You may have heard it from other people.
They tell yourunning changed their lives.
But trust me, it really can happen.
Courtesy Cheryl Carlin
As a kid I was always busy playing sports, which kept myweightat a normal range.
Once I stoppedsports, however, my weight skyrocketed.
High school was no picnic.
Courtesy of Author
College just made my weight gain worse.
All of this led me to slowly reach 220 pounds by the end of my senior year.
Seeing her enjoying fitness and getting in shape made me realize I could do that, too.
Courtesy of Author
I mean, wearetwins after all.
I started withwalking, although walking more than a mile was very tiring.
Once I was able to walk three miles I started to add in running.
Courtesy of Author
I would run one block and then walk five.
Slowly, I would add more blocks of running and reduce the blocks of walking.
As Ibuilt up my staminaI added more blocks.
Endorphins, they make you do the craziest things!
But I did it.
It took me months oftraining, but I finished my firsthalf marathon.
Sure, I clocked 3 hours and 25 minutes at the finish line, but I did it.
Not many people can say that.
After that day I realized that I actuallygaspenjoyed working out.
Here are a few things that I’ve learned along the way.
My transformation over five years of running the Philadelphia Rock n Roll Half Marathon.
That statement couldn’t be truer.
In addition to exercising, that included revamping my eating habits as well.
There are many weight-loss programs out there, but for me, Weight Watchers worked the best.
It helped me get into a mindset of healthy eating, but wasn’t unbearably restrictive.
On the left: Me (left) and my sister (right) at my first five-mile run.
Finding someone else who shares your goals is not easy, but it is important.
Luckily, my sister was an easy choice because we both wanted to see each other happy and healthy.
At first, motivating myself was a pretty impossible task.
I was self-destructive and I would self-sabotage myself with a food reward every time I hit a goal.
Hiking the Grand Canyon, competing in the runDisney Dopey Challenge, and kayaking in upstate New York.
There are so many ways to work out that most people don’t take advantage of.
I have a mantra that I will try any fitness class at least once (aquacycling, anyone?)
to see if I really like it.
Whenever I feel like I’m in a workout rut, I switch it up and try something new.
Next on my list?
I would love to train for a triathlon just to see how I would do.
Just setting your mind to lose weight sounds a lot simpler than it actually is.
It’s all about balance, and finding the right balance for you.
You might love yoga, or walking around your neighborhood catching Pokemon.
Just find something that makes you feel invincible and you will be unstoppable.
