Die Fat or Get Tough

Yikes! The title of the post sounds threatening, right?

Well, it is.

Now, I have no intention of turning Wooley's World into a diet blog. But our blog does serve as a purpose to keep people up to date about what is going on in our lives, and right now my focus is on getting fit.

My friend and co-worker, Brittany, has lost 90 pounds over the past 10 months. She truly is an inspiration. CBS Atlanta is doing a story on her, and I was listening to her interview today. And she said something that really resonated with me. "I did this to myself." And you know what...that's true. No one force fed me unhealthy food. We are each responsible for what we eat.

So, back to the post title.

This book landed on my desk at work about a month or so ago. I flipped through it and then put it down. Tonight, I picked it up again. I have multiple reasons for wanting to read the book. The first: I'm having the author on my public affairs show in a few weeks, and I want to pull some quotes out to round out our segment. The second: I'm curious as to what he has to say.

So, as I ease my sore muscles in my wonderful jetted tub, I started reading. And a few things hit me right off the top.

The first...I am responsible for being overweight. Over the past few weeks I've been going over the reasons I gained weight in my head. Sure, there were certainly external factors. But ultimately it comes down to personal responsibility. (And that is one of my pet peeves.)

I could blame the time in my life when I was limited to spending $50 for two weeks worth of groceries. It was during that time that I figured out how to sneak extra food into my diet and not be discovered. These typically came in the form of getting cash back at the grocery store (so really...I was spending my $35-40 on two weeks of groceries), and then using that money to eat out during the work week. (This is one of the things I've never admitted to publicly.)

I could blame my severely sprained ankle the week before I started college that has never been the same and always aches when I workout.

I could blame genetics. "I was just born fat."

And right now, I could blame the spin bike because I am in PAIN from my first class.

I'm sure genetics plays a part. But the rest are just excuses.

1. I chose to eat out at lunch and I picked the delicious, mouth-watering cheeseburger over a sensible salad.

2. I chose not to get back to working out as soon as my ankle healed.

3. I knew getting on that spin bike was going to be painful.

Bottom line...I made choices and now I have to pay the price for those choices.

I love Winnie the Pooh. But I most certainly don't believe this:

Sorry Pooh Bear! I may be short...and I may be fat...but I am most certainly NOT proud of that.

So as I continue to nurse my post-spin class pain, know I'll be back up there. And next week, no excuses. Go to sleep early. Get up and get moving.

Can't wait to see you soon and...

I most definitely could not start and stay on this journey without my darling husband, who throws his support behind everything I do. I want to make him proud to be seen with me (I know, babe...you are). But I want to know that I am best wife I can be...physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Until next time...