So I have been putting off this post for a couple weeks now, but to help me keep myself accountable I think it’s time.
As my close friends and family already know, I have a ridiculously low body image. By no means am I a huge person, but I have always thought of myself as “big”, “fat”, or any number of negative words.
A few months ago, I saw a video by a guy named Ben Davis. Ben was a regular guy who played too many video games, ate too much, and worked out too little. Over time, he got big, and then one day he started running. I won’t get into his story too much, but I encourage you to watch the video and follow his blog.
Ben’s story is a lot like mine… I have spent years exercising too little, eating too much, and generally feeling sorry for myself while saying “I’ll start working out/running/swiming/exercising more next week/month/year”. When I saw the progress Ben has made, it inspired me. I won’t lie… I cried when I watched that video, and bawl pretty much every time I re-watch it.
But what got to me the most is this: Ben has come down to a little under my current weight. That’s right, a guy who runs marathons and Ironman triatholons weighs close to the same as me (a little under, but we won’t worry about that). What does that say about me? It made me realize that I don’t have to lose tons of weight (even though it would be nice sometimes) to be in shape.
I’ve started running now, and I have been at it for about two weeks. I’ve already had one slump of laziness, but I’m signing up for some 5k races in the next few months, so hopefully that will help me stay motivated. Do I think I’ll ever run an Ironman? Maybe. It would be pretty damn cool to do that, but at this point, I’m just hoping that I can run a 10k by early- or mid-summer. After that, we’ll just have to see.
So here are my “starting stats”. I didn’t take any pictures or get on the scale two weeks ago, because actually knowing my weight and seeing pictures of myself are some of the hardest things I can do. But it’s high time I stopped feeling sorry for myself and kicked my own ass into gear to get better. My true goal is to be able to say, at some point in the future, “I am proud of myself and happy with my body.” I’m not there yet, but maybe someday…
Me on 1/15/2011
Weight: 251.5 lbs
BMI: 37
Water Weight: 45%
