Workout Whore?!?!?!?!

It took a while, after throwing out the blog idea, for me to be able to actually sit down and compose a proper post.  Thanks to the current ice storm I can do just that.  The first thing people do when I say I'm a workout whore is look at me in disgust and then ask (in that "OMG you are so damaged" voice) "Why?!?!?!?!"  Uuuuummmmmmmm....because I am.  Because I LOVE to workout.  Because I can't get enough liquid sparkle (sweat).  Because I am addicted to fitness.  Because I enjoy it.  Because I like feeling good and being able to run up some stairs without popping a lung.  Really, the list goes on and on.  If you could see where I was last February, you would understand.  I used to be a Food Whore.  I used to weigh 261 pounds.  I used to not be able to walk up ten steps without sweating and feeling the angel of death nipping at my heels.  So what made me want to change?  A lot.  My life was falling apart.  My body was falling apart.  I was diagnosed with a disease that can only be put in remission by losing weight and becoming active.  If not put in remission it can make you go blind and really, the thought of not seeing my child grow up and graduate and get married and have babies, etc. devastated me!  I was very unhappy with me.  So I went to Zumba.  I thought I was going to Zumba through the Pearly Gates.  I didn't love it.  BUT...I didn't hate it either.  So I went back.  And then I went again.  And again.  Now...I can't imagine NOT going.  I love it.  I love kickboxing and boot camp and toning and RUNNING!!!  If someone had said to me then that on January25th 2013 you'll be 82 pounds lighter than you are walking into your first Zumba class in February 2012 I would have laughed at them and finished my donuts.  I would have blessed their hearts and went to Pizza Hut.  Why?  I didn't believe in me.  I was scared that I couldn't do it.  So I did what everyone does when they're scared of failure, I went to Huddle House and had a waffle (that is what everyone else does, right?  No?!?!?  Okay, fine.)  I knew I had to do it...I had no choice.  I was killing myself slowly and wasn't even looking pretty on the way out.  Once I started seeing what my body could do I was hooked.  It took a minute but when I could make it through an hour of Zumba without my lungs being on fire I wanted more.  So I started running.  I hated it.  It sucked.  So what did I do?  Well, fat girl wanted to quit and have a Snicker but my inner skinny girl drop kicked her and kept running.  Now I'm addicted to that too...I ran a couple 5K's last year and even a half marathon.  Now It's my goal to do 13 races in 2013.  I just kept adding new things and fell in love with them all.  I love the feeling of being covered in liquid sparkle (sweat), out of breath and still going.  Still wanting to move more.  Still wanting to go faster.  Still wanting to go further.  I can honestly say that I am a different person now.  I don't even know the girl I used to be.  Sure, every now and then she rears her ugly head and screams for a cinnamon roll but I punch her in the face and go on.  I don't always make perfect choices and occasionally I have a donut but I am so far from where I used to be.  Another thing I've learned, it's better to be fit than skinny any day!  I love muscles!  I love definition!  I love being strong!  It's a work in progress.  I'm far from where I want to be but I keep going day after day and eventually I'll get there.  If it happenend overnight then I wouldn't appreciate all the hard work I put into it.  So there you have it, the short version of where I came from and where I am now.  Where she stops no one knows!  I have no goal weight...when I get there I'll know.  Until then I enjoy working out and seeing what I am capable of.  Until next time...don't stop!  When you feel like your lungs are gonna explode...do it all over again!  :)