If I could choose a subtitle for this post, it would probably be “so says captain obvious” because my revelation about how not to deal with stress is the simple truth that most of us already know. Here it is: Don’t eat your stress.
The thing is, most of us know what we’re supposed to do (and not do) to keep healthy, and yet we still make the dumb choices. We do this because it’s easier, faster, tastier–you know the usual excuses. Last winter (2010), I made it through the holidays/winter without gaining weight. A first for me, probably ever. Granted, I had a spring wedding to keep me on track, but I was using exercise instead of food as an outlet for my stress. Guess which of those things I used this year?
Two weeks ago I stepped on the Wii fit to weigh myself for the first time in about 6 months. This is what I saw:
That bummed me out. After some long chats and three seasons of The Biggest Loser on Netflix, Matt and I decided to re-dedicate ourselves to our health and incorporating regular exercise into our routine again. Matt joined a recreational basketball team, I started jogging again, and we’ve been doing yoga together in our apartment once a week. So far (again, captain obvious here) we both feel great. In fact, the other day one of my coworkers asked me why I had been so chipper lately. I said, I don’t know, I just feel good. When I thought about it, I realized how good I actually felt, especially compared to how I’d been feeling. Without regular exercise, I felt cranky, moody, tired, and I kept getting headaches. Essentially, I felt like a giant blob of crap. Being lazy and glutenous just isn’t worth it.
To help keep me motivated, I’ve made a goal to sign up for more group races this year, starting with the Shamrock 5k next month. I also helped start a Biggest Loser competition at work. With a $400 prize on the line, I don’t even want to cheat. And, to spice up my workouts, I bought a hula hoop.
In posts to come, I’ll let you know how I’m doing on the Biggest Loser and in my spring time slim down. This booty is going to be smoking hot.
Booty Blog 
YOUR BOOTY IS ALREADY SMOKIN HOT!! WE’RE SO PROUD OF YOU, WISH I HAD A THIRD OF YOUR TENACITY! YOUR’S AND MATT’S! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, IF YOU GUYS CAN DO IT SO CAN WE!! XOXOXOXOXOOXO
Thanks, Juls! Keep up those walks and hikes. Love you.
Britt
Brittney! What a spot on blog. Love the insights and ya know, sometimes it takes a few times of “knowing” something before that freakin’ light bulb actually illuminates. Love that you’re rallying others to get slender and healthy too. And kudos for stepping up to being 100% honest with yourself and using that Wii information to motivate you in a positive way. Last but not least, thanks for sharing that joy photo of you. I wanna hula hoop!
Kim,
Thank you for finding my blog! DDA Biggest Loser is in full swing and we all lost weight this week. Everyone is motivated and sharing ideas. Your pictures are still up in our break room. You are such an inspiration to me. When you’ve been overweight your whole life, it’s an entirely different battle. A lot of baggage comes along with every pound. Knowing that people like you have overcome to physical and emotional barriers, look and feel great, and have transitioned into healthy lifestyles, gives me hope that I can do the same. Thank you!
Brittney
I LOVE this photo of you, Britt! And I admire your courage in putting yourself out there in a most personal way. And I’m in awe of how inspiring you are and what a beautiful soul you have. You make me want to be a better person, to deserve the honor of being your mother.
Awww, mom!