That's not me. ; )
I’m not afraid of telling people my age – 35 – but I totally lie about my weight.
You see, I’m 5’1″. In heels. I have an hourglass figure even when I’m thin so I can hide weight pretty well. But I have gained 8 pounds since the week before Thanksgiving. On a midget like me, 8 pounds is like 15 on a normal-sized person.
Every once in a while, I’ll catch a glimpse of my reflection somewhere and shudder – “Who is that chubby chick looking at me?” I am only 15-20 pounds heavier than my ideal weight, but I think my ideal weight is a little unrealistic on most terms.
Back in high school I was a little anorexic. If I grew past a size 5, I wouldn’t eat anything but a snack size pack of cheese Combos and a Dr. Pepper all day until I shrank back down. It wasn’t until the Air Force that I started putting on weight. I think I actually gained weight in basic training because they forced us to eat.
And then I discovered that I loved food. Oh how do I so love food. And wine.
I know there are French women everywhere that eat a diet of cheese, bread, meats and wine and are whisper thin. But this red-blooded Texan is far from whispy.
Luckily, I love exercise enough to not let my weight get too much out of control. I mean, a good, heart-pumping sweat session is awesome. I love it. But I can’t find time to fit it into my schedule. And after a long day of writing about space stuff in front of a computer and another hour or so of drawing on my computer at home, the last thing I want to do is work out. I want wine. And cheese.
I’m going to do my new diet by crowdsourcing. So I ask, how do you fit it in? Do you work out during work hours? Take your kiddo for a jog? Are you vegan or pescatarian? I’d love to hear all about your balancing act.
I’ve tried getting up before work to do it and it works about two days a week. I just can’t keep it up because I’ve been pulling long nights with school and other projects.
You can do it!!! Wife works nt&wkends…so I either run at 5am, quickly after work, or simply take kidlets with me! It can be done! How bad do you want it???
Yes, how bad do I want it is an excellent question. I sort of do, but it just isn’t a priority. I guess until I get off my ass and make it one, I shouldn’t complain! LOL!
I’m not very good with exercising either because I am not a morning person so I don’t get up early and I have so much to do at night with homework and my blog that I am exhausted. So instead I try to find time during the day to walk when I can. I park farther away when I go places so I can walk extra, I walk to pick up my daughter from school if the weather is nice, I take the stairs instead of the elevator. And I try to eat somewhat healthy. I limit wine to weekends only and in the summer I drink a lot of fresh fruit/vegetable juices and smoothies. Good luck!
Those are great tips, Jessica!! Healthy eating is very important even if not always convenient.
I am very like you on this. Last summer, I started walking every day with my kids. I wasn’t working still, so I had no excuse not to fit it in. Now, I get up around 5:30 or 6 to walk so that I can be in time for my hubs to go to work. And I am working three days a week. The other thing I notice, though, is that my body changes depending on the season. Now, with spring coming up, I’m less interested in food. My body just feels less hungry, so I assume I’ll lose a little weight, which seems like a natural progression from winter to spring. I’m trying to follow these more ancient, Eastern ideas when it comes to thinking about my body because I think they’re more healthy.
Hi Jana,
I’ve heard great things about the Eastern way of thinking when it comes to your health. Balance is what I find that is so hard. I work 5 days a week and juggle an insane amount of other things. I may have to drop something to look out for my own health. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I’m a chubby midget too. 5’1, and a few more pounds over my ideal than you. I’ll leave it at that. Frankly since kids I don’t even know what exercise is. When they were little (babies) I walked a lot with them in strollers, but as they got older it just got too hard and walk now is far from being exercise. It’s not healthy, and I know I should change it, but I certainly have now answers for you. Just solidarity!
Glad to meet you! Followed through on a tweet from @Janatude.
Hi Christine,
I’ll take solidarity! It helps to have others in the same boat, you know? Thanks for stopping by.
So glad you posted on Jana’s blog today. Always fun to meet a new blogger. I struggle with exercise too, and at 5’2″ understand what you mean about 15 lbs being more like 30! Although I live a pretty healthy lifestyle, my goal to get those 30 mins of exercise daily seems hard sometimes. Also I was blessed with a high metabolism in my 20’s which meant I looked great with zero effort, and now I am 40, well let’s just say that no longer happens, and I have moments where I think “It’s not fair” after which I pick my whiny self off the couch and get out snowshoing with the dog, lol.
Nice meeting you.
Hi Denise! Thanks so much. Being petite is so much harder, I think. We have nowhere to keep anything! Nice to meet you and thanks for stopping by.
I’m muscular in build, which for some reason means I hide extra weight well, too. I don’t know if that’s a blessing or a curse. When I’m fit, I’m very fit, and when I’m not…well, let’s just say I can gain a lot before it looks like it. Not a good thing, since I love food. I exercise daily, and fit it in in the wee hours of the am. Ugh!
Hi Amy, I love food soooo much. I hear that early morning exercise is so good for you and is the best way to keep with a routine. I’d love to be able to strike up a routine like that again. Maybe after school is over. 🙂
I strap the little kid into her stroller and hit the road. If the big kid is home, he walks alongside. Of course, this is only every 3rd Tuesday and a random Friday. Hm. I may not be the best person to ask. 😉
HA! That’s totally me. My exercise routine is usually once a week if I’m lucky. Thanks for reading, Kelly!!
As a 5’2″ gal a month away my 38th birthday and who has swapped sleep for stodgy carbohydrates since the birth of my youngest daughter 4 years ago, I understand what you’re saying. . I also love a great exercise session, the harder the better as I’m competitive and don’t want to waste time jiggling gently in some easy fitness class- circuits are my favourite. Having said that, I have slipped off the exercise routine in a big way in the last 2 years, so I guess that’s me talking about a past me! A big reason for this is all the weekend training courses I’ve been doing, and setting up my own business. Kids go to bed and I start working. Late nights, early mornings, 4 child-free hours a week, and again I’m reaching for the stodge to eat! I have rarely had less vitality in my life.
Like you I’ve been looking for a new way. I was recommended ‘The 4 Hour Body’ by Tim Ferris and have started his slow-carbs eating plan. The hope was I’d get my energy levels back to optimum by reducing the stodgy food and eating stuff with more life in it! So I’m 1 week in, about to weigh myself. I have still done silly late nights this week as I was creating my Facebook page, but nonetheless it’s been much easier getting out of bed in the morn, I haven’t been falling asleep whilst putting the kids to bed and have had no post-lunch sleepiness either. This is brilliant for me. I’ll go weigh myself quickly, hold on: OK, I’m 52.5 kg down from 55 last Saturday. I also know for me that when I sort out more sleep, I have more energy and exercise fits in somewhere. I do a mix of before they all get up runs, after bedtime runs and have always had a Personal Trainer so that there are 1 or 2 sessions a week that always happen, Even this isn’t happening yet. But the eating plan seems to suit me, I’m getting less round and feeling more energetic. I’ll sort out the exercise next. Weight and energy and sleep are my first battles! Sorry for the essay-length comment- it just sounded like we had some commonality and I wanted to share!
I heart Tim Ferris. I need to read that book. Keep me posted on your progress. Your success is my motivation!
My recommendations are: drink plenty of water, herbal infusions and natural juices. Ride the bicycle as frequently as you can, with any excuse. And eat salads, vegs+fish+meat on the oven or grilled and reduce the cakes and sweet things leaving them for the weekend. Variaty is important.
And drink a glass of wine everyday with your main meal!! (pleasure brings happines )
XX
You’re a shorty like me so yeah, even gaining 5 lbs shows. It’s hard for us to conceal any weight gain. The good thing is when we lose 5, we can tell too. You look great 🙂
Thanks! You look great, too! WW is working wonderfully for you!