The Great Weight

You win (gain) some, you lose some. We all know how this story goes. If you have 20 lbs. to lose or 120 lbs. to lose, you been here. No matter how hard you try, you can never quite get it all off and be “perfect.” How can 3 numbers drive us so crazy? Why do they control us so much? Every morning I step on the scale, I step off the scale, I step on the scale again, I step off again, I step on again, I step off again. And I pick my favorite out of the 3 (Yes, I know I need a new scale). And let’s not forget that your bladder must be empty and all clothes must be removed. Don’t lie, you’ve done it before too. ;) It’s an obsession and it’s almost as unhealthy as the weight itself.  What we have to sit back and realize is that the number on the scale does not define who we are. It should never restrict you from the things that you want to do. It is not always an indicator of bad OR good health!

Let me just put it out there. I need to lose about 100 pounds to reach my “medically recommended” weight. However, I don’t have diabetes, I don’t have high blood pressure, the doctor says my cholesterol is “excellent”, no signs of arthritis, and the number of times I went to the doctor in the past 3 years for any sort of cold/cough/infection: 1 time. The only number that I have that is significantly raised is my weight. I’m the healthiest fat person I know! No, I’m not content with my weight. I obsess! I am fully aware that I’m not guaranteed that it will be this way forever. Other than my weight, yes I’m healthy. As I’ve started running, I’ve realized that in order to continue and pick up my pace and endurance, the weight has to come off.  Diets never work for me, so when I started running, I told myself that weight loss was not the main product, it’s just a feature. Instead of weight loss goals, I’ve set race goals. And it’s working. Setting these types of goals makes me accountable. Of course I’ve learned along the way that even if you’re running, the weight will not fall off unless you are also maintaining a pretty healthy diet. By shifting my focus on running and everything about running, I am slowly weening myself off of my drug of choice: food. Running has saved my life in so many ways. It’s given me my sanity back, allowed me to be exposed to a whole new realm of opportunities and ideas, taught me how to focus, taught me a little more about patience, introduced me to some very amazing people, and yes, even put me on a better road to life-long health. Losing weight takes time. Running keeps me busy while I’m waiting for the weight to come off, and if I keep running it might not seem like the wait is that long or the weight is that much. ;) And one day I’m sure I’ll be able to step on the scale and be in awe instead of obsession.