12 | January | 2012 | Spinach and Skittles

I’m sure you’ve seen the Weigh in Wednesday tab at the top of my blog…the one that hasn’t been updated in, oh, months. Once I started What I ate Wednesday-ing and Pinterest Recreating, I let my normal Weigh in Wednesday posting slide. I could re-name that tab something else non-alliteration-filled, or I could stop joining linky parties. As much as it pains my fourth-grade teacher heart, I think I’m going to have to re-name Weigh in Wednesday if I want that series to become prevalant again.

And it needs to.

Desperately.

I gave up the scale a while back, and I’m glad I did. It took hold over my worth and self respect for too many years. Once stepping off the scale I discovered a love of running and finally felt enjoyment from exercising for the sake of exercising. Getting out and moving your body. Being one with nature. You know, all that good stuff. And the added bonus? The weight melted off and I found myself craving naturally sweetened and good for me foods.

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But then I pushed too hard and too fast, as many newbie runners do, and I injured myself. I started to notice knee pain after long runs during half-marathon training, but I pushed the pain aside, took Epsom salt baths and downed magnesium pills, thinking I was just experiencing the same twinges of pain all new runners felt, and the pain would eventually subside.

yes, this is a recycled photo, and no, I still don’t know where I found it

I was wrong. So very wrong. Around mile 7 of my half-marathon I was hit with intense pain in my left knee. I was coming down a very steep hill, and had to do a shuffle/hobble the rest of the way down. I’m still not sure how I managed the rest of the half-marathon. But I did, and then I promptly called my doc to set up a physical therapy appointment. After six weeks I was only feeling worse.

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This, coupled with some additional health issues, led to my doctor ordering me to cut way back on running. The pain in my left leg helped me listen, but, unfortunately, I didn’t replace the running with enough cardio to compensate.

I’m sure you can guess where this is going.

I’m starting January 2012 around the same place I started January 2011. I’ve gained back most of the weight I lost (at least I assume, I still don’t weigh myself), and my energy levels are really, really low. At first I blamed my lack of exercise on my new job and subsequent jam packed schedule. But the heart of the matter lied in the fact that I got lazy and fell into the path of least resistance. That path included a lot of treats.

So that is why I became a January quitter. A January quitter is pretty much the opposite of a January joiner. Instead of hitting the gym with full gusto every day, I quit. I’m over the 15/20 minute drive there, the 5/10 minute locker room shuffle, and 15/20 minute drive back. In that time my work out could be complete. So I quit.

And purchased an elliptical.

Horizon EX-59

With the hubs help (ok, lets be honest, he did everything), my 3rd bedroom went from a makeshift office/guest room to an exercise room. Since set up, I’ve bounced out of bed each morning and caught up on trashy reality t.v., courtesy of E! My alarm was very motivating.