Brea Getting Fit

I like to think that I’ve come along way from where I started. I started trying to lose weight because of the a number on the scale, and everytime I achieved success, wine and pizza put the weight right back on. I went through spurts of exercising regularly…for about a week. Then I got bored, or busy or just couldn’t find the motivation to continue. I wanted instant results, and rather than put forth the effort, I resigned myself to being chronically chubby.

In 2008 I had an epiphany. I stood on my scale and it said that I did NOT like what I saw. NOT OKAY. Then I realized that if I wanted to lose weight, I would have to get HEALTHY. There was no magic pill. Most of the fit people in this world have to WORK HARD for their bodies! I started to get up earlier to workout every other day…then it morphed into every other day. I enjoyed working out so much that I decided to take up running. On December 1st, 2008 my husband bought me an ipod loaded with the Couch to 5K running program and the rest is history.

I’ve run about 5 5Ks, a 10K and walked a 1/2 marathon (give me some credit, I was 13 weeks preggo!). I love to run, in fact, I love to workout. I get up at 5am because I know that unless I workout in the morning, I won’t have time or energy. It’s too important to me that I get my exercise. After starting to run, I also joined Weight Watchers, which helped me to lose 19 pounds in 6 months. I recently cancelled my membership, because it’s important to me that I understand how to make good choices on my own. I do track my food intake on www.sparkpeople.com, and use my BMR to figure out my basic caloric needs. I have continued to lose weight, and as of April 2008 I’ve lost 45 pounds. Not too shabby. I credit my loss to eating more veggies, fruits and cutting out simple carbs…although I still enjoy some chocolate  now and again.

My most recent move was to become vegetarian, and I am working toward veganism. I feel better, look better and my energy level soars when I eat whole plant foods. I have some great cookbooks (check out How it All Vegan, the Veganomicon, La Dolce Vegan, The Garden of Vegan, and Quick Fix Vegetarian), and a very supportive hubby who wasn’t so sure when I first bought tempeh, but has learned to love it.

I feel that it is important to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible, after all, knowledge is power. I read constantly, and most of the books are related to health, wellness and improving my lifestyle. Here’s what’s on my reading list:

Skinny Bitch, Eat to Live, The China Study, Healthy Eating for Life for Women, The New Rules of Lifting For Women, The Food Revolution, The Eat Clean Diet, Becoming Vegetarian, The Flexitarian Diet, Slaughterhouse, Mad Cowboy, Diet for a New America, Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating

I am currently pregnant with our first child, and happily, am doing very well. I think that I’ve found the majority of weight that I lost over the last two years, but the good news is that I know how to lose it now! The baby is due in July, and after that I plan to go back to running (At almost six months pregnant, I just cannot run), and I cannot wait!!

So that’s a little about me and my adventures in fitness. I hope you enjoy my blog!