Shoutin’ from the Rooftop

I have shared this with several people and wanted to pass it on. People ask me what made “this time” different. I had tried to lose the weight so many times in the past. I was sick and tired of being fat many times. But I was never successful to lose the weight. I wasn’t one of those people that could lose the weight and just couldn’t keep it off. I couldn’t even get to the point to even lose any significant amount of weight. I just decided it was time.  I knew when I walked in to my Weight Watcher center that day I knew that I was going to lose the weight. I had to get healthy and I had to get healthy right then. I was determined that this was the time once & for all.

About one month after joining Weight Watchers, I needed a new cell phone. So we bought one and as I was setting it up, I saw there was a function that was new to me. I could set the phone to always turn on with a greeting to me.  I can vividly remember riding home in the van.  (Chris was driving.) I was working on setting up with phone. I was thinking what I could set as the greeting. Then it hit me. “Hello Skinny” Was I skinny? No way! I would have to look but I am not sure I had lost more than five pounds at that point in my Weight Watcher journey. But it was my mentality. I was going to get “skinny”. (I use that term loosely. I still don’t consider myself skinny. I am much thinner than I was. )

As I continued on my Weight Watcher journey, every time I turned on my cell phone I received the greeting “Hello Skinny”. I was re-inforcing the idea that I was going to be successful at losing my weight. This wasn’t a half-hearted effort. This time was for real. It was a boost to my confidence. I still enjoy seeing that greeting 15 months later.

I was thinking how I could apply this mentality to my current situation. I have never been athletic. Those that know me are probably laughing right now. In school, I was more interested in my music and drama pursuits. Looking back, I wish I could tell “that Kristen” that it would be very beneficial if she would have moved more and loved herself then. I didn’t like to sweat. I didn’t like to exert much physical effort.

Two years ago last spring, is when I got the idea that I wanted to be a runner. I even ran two 5k’s. I was enjoying myself and was proud of how far I had come. I wasn’t fast in any way. Short legs do not lend themselves to fast running. LOL. Then everything came crashing down. I started getting so sick. Doctors couidn’t determine was the problem was. They were talking brain tumor among other things. It was a scary time and the running stopped. After I received a diagnosis, I still wasn’t feeling well enough to be very active.

Within the past 9 months I started getting more active again. It was starting to feel good again. Then bam, more of the same health problems. Doctors were saying physical activities had to stop until more test results. Ugh.  It always seems like I start getting in a groove and then the plug gets pulled. I never get to really get in a groove long enough to think of myself as atheletic.

Last night I was thinking that I am changing my mentality. I am athletic. It is buried deep within me but I know that it is there. I am not sure I am ready to give up my “Hello Skinny” greeting. That greeting still puts a smile on my face. But that is going to be my new mantra. I am athletic. I can get active again. I am going to dig out my Turbo Jam DVDs and get them started. I don’t know where I will find the time but I am going to find the time. I am going to start slow (plus that food poisoning wiped me out). I am not going to dive in so hard in the beginning that I burn out.  I am making a commitment here and now to get moving more. (I just set out the DVD so it is staring me in the face until I get it done.)

I didn’t mean to get so long-winded. No wonder I couldn’t sleep last night with this new mantra replaying in my mind.

I am athletic!

Tags: athletic, determination, mentality, skinny

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