Memories

When I was not as fit as I am now, when I was much younger, I dreaded summer.  You may know the feeling, the shorts, the swimsuits…Oh. God. the swimsuits… I remember trying them on endlessly as a young girl, about 14, and my anorexic mother critiquing me endlessly for what was “slenderizing”… I mean, after all, I WAS a size 14, right?!?  Never mind that I was 5’7” and weighed about 125#…my mom told me that I was fat…and I believed her.

Progression

Fast forward to my early 20’s.  I went to nursing school and when I graduated I weighed 200#.  I had experienced the freedom of living out of my parent’s house for 4 years and when I escaped the constant criticism about what I ate, and about my body, I went crazy eating everything in sight.  The stress of nursing school had caused me to binge on Stewart Sandwiches out of the vending machine in the break room at the hospital.   Golden Flake Barbecued Potato Chips and Dr. Pepper had their part in the excess pounds as well. I was in a mess.  I graduated in April, and summer looming on the horizon was horrifying.  I put myself on a strict 1000 calorie/day diet and lost 80# in a flash.  Before summer was over I was almost comfortable with my body.  I say almost because even though I was slim, I was not in good shape.  The sedentary days of studying in nursing school had left me soft, even though I was only 21. I didn’t enjoy that summer.  I wanted a hard body but had no true idea about how to get it.

Moving On

Through the years, my weight seesawed and my fitness level ebbed and flowed but somehow I was never ready for summer.  The media, BEFORE Instagram… was almost suffocating with the Bones Jones images of what I was supposed to look like.  I always wanted to cover up somehow.  I rarely felt comfortable in a swimsuit.  Strangely enough, as I aged, I became increasingly fitness minded and continually fought the scale and bought all kinds of exercise equipment and used it.  Over the course of about 35 MORE years, I began to close in on my best self.

Epiphany

I had lifted weights before.  I had swam 2 hours/day for 10 years.  I had been a runner.  I was at my Weight Watcher’s goal at the top end of the BMI chart and was actually pretty satisfied but I knew there was something more.  I still did not have the body that I wanted and I was on 3 medications.  I began to investigate David’s Way and discovered that, according to David, I was still about 20# heavier than I should be.  I also discovered that I knew very little about lifting.  As I began to eat David’s Way, the pounds fell off.  I began the Starting Strength lifting program and my body began to change. I quit taking medication of any kind. That was 10 months ago.

Today

At 62, I am in the best physical condition of my life and I’m gonna blow summer off the calendar this year.  I’m looking for a new bikini.  I’m not as hard as I intend to get, but I’m harder than I was and I have a little definition.  I also have about 4 months until it’s time to go to the beach here.  Although I can’t rush progress, the process takes time, there are tweaks that I can make to my program that will make a difference.   Four months is enough time to make noticeable progress.

The Challenge

Are you with me?  We have four months.  Imagine the difference in May if you start tweaking your program now.  Imagine going into the dressing room with swimsuits a size smaller…and more stylish…and more revealing.  Imagine hitting the pool WITHOUT a cover up.  Imagine being comfortable in a bikini.  It can happen.  You decide, the decision is all yours.  See you at the beach! ;-*