I’m running my first Marathon in May and in many ways I feel like I am heading into the last leg of an incredible journey, about to cross the finish line. You see, I’ve lost 105 pounds in the last year and 9 months. But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve been trying to find my way to a whole and healthy self for sometime, I spent much of my youth from the time I was 16 till 23 struggling with bulimia. When I started to recover, I gained weight very quickly. I went from a size 4 to a 22 in a matter of years.
Despite the weight gain I have to say that I was much happier, healthier and confident at my larger size. Then my weight started to affect me physically, the bones in my feet hurt, my back hurt, I was so very tired and lethargic. I also started to want more. I wanted to recognize myself again when I looked in the mirror. I had many false starts, but finally had my AHA moment when I joined the gym in May 2010.
Maybe it was the fact that I had an hour plus to myself, without my kids demanding my attention, time just for me. But really, the click happened when I started to sweat and move and I discovered an athlete hiding in a fat girls’ body. I amazed myself in those early months at just what I could do at 258 pounds! I ran my first 5km race at 240 pounds in 33 minutes! A year later I ran my first half marathon with my husband by my side, and it was one of the best days of my life!
Since that fateful day at the gym, my family’s lifestyle has changed. My husband and I run together (we’ve done 6 races) and go to the gym together. My children go to the gym with me every morning, and even though they are in the daycare they see that exercise is part of Mommy’s lifestyle. They ask me every now and again why we are going to the gym and I tell them that its so that Mommy can be healthy, to have a healthy heart and lungs. Sometimes I tell them its because it makes Mommy happy and I ask them if they like grumpy Mommy.
I’m lucky exercise comes easily to me; I love it, and am thoroughly addicted to it now. I lost about 50 pounds in the first year through exercise and some changes to my diet (you tend to eat better when you feel better). But the real weight loss happened once I stated strength training and eating a diet focused on whole foods. It was hard for me to realize that I needed to make changes to the way that I ate, after so many years of disordered eating I was reluctant to say the least. But I have found that I don’t have to diet, or restrict. I tried to think of myself as an athlete and to think about putting the best fuel in my body.
I am trying very hard to teach my children to love healthy food. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen together baking “healthy” versions of cookies, muffins and cakes. I sneak all sorts of healthy stuff into their food and they now think muffins should look green. They do not, however, like fish oil in their mac and cheese (long story).
Having struggled with an eating disorder, having known how hard it is to be overweight, I want so very much to set my girls up for the best possible life.
I want them to see a healthy, fit confident Mother.
I want them to grow up moving and playing with their parents.
I want them to see me cross that finish line after 46km in May and be proud of their Mom.
Lisa’s Note: Thank you so much, Katie, for sharing your inspiring story! I think your reason for staying fit and healthy for your daughters is a wonderful motivator. And the fact that they think muffins should be green just cracks me up! Check out Katie’s blog at So Write.
QUESTION: If you have kids, how are you trying to teach them how to be fit and healthy in a positive way?
I’m glad you liked Katie’s story! I could relate to her too.
I want to commend you Katie! Your weight loss and running a MARATHON! That is so so cool and you should be proud. I’m with Lisa. I snorted with laughter at the thought of muffins havbing to be green!
Wasn’t that great? So cute!
How did you train for the marathon? Did you use a specific running program for training? I want to try my first half marathon after doing C25K but not sure where to start.
There are a bunch of different training plans online, I am really a FLY BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS girl and couldn’t find one that I felt “fit” me. I felt like many of them had me running too much and not allowing for the weight training. So I run 3 (sometimes 4) days a week. 2 runs in the week and a long slow one on the weekend, building distance. I run speed work most Mondays (8-10km), and some kind of hill work on Wednesdays(8-10km). Basically the same plan as the half…only the long runs on Sat keep on getting longer! I do two days of weights and a yoga class. I find the yoga really helps me stay injury free.
Thanks for sharing your training too. When I was running a lot and training for the Hood to Coast relay race, I didn’t follow a plan either. None of them really fit me and I guess I was just bothered by the structure. I did long runs on weekends, short fast runs and sprint exercises during the week and hill work. And I agree on the weight training. Now that I am focusing on that instead of running, I noticed just how weak and unbalanced my body was.
glad to hear I’m not the only one, not to mention I feel like the “programs” are written in another language…I find them hard to understand. I think the weight training has made me a stronger runner, for sure. Plus, all that running can break down muscle…I need that calorie burning muscle so I can eat my choc chips!
I struggled with bulimia most of my teen years. Your story gives me hope.
No kids, but I have made an effort to live healthier for my younger sister. With a 9 year age gap (I’m 23, she is turning 14) I know that she models her behavior after mine. Not only did I start working out regularly and eating right, I make a point to talk about frequently.
I think that’s fantastic Courtney. You’d be amazed at how good habits brush off on the people around us. I saw it with my weight loss.
Thank-you so much for letting me share on your blog Lisa 🙂 I noticed I made a SMALL ooops…will be running 42 km km not 46….hehehhe…I guess it just feels that long 🙂 LOL.
I appreciate you sharing your story with me and my readers. I think it’s fantastic how you changed your life!
I love love and appreciate her raw honesty.
Miz recently posted..Six fitness lessons Ive learned from my child.
I have a 3 yr old daughter so I am trying to get fit for her. Being a single Mom, it’s important that I am here for her. We do our pushups and situps together and we often ride bikes and take walks. I make sure that she has balanced meals and she just loves veggies and yogurt. The funny thing is that if I’m too tired to exercise, she will remind me that we need to get up and move! I just LOVE her! This was a great story and definitely a motivator for me. Thanks!
That is so great, C. I love that you do fitness together and that your daughter loves healthy eating. She’s on the right path!
That is incredible, your post made me grin ear to ear!
What a great story, thank you, Katie! And thanks Lisa for sharing this with us.
Congratulations Katie on your incredible weight loss journey. You ARE an athlete- and you set her free! I love it. Keep up the good work and best of luck in your future races.
I am currently pregnant with my first child and have been thinking a lot about setting a positive example. My husband and I are quite active, so that part will come naturally I think. However, a major challenge is going to be setting an example of Positive Body Image. We are having a girl, and I am very aware of my important role in helping her develop a healthy and positive body image from a very young age. The main things (besides exercising and eating healthy, rather than yo-yo dieting, etc) are to be proud of myelf for what my body can DO, not how it looks. Also, no negative comments about being “fat” or looking “ugly.” Also not emphasizing beauty or thin-ness. This seems so simple but it is so ingrained, I know it will be hard to execute. I am starting NOW by not making negative comments about myself or other women’s bodies… this is going to be a challenge, but it will be worth it.
“You set her free!” <--I love that! I'm a fan of your blog, Jen. Congrats on the baby! I think it's awesome how you're still maintaining your fitness during your pregnancy. I think a lot about my future kids too...I want them to have positive body image and self-esteem and not think "I'm so fat" like I did as a kid (and ironically I WASN'T fat as a kid!).
I try to be a role model to my daughter. I let her see my healthy eating habits. I teach her about moderation. I have taught her to read serving sizes on food labels and not to eat out of boxes or bags.
For fitness we have done a sprint triathlon together. I would love to share that post on your blog someday????
I would love for you to share that post with me and me readers! Send me an email and we can chat.
I love what you are teaching your daughter. Those are good foundations to know. I never KNEW that stuff growing up, or even as an adult before I tried to lose weight. It seems logical and a “duh” thing but I just didn’t know!
I send you a message- not sure if you got it?
THis is just gorgeous and it gives me such hope!
I’m so glad you liked this post, Michelle! I loved it!