“You ran 11 miles on your off day! Who does that? It’s not normal.” This was the reaction to posting my regular runs on social media. Back in October when I decided that my lifestyle was untenable, I changed my eating habits and my physical activity habits. Notice that I did not say “diet.” I did not go on a diet; I changed my lifestyle. I did not start a workout plan; I changed my life style. For me being healthy meant taking ownership of my own condition. I started with my diet because no amount of exercise can negate a poor diet. Then I added exercise (stretching, running, and some minor strength training).
When I started running I was miserable! I was managing to “run” a mile in 16 minutes and a 5k in an hour. I spent a couple of weeks posting my runs, which simply stated how far I ran that day, but I was tenacious and instead of getting faster, I simply ran longer. A strange thing began to happen as I kept losing weight. I started getting faster without extra effort. My goal on a run is to run the same pace through the whole run and my pace dropped to 15 minutes per mile, then 13, then 12 then 11, and now my easy pace is around 10.5 minutes per mile. This occurred over a period of four months. On February tenth, I decided to push my self and see how long it would take me to run a mile. It was not the most fun I have ever had; however, I managed a mile in 7 minutes and 53 seconds. The last time I ran a mile in less than 8 minutes, I was 19. Along with this far better mile time I ran a 5k in 29 minutes and 46 seconds. My next goal is to run a half marathon in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes. I am running the Atlanta Publix Marathon or will have already run by the time this article is read.
A big part of my weight loss and improved physical health stems from by owning my own condition. I had no one to blame for my lack of health but myself. As soon as I took ownership of my health, I frankly evaluated my condition. I was fat, slow, sick a lot, and my quality of life was abysmal. These traits were all on me. I now step on a scale every day, track what and how much I eat and I workout. All good evaluations come with a plan to improve. Eating better and working out more while knowing the quantity and quality of both were the plan. The last step is very simple but often more difficult. Execute! I simply had to follow my plan and if it was not effective, re-evaluate and execute again. You need to Own, Evaluate, and Execute your own health. There is no one to blame but yourself. Where does the leave me now? First, I am 200 pounds instead of 300 pounds. Second, I can run a mile in less than 8 minutes instead of over 17 minutes. I also look and feel younger, have more energy, have a new wardrobe: since I went from a XXXL shirt to L shirt, and from size 44 to 34 in pants. I sometimes do not recognize my own clothes because they are so small compared to the previous set. If this encourages you, remember to be healthy by owning your current condition, evaluating your condition, and executing a permanent plan to be healthier.
