High School me in all my oblivious
athleticism. Seriously, look at my arms!

I haven't been blogging as often as usual lately, and part of that is because I've been devoting more of my personal time to fitness.

About a month ago, I reached the top of the flight of stairs I have to climb at work, heart pounding, breath sharp, and realized that they cardiovascular health had gone the way if the zombie (dead, and poorly revived into a rapidly-decomposing example of resurrection-gone-wrong). Like many people I know, I was athletic in high school - I did dance for a number of years and was also a member of my high school's crew team. (Take a look at the picture on the right. Hard to believe I was dissatisfied then.)

As I collapsed into my rolley-chair, hand over my heaving bosom, I made a decision: I needed to take control of my health again.

Confession: I've always sucked at diets.

I grew up with a combination of home-cooked meals and processed foods, and never really bothered to think about what I was putting into my body. Even when I got old enough to feel the pressure to diet, I never really managed it. I suck at denying myself things I want, especially when they're readily available, and when your brother is as picky as mine, there's usually at least one unhealthy option. I can't blame it all on my brother, though. I was doing dance or crew during high school, so even though I wasn't totally satisfied with my body, it didn't stop me from eating pizza on Fridays or guzzling peach soda at Adryn's house after school.

When my family started doing the Sugar Buster's diet, my world sort of...broke. The plates of understanding and forced ignorance sort of shifted into place. I'd known I wasn't eating right, but I had very little concept of just how much sugar was in all the things I consumed daily. I wasn't 100% on this diet like my mom was, but I actually stuck to it pretty well my freshman year of college, when I rode my bicycle around campus and kept my weight down to a toned 115. I fell off the wagon around sophomore year, but I learned two important things on that diet:

1. There is sugar in almost everything processed, and you have to learn to look for it.
2. If it's there, and I want it, I can't resist.

I've hopped on and off the diet bandwagon since then, and generally it's that "knowing I'm on a diet makes me want bad things more" mentality that has me slinking off into the wagon ruts.

As a person with a desk-job and a desk-hobby, I know my diet is going to be important in keeping and maintaining my weight. Even in the past two weeks I've been on my current diet (eating organic, whole foods and steering clear of wheat-based and processed foods as much as possible) I've noticed a difference in my energy level.

Seriously, something like this would have to happen to get
me moving going faster than a light jog. (No idea who this
photo is by; please let me know if it's yours!)

Confession: I hate running.

I've had problems with my hip and lower back since about high school, and the pain has made it difficult to do impact exercises such as running. Being a rather busty specimen is another hindrance in that regard, since finding a sports bra that actually holds Barnes & Noble* in place is pretty challenging.

I'm just going to put this out there: I'm lazy. I can always find something I want to do rather than work out, and it's usually pretty easy to find an excuse not to go to the gym...

...so I took away my excuses. I hired a personal trainer. Yes, it's expensive, but if it wasn't expensive, I would have a much harder time forcing myself to get my ass down to the gym. By the time I've gone through my 24 lessons, I'm sure I'll have seen results enough that I want to continue coming to the gym on my own. I'll have made it a habit.

So far, I've dropped about five pounds, and shed 1/2"-1" in all four of the measurement areas (bust, waist, hip, thigh), and have noticed a difference in my cardiovascular health. Raven and Skrybbi independently commented that my face looks thinner and my arms look more toned.

photo by maniwa_pa

Confession: I've got to have someone to hold me accountable.

I have fitness goals that I'm working to, which is helpful, but the terror of not looking like Angelina Jolie in my Dragon*Con costume is a little too remote to light a fire under my ass right now.

Just like making goals and deadlines has helped me with my writing, I figured it would help me with my weight-loss goals as well. So what did I do?

I made a new podcast, of course!

Introducing: Fit 2 Write Podcast: Three writers weighing in, because calories count as much as words.