Take it off | Week 65: Paying it Forward

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Back in November, my Medifast dietitian, Jen, and my good friend, Amanda volunteered to run my first 5k with me. I was so nervous. Both Jen and Amanda are experienced runners and I had just barely graduated from training with the C25k program. But I stepped up to the challenge and finished in a respectable 35 minutes and 55 seconds. 
Since that first race in November, I've consistently run 3-4 miles nearly every day. I even did the legendary 10-mile Broad Street Run in Philadelphia. On Saturday, I had an opportunity to pay it forward.  I ran a 5k with two first-timers: my husband and a friend whom I had not seen since my high school graduation in 1995. 

I had noticed more and more of my friends on Facebook taking up the C25k. After many offers and much prodding to run races with people, my friend Liz accepted the challenge. Then I somehow convinced my husband to join us. My husband finished in 29 minutes (show off!) and my friend and I came in at a respectable 35 minutes with a little bit of walking.
photos by: Jason Mallet-Prevost
I am so proud to have witnessed such a fantastic achievement in their journey to maintain good health. Christian is still on a three hot dogs a day habit but he is working toward exercising more and more. Liz is only 8 months out from quitting smoking and losing 25 pounds. I am so proud of these two and I'm honored that I was able to do this race with them.

I am just a handful of pounds away from my goal of losing 100 pounds. If someone had told me a year ago that I would not only be running races myself but running as someone else's emotional support, I would have laughed. A lot. But if I could go back to last May and tell myself anything, it would be this:
Never doubt your ability to beat your demons and meet your goals. Put one foot in front of the other and never let go of your sight of the finish line. Even if you fall behind the pack, or you have to walk all the way, or you need to sit down and rest, or lean on some one to get you through, all that matters is that you keep trying. You can do this! Power through the emotional and physical pain and anguish. One day you will make it to the finish. Your time does not matter!
I never thought I would be, but here I am, after nearly 35 years of fighting obesity...just weeks or maybe even days away from seeing a moment I never thought I was capable of having. It was all because I kept putting one foot in front of the other. At times when I did not have the strength to run, I walked. When I no longer had the strength to walk, I stopped for a moment to rest and appreciate what was behind me. When times got really hard, I leaned on others and let them momentarily carry the weight of my burden. Just when I thought my weary soul could not go another mile, I pushed through and crested yet another hill on this journey and flew down the other side with renewed strength and confidence. All because I put one foot in front of the other.
• • •
Last week I talked about how I played with fire. I went pretty far off plan over the course of two and a half days in hopes that it would jump start some weight loss. So how did it turn out? I lost 2.5 pounds! This is HUGE for me! I've been seeing 0-1 pound losses for weeks. I'm sure that these next 6.5 pounds will not come easy - but they will be had. 

I am still undecided about what I will do in the next few weeks if I don't hit my goal. But its more than likely, goal or not, I will begin to transition into maintenance. This doesn't mean my weight loss will end. In fact, the results I had in the past week demonstrate that I may even continue to lose once I begin to add more calories back into my diet. No final decisions yet - but the end of this leg of the journey is near. I'm going to take a moment to appreciate what's behind me. 

Month One: -16 lbs
Month Two: -5 lbs
Month Three: -6 lbs
Month Four: -6 lbs
Month Five: -6 lbs
Month Six: -8.5 lbs
Month Seven: -7.5 lbs
Month Eight: -5 lbs
Month Nine: -2 lbs
Month Ten: -5 lbs
Month Eleven: -6 lbs
Month Twelve: -4 lbs
Month Thirteen: -6.5 lbs
Month Fourteen: -3.5 lbs
Month Fifteen: -1 lbs
Week sixty two: 1 WHAT?! WHAT?! (its actually 1lb and some change. But we are just gonna call it 1)
Week sixty three: 1
Week sixty four: -.5 
Week sixty five: -2.5  
Total: 93.5 lbs gone forever! Current weight: 146.5 lbs Distance from goal: 6.5 lbs!!

Date
Bust
Waist
Hips
Thighs
Arms
4/23-4/30
36"
35.5"
39.5"
22"
12"
5/1-5/7
35.5"
33"
38"
22"
12"

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*FTC Disclosure: Medifast provides their products for my personal use for free. I am not paid or compensated in any other way for mentioning their products. All thoughts written here are mine. I love complaining so I would tell you if I didn't like something in the program. :)
Medifast products and the Medifast Program are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Any medical improvements noted while on the program are related to weight loss in general, and not to Medifast products or programs.

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