Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Lots To Celebrate!

Last night I posted a teaser promising to report on some new non-scale victories and I don’t want to keep anyone in suspense any longer. The first huge thing is that my mother-in-law commented on my weight loss! I love and respect my in-laws so much and not having them say anything was beginning to get a little disconcerting. I basically had solidified in my own mind that they were not remarking on the loss because they didn’t feel that it was appropriate to say anything, but last night she finally did! It was so nice to have that recognition!

Also, we were over at their place having a wonderful supper, and afterwards my mother-in-law asked me to set out a bunch of her Christmas baking for dessert (along with the sherbet or ice cream they normally serve us). She is a great baker and in the past I would have taken that request as permission to pile the platter high with every kind of the dozen or so treats she had available. This time I only put out a few pieces from about half of the options, noting ahead of time which two I wanted to sample. I stuck with it too! Last year I would have tried at least one of every single kind of bar, cookie, and square, but this was different. I am different!

After dinner I went to the mall to see what my options were for buying jeans at one of the big department stores. I looked for 16W’s, which they did not have, but went into the change room with 18’s and 16’s. I wasn’t exactly feeling overly hopeful about the 16’s as the 18’s I already own are still doing pretty well, but I figured trying them on would help me determine how much further I had to go until I fit them. Apparently not far at all, because the pants fit perfectly! I tried on three different pairs and zipped them all up with no problem, although one pair was a little bit tighter. I am a size 16!!! I ended up buying a pair of Levi’s; I never thought I would get into a name brand like that again! This was a huge deal!!! Plus, the added bonus is that my behind looks mighty fine in them… grin!

While I was there I also saw a beautiful sweater that I decided to try on. I opted to attempt to fit into a large, but it didn’t quite work… it was too big!!! I tried on a medium and it looked great! My husband made me try on a small, just to see how it fit and it actually did not look too bad, but I opted for the medium which I know was the right choice. I can not believe I now own a medium anything! Sometimes this can all be a bit overwhelming, but I am still loving it!

Finally, I got inspired when reading Sarah’s and Laura’s blogs last night. Both of these great women just broke through a personal barrier by jogging for an extended length of time, so I decided that it might be fun to try and join their ranks. I headed to the track with my husband – who came to walk and keep me company, not jog – and got going right away.

It is worth noting that since starting this journey I have never even jogged one time around this entire track, let alone attempted to circle it multiple times. I knew I was being ambitious, but I was also totally fine with not making it far. I figured the experience was more about putting forth the effort than about meeting a goal I came up with an hour before undertaking the task.

Anyhow, I started out going pretty slowly – I was definitely jogging, but I thought it would be best to do so at a lower speed to ensure that I was able to maintain my pace for longer. I did indeed make it around the entire track without feeling too tired, which was a huge accomplishment for me in and of itself, but I also knew that I was not even close to meeting my goal of twenty minutes of continuous jogging at that point. I kept going and as I passed my husband just after the second lap I tossed my oversized hoodie at him as I was getting too hot. (It actually amuses me to call that particular piece of clothing oversized since it is my husband’s and it used to barely stretch over my entire frame.) As I started on my fourth circle, I lapped him again and threw my fleece jacket at him too – apparently my heater works overtime in those types of conditions. Half way through lap five, probably at about the thirteen or fourteen minute mark, I knew I was going to reach my goal!

Then I suddenly realized that way back in highschool I used to jog around the same track for gym class once in a while during the ‘six-lap run’. I think I only completed the trek actually running a couple of times since I was usually too lazy or attitudinal and I normally just walked it. I have no idea how quickly I was able to do it in my teens when I actually tried, but to finish that sixth lap in eighteen minutes felt great to me yesterday. Sometimes a little nostalgia can be a good thing.

As I closed in on the end of the twenty minutes I suddenly realized that I was pretty confident I could squeeze out another lap to get close to the twenty-five minutes mark, so I blew past the starting line and kept on going. Then, as I was about to finish lap eight, I knew I could do one last one so I really pushed it. I was about to start slowing down as I closed in on twenty-seven minutes when I suddenly started yelling at myself inside my head that I could get to thirty minutes. Then I started envisioning all of the wonderful people in this blogging community standing at the end of the track, shouting encouragement. I practically shoved my poor, exhausted body past the line to begin one final lap and I forced out that last few moments needed to complete my circuit. I jogged ten laps, non-stop, in thirty minutes!!!

This was obviously a momentous NSV for me! I am so thankful that I have gotten my body to a point where it is able to pull out its reserves to get something like this done. I am still in a state of partial disbelief over the whole thing. The bonus, of course, is that my heel is doing great. I knew on Sunday that it was probably mostly healed, but gave it the extra day to ensure I wouldn’t have any setbacks. I am glad I did that, considering how hard I pushed myself last night.

Anyways, it was an amazing day yesterday and I am looking forward to continuing to add to my ever-growing pile of non-scale victories. I think it is so important to celebrate the little bits and pieces that are improved upon as this journey unfolds. I am feeling great and I can’t wait to get out there and conquer whatever is next!

24 comments:

  1. I am so happy for you - first for getting into the size 16 Levi's and MEDIUM sweater - woot!!! And then for running like you did - I want to stand up and applaud because you are amazing! What an accomplishment!!!

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  2. Your run inspires me :)

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  3. WOW! What amazing things are happening to you! Way to go on the jogging :-)

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  4. WOW, look at all the great things going on in your life! It's clear from your post that they all meant a great deal to you. These types of triumphs are way better than the number on the scale (in my opinion).
    Congratulations on reaching such amazing high points in your journey!

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  5. THUD! That was me falling out of my chair. THIS IS EXCITING STUFF!!! I am so happy to read all of these wonderful things. I am so happy and excited I can't even pick my favourite. I will try...okay, I figured it out. It is when you said "I am different!" Powerful stuff.

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  6. Wow running for 30 minutes on your first go out there. I am impressed beyond belief. Way to go!!!
    And congrats on everything else in your list... you certainly do have a lot to celebrate.

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  7. I see you a lot on Diane's blog, Fit to the Finish, and then Larkspur mentioned you had some great victories....and you sure did!

    You are doing a great job and you are very inspiring.

    Good job on the running. I am going to post tomorrow about making my first jog today also. I can totally relate to your disbelieving joy! :)

    Keep up the good work and have a great Christmas if I don't stop back by before then. :)

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  8. You look amazing. Way to go on those NSV...those are great ones!

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  9. I am not sure even where to start so I will just say CONGRATS on everything form the clothes to the food to the in-laws & to it all! You are so becoming YOU!

    And as I always say about the exercise, your body can do more than the mind thinks it can so glad you got past that & pushed yourself a bit more!!!! Yahoo on the heel too! How exciting on it all!

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  10. WOW! How awesome that your hubby is able to share in all of this with you! 30 minutes straight of jogging? I can't imagine!?!

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  11. Great job with the jogging. That's pretty impressive! Now keep it up! :-)

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  12. Good for you! Mother-in-law recognition is a BIG thing! I am proud of you for being so transparent. It gives me hope that I can be successful in my weight loss journey too! Still trying to get the guts to do the pic like you!

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  13. Is there no stopping this woman?
    No there isn't!! I am so happy for you, the jeans the sweater, your mum in law's comments, you resistance to delicious baking and then the jogging.. you are Awesome! I loved that you pictured in your mind all of you supporters at the finishing line:o)
    That was great.

    You have come along way in such a short time, I recall reading your blog when you first started. You were so tentative and even nervous about what you were starting. Now look at you:O) You are so confident in your believing, you know you are going to complete this quest for health and vitality. Do you know something? We are also very confident we will see you reaching you goal and surpassing it. You Go Girl!!!

    Big Hugs

    Sheilagh

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  14. SIZE 16!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WOOT!! WOOT!!!
    I am so proud of you and happy for you!! Keep it up girlfriend, I said it before, I'm waiting for you!! !Way to go on the running as well - isn't it an awesome feeling and amazing what your body can do!! I'm thrilled for you hon, keep on keeping on my friend!! Huge, huge hugzzzz!!!

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  15. Awesome awesome awesome!!! I have never been good at running, but maybe someday I will be! I know how good your shopping experience must have felt! Clothing shopping for me has almost always been an unpleasant experience. A few years ago, though, when I had lost a lot of weight, shopping was this whole new amazing and exciting experience! I remembered that vividly as I read your blog entry, and it made me so happy for you. I am looking forward to that for myself again! :)

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  16. Have your shoe size reduced since your weight reduction. My shoes are bigger now and I wanted to know if you have noticed this with your shoes. Thanks

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  17. W00t! Congrats on the size 16s and the running laps! I love that you envisioned us all cheering you on...great idea!

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  18. wow!! Great job on that jog...I jogged maybe a half a mile today and ugh....it hurt.
    Size 16's, I put on a pair of loose ones a week ago, but still am not able to wear the tighter ones.
    I am 5.3...I think you may be a bit taller given your bmi...mine is currently sitting at 34.1
    Great job..we never know what we are capable of till we really push ourselves.

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  19. It seems like Christmas already!!! Great job on the jogging. That is something that I really want to try and do.

    Congrats on the comment from the MIL. I know if I ever got one it would be a miracle.

    New jeans and a size medium sweater. You are on a roll!!

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  20. Thanks for the overwhelming support, everyone! You are all so great and I really don't know what I would do without all of your encouragement! Thanks so much!!!

    Lyricgirl, I haven't noticed a change in my feet, but I have worn the same shoe size since high school, even before I began putting on extra pounds. I just don't think I carry much weight on my feet although I know I have read about that in other blogs. The only exception to this is the width of my feet and girth of my ankles. They definitely expanded over the years and have started to shrink a little again, but I never had to change shoes sizes to accomodate them. Hope that helps!

    Cmoursler, I've got about four inches on you as I measure between 5'7" and 5'7.5".

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  21. I put my weight loss down to following the WW plan and running!!!
    I now make sure I run 4x a week as I feel that is the secret - so all the best with that.

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  22. Ohmygoodness I am so IMPRESSED!! It took me ages to get to running 20 minutes and even longer to be running for 30!

    Well flippin done (and watch the weight drop off now you are running)!

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  23. OMG!! I am soooooo impressed. GO YOU!!! Now give yourself the Significant Milestone award, you deserve it.

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