Another great run today, and the ITB pain is starting to work itself out, through some diligent stretching and strength work. Plus I gave up on the standing desk at work for a while, no need to stress the legs until the core gets back up to par. In addition I did admit to myself that probably another reason for the pain in the last couple of months had to do with the added weight I had packed on over the fall & holidays. The renewed focus of the last couple of weeks on calories has made a difference there already, I just need to keep it up.
A friend of mine asked the other day if I ever reached a place where I was just comfortable with my weight, so I wasn't unhappy with it all the time. I basically said that no, I think that if you are conscious of it, and make any effort at all to drop the pounds is a sign that you aren't happy with it. And I wasn't, even if it took me a while to really do anything about it.
Of course what it really took was a combination of health problems and the kids. I realized that I wanted to be healthy, so I could enjoy my life and more importantly enjoy my kids lives. The other day I engaged in a wrestling battle royale with all 3 kids for about 30 minutes, and that was definitely something I would have had a hard time doing 2-3 years ago. It really became a quality of life issue for me.
As far as how I got here, it wasn't rocket science, no magic diet or pill. It was simple: eat less, exercise more. I have tried different approaches before and even after: low fat, no sugar, low carbs etc. But the reality is it all comes back to that simple formula. The best tools that I used (and still use) are the LoseIt iPhone App (and website), the Couch to 5K program (and iPhone App) and now I use the Adidas MiCoach web site and App.
Do I think it is possible to be 'Fat & Happy'? Sure it is. And I also do not really subscribe to traditional concepts of what is Fit and what isn't. I know people that may look out of shape, but they have more energy and capacity for physical labor than a lot of skinny teenagers. It really comes down to how you want to live your life, what makes you happy, and what sort of life you live. For me, I wasn't able to live the life I wanted to live when I was upwards of 230 pounds and unable to run 5 minutes without being out of breath. But, and here is the other part of the 'secret', it really takes a change in lifestyle to get things where you want them, and even when you get there, the battle is never truly over, chances are a life time of bad habits can easily seep back in if you allow them.
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