Guest Post from Jen

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything about my progress and my ponderings.  Most of you have read my story, and I’m still chugging right along on my “transformation.”  So .. here goes!

Gosh. Where do I start?  A few weeks ago on a Monday.  My newsfeed at MyFitnessPal was filled with a plethora of scale angst and cries of “when am I going to see some progress.”   I’ve had my share of both.   Then I got kicked.  Not physically, but it was still pretty effective.   Kicked with some Tough Love.   Sometimes we all need that, don’t we?  My friend Denise (TheMedalist) had these words for me :  “I realize pursuit of perfection is the DNA of a Type A personality. But, I think it comes at a HUGE cost. Frustration. Angst. Scale wars. And most of all, sadly, a failure to enjoy what you’ve already accomplished that deserves to be celebrated. It makes this Type B just shake her head.”   That got my attention, and set me to pondering.   Of course, she was right.

May 2011, I decided that I was going to start taking care of me a whole lot better than I had been.   Was  going to try to work less, schedule time to exercise, and grab hold of my eating which was woefully out of control. Nothing was FEEDING me.  I was going non-stop, not sleeping, not taking time to eat properly, and certainly wasn’t exercising. I was exhausted all the time.  I had no work-life balance. I had no time for JEN.   I set out to finally Get With It  – for ME.   My goal?    To leave work each evening with enough time to sit down to eat a meal and go to the gym; lose 40 pounds and get back into a size 12. I’ve accomplished all those things. In fact, I’ve surpassed the goals I set for myself.  I joined a gym for the first time in my life, discovered heavy lifting, got my eating under control, conquered my cravings for “extraneous bread like substances,” lost 50 pounds, passed by size 12 to a size 8, quit the job that was sucking every bit of life out of me, and am working toward a career change that I’m passionate about.  But!  I didn’t stop to celebrate my accomplishments. Instead, in my driven Type-A style  – I wanted MORE.   Size 8? Yea, that’s great, but oh…size 6 is calling out to me.   And my scale – it isn’t showing me the NUMBER that I think in my mind is an “acceptable small #.”  So, I’ve taken Denise’s words to heart. I’m CELEBRATING my success, the completion of my goal.    I have accomplished what I set out to do. I am feeling so very, very Jen-like.  I am happy with my body.  I am fit, strong, healthy and full of energy.

If I never lost another pound, I’m totally FAB.

We lose sight of that.  We lose sight of celebrating US.  The wonderful people that we are.  Our accomplishments.   Look around you right now.  Do you see it? YOUR accomplishments? Your successes? I’m positive that they are there.

What I’ve definitely learned is that you must trust your body, trust the process.   To be successful, I’m passionate that you must make slow, steady lifestyle changes.  Changes that become the new norm, your new automatic habits, your new way of eating and moving.  As Kiki often says:  Don’t do anything to lose weight that you are not willing to do for LIFE.   Your nutrition, your fitness should enhance your life, not control it.  I totally believe in keeping it REAL, and enjoying the NOW.   So what if you don’t weigh “x” today or wear size “x” today?  Did you yesterday?   What matters is how you feel today, tomorrow and years from now.   Winning = getting to the FAB you one step at a time, and enjoying every step of the way.

What’s next on my agenda?  I’m in the homestretch.  I’m tweaking my bodyfat and leaning up a bit more. Let’s call it “vanity leaning up.”   I want to see more ab definition, a sleeker back and just an all over sleeker, more defined me.  How am I doing it?  Not much different than I have been. I’m back to eating deficit, and am lifting heavier  – training for strength 3 x week. I’m in control of my eating and am fueling my body.  My average TDEE is 2250, which is a bit higher than it was in October. Same weight. I took a break from October – January and ate at TDEE and trained for strength. I’m now totally pumped and ready for 1800 deficit calories with one day every week eating at TDEE.  I’m already seeing lost inches and my size 8s are getting looser.  Where do I expect to end up?  An EASY, comfy size 6 at 170 lbs and 21-22% bodyfat.

Trust the process.  Consistency and persistence will win the day.

Jen
www.GetWithItForLife.com
HarlanJEN @ MyFitnessPal