Operation Skinny: The Beginning
How fat am I exactly? *Sigh* This is where I lay out the ugly in all its glorious splendor. Let’s get the stats out of the way first, as they certainly don’t get any better the longer you look at them.
- Weight: 204.8 lbs
- Bust: 44.0”
- Waist: 35.5”
- Belly button: 40.5”
- Hips: 46”
- Height: 5’9”
- Clothing size: 14 (sometimes 16)
- BMI: 30.2
Wow, that was a painfully humiliating experience. Until I had to take out the tape measure, get on the scale and officially put those numbers down in black-and-white, I didn’t realize how bad it truly had gotten. It's amazing how much denial and elastic waisted track pants can hide the ugly truth. Ouch. I guess the upside is that it leaves LOTS of room for improvement. Yeah, I’m going to cling to the silver lining of that dark cloud.
But aside from how I look, there are bigger issues with how I feel. I don't sleep that well. I'm often tired in the afternoon and then have a hard time falling asleep at night. I'm terribly inflexible. When in yoga, I can't fully collapse my chest on my knees because my belly is in the way or presses into my abdominal organs (not fun). I have a hard time truly enjoying hikes or walks with the dog because I'm easily tired after a few miles or hiking up a modest hill -- carrying around an extra 40lbs. is hard work! The boyfriend and I recently hiked thru the jungles of Peru to Machu Picchu. I survived it and it was one of the best experiences of my life, but I know I would have enjoyed it so much more if I'd been in better shape. I don't want to be carrying the extra weight for our next adventure, whether that's scuba diving off the Great Barrier Reef or climbing the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Now, onto my goals and how I plan to accomplish them...
Goals. I've got several goals in mind. The easiest to discuss in concrete terms is the aesthetic one. Ideally this goal is size/volume driven, not weight driven. This means I’m more concerned with how I ultimately look than the numbers on the scale. Taking into account that muscle weighs more than fat, when you get into better shape with increased proportion of lean muscle mass, you may weigh more than it would appear to others or weigh more than a similarly sized woman with less muscle tone.
For example, I know I’m a comfortable size 8 at about 168 lbs., with each size being about 10-12 lbs or so. Therefore, my initial goal is 168 lbs, though I may revise it later on if I feel a size 6 (approx. 156 lbs) won’t be too thin for my frame. I’ve always been a curvier type girl, even while thin, as opposed to a more athletic, willowy or yoga body like frame. I haven’t been a size 6 since high school, so I’m not sure if that’s a realistic goal for me anymore (especially as I'm 2 inches taller now too). However, I think it's safe to say that I'd prefer my BMI to be in the normal category (18.5-24.9). This translates to a range of 125-168 lbs.
My other goals are more amorphous in nature -- not so easily tabulated with a scale and tape measure. I want to be able to jog a mile under 10 minutes without feeling like I'm going to die. We live not too far from the Pacific Ocean and I certainly don't appreciate the views on that jogging path nearly as much as I should. I'd like to eventually run a 10K, and perhaps a half marathon one day (the full marathons seem just crazy to me). I'd like to be able to hike with my boyfriend and our dogs easily, and even challenge him from time to time. The Marin Headlands, Santa Cruz Mountains and Half Moon Bay have far too many paths unexplored by us. I'd like to sleep better and have increased energy. No more dragging through the late afternoon wishing for a nap or waking up several times per night. Being healthy is about so much more than just being thin or looking good!
What are your goals? What do you want to do better, faster or more healthily? Or do you simply want to look better in that cocktail dress, bikini or naked?
