Finding True Health After Disordered Eating And Over Exercising Part 2

If you haven't read my first post Part 1 check it out ...Here.

I joined my first Golds Gym back in 1997. I had been in the working world a few years so I ponied up and bought a membership.

I started doing the elliptical for 30 minutes, taking body pump classes, and lifting weights with a few body builder guys I met. I thought I was a fitness buff! Ha! 

I didn't know the first thing about food or diet. I did however read a ton of magazines and the newest thing to do was to drink H20... The old 64 ounce rule. So I did this.

But my horrible diet stayed the same. Very southern mixed with Mexican queso and chips everyday after I got off work. Tons of sugary foods. Lots of desserts. I had stopped eating fast food at this time...did this back in 1996. But nonetheless my diet was still really bad. Really bad! 

This was 1997. Lots of elliptical and bad nutrition. 

I decided I wanted to run my first 5K ...I thought well I've been doing the elliptical surely I can run! 

Hahaha! How stupid was this! I literally had never run a block...but I signed up to run 3.1 miles! 

About 1/2 a mile in I thought my heart was going to explode and I had to have the golf cart pick me up...so I never even finished! 

This was from that very first race! (Thank goodness fitness apparel has changed!)

I wore the wrong shoes...1full size too small....non running sunglasses...they used to slip all over my face...I used to not even wear a hat...omg the sun damage!! 

I soon realized running was wayyyy harder than I thought. Wayyyyy! 

And I knew nothing about running! Nothing!

I ordered a subscription to Runners World. And made running my goal. 

When I first started I couldn't run a block. I would run from mailbox to mailbox. After many months of this....I was able to run a mile...then 2 ....then 3.....

And then that's what I did...for years ...many many many years. I ran. 3miles. 5ks. 5 milers. 10ks. 1/2 marathons. Treadmill runs. Outside runs. Long runs on Sundays. Races races and more races! 

Run. Run. Run. 

I ran in rain. Snow. 

I ran out of bad relationships. 

And into new careers.

Running was my constant. I was in control. 

And I got thin....very very thin....

I ran 4-5x a week for 16 years! 

What was I running from? 

Stay tuned...part 3 is coming...

Part 3 Finding Blance

So what was I running from...what was I looking for?

Me. 

I was looking for self acceptance.
True self acceptance.
Self love.

(If your feeling a bit lost...read Here to catch up on my story of disordered eating.)

I lifted very little weight until meeting my husband in 2004. 

I would go to the gym. Do a few light weight bicep curls with a 5 pound dumbbells.  A few shoulder pressed with same 5's. Do a leg extension on 35 pounds. And maybe some abs on the ball. Then call it a day. Plus I was still running 4-5x a week sometimes more.

Photo circa 2004...notice bad posture and very little muscle. And very thin!

When my hubs first measured my body composition I had 96 pounds of lean muscle...which is very low....and weighed about 118. Meaning I was very thin with very little muscle. I was basically running off not only any fat I had but muscle as well. 

PLUS.....

I was still feeling dizzy.

I was not eating enough to maintain my running. 

I was super tired a lot. 

He set me up with a trainer...that I worked out with 2-3x a week.  This was a game changer for me. Not only did he teach me the right way to lift weights...but he also taught me about food. The importance of fueling my body. 

Now let me be honest....a lightbulb didn't go off and one day I wasn't eating enough and the next day I did....

It didn't happen that way...it was a learning process. 

With the loving help of my husband Brad and my trainer Tarik...I learned how many calories I should be consuming. When I should eat. What I should eat. The importance of balance. Carbs. Fats. Protein. Water. 

Photos circa 2006 after lifting for a few years. So I had added about 4 pounds of muscle. 

Adding this muscle did wonders for my self image! 

So for many years I followed this schedule.

Cardio 3-5x a week anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour

Lifted weights and strength trained 2-3x a week for an hour each session

And while yes I put on some muscle...it took a very long time! Very long!! 

Years actually.

It took me 2 years of following this schedule to get over 100 pounds of muscle! 

2 years to gain 4 pounds of muscle. 

So yes the scale might have moved up a bit but maybe just a few pounds....maybe up to 121/122.

I was eating more food. 

Taking in more calories. 

Feeling better.

Not dizzy. 

Looking more healthy for sure with only a few extra pounds. 

And a lot more self love, self care, and the love of a new marriage and husband. 

(But I still had horrible stomach issues...this didn't get fixed until recently read about that...Here)

Road to my bikini show debut next post....thanks everyone for reading and sharing this post!