The Joys and Pains of my Running Life

So, I lost about 95 pounds a couple of years ago and figured out how to manage my nutrition in a healthy way, how to add protein to my diet (Ideal Shape shakes), how to take out the "wrong carbs" and sugar, etc.  It was easy to stick to my plan, ended up sidelined from running for a while with two injuries, and kept the weight off!

Until...

I started running again!  Sounds like such a contradiction but yes, some pesky pounds found their way back and discouragement set in.  Rationally...it doesn't make sense to gain weight when I'm running a half marathon almost every week, training for three full marathons (Portland, Seattle, and New York City) and eating about the same EXCEPT the night before and the day of the long run!  Who knew that two days of change in my nutrition plan is all it took to sabotage me?

Well, that and STRESS and LACK of SLEEP!  OMG...I just figured it out...changes to two nutrition days, added stress and lack of sleep and boom, no wonder I've gained 25 pounds!

This morning I decided to start reclaiming what I know about nutrition and I'm determined to make adjustments for my well-being.  My goals are to reduce stress, get back on track with my sleep schedule and adjust my meals the night before a big race and the day of the long run. I'm going to try it out and see if this new adjustment works.  Sometimes experiments are trial and error but gotta start somewhere, right?

I have a new "before picture" that I posted privately to my Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain friends (photo posted in this blog) and shared my small victory today of overcoming negative body image right now and sporting my lioness skirt anyway.  By the way, the lioness is much shorter than the other skirts I typically wear, so it took courage to put it on this morning and take it for a spin.

Although my body image has changed a bit with the added 25 pounds, my skirt sisters reminded me why I connect with them and why I connect with Skirt Sports, who believes all sizes, all body shapes are welcome!  The words these friends used to describe my picture above (as I was feeling self-conscious) were amazing, strong, happy, gorgeous, powerful, active, smiling, fabulous, beautiful, rockstar, in charge of her destiny.

In a world full of criticism and body shaming, these adjectives were used to describe this picture and the girl running in it who is not at her goal weight but remains active and desires a healthy lifestyle!  The journey to adjust my routine is in full force, but for today, I'm going to love me and the body I have that is strong...strong enough to get through marathons and so much more.

My goal is to drop a size in this lioness in two months!  With my Ideal Shape shakes/supplements and with the support of my Skirt Sports family and my own family, I can do this just like I did before.  I may have hit a setback but a setback doesn't define me and it doesn't define you either.  The good news, I don't have 95 pounds to lose.  Twenty-five isn't going to be easy, but it isn't impossible.  I've certainly been in a worse place, 70 pounds worse in fact. :)

Get out there...Go Run! Go Walk! Be Active just as you are!  I'm right there with you!

**Disclaimer: I've been so fortunate to be a Skirt Sports Ambassador and Ideal Shape Ambassador as well.  These are great companies and I do get a few perks for using their products like free stuff!  But, what I share is honest and true about both Skirt Sports and Ideal Shape from my personal experience.  What sets them apart is the relationship...they truly care about you!  www.idealshape.com (discount code KIM10 for 10% off) www.skirtsports.com (discount code FB420)