I've had a couple friends who shed SERIOUS poundage for their wedding day. Some did it with the help of pricey personal trainers, weight watchers, or just plain starvation diets (yikes!). Yea, those plans worked and the ladies looked lovely on their day (but honestly, they would have looked just as radiant, just as happy, and just as in love if they had been their typical self!) But I understand that everyone wants to be at their personal beautiful best as a bride. I know I do.
Med school was stressful on my body - the first whole year I don't think I exercised one time (which is hiLARious as I was too busy studying health to actually be healthy!). My eating habits totally sucked...full of study food that was easy, cheap, and whatever my study group could order in. I didn't gain a huge ton of weight or anything - but my health declined. Obviously. So. In my second year I started to re-define my own health. I didn't want to fall into a diet trap (they don't work...we allll know that). I wanted to seriously start working-out and making healthy choices. I lived alone at that time, and was able to sneak in awesome workouts and didn't buy anything at the grocery store that wasn't "good" for me. My plan to redefine myself was working! I literally started craving salads (huge deal for me), and soy milk and no longer felt compelled to grab a QT drink every night.
Well, a couple years later I find myself with new roomies (who I ADORE) but their focus isn't on healthy habits. It's hard, really really hard to say no to donuts, pizza, and cupcakes...it just is. And as my life has gotten busier with clinical rotations I started slacking on my work outs. I can feel the toll. I'm a tad more sluggish these days, and it's hard to get up to go work out (when I used to just jump up and go, now I wanna blog...ha).
I've decided it's time for a healthy over-haul. I'm not out to "get skinny" or even "buff up". I want to have healthy cells, strong bones, and a durable internal system. I' stocked up on yummy health food at the grocery store last night AND I kicked ass at the gym last night. I feel like a million bucks. I just have to make these choices daily. It will pay off. I will never be the skinniest, fittest bride...but I can be a healthy bride.
And more importantly, a healthy woman for life.
*note...I had cake during lunch today. (what!?)
This was a great post, Jes. I feel the same way. I want to be healthy for health's sake. So that I can be strong and active. So that I can feel good. So that I can keep up with my girls...now and when I'm 82. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that people have made comments about me doing WW because I'm planning a wedding--which drives me crazy. I started Weight Watchers before we got engaged... because I had let myself go and knew I could be a better me. I wanted something that would help me mentally get me to the point where I needed to be to keep it off. I gained 20 pounds in three years due to work, complacency, etc. I think it's healthy to want to be a better you!! Good for you for deciding that's where you want to be, and people can stuff it if they say otherwise. :)
ReplyDeleteit is hard to be healthy in school and I totally know where you are coming from. It is just so easy to just eat bagels or cake when you have ten gazillion pages to write or edit.
ReplyDeleteI used to house ice cream when I was studying... but I've tricked myself out of doing this by purchasing frozen fruits and housing those instead. My Vitamin C intake is pretty amazing
i need to get back on the exercise bandwagon. for me, i like being in shape because then i can actually fit into all my clothes and feel self-confident, instead of feeling frumpy in the same baggy blah clothes day after day.
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