Transformation: A Journey
I don't know about any of you, but for me, year after year, every January 1st rolls around, and I make a resolution. I stick to it for about a week or two, quickly forget about it and give up. Better luck next year. Well this year I told myself it would be different. I set out to make 2020 my year. Health. Health was my resolution - physical, emotional, mental and financial. January 1, I set four goals: No alcohol for the entire month, run every day, implement Kelly Leveque's Fab 4 lifestyle into my own and drink water. December 31, 2019: I drank every last bit of alcohol in our house, ate all the junk food and soaked up every minute of laziness that I could, knowing that the next day would be the first day of a new Kathleen.
On New Year's Day I woke up - hungover, splitting headache, bloated, swollen, exhausted, grumpy and depressed. I journaled about how I was feeling, made myself a smoothie, went out into the frigid January air and went for a run. Now when I say run, let me tell you something. In 6th grade, when you're required to run the mile? I didn't. I walked around the track chit-chatting with my friends and failed that part of gym. I was never a runner. I was a dancer, so I got my exercise that way, but tell me to run and I'd laugh! In my adult life, I said I was going to finally become a runner. I can't tell you how many times I've started the Couch to 5K process and quit one or two weeks in. This running thing was for the birds. So, on January 1, 2020, when I say I "ran", this looked more like running for one to two minute increments, walk for ten minutes and so on, completely drenched in sweat and unable to catch my breath. But the next day I did it again. After that first week, I lost 7 pounds. The journal entries on 1/1 and 1/8 were different. I was already starting to feel a little better. I pushed on and for the first time, I didn't give up. I kept every goal I set for the month.
Over the course of the last four months, I've transformed. I have energy. I sleep better. My Chron's Disease is under control. I view food differently. I view exercise differently. I view life differently. My family is healthier. We are active together and we motivate each other. No gimmicks, no special diet. Just whole, clean, organic, unprocessed, sugar-free foods and movement. I still struggle with depression and anxiety and the last two months of quarantine and change have certainly taken their toll. So much so, that the old me would have thrown in the towel, sat on the couch, grabbed a bag of Cheetos and a box of wine and wallowed in my sorrows. But now on the days when I feel down, I've realized that the quicker I get up and move my body, the quicker I start to feel better. Each month since January, I've added to those initial four goals. I've added intermittent fasting and began incorporating strength training in with the cardio. And the goals don't stop there. The more I do, the more I realize I'm capable of. Little by little, I push myself just a little bit harder.
To date, I've lost 27 pounds, I run 2.25 miles consistently and with the help of an amazing trainer and her Facebook workouts, I've pushed myself harder than I ever believed I could. When I set out on this journey, I didn't take a before picture. For me, it wasn't about how I looked, but how I felt. By sticking to my resolution of improved physical health, my other health goals are falling into place. And while I have transformed physically, the biggest transformations for me? Commitment. Commitment to a goal and commitment to myself. Self love. I can, with 100% certainty, tell you that I love myself so much more than I did on December 31st. I believe in myself. I am strong and I am fierce.
As for the rest of 2020, I've got this. Look out world. Kathleen's coming for you and there's nothing she can't do.
On New Year's Day I woke up - hungover, splitting headache, bloated, swollen, exhausted, grumpy and depressed. I journaled about how I was feeling, made myself a smoothie, went out into the frigid January air and went for a run. Now when I say run, let me tell you something. In 6th grade, when you're required to run the mile? I didn't. I walked around the track chit-chatting with my friends and failed that part of gym. I was never a runner. I was a dancer, so I got my exercise that way, but tell me to run and I'd laugh! In my adult life, I said I was going to finally become a runner. I can't tell you how many times I've started the Couch to 5K process and quit one or two weeks in. This running thing was for the birds. So, on January 1, 2020, when I say I "ran", this looked more like running for one to two minute increments, walk for ten minutes and so on, completely drenched in sweat and unable to catch my breath. But the next day I did it again. After that first week, I lost 7 pounds. The journal entries on 1/1 and 1/8 were different. I was already starting to feel a little better. I pushed on and for the first time, I didn't give up. I kept every goal I set for the month.
Over the course of the last four months, I've transformed. I have energy. I sleep better. My Chron's Disease is under control. I view food differently. I view exercise differently. I view life differently. My family is healthier. We are active together and we motivate each other. No gimmicks, no special diet. Just whole, clean, organic, unprocessed, sugar-free foods and movement. I still struggle with depression and anxiety and the last two months of quarantine and change have certainly taken their toll. So much so, that the old me would have thrown in the towel, sat on the couch, grabbed a bag of Cheetos and a box of wine and wallowed in my sorrows. But now on the days when I feel down, I've realized that the quicker I get up and move my body, the quicker I start to feel better. Each month since January, I've added to those initial four goals. I've added intermittent fasting and began incorporating strength training in with the cardio. And the goals don't stop there. The more I do, the more I realize I'm capable of. Little by little, I push myself just a little bit harder.
To date, I've lost 27 pounds, I run 2.25 miles consistently and with the help of an amazing trainer and her Facebook workouts, I've pushed myself harder than I ever believed I could. When I set out on this journey, I didn't take a before picture. For me, it wasn't about how I looked, but how I felt. By sticking to my resolution of improved physical health, my other health goals are falling into place. And while I have transformed physically, the biggest transformations for me? Commitment. Commitment to a goal and commitment to myself. Self love. I can, with 100% certainty, tell you that I love myself so much more than I did on December 31st. I believe in myself. I am strong and I am fierce.
As for the rest of 2020, I've got this. Look out world. Kathleen's coming for you and there's nothing she can't do.