As you probably know, I started on a lose-the-baby-weight program (notice I didn't say the word "diet") almost a year ago. September, actually. I saw a friend at an industry conference who had lost 16 lbs by eating healthy foods and was inspired by her commitment and progress.
So I started. JP and I developed a nutrition and weight-lifting program and off I went. I lost 20lbs by the beginning of this year, but then hit a big plateau. I had two choices - eat an entirely clean diet (um, no) OR add in cardio.
In March, on a whim, I signed up for a triathlon swimming class at the local Y, which is incredibly funny because I was never a swimmer. I mean, I've always known *how* to swim, but had never really done it...not since I was a small child. The first class was impossible (I almost quit) and the following six were not much better. I managed to finish the Spring Fling triathlon only because the swim took place in a pool and I was able to stop at the end of each lane. I realized I wouldn't have the stamina or skill to compete in open water and I was discouraged.
I hit the pool the the following Monday (presumably for the last time) and struggled as I always had. Fortunately, I met Mary. A strong swimmer, Mary had been doing laps and stopped to watch me swim. She saw my visible frustration as I struggled to complete a 75 meters straight and offered up the best piece of training advice I'd been given - SLOW THE HELL DOWN. Apparently I was trying to sprint every pool length and gassing myself out quickly. Best. advice. ever.
Long story short....I've since improved my swim (see Mill City results) and lost another 10 lbs. I had a health screening at work and the numbers showed that all of my hard work is indeed paying off:
Total Cholesterol - 172
HDL (the good stuff) - 59
Glucose - 95
Blood Pressure - 90/62
BMI - 21.3
And weight...well, let's just say I'm the lowest I've been since my mid 20s.
Here's to the triathlon.
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