Yesterday, I turned 26 and met a goal I set for myself.
Tomorrow, I have to go get a new license and take the Rules of the Road written test. When the DMV clerk asks me if all of my demographic information is the same, I am going to be able to tell her yes, and without lying, it will match the weight that I had put on there 10 years ago when I got my very first license at 16.
That goal I set? To lose 50 pounds, which just so happens to put me back at the weight I was in high school when I was too young to care to lie about my weight.
Over the course of my healthy lifestyle changes, I really haven't set too many solid goals. At first, the goals were just to exercise more and eat healthier. Then, I started getting more specific with training and diet expectations for myself, but I never set goals that I would achieve on the scale. The entire journey I have relied on pictures, mirrors, how my clothes were fitting and how I was feeling, to measure if I was making progress. From the time I stepped on the scale and saw my highest weight, right at 200 pounds, I didn't step on the scale again until I was noticing big changes in my body and how my clothes were fitting. Once I realized that I had lost over 20 pounds, I looked forward to the next weight loss milestones but they weren't goals with a deadline. That is until I passed the 40 pound mark this summer, less than 6 months until my birthday. I realized that my changes had become habits, I enjoyed my workouts and I figured it was time to set an actual goal, with my birthday as the deadline. Based on my weight loss up until that point, I knew that setting a 10 pound weight loss goal with a deadline that many months away, that I wouldn't have to stress about it, starve myself or lose the weight in an unhealthy way. I knew that I could safely lose 10 pounds just by continuing what was clearly working for me.
Last week, 6 days before my birthday, I stepped on the scale to see where I was at and to my delight, I was only 1 pound away from my goal-totally doable! I have never been one to spend a lot of time on the scale, which started as a way to ignore the fact that I was steadily gaining weight, but has become a way to not get too caught up in what is in fact, just a number. Now, some people probably think I shouldn't be bragging about being 150 pounds, but for me that is a healthy weight. I have officially crossed from "overweight" into the "normal" BMI range for my height, and I am the strongest and healthiest I have been since high school, when I still wasn't stick thin.
When I turned 21, I was not at my heaviest, but I certainly wasn't 150 pounds anymore. I was aware that I had gained weight, and true to my gender stereotype I lied about my weight when I got my new license. "Of course everything is the same!" was my way of not dealing with my weight gain, until the day I saw that 200 pound mark, my clothes weren't fitting and I was just not myself. It was time to make some changes.
I am really proud of myself for all the mini milestones I met along the way, but mostly that I not only set a realistic goal, but I followed through and met it by the deadline.
Everyone's journey is different, some people need that constant scale check to keep them in line, some people need to take selfies along the way to document their journey, and others need someone to kick them in the ass to make lifestyle changes, but everyone can do it. Seriously, small goals and little changes at a time build the foundation for full on lifestyle changes and healthy habits.
Excuse me while I go high five the DMV clerk and smile as cheesy as possible, 26 isn't half bad!
Pictures in order: 17, 21, 23, 24 and 25 (almost 26)
This will be our first ever co-authored blog post, so bear with us as we review the last year and give a little sneak peak into our upcoming year. We both feel that 2013 was a whirlwind of fun, excitement, struggles and a whole lot of firsts for us. To spare you from reading 2 separate blog posts, that would probably mirror each other (cause love and shit) we decided to double team and tackle it all in one space. As if our Facebook posts and photos didn't induce enough vomiting already, you better hang on to your dinner ladies and gents because here's one more reason to get your gag reflex going.
Jackie here.
Looking back at 2013, I remember sitting down 366 days ago and deciding there would be no resolutions or goals for the next year, but just a plan to approach it with a good attitude and make it my happiest, healthiest and most alive year yet. I started a book and this blog to document my struggles, victories and experiences. I celebrated my 25th birthday with my sister in law with a "25 and alive" quarter century birthday bash, established a surprising connection with an acquaintance that would turn into the love of my life, came out to my family, made some new friends, said goodbye to some friends, and made good memories with some of the best friends a girl could ask for, shaved half of my head, transferred to day shift after 3 and half years on midnight shift, wrecked my car (first accident and first ticket all in one), passed the 45 pound weight loss mark, flew in an airplane for the first time, experienced Vegas and Rollercon for the first time, played a whole bunch of roller derby, secured my first "Most Valuable" anything award for jamming and then later in the year, blocking in 2 separate bouts, experienced my first real roller derby injury to my knee, struggled with stomach issues most of the year, and played some rec league softball in the summer and fall. As an added bonus I learned just how gassy Cecil is, and the key to knowing a toot has arrived is a series of giggles from one or both of us. I feel like 2013 was my strongest year yet, I really found myself and got to a place where happiness was my main emotion. Sure there were struggles, but nothing that I couldn't handle. My inner voice and my outer being are finally in sync, and I am looking forward to rolling all of that over into 2014. Now, on to my leading lady's stuff.
It's true. I fart. A LOT. And I uncontrollably giggle about it every time. Yes, I am five years old sometimes. Anyway, as for me, I completed my sixth Beachbody program with T25, moved into the country but did not eat any peaches, said goodbye to all the wheaty goodness to support my love's unfortunate health issues, played on a big gay WINNING softball team, hit my 90 pound weight loss mark, unexpectedly lost the light of my life (my dog Miko), celebrated my brother's homecoming after a year in hospital care, got to visit back home two whole times instead of just the one, celebrated my final year in MTV's target demographic, moved away from the comfort of my bestie and roomie of four years, took up boxing, and my biggest, most rewarding accomplishment of the year: I asked out the girl of my dreams, who I thought I had no chance in hell with but decided to, for once in my life, stop being a gigantic scared wienie and at least try. Turns out when you lose your wiener some amazing things happen.
Clearly each of us experienced individual ups and downs throughout the year, but 2013 was mostly filled with learning how to navigate life as a couple. When you take two of the strongest, most stubborn personalities on Earth and stick them together you are bound to have one interesting year full of discovery, from learning what makes each other tick to just plain ticking each other off. 2013 has also been a year full of fast, fierce love. Last year we discovered a new church together that we absolutely love. Unfortunately it's 45 minutes away, but we enjoy taking Sunday roadtrips together whenever possible for our favorite 30/30 coffee and some time with little baby Jesus. We experienced Chicago PRIDE together, both of us having way too much fun with Jackie taking candy from strangers--pardon me, I was just informed it was Jello Jigglers shots--and me pulling my infamous Cecil dash and going drunk solo clubbing and almost getting left behind. Jackie dropped the L bomb on accident, we moved in to the perfect country home together just past the classic U Haul time period and did the best we could to mesh our two completely different ecclectic styles, learned three things that did not mesh well together (my two cats and Jackie's dog), met each other's totally weird families and friends, had to completely change our diets to gluten free due to health issues and learned just how challenging that can be, completed a Beachbody program together (T25), and did nothing less than support each other to continue healthy lifestyles. We learned how to disagree with each other in a respectful manner but at the same time vowed to never stop showing our love for one another, whether it be sending each other a text, placing a card in a totally random spot for the other to find, or writing in our 'love note book,' which some of those writings made it to giant canvases on our bedroom wall (GAY!).
Woah! Enough about the past, here comes the future...
We are looking forward to our 1 year anniversary in February, where we will cash in my Christmas gift from Cecil by spending an amazing weekend in Chicago and seeing one of our favorite performers, Karmin at the House of Blues. We just kicked off our 2nd BeachBody fitness program together, p90x3. We are both looking forward to smashing more health and wellness goals, shifts in extra curricular priorities, potential relocation to experience a different part of the country together, and continuing our journey of being healthy, happy and alive (and in love!). Neither of us made solid 2014 resolutions, but will both be continuing our efforts to improve ourselves and our relationship. Sure as shit there will be more ups and downs, but stock up on your Pepto kids because this vomit inducing couple will continue to share it all.
