A Lifelong Commitment

In 2010 when I was actively losing weight, I would think to myself "I cannot wait until I'm at my goal weight so I can stop!!". Let me tell you all something...there is no finish line. Right now it may seem unrealistic to you, but maintaining your goal weight is just as hard, if not harder, than losing weight. When I surpassed my goal weight, I was almost on a high! I loved it, and loved myself, for  the first time ever! I was afraid to stop working out though. I wanted to maintain my weight and see where my body would naturally stop losing weight. My goal weight was 125lbs, and I made it to 110lbs when I stopped losing and started maintain. You get to this point where you think, "okay, now what?". Now, you move onto other fitness goals.

When I came off that high of losing weight, it was almost depressing. I would step on the scale every Monday to weigh-in, and my number was the same and I didn't have that "YAY!!" moment anymore. I knew what to expect from the scale in the bathroom every morning. I knew I needed to make other fitness goals to stay healthy and to help me move on in my fitness journey. Remember, it's a lifelong commitment!!

My husband was about to leave for Hawaii for a while after the holidays, and I had made some running goals for myself. For Christmas my husband bought me a treadmill to help me meet my goals, and I love it. I use it constantly, at least 3-5 times a week, doing distance runs, sprint intervals, or just jogging an extra mile or two before I get in my Team Bob workout for the day.

I am always making new goals, pushing forward to the next level. I want to see what my body is capable of. I've been running much more than I was last year, and my husband and I almost run at the same pace now! We had a pretty close time when we both ran 4 miles last weekend. My goal for the end of the year is to run a 10K. I'm up to 4.5 miles right now. It will take a lot of training on my part, and I'm up to the challenge.

When you are maintaining weight, it can be very difficult. I've had highs and lows with it since I've started. I've had to deal with going up on the scale by a few pounds because the running and strength training I've been doing has been adding muscle. Not much, but enough to really play with my mind when I step on the scale. There is much less information on how to maintain your weight than there is on how to lose weight! Ultimately, you have to find the right combination for your body, just like when you lose weight. You have to take in the right amount of calories, still eat healthy, and still regularly exercise. I still exercise 6 days a week!

Bottom line; there is no finish line. There is no quitting. If you want to live healthy and fit, you have to earn it. You earn every day of it. Never, ever quit.

HarperGirl