A few months ago, I wrote about my weight loss struggles and journey. I think about my weight loss, nutrition, and fitness every day. Every. Day. I will never be the person who doesn't have to think about what they're eating. I think about every forkful, every bite. I will be a member of Weight Watchers forever. Part of how I work at maintaining (and still trying to lose a few more pounds) is to be physically active. To be honest, I am in the best shape of my life and that include the years I spent as a dancer.
When I first had my weight loss surgery I started running. I didn't do any type of Couch to 5K program or anything like that, I just started running on the treadmill for as along as I could. I worked at building up my time and distance. I loved it. I liked being active.
When I moved back to Texas in 2013 I started running 5Ks. I run about 4-5 a year and over the last 4 years I have gotten my time down from 38 minutes to 31 minutes. It feels so good to finish a race.
I also joined the gym and started taking Zumba class three nights a week. I LOVED Zumba class. It was such a great workout and my instructor Lily was amazing. So much energy! I would walk out drained and exhilarated at the same time. After I had been back in Texas for year, I started dating Phillip.
Shortly before I met him, he had started running too. We would run together. I'd meet him at his place after work or he'd come to my place and we'd go for a run and then we'd make dinner. In the last year he has surpassed me (most of the time) in race times. I am so proud of him for the progress he has made. And I love that we both have goals and that we work together on them. We push each other to be better and to stay on track. As a couple, being active and healthy is important to us.
His weekly routine is slightly different than mine as he does not go to barre. I've spoken of my deep and abiding love for barre here on the blog before. I great big puffy heart love it.
I do not even mind getting up at 4:40am in order to go to barre class. I go to barre four times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:15am and then on Sunday at 8:30am. I go in and look forward to 55 minutes of working hard and focusing on nothing more than being in class.
And leaving, I feel amazing. Even after a super hard class (I'm looking at you Megan!) I still feel great. There have been occasions where I've gone into Target or another store after class and my legs feel like jelly. And I go back again for another class.
Tuesdays and Thursday, Phillip and I got to the gym and run on the treadmill. It's pretty dark so we don't run outside that early in the morning. On Saturdays, I get up at 6am and run on the treadmill before Weight Watchers. Some Saturdays Phillip joins me and others he really wants to run outside, so he'll wait a bit and go for a run around the lake when the sun comes up. He'll also go for a run on Sunday when I'm at barre.
We try to fit in workouts when we travel too. When we were at my sister's house for Christmas, we made it out to go running twice. I wish we could have gotten in one more but two was better than none! When we were in Vegas the previous year we walked everywhere but we also got in two workouts at the hotel gym.
I'll also squeeze in an extra workout where I can. If I get home early or Phillip is working late, I'll go for a walk around the lake in the evening. It's about 3 miles around. I put on a podcast, put my earbuds in and start walking. I love being out in the fresh air and talking that walk around the lake.
It's hard and some days it's a struggle and yes, some days I stay in bed instead of hitting the gym. I feel it's a good week though if I can get a workout in at least 5 out of 7 days.
The year leading up to my weightloss surgery, I hardly ever worked out. I had a long commute and it was so draining. The last thing I wanted to do was get up even earlier to work out and I definitely didn't feel like it after I got home. When I made the decision to have the surgery though, I made the decision to completely change my life and that meant despite leaving the house at 6am and walking in the door at 7pm, I was going to change and get out and go to the gym or go for a walk. I needed to be moving. That movement started to increase and almost 4 years post surgery I am the most active I have ever been and never imagined that I would be.
Words of advise - you have to do what works for you. I need to be a morning workout person. If I don't workout in the morning, odds are it won't happen otherwise. I will occasionally sign up for an evening barre class but that's the exception for me, not the rule. I love barre and I love running. You may hate it. You need to find what you are motivated to do. For some people that's CrossFit or Yoga or Biking or Swimming. For others it's gym classes or 21 Day Fix or P90X. Find what it is that you like to do. If you hate it, you'll find reasons not to do it. And then stick with it.
I have always been open about my weight loss surgery, so if any of you have questions about my procedure or anything related to that, please don't hesitate to email. You can find me at nichole@themrsfisher.com and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.
I'll be back Friday with Friday Favorites. I'll be highlighting some of my favorite transition pieces for as we slide into Spring in the coming weeks.
xoxoxoxo
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