Checking in from Maintenanceland...

Lauren

Good afternoon, gang! Well, I haven't been able to post as much as I'd like in the last week or two as things at work have been really busy - it's the end of the quarter, always a time when it's major nose to the grindstone!

All is going beautifully in maintenanceland for me - hope it is for the rest of you lovelies as well!

I am continuing to run nearly every morning, or if for some reason, any part of me hurts or doesn't want to run (I don't believe in "pushing through the pain," it's the quickest way to ruin this whole experience!), I do some other cardio, like elliptical, and continue to also do weight-training 3+ times a week. The running has truly become the new addiction - finally a healthy one! Each week I try to "press" my distance, as well as the speed I reach it, and I am in the 7-mile land now, for my "long" run, which is just amazing to me. Standard days' runs can generally vary in length, but are hovering in the 5.5 -6 mile range. The only negative is that I am starting to have to wake up EVEN EARLIER to accomodate the longer runs! I am picking up speed each time too, which is so cool, since I remember the day in the not so distant past that I couldn't even walk a mile. Now when I have to run errands and I know they're a couple miles away, I don't even question that I'll walk them! You can't imagine how that has affected my quality of life (and saved major $$ on taxis!).

Life is great, it's a pleasure to not be hot during these last few hot, hazy, and humid days in NYC, and to be able to wear cute dresses and sandals or skinny jeans and other fun cute clothes which I never was able to wear - look, I'm about 5'9", so cute is not generally part of my vocabulary, but my clothes are now so much, well, smaller, so I could almost say cute! How bizarre. Sorry, tangent...

Food is going well, and I have strangely figured out the whole maintaining thing. I generally stay within the same 2-3 pounds week after week. I weigh every morning before anything else, and the fluctuations that can occur from salt, exercise, whatever, don't stress me out, as long as I continue to stay several pounds below my "goal" weight, which I do. So, basically, I am just really comfortable.

Here's something I want to mention. People think I must not worry anymore about my weight or gaining. I think about it all the time. But in a good and positive way. I believe that if we allow ourselves to think we've got it figured out and we get complacent, that is when we'll begin to gain again. So I am constantly on a road of awareness, I ponder every item I put in my mouth, and I absolutely still fear gaining all the weight back overnight. But this fear keeps me vigilant, keeps me strong, and keeps me maintaining. People think the fear is a burden - I think it's a lifesaver. The only thing I fear more is the day I stop worrying, because that's the day I'd start gaining.

Diligence. Vigilance. Maintenance.

Works for me!

Cheers -

Lauren

Sojourner · Last edited by Sojourner on Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

nickieluv

holberry · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

Hi cutie!!
(now you are getting the cutes from everywhere,!)

Ok, I'll fess up, you are my inspiration! I wanna be just like you

Your positive, healthy attitude oozes from the page girlie!

Ok enough adulation, dont want to embarass myself

But I wrote down your mantra, diligence, vigilance, maintenace. great,
and thanks!
hol

Lizabette · Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 6:43 am Post subject:

LAUREN,
Glad I came to Maintenance to find you again!
Your inspiring post uplifted me and rings so true with how we survive in maintenance land.
So much better here than in that other place.
BTW, HAPPY FOURTH!
Thanks,

Lauren · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 7:56 am Post subject:

Thanks to all you lovely ladies for the "cute" compliments, they're so appreciated, because we all need a boost some days, right?!

Sojo, you are too awesome! Yes, pushing to the max and sweating it out certainly is empowering and you feel great afterwards to boot. I know you have some issues (back or shoulder, right?), but perhaps you could work with a personal trainer to find activities (like swimming) that you could go all out without feeling pain or doing any increased damage? Swimming is the general "go to" sport for any injured folks, so you really may want to look into that...

Nickie, I am so pleased the post came at a good time for you, and perhaps gave you a different view of the long-term prospects for healthy eating and maintenance. Yeah, it's a struggle, but life is WAY more difficult being fat. I promise! Besides, life's struggles are what give us character, what make us compassionate, empathetic, and strong. Granted, we don't want too much struggle (hence, losing the weight), but a little food watching won't kill us! :-)

Holberry, you are too sweet. We all find inspiration in different things, people, events, and if there's any role I can or have played in your finding success, I am thrilled for it! Keep on rocking, you're doing awesome!

Yes, Liz, that OTHER place was an ugly place, which I choose not to visit again anytime soon! :-) I had a lovely 4th, hope you did too!

Cheers to you all for your strength and perseverence. You can choose to be your own worst enemy or your own best friend - and we can all use another good friend...

Lauren

holberry · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:04 am Post subject:

Yes indeed Lauren, you are inspiring. I was reading some of your early journals yesterday to see how your loss journey went.
I love your positive spirit. It's infectious and the only way for me to go.
Thanks for popping in.
you bet, rock on
hol

queenielou · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 12:23 pm Post subject:

Hi Lauren,

I completely missed your post from last week. 7 miles is quite amazing. I had a huge celebration over finishing 2 miles. Baby steps, right?

You have accomplished so much and it's great to read about how committed you are.

Thanks for the inspiration, cutie

Lauren · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:48 pm Post subject:

You guys are too funny!

So, Holberry, you read my old posts? I haven't even done that! :-) Hope I wasn't too boring, I started around the holidays of 2005 and the board was often quiet, so Jo, Hype, and I just tended to go back and forth for days! :-) Thanks for the comments towards my positive spirit. It isn't one of those fake things that I do to come off sounding sweet (I'm actually not "sweet" in that way), it's just I'm an optimist/idealist. I really believe that in life if we work hard, and be kind to ourselves and others, good things will come. I believe we impact how good or bad each day will be by our attitude, and it certainly seems a better choice to go with "good" on each day! ha So, while of course crappy things happen to me or to those I love, I think it's the way we deal with and handle and process the crappiness that defines our character, and more importantly, enables us to see the silver lining vs being miserable. I've always seen the silver lining, even when things were pretty bleak. I've always envisioned myself to one day be normal/thin, to have a great home, great family, great career. I never questioned that that day would come. I guess I'm lucky like that, I have dreams and I really truly believe that they'll come true. Is it naive? I don't know. But it works for me! What I can say is that in the last couple years I've independently bought my own Manhattan apartment, quit smoking, and lost over 165 pounds. And if that doesn't scream "dreams can come true," I don't know what does! :-)

So, it thrills me that you are motivated by any of this, and while I love to be encouraging in a kind way, I can also be a big proponent of "tough love," so let me know if you ever need a swift kick in the derriere! ha!

Queenie, you are doing awesome too, and 2 miles is fantastic! You will be AMAZED at how quickly your speed and distance improves each week. I've never seen any activity where practice leads to such fast improvements! Keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be at 3 miles before you know it!

Ciao, girls!

Lauren