I have always been a plus size! Even when I look back on my pictures from when I was younger, I wasn’t always plus size but I was always bigger than most of my friends. However, I never felt self-conscious about that until I got older, usually its the other way around…but this is the way it worked for me. Actually it wasnt until I got into college that I felt self-conscious.
In college, I had an automatic gym membership because it was paid for as part of your tuition. Sometimes I would go with my friends but I would never go on a continuous basis because I never really liked the gym atmosphere. This is actually something that I still struggle with, and the reason that I dont own a gym membership. I always feel like someone is paying attention to me and I feel uncomfortable (which is actually weird because I played Volleyball from 8th grade through High School, turned down a chance to play on the collegiate level, and I did field events in 10th grade). But going to the gym is totally different…is something I have worked on many times, going by myself, going with my sister, going with friends and also going with my husband. But nothing really works…I like working out outside, but living in Cleveland that isn’t possible to do year around. So I would be able to work out for a few months then I would be back to sitting in the house….I know this isn’t good but this is my struggle…
A few months back my sister (the Billy Blanks of the family LOL) asked me to do the Color Run. She did it last year with a friend and wanted to participate again this year but with a bigger group. So she and the friend that participated last year, got a group of us together and we participated! For many of the people who participated it was another 5k for them, for some it was their first 5k Color Run, and for others it more than just a run…
For me it was a couple of things…my first 5k Color Run, and it was much more than a run…it was me overcoming a fear that I have of working out in front of people! So I know that I wasn’t in front of a crowd doing repetitions of a certain exercise…but I ran with a group of people!
I ran, I walked, I struggled, I sweated through my clothes, I felt like crying (but I didnt), I was ready to quit but I didnt…I kept going and I completed the race!!! And it felt GOOD!!!!
Saturday evening I felt like I had been beat up…but I wasn’t complaining!!!
Through this run I learned 3 things…
1. You CAN do it
Sometimes I get discouraged with myself when it comes to working out and eating right and I often talk myself out of it before I start. But I need to talk myself INTO doing the things I really want to do; this run, turning my blog into a business, going after any other desires of my heart…I CAN DO IT!!!
2. Utilize my Support System
A few days before the run I got down on myself about my weight. Its all glitz and glam when you are carrying twins but afterwards…JESUS!! Your body is all out of sorts for a while! When I had Emma; by the time she was 8 months I felt like I was back to myself…after carrying twins your body is just on some other stuff! But I have a good support system so when I feel down I always have someone to talk to, that will help bring me back! A few days before the run, my best-friend gave me a pep talk that I NEEDED by text…NOW YOU KNOW THATS LOVE!!! She spoke life into me and we talked over my plan and me working my plan!!! Thats the reason I rock with her…you cant be vulnerable like that everyone and they build you back up!!! Thanks Girlie!!!
3. NEVER run ANY KIND of Run without TRAINING
HA! I left that part of this story out! I knew this day was coming for MONTHS! But me being me…I never trained! I did some exercising but I never got out there and ran…and yes, while I was running/walking I felt like I was dying but I kept going! HA!
So I finished this race with a goal of this not being my only 5k run! And I plan to run more next time!!! I told myself that I need to get out more and run/walk until I can run the entire run!
Here are a few pics from the run…I had so much fun!!! And we had a great group of ladies to run with!!! And the tutu’s were made by my sister…I loved putting all of that on to exercise! Too bad you can exercise in a Tutu all the time…LOL well you can you may get some crazy looks though!!
What BIG goals do you have on your list that you want to accomplish?? Have you created a plan on how to complete it?
