“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”

I originally created the Milk Girl blog is to share my weight loss journey with others. Along the way, I have mentioned the enormous amount of support I have received from my husband Jason. Not only is he my partner in my weight loss journey, he is my inspiration. Jason has lost over 150 pounds over the past couple of years through hard work and dedication. I could devote several blog posts to this incredible accomplishment. But this post is dedicated to the results of his weight loss journey and where it has taken him. 

Jason by the Mackinaw Bridge in 2011.

In 2002, Jason and I spent our anniversary visiting Mackinaw Island and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during a week-long vacation. Many of the pictures taken of Jason during this trip are frequently used as his "before" pictures, as he was near his heaviest weight at this point in his life.

Jason on Mackinaw Island in 2002.

An event occurred this week that reminded me of those pictures of him in Mackinaw in 2002. This week, Jason signed up for the 2012 Dick Allen Lansing to Mackinaw (DALMAC) bicycle tour. He will be riding his bicycle over 300 miles over a course of five days. The tour ends with the crossing of the Mackinaw Bridge. 

Looking at the man in the 2002 picture it may be hard to believe that the same man will be riding his bicycle across the state of Michigan later this year. But for me, it is easy to believe. I know how far he has come and how strong he has become, both physically and mentally. I know that he will not only finish the tour but will be flying along faster than most others. 

I have been thinking about how amazing Jason's journey has been from that picture in 2002 until now. Despite his accomplishments, he often is the last person to recognize how far he has come. I know from personal experience how the reflection in the mirror often does not match how you have come to visualize yourself. Jason is not the fat kid anymore. His waist is sixteen inches smaller than when I first met him. He doesn't shop at the "big and tall" shops anymore and he doesn't need a seatbelt extender on airplanes. He can run a 5K without walking. He can bike 30+ miles without stopping. He is not the fat kid anymore. Fat kids don't ride their bikes from Lansing to Mackinaw. 

I am sharing this story on my blog to serve as a point of inspiration. Jason's story is a testament to the fact that you can change. Our bodies are amazing and they can and will respond to positive changes we make in our lives. 

"Go through the motions and the motives will follow"

Jason and I after running a 5K on New Year's Day.

When I began my weight loss journey, I would have never imagined that exercise would become a daily habit rather than a scheduled task. I read a quote recently that stated: "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going". It is an excellent description of both the exercise and weight loss process. I understand that many people beginning their weight loss journey may scoff at the thought of exercise becoming a habit rather than a task. But it does. I do not know when it happened. There was not great moment of epiphany. It just became a truth somewhere along the way.

Over this past summer, I suffered an injury and could not exercise for a short period of time. I soon became restless and anxious. I realized that exercise had not only become a habit, but a good way to clear my head and relieve stress. I was so relieved when I could run again. If I could enter a time machine and go back and visit myself during the first month of my weight loss journey, I would tell my former self that exercise would eventually become enjoyable, a daily habit, something to be missed during periods of injury. My past self would laugh and say "yeah, right", while she sweated and cried on the treadmill. But maybe she would at least be a little bit more optimistic. 

It is January. Many of my favorite foods are flying off of the grocery store shelves. My ranking of RunKeeper is lower than in recent months. People are eating better and exercising more as they work towards their resolution to eat better, exercise more, and loss weight. Unfortunately, I know this will soon change. The healthy foods will soon be fully stocked, my RunKeeper ranking will soar, and paczkis will be flying off of the shelves. All because many people will give up. They will give up before good eating and exercise becomes a habit; before they gain faith that all of the hard work they have put in has been worth it. I hope they do not give up. I hope that they keep going through the motions, because the motives really will follow. 

What a difference a year makes

Crossing the finish line at the 2011 Capital City River Run/Cooley Race for Education 5K.

Crossing the finish line at the 2010 Capital City River Run 5K.This past Sunday marked the one year anniversary of my first 5K. In honor of that first 5K, Jason and I decided to run the Capital City River Run/Cooley Race for Education 5K again this year. The weather was almost identical to last year's race: sunny and cool. This year I appreciated the cool weather after running in the hot summer sun this past June. Like last year, I was also nervous. But this is where the similarities end. Aside from the weather and the nervous anticipation, this year's race was completely different. Last year I was nervous about being able to finish the race. This year I was nervous about being able to break my personal best record. This year I weigh 40 pounds less than I did last year. The biggest difference is how I felt after finishing the race. Last year, I was exhausted. This year, I wasn't. It was easier. Now that's not to say it was easy, but it definitely was better. This is one of the biggest lessons I want to share with people contemplating the commencement of a weight loss journey: it gets better. While there are always new challenges and the need to push yourself harder to continue to get results, your body adjusts. You can breathe easier, your legs don't hurt so much, and you become faster. Your body becomes more efficient. Last year it took me 50 minutes to finish the race. This year it took me 38 minutes to finish the race. Although I did meet my goal of beating my previous personal best record, I still strive to run a 5K in under 30 minutes. So there is my next running goal. As far as my goal for next year's Capital City River Run 5K is concerned, I am focusing on a much bigger goal. Next year, I plan to run in the Capital City River Run Half Marathon: 13.1 miles!

Jason crossing the finish line at the 2011 Capital City River Run/Cooley Race for Education 5K.

Jason crossing the finish line at the 2010 Capital City River Run 5K.

Using Technology to Lose Weight

I have found that harnessing the power of technology has helped me lose weight. Although I am technically inclined, I believe that everyone can benefit from using technology in their weight loss journey. Not only does technology make recording, tracking, and retrieving data quicker and easier, it makes these tedious tasks a little bit more fun.

There are two services which I use daily to aid me in my weight loss journey: MyNetDiary and Runkeeper. MyNetDiary is an application that allows the user to track their food consumption through an online service. Users complete a profile which is used to determine the calorie allowance for the weight loss goal set by the user. In addition to tracking calories, MyNetDiary tracks various other dietary components such as fat, carbohydrate, and protein consumption. MyNetDiary also makes recommendations for daily limits of such components in order to provide a balanced diet. MyNetDiary's vast database includes most of the foods I consume and it is incredibly easy to record consumption. Utilizing autocomplete, one only needs to begin typing the name of the food consumed and a list of matched foods will be provided for selection. In addition to tracking food consumption, MyNetDiary can also be used to track exercise. MyNetDiary is also available as a mobile application for smartphone users who can track their calories on-the-go. You can't beat the cost of MyNetDiary---it's free. You can pay for an upgraded version of the service to utilize different features, but I believe the basic, free service is suitable for most everyone. I cannot say enough about how important this service has been to my weight loss. It has helped me keep on track and has taught me to really think about what I eat and drink.

Runkeeper is an online service that allows users to track their exercise activities. Running, biking, walking, hiking, skiing, snow-boarding, and swimming are some of the activities that can be tracked by Runkeeper. Runkeeper users complete a profile that includes current weight, which allows Runkeeper to track the total calories burned in each recorded activity. Users select to record their activites either manually or via GPS. Users with smartphones can utilize the Runkeeper app to record their activities automatically through GPS. This feature provides users with a map of their activity route, in addition to speed and elevation information. Runkeeper users can utilize Twitter and Facebook features to automatically post notice of their activities to these services. In addition, Runkeeper allows users to join "street teams" with other Runkeeper users to share activities, routes, etc. One of my favorite features of Runkeeper is the "award" notifications. You will receive a notification when you have completed the farthest distance for a particular activity, etc. In addition, you will receive notices of your ranking in the Runkeeper user standings. I find these features motivating; pushing me to break my current record for each activity. Like MyNetDiary, Runkeeper is a free service. One can choose to pay a fee for an upgraded service to utilize additional features such as live route tracking, but I believe the basic, free service will serve the needs of the majority of users. 

There are many other online services to aid users in their weight loss journey. MyNetDiary and Runkeeper are only two of many, but they are the ones that are most important to me. I highly recommend both of them for people who have either just started their weight loss journey, or for those like me who are in the middle of their journey. 

It's Not Easy...It's Not Pretty...But It's Worth It

Crossing the finish line at the 2011 5K MBC Beer Run

The other day I was thinking about all of the runners I have seen crossing the finish line on TV. They often look happy and excited and are beaming from ear to ear. However, if you do some research online, you will find countless videos of people stumbling, crawling, and dragging themselves across the finish line. I relate to these types of finishes. When I finish a 5K, I do not look happy and excited and I am definitely not beaming from ear to ear. I am exhausted, sweaty, and grimacing. No matter how spent my body is, I always give my all at the finish. My legs might feel like cement blocks and my stomach may be upset, but I will always run as hard as I can the last quarter of a mile of the race.

My most recent 5K, the MBC Beer Run, was definitely the hardest 5K I have run. The race began at 6pm, guaranteeing that we would be running during the hottest part of a June day. In addition, the course contained an off-road portion, requiring one to run through uneven grass around a large pond. I started out the race strong, actually catching up to Jason during the first mile. However, the off-road portion of the course and the heat started to wear on my body during the second mile of the race. During the final mile of the race, I was extremely nauseous and actually was sick during the final stretch. Sweat had filled my eyes and I spent periods with my eyes shut to relieve the stinging. I finished strong, but lost two minutes off my personal best time. But I finished. While I was impressed with the top finishers of the race, I was most impressed with the final finishers of the race. Overweight and over 50, they walked the entire 5K. And they finished. They started the 5K and they finished the 5K. Dale Carnegie said "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." For someone trying to lose weight, the prospect of a 5K can be daunting. But you can get there, one step at a time. You may not be the fastest, you may be last, but you started something and you finished it.

Jason finishing the 2011 5K MBC Beer Run

While I have described how physically terrible I felt at the end of my most recent 5K, I have not yet addressed how I felt mentally. I felt great. I felt invincible. I felt proud. I wish I could bottle up this feeling and give it to everyone who has just begun their weight loss journey. While there are many reasons one begins a weight loss journey, the feeling I had at the end of the 5K is the reason why we keep going. Our bodies are amazing. Never doubt the ability of them to bounce back. Do something today that you thought you could not do. You will be surprised to see how tough you really are.

My mom finishing her first 5K. She won the second place prize for her age group.