I have flat feet.
Yes, they have been flat my whole life. A podiatrist once said “Those are the
flattest feet I have ever seen.” Why am I telling you all about my “oh so flat”
feet? Because for my whole life I blamed so much their flatness.
When I was in middle
school the coaches told us we had to run a mile on the track. What?? A mile??
Were they insane? I promptly had my father contact that podiatrist and get me a
note. My feet could not run a mile, they were too flat! How cool was I……everyone
was jealous…. I had figured out a way to get out of the running requirement!
In high school I took
bowling for my PE credits. Three years of it! Not to say that isn’t exercise,
it is…and quite fun, too! Certainly my flat feet did not keep me from bowling.
I liked bowling. Definitely was not the PE that I needed as my weight creeped
up!
In my twenties and
thirties I was having/raising my babies. I gained weight with each of them and
then kept gaining. I was that mom…..the fat one. The one that wished she could
play with her kids, but never actually made an effort to do that. I still used
my feet as an excuse, they weren’t for exercising, look how flat they are!
By the time I hit my
40’s, I had hit over 300lbs. Seriously, I was so overweight and so convinced that I
could never be that woman…..you know the one on the weight loss commercials
that lost all the weight, looked amazing and told the world that if she could
do it…..anyone could. Watching those women on TV tell me that if they could do
it, so could I……well that just made me feel like more of a failure because I
knew they were wrong. I couldn’t be like them. I was doomed and destined to be
over 300lbs for the rest of my life.
I watch the Dr.
Phil show every day, one of my ways to unwind after work. In November, 2011 he
featured Cynthia Pasquella's weight loss program for women, The PINK Method.
Watching the show made me want to buy it....but I didn't. I used all of my
negative self talk to take over and convince myself that it would be a waste of money, time, effort and I would
still end up fat and more depressed because I would also be a failure at yet
another diet.
Dr. Phil featured the PINK method again about a month later....showed the progress of the women who had started, spoke to Cynthia Pasquella, who seemed like a very genuine person on a mission to help women lose weight. This time I ordered it.
I received the PINK Method in the mail and read over it, in secret....I didn't want my family to know I was going to try this.....because if they don't know when I try...then they wouldn't know when I failed. I had it all stuck in my head though, I WANTED to do this, but I decided to prepare for it instead of jumping right in. If you read my early blog posts, you will see that I didn't just order it and start the program.....which I believe helped in my success with the program.
I started on January 14, 2012. My weigh in that morning was 319.2lbs. I didn't start my face book page about my progress until more than a year later....probably another sign that I was scared of showing everything and then failing at it.
On December 14, 2012 I had been on the program for 11 months. That morning I weighed in at 218.6lbs.....showing a total weight loss in 11 months of 100.4lbs. I was beyond happy with that number and ecstatic that I actually lost 100lbs inside of a year! I participated in my first 5k that month! I ran….with my flat feet….and it was SOOOO fun!
Dr. Phil featured the PINK method again about a month later....showed the progress of the women who had started, spoke to Cynthia Pasquella, who seemed like a very genuine person on a mission to help women lose weight. This time I ordered it.
I received the PINK Method in the mail and read over it, in secret....I didn't want my family to know I was going to try this.....because if they don't know when I try...then they wouldn't know when I failed. I had it all stuck in my head though, I WANTED to do this, but I decided to prepare for it instead of jumping right in. If you read my early blog posts, you will see that I didn't just order it and start the program.....which I believe helped in my success with the program.
I started on January 14, 2012. My weigh in that morning was 319.2lbs. I didn't start my face book page about my progress until more than a year later....probably another sign that I was scared of showing everything and then failing at it.
On December 14, 2012 I had been on the program for 11 months. That morning I weighed in at 218.6lbs.....showing a total weight loss in 11 months of 100.4lbs. I was beyond happy with that number and ecstatic that I actually lost 100lbs inside of a year! I participated in my first 5k that month! I ran….with my flat feet….and it was SOOOO fun!
The most amazing thing I learned was that my flat feet CAN
run! The excuse that I had used my whole life…..I threw it out the window! Now
mind you, I do not run fast….but I run! My goal for 2013 was to participate in at
least1 race a month for the entire year. I was really thinking 5k’s….perhaps a
10k or two. I told myself that there was no way I could do a half marathon…..that
was simply too much…..I would never be at that point. I did a few 5ks and then
my first 10k in April, 2013….The Blue Bell Fun Run. I really enjoy themed
races. There was even the Dirty Girl Mud Run….now THAT was fun!! I participated
in a few 5 mile events and another 10k in June. My mind started wondering if my
flat feet really could do 13.1 miles. Maybe I really could earn that sticker!
I scour the internet in my free time, looking at race events.
I saw the website for the Cocoa Women’s Half Marathon and I was mesmerized…..a
chocolate themed race for women? This was the perfect event for me! Women
empowering each other to finish….and to have glorious chocolate waiting for us
when we do…..I knew that I would earn my sticker….flat feet and all!
I won’t be fast. I will take walk breaks. I will finish. And
I will earn that sticker! I am excited
to do it side by side with other women who have all experienced their own
journey to the race. I am so going to devour some chocolate treats!
Cocoa Women’s Half Marathon has been generous enough to allow
me the opportunity to race and blog about it! I will share my training ups and
downs as I countdown to the Cocoa Half Marathon on January 19, 2014…..I cannot wait to earn that sticker
(and eat some chocolate)! And it is basically my 2 year anniversary for this healthier lifestyle. Honestly....I have lived more in the last 2 years than I have my entire adult life! I so underestimated my poor little flat feet!
My journey is not over....I have a long way left to go! I have not been able to make it under 200lbs yet, I would still like to, still trying! I
invite you in....read my blogs, get to know me, share your stories with me. Give me training advice!!! If
I can motivate even one other woman to find her way to success, then it was
worth sharing my story in this public way.
