I went in my for my yearly physical yesterday and had a few kind of cool moments. First things first, I asked her about my breathing issues and she said what I thought, my lungs are just having a hard time with being worked. She was surprised when I said I've never really exercised before. I said I've walked and that used to be enough but I've never been hard core, weight lifting and running, like I am now.
She told me another thing I have figured out, losing weight in your 20s is a whole lot easier than losing weight in your 30's, which I will be in 2 months. Another fun fact is that a lot of her patients actually get into better health in their 30's than they were even in their teens. It might be because we just want to get out of this yo yo dieting and realize to be healthy it takes hard work! No, I may not lose my 20lbs in 2 weeks like they do on The Biggest Loser. It may only be 1lb a month, but I will lose it eventually as long as I start loving myself and move, even if it means running things upstairs right away instead of throwing them on the stairs and taking care of it later.
The coolest thing she said is I need to reward myself. Maybe it's because I needed someone other than myself to tell me this, but I liked it and promptly informed Ryan that my midwife told me I have to reward myself. We discussed things like getting massages for reaching my goals, or pedicures. Something fun. I mentioned a heart rate/calorie/mileage counter. Not sure what kind yet, but maybe a reward for entering in what I eat, every day for a month. She told me if she calls and cancels a massage it's because she didn't work out 5 days a week. I like this idea. I used to reward myself with things like ice cream, cookies or cakes, but I'm not really sure how that's a reward when it just makes me gain weight instead of losing it. (oh, I can still eat treats once in a while, they just need to not be rewards)
When I mentioned that I was a little frustrated with the losing weight part, she told me that people usually gain 5-10lbs a year, and I was the same weight, so really I had lost 5lbs :-) I took that accomplishment and ran with it. I may not have lost any weight but at least I didn't gain any!
We also discussed how I am done nursing. My body has been pregnant or nursing for the last 9 years, so it will eventually figure out that it doesn't need to hold onto that extra 20lbs, it can just let it go. Come on body, did you hear that?! We're done making babies, let's do this!
Finally we discussed not blaming and getting in those ruts. You know what I'm talking about. The times when you eat all sorts of junk and you think 'well, I quit, I can't do it. I ate poorly and it's just over. I'm such a horrible person. Why should I even try because it's just too hard and I failed today!' No, I didn't fail. I made a mistake. Just because I messed up today and ate all sorts of junk, doesn't mean I can't try again tomorrow or even that afternoon. I am worth it! I am worth getting healthy and I am in charge of my life not some guilt trip. By the way, this advice can be used in every part of my life. If I make a mistake today I can change tomorrow. I can be a better person and work my hardest. It doesn't make for a bad day, it's makes for a bad moment.
