SHAPE

I have this little, pipe-type dream about having my success story in a SHAPE magazine someday.

This is one of my favorite magazines, even though I've never subscribed to it. (I have no idea why I haven't.) [The woman above, who I talked about a while ago here, has an incredible story. 150 pounds lost and kept off! Read more of her amazing journey here.]

Each issue has a Success Story or two. When I first started my weight loss journey in January of 2010, I ripped these out and tacked them on the wall next to my treadmill.

Here is one woman who lost 120 pounds! She started by only eating when she was hungry and cutting out soda. One year = 30 pounds lost. She added exercise, training for races mostly. She also added strength training.

This woman, Loida, story here, went from 173 lbs to 125 lbs over a five-year period. As always, it came down to a change of diet (not a type of Diet, but a change in how she ate) and addition of exercise.

There are so many success stories out there. Google it.

On one level, it is extremely encouraging to me:

"Look what they did!"

"Look what they overcame!"

"I can do that!"

In many cases, "I have done that!"


But sometimes... my thoughts are:

"How do they make time for all that exercise? There's always so much to do!"

"Do I have to be a runner to get to my goal?"

"I feel so far away from my goal. Will this really take another three years?"


The truth is. I really have overhauled my eating habits. In fact, I continue to feel the difference. Junk food has less and less power over me. The portions right for my body fill me more and more. I walk around my classroom every work day. I get on the elliptical two to three times a week. I even started strength training (a little).

But...

There's always a butt... I mean, but...

I'm not totally sold out to the overhauling of my workout routine. I don't sweat much. Some, but not a lot. My muscles rarely hurt. And my workouts are all the same. Many people have suggested plateau-busting workouts to me. And yet... I still haven't implemented (or even tried, let's be honest here) any one of them. I know this is an on-going process and that it is okay (though, not prefferable) if it takes years to reach my weight goal - provided that weight is lost permantently.

What I already do... All the changes I've made... The sacrifices I've made... I want that to be enough.

Perhaps...

...someday...

...I'll be one of those stories.


And maybe I'll even end up in the magazine.


A girl can dream.


So tell me: What is one of your pipe dreams? What are you willing to do (or give up) to reach your dream/goal? How do you fit exercise into your life?