The Little Child Shall Lead You!

So my last post was made about a month ago. I'm still watching Biggest Loser, still inspired and motivated but obviously NOT enough to do anything about it.

I know a change needs to be made, known it for years. I've tried off and on, mostly off, to do something about making a change. EVERY time I've tried I've seen results, my problem is sticking with it. Most attempts have been one day, some a week or a month. The longest was 3.5 months in 2005 when I lost 70lbs. I was looking so good then life got in the way and I never got back on track.

Here I am back again, making the effort to begin again. It would be so easy to just sit back and continue living as I am but the result of that would be a lot of pain, fear of dying, not being actively involved with my family and the ultimate...DEATH, an early one.

Am I 100% committed to doing this? NO! But I know I have to take the first step and hope by doing so I'll find more enthusiasm as the numbers I see on the go down and gain more energy. I need to say the kick in the rear I received this time came from my 11-year-old daughter, although she didn't realize she was doing it.

My wonderful 6th grader is amazing, gorgeous, fun and, yes, overweight. She hasn't always been but because of the bad example of her parents she hasn't truly learned the right way of eating. When she started middle school in September she came home talking about her P.E. class and how they had to run/walk a mile, improving their time each day. Then she started coming home talking about Cross Country. I could tell the way she talked that it was something she was contemplating. A week and a half into the season she said she really wished she had signed up for Cross Country. I was shocked, surprised, and impressed!!! There's no way I would ever have considered doing cross country as a youth...or NOW. I got on the phone, called the school and asked if it was too late. They said that their first meet was in two days so the coaches would have to make that decision. My daughter was thrilled to get called down to the office to be told that YES she could join the team.

I missed her first meet due to my five-year-old having surgery but her second one was this Monday. She headed to the park where the meet was being held with her school and I drove over there to meet her. Not knowing exactly where the actual meet was being held in the extensive park I decided to park my car and just walk until I found it. I ran into parents from another school who were also trying to track down the kids so we walked together. The whole time I was walking I was embarrassed about my weight, my size and more importantly the difficulty I was having walking with complete strangers and starting to breath heavily.

We finally found the kids and I was able to walk around slowly, cooling down, catching my breath after what felt like my own personal 5K race.

I don't know if you've noticed but most people who gravitate to running are skinnie-minnies!!! As I saw the kids line up I was nervous for my daughter. She definitely doesn't look like a runner. We've been talking about how she's not going to win the races this first year but that she can race against herself and improve her times each week. They blew the gun, the runners were off and the spectators cheered.

Since it's cross country those watching weren't able to see the whole race. At one point the kids disappeared and all the parents lined up where they would be coming out to cheer them on. Soon the leaders were seen trickling in, then a larger pack of kids. My nerves were picking up as more kids came running by but none of them were my daughter. Then I could spot her, rounding the corner. She had the HUGEST smile on her face and was trucking along. The feeling of pride I felt was indescribable. Then she passed me and turned a corner, once again to run a section of the race unseen. I hurried over to the finish line where most of the other parents were already stationed yelling for the runners as they crossed the end. Once again there was a long wait until my sweet girl came running out of the trees. She was tired, her face was red and there was sweat dripping off of her but she was still plugging away. By the time she crossed the finish line, not in last place (WooHoo), most of the cheering crowd had already headed off with their runners so there were few to welcome her at the end but the impact of watching her cross that finished line made a huge impact.

I had an ahh-ha moment, a moment of really taking in what my daughter had accomplished! She was breaking the mold. She was reaching out and doing something that would and can change her lifestyle for a healthier one. The thought crossed my mind, as I watched her, I can support her and follow her lead and help insure that she takes better care of her body than I have or I can continue to sit on my rear, eating junk, not being active and I can bet sooner or later she'd give up and do the same thing. Right then I knew what I had to do.

As we made the long walk back to the car, with my arm around her shoulders, I let her know how proud of her I was. Then I teared up and told her she was my hero, my example and if she could push herself out of her comfort zone and do what she was doing I could too.

So today was my first day of acting on that commitment I got on my treadmill and walked the 2000 meters that my daughter runs for her meets. I was slow, took me a full 30 minutes, but I DID it and I WILL do it everyday. Thanks to a wonderful 11-year-old who broke out of her comfort zone and pushed herself.