– My Fitness Journey, Part One –

Why I gave up on skinny.

I would start the day with a cup of coffee and some sweetened coffee creamer, have a homemade Greek yogurt smoothie with raspberries and spinach for lunch, and grab a cup or so of popcorn with a few nuts for dinner. If I was really hungry, I’d have a string cheese or a few cookies mid-afternoon too.

This is how I ate most of my life and, yep, I was always ‘skinny.’ The crazy thing is, I couldn’t understand why I never toned up or built much muscle; why I could never get real results, no matter how much I worked out (and boy did I work out). I’m ashamed to admit this now, but I called myself a fat skinny person because I was thin, but had no strength, no muscle, and deep down, I knew I wasn’t super healthy.

So, I gave up on skinny.

Wait a second here, before I go on, let me back up and tell you the whole story, so you have all facts; I grew up in the ballet world. And thin was definitely in, if you know what I mean. I started dancing when I was about 6 and continued on until I was 19. One day, I woke up and was tired of the pressure and tired of the commitment, so I quit. Just like that, I hung up my pointe shoes, boom done.

I took many years off, got married and raised babies, but I eventually found my way back to ballet as an adult. I loved it just as much as I did when I was young and I fell right back into dancing 6 days a week for 3+ hours a day. Still doing food the way I always had. Still not seeing much in the way of strength. After a several years, I eventually quit going to ballet as an adult too.

After quitting ballet for the second time, I went the opposite direction. I almost completely gave up on exercise, unless it involved a stroll to the mailbox or wandering around the mall and I was eating pretty much whatever I wanted. Oh yeah, I opened a cottage bakery during that time too, so I was baking (and eating) up a storm (in case you missed it, homemade cookies are my jam). I woke up one morning and realized I weighed more than I ever had.

It was time to make a change.

I’d heard about this new gym, Orange Theory Fitness, and it was opening up just down the street from me. I thought about looking into it. I’m not even kidding, I spent an entire month convincing myself to call and get some info. I don’t do fitness, I’m a dancer (that’s what I told myself). Weights and rowing, um…I don’t know about all that… I had a list of excuses a mile long.

But, on the very last day of their pre-opening specials, I finally called. No one answered. Thank goodness; I was off the hook! I told myself I should probably leave a message, but I really just wanted to hang up, pat myself on the back, and say, ‘oh well, you tried; now let’s go bake some cookies.’

I did end up leaving a message though; and it was the most scatterbrained, chaotic message that contained way too much information about myself. I hung up abruptly. I remember shaking my head afterwards and thinking, I must have sounded like such an idiot. Ugh, I’m such a spazz. Oh well, I tried (here I go again).

A few hours later, someone named Corinne called. We talked for a few; she went over some stuff about the studio and the workout (which at the time sounded like German to me, but I went with it anyway), and I signed up – right then and there. I didn’t bother take a free class or even visit the studio before I signed up. I had decided, if someone called me back, I was doing this. Period.

I didn’t know it at the time, but that was the day I changed.

That was the day I officially gave up on skinny and headed down a new path.

To be continued…

Read Part Two here.

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3 Comments

  1. Hi I miss that smiling face

  2. I just read Part One and Part Two and I love it; it’s like reading a good novel – can’t wait for the next chapter!

    1. Haha, a good novel – I love that! Thank you so much! 🙂