realize this was what happened. I was exempt from wearing a belt the last 2 weeks. . Turns out I ended up getting a full time job where I interned two years later. Thankfully soon after I started my weight loss journey and got to wear size 14 and then 12 from J. Crew. . As I was going through clothes to sell/donate I came across these size 16s and thought I bet I could fit an arm in with me. I was shocked when I realized I could squeeze both arms in with me now. I definitely remember being squeezed into these shorts back then too. My weight loss journey has been full of ups and downs, but I’m so encouraged about where I am and I’m ready to donate the clothes that no longer fit, I don’t need to keep them around “just in case.” I’m determined to not ever go back! .

[measuringlife]

I got engaged two years ago tonight! I remember trying on rings by myself to check out styles and figure out my ring size like a year before we got engaged. At the time my finger was 7 3/4 but I was worried about it being too tight so I dropped hints about getting a size 8. I got a size 8 (3 weeks into my @ww journey) right away it was loose. Finally last June I got it resized to a 6.5 and it’s loose again. I’m going to wait until I lose a little more weight before hopefully getting it resized for the last time. It can easily spin all the way around my finger so I’m thinking I may get down to a 5.5 which is crazy for me - I’ve always worn shoes and pants that are double digits, so anything about me being a size 5 sounds absurdly tiny.

[measuringlife]

Is #sidebysideSaturday a thing!?! (Yes according to searching tags). . Pulled this shirt out that I haven’t worn for a few weeks. I remember even a year ago relying on this shirt to workout in because it wasn’t as tight on me as most of my other workout clothes. . Finish line of the Dublin Marathon in Oct 2015 (~190 lbs) ➡️ Feb 2019 (170.6 lbs).

[measuringlife]

I’m officially tied for my lowest @ww weigh in thus far - which was back in late July that came as an unexpected 5.4 loss in one week that must have been a fluke! . Last week I had my period which ALWAYS results in a ~2 pound gain. Glad to see this week I’m down that gain and then some. I’m earning every ounce of this loss and looking forward to some new weight loss territory for the first time ever!

[measuringlife]

Measuring Monday: Facing Fear

If you have a Hulu subscription and 98 minutes, I can’t recommend watching “Free Solo,” enough. It’s the Oscar-winning documentary about free solo (rocking climbing without ropes) climber Alex Honnold. I was vaguely familiar with this story, but watching his meticulous planning and approach to climbing El Cap was so inspiring. He was systematic, focused, had a support network/tribe, and wasn’t afraid. A key message throughout the doc was “do it until it’s not scary anymore.” I also loved the comparison a fellow climber made about the discipline, training, focus, and skills to free solo El Cap - imagine a gold medal worthy Olympic performance and how Alex’s option was to win the gold or die.

I came across a great Forbes article from earlier this month titled, “The Seven Lessons From “Free Solo” on Working Without a Rope”, the 7 lessons were:

The accomplishment is more preparation than performance

Know the terrain

Control the risks you can: anticipate the risks you can’t

Turn around when it’s not right

Seek mastery, not luck

Practice creates confidence

There are no “hacks”

I learned lesson 1 through marathon training. I ran a near perfect (to me) marathon in 5:04, after a serious training cycle. My second marathon I under-prepared and I willed myself to the finish dragging my sister along in 5: 28, but my third marathon I trained hard. However I knew it was going to be a tough race due to injury and 15 extra pounds of weight I was carrying since my last marathons, I finished in 5:45. As much as you focus on 26.2 miles it’s important to remember and celebrate the hundreds of miles you ran getting you to that start line. This notion holds true is all types of situations.

Know the terrain is an interesting one. Over the last year since I initially began to seriously toy with a career change/life transition, I knew I needed to really explore as much as I could before making any decisions. I started writing more, worked with a life coach, get certified in BODYPUMP, work as a fitness instructor, teach an Urban Hiking class, study my weight watchers leaders/meetings, absorb as much inspirational and aspirational health/wellness/fitness content in all forms as possible. If I am going to leap I want to know where I’m headed as well as I can.

I love lesson 3, I say it all the time - especially at my day job. I am a broken record of saying “control the control-ables” and “do your future self a favor.” I’ve come to realize how my strategic thinking skills are kinda like a superpower. I thought everyone had them, but I can just see the domino effect or the decision trees so clearly with most things. What can I avoid and what can I anticipate. Part of my anticipation skills at work has been to log and collect data that I know will be useful in the future or create documents are well labeled and put in folders where I can find them later so I can retool and send out when they are needed in a moment’s notice. I also write meeting agendas and send them 24 hours before the meeting because who knows what the next day will look like and I’d rather get it done. Any spare time I have each day at work I use 50% of it to chill for a moment and 50% of it to start tackling future projects or items that will likely be useful in the future.

Turn around when it’s not right, this is a lesson that has bitten me in the ass multiple times. Too often my ego or stubborn nature get in the way of my bailing on something or someone. I’m working on this daily. I think part of this life/career shift is to turn around from this life of a 9-5 in the same field for my whole career. My creativity is stifled and the more I head toward the light of change the more freedom I feel.

I can fully relate to practice create confidences to lesson 1 also, but faking it until you make it can only take you so far. Confidence comes from preparedness, learning, being mentored/supported, and building on smaller successes. I relied on bravado for a long time, but it’s nowhere near as powerful as confidence. When you KNOW something with every fiber of your being it’s a force to be reckoned with.

I didn’t skip lesson 5, but I tied in better with lesson 7. I’m not a lucky person, but I’ve always relied on mastery. I am getting something because of the blood, sweat, and tears I put into it. Which ties into the fact that there are no life hacks to excellence. What you put into it you will get out of it and hopefully even more. But even if it’s an exact return on investment I still think that’s worthy. Honnald said in a TED talk when asked about any hacks was “What is the thing that’s worth putting in the work for you? What is the thing that’s most important to you?” He went on to say, “Baked into that is an appreciation for the hard work and the level to which you’ve completely devoted yourself to the pursuit.” First, you need to examine yourself, your wants, your dreams, and aspirations. Then you go after it, no holds barred!

[measuringlife]

Monthly measurements! My arms and legs changed the most this month and I can really SEE IT. . Honestly in Body Pump I often think to myself whose legs are those on my body. Being 5’9.5” I’ve always seen my body, especially my legs, as big and tall, but I’m transforming into long and lean 🤗

[measuringlife]

I NEVER wear belts (re: the post about how wearing a belt sent me to the emergency room when I was ~220 pounds) . However today’s pants are too big, but I’m hoarding my favorite clothes for when I leave for CA this weekend. . I found a brown belt which was a miracle in and of itself. I needed to use the very last notch which is totally an NSV! .

[measuringlife]

Dec 31, 2017 ➡️ Dec 31, 2018

⬇️22.1 pounds!

I remember trying on last minute NYE dresses at Ross wanting something cheap and stretchy. I knew with some Spanx I’d feel okay going out in this dress and I already made the commitment to myself that 2018 was going to be able my health and well-being. Amazing to see how much inside and out has changed in just 365 days!

[measuringlife]

Feb 2017 ➡️ Feb 2019 . I remember how tight H&M shirt was across the chest when I bought it, but a few weeks into my @ww journey in 2017 I felt confident enough to wear it for the first time. . Fun fact I actually got engaged the night I took that picture in the left, but I was in sweaty gym clothes! More on that in a few weeks on our engagement anniversary.

[measuringlife]

Summer 2006 ➡️ Summer 2018 I was going to do a face to face Friday, but I couldn’t resist a whole side shot once I put these two next to one another. I’ll take age 35 over age 23 any day! I was so clueless when it came to nutrition, health, exercise, etc. I’ve made it a point to learn about these areas and also share what I’ve learned with others!