Hi all!!  I just stumbled upon Smith’s podcast and well, now I am hooked.  I am a 27 year old mother of an 18 month old and had all these expectations of me being in my “pre-pregnancy” jeans by her first birthday.  Her first birthday came and went and I am a good 35 pounds from being able to fit in any of my old clothes.  Being a new mom, it is easy for me to shift the blame onto my new responsibilities, but when it comes down to it, I have lost the motivation I once had to be healthy. OH NO MORE!!  I am sick of waiting for that trim body, I am sick of waiting to take control of my health, today is the day that I start doing something to achieve my goals.  I want to be a healthy role model for my little one.  So here I am, committing to the 100 Days of Exercise Challenge, and with the help of Smith’s podcasts and a lot of sweat, I want to be that good ol’ hot mama!!

Day one begins now!
STATS: 5’4
Weight: 156

Way to go Zookie!!! Congrats on being a new mommy. You sound so motivated and energized.. that’s awesome. You’re going to do great and I can’t wait to hear more from you. (I’m hooked on the podcast also.. it’s great)

Here’s to the new Zookie!

I will be a healthy role model for my little one
I will be that good ol’ hot mama!!

Welcome to the 100 Days of Exercise Challenge - 2007

Those are goals that are really inspiring (with a minor edit).  Write them down and look at them every day!  I’m looking forward to hearing a lot more about your progress.

Take that energy and use it! You can do it. Welcome aboard.

Bree

Thanks all for your encouragement!! I ran two miles yesterday with some incline and felt fantastic afterwards.  I feel really good about my decision to finally MOVE.

I love that runner’s high. It’s very addictive. Good job.

Bree

Well I completed my first “real” week of consecutive exercise. I got up and moved everyday!  I started the week by running 2miles on my treadmill at 4.2mph, and graduated to 5mph with a little incline by the end of the week.  I also made a good effort in waking up early and starting my day with a workout.  I find that if I don’t do that, than I am more inclined to sluff it off due to the hectic schedule of my day or laziness.  I was pleased to slip on a pair of jeans that used to be....well, I had to suck in to button them, and I didn’t have to suck in my belly!!  By listening to Scott’s motivational words, I have realized that it is unrealistic for me to start out running my old routines (Pre-baby, I used to work out 7 days a week and run 8 miles 6 days a week....I lack the time and well, the physical ability right now).  I am setting small goals for myself-Get up and Move everyday and Be conscious of what I eat everyday.  This is a true challenge for me.

I have had a love/hate relationship with food all my life.  It seems to me, that with Scott’s help, I am slowly changing my mindset on what is the definition of healthy.  I came from a home in which both my parents were anorexics, I suffered from the disease in highschool thru college (my lowest weight was 68 pounds at 5’4) and have always dieted by starving myself and heavily restricting myself until I couldn’t take it anymore and then ate everything in sight!  My patterns in life always seem either I am starving myself, or throwing caution to the wind and eating everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in sight.  When I had my daughter I realized that I wanted to break this pattern and model good healthy living and positive self image to her.  I am encouraged to think that this is the new beginning for me and a healthy lifestyle.  1 week down, 51 to go this “year”.  I don’t have a goal to fit into any special sized jeans or weigh a magic number, I just want to look at myself and think, “I am the healthiest I have ever been"-To me, that will be the ultimate success!!!!

Thanks to all you moderators and to Scott, you all make such a big difference to many people just like me!!!

Thanks Rachel!! I am looking forward to Moving along with the rest of you all!!!!

What an inspirational story, thanks for sharing. I’m very happy you are changing your life now. I’ll be praying for oyur continued success.

Bree

I just finished up my day 6 of 100 days of Exercise!!!  It is really amazing how good I feel after just a full week of exercise.  Who knew that your “brain” would change too, I mean, I actually feel really confident now that I can return to the healthy version of me!!! I felt so good I threw in an extra half mile, and more incline today.  Heck, I may even do a double up today and go for another run tonight!!! 

I haven’t gotten on the scale....anyone else afraid to weight themselves???????  I just want to focus on the movement/exercise part and not stress out if I haven’t lost any weight yet.....sometime ignorance is bliss!  How often should you weight yourself anyways?!?!?!?

Hi Zookie!

I’ve been slowly trying to catch up with all of the new 100-Day Challenges that have been started up recently!  Thank you so much for sharing your story of anorexia with us.  Eating disorders are more prevalent than most people realize and, unless they’ve been through it themselves or with a family member, they don’t have a clue how hard they are to recover from and how much havoc they can wreak.

As to weighing yourself, I say that if it might trigger you to go back into anorexic behavior (and you probably would know what that feels like), don’t bother.  Use how you feel, your energy level, your fitness level (however you want to measure that), your measurements or your clothing size (if that doesn’t trigger you).  A number on a stupid piece of metal on the floor isn’t necessary for you to measure your progress.

My eating disorder showed itself as compulsive overeating and part of my recovery from that involved staying off scales completely.  I didn’t weigh myself (or allow myself to be weighed - even at the doctor’s office) for many years.  It’s only been within the past year or so that I started weighing myself weekly, and so far, it’s just been a neutral experience.  Even weight gains haven’t thrown me for a loop.  It’s just another piece of information - not a judgment of my worth as a person (which it used to be).

But only you can judge if that would be okay for you.  If getting on a scale makes you feel crazy, then don’t get on a scale.

Hope this helps!

Judy

Day 7 Completed!!!!!  Today I ran 2miles again at 5mph and with 2% incline.  Felt good.  I went out last night to get a tape measure to see what my measurements are and to track them.....now I just need to get the guts to actually take those measurements!!!!  Would be nice to see how my body will change over the next few weeks.  Thanks again to Judy, Rachel, and Bree for those words of encouragement, hope you guys realize how important you are to this forum!!!!

Congratulations on your first full week of the 100 day challenge.  You better take those measurements now so you have something to compare to.  Keep up the consistency and you will see those changes begin very soon.  It’s still important to remember that any of the measurements you take, whether they are pounds, inches, or anything else, the real goal is for you to feel good and to be physically able to do the things you enjoy.

Have a great week.

Wow, Julie, a week already? It flew by for me… and you seem to be just breezing through the challenge. You’re doing such a great job already! (and you are totally important to the forum too… everybody is… this place is like a second home for me! )

I’m proud of you for getting the tape measure… between your courage and Paula’s great words of advice, I am going to measure myself tomorrow morning! (I don’t want to do it tonight since my boyfriend will be home)… so thanks for inspiring me! Now the REAL courage that I don’t quite have yet will be to actually post those measurements! Yikes…

Anyway, great job Julie, I can’t wait to see what you do with week 2!!

Yesterday I took my rest day.  I plan on hitting the treadmill hard today!!!!!  Still need to take those measurements......oye!!!!

I ran 3.5 miles today!!!! Woooo Hoooo for me!!! Forgot how great it is to run....hey, before you know it, I may hit that 8 mile mark!!!! here’s to wishin!!!

That is so awesome… I walked 3 miles! Way to go, I can’t wait till I can run like you.

If the measurements are too scary, what size are your jeans? Maybe that could be your basis of comparison. Find something to track, maybe how far you can run, go for performance, not appearance. Both will happen, of course. Good luck, and congrats on the 3.5 mile run!

Bree

I took my measurements today.....a big step for me!!  All I can say is WOW, how did I let myself go??????  I am debating or not if I should post my measurements up here for accountability, but right now I am too chicken.  My goal is to reduce those measurements BIG TIME!!!  I am still curious to know when I will start seeing results-measurable results.  How long did it take the rest of you?

About a month for noticeable results for me, less for a lot of people.

Bree

Well yesterday I confess, I didn’t get my workout in.  I felt really guilty about it, I always feel so much better when I get some activity in.  Don’t you always feel better about yourself when you are doing something good for your spirit, body, and mind?!  I got up early this morning and ran at 2.5% incline at 5mp for 3 miles.  Not as far as the other day but still not too shabby for starting out.  I am soooooooo excited to see results.....I keep seeing all these cute summer clothes being put out at the stores and it makes me want this more than ever!!!!! Hmmmm, I should also figure out when my 100 days will be over too....by then, exercising should come naturally right?!