Starting Over

There are few things more difficult than starting a new blog. Except, perhaps, starting a new phase of your life.

I am not new to blogging, and my last blog can be found over at Triathlete in Training. While that blog served me well, I have a hard time relating to the version of me that appears in those posts. I was obsessed with meeting my goal of completing a triathlon, but I did not really look beyond that goal. Once I completed my first triathlon, I tried time and time again to get my heart back into racing, but I lost my love for it. The proof of this can be seen in two facts: one) the amount of times I succumbed to major injuries because I stopped caring about my well being and two) I gained about 40 pounds. But that's in the past now. The new phase has begun.

The new phase starts with being married, graduating from college, and trying to find a job that I enjoy instead of the one that just keeps me mildly busy and makes me rip my hair out. On top of all of that, I started a diet program. In the past I've been very anti-dieting, and believed in just living a healthier lifestyle or it won't stick. However, in the past year or two I've watched my mom go from a size 24 to a size 4 using the Ideal Protein diet. I know that I am capable of making healthy choices and living a healthy lifestyle, but I just need to get the weight off before I am able to do that. Enter, diet. Basically, I've cut all sugar out of my life and added more protein. Additionally, I've started working out like a fiend again, which definitely helps.

The great news is, it's working. I've lost 24 pounds and 22 inches (total from various places) in the past five weeks. While the numbers are great, the best part is, I feel fantastic again.

It's hard to remember how great it feels being active when you're sitting around and eating pizza all the time. Yes, I do miss pizza. But I have energy again. I don't even need caffeine because the working out and protein intake are enough to keep me going. It's incredible how powerful working out makes you feel. You stand a little taller, walk with a little swagger (that might just be sore legs from sprints), and your entire thought process starts to shift.

I have three things I focus on now: Running, lifting, and fighting. Running so my heart is strong and because I love to sweat. Lifting so I feel like I can beat up anyone I see (no, really, I get a lot of pleasure out of that). And fighting. Fighting the old me - the negative thoughts, the cravings and desires to just drink a damn beer, and fighting for the future. I'm fighting now so I'll be around for as long as I possibly can. Somedays, I'm fighting just to fight.

So, welcome to my new blog. I promise that not every entry will be so full of text and no pictures whatsoever, but I made a promise to Katie that I would get a post up by tonight.

Goodnight!