...it's in my genes (and that's why my jeans are too tight)

I have joined the ranks of marathoners who gain weight while training for a marathon. Since I trained somewhat half-heartedly (and my finish time reflects this) for Philadelphia, it goes without saying that my diet was certainly not in check.

So now this becomes an occasional weight loss blog.

I'm 5'3" and I usually weigh in at 128 lbs. Recently, the scale has showed me as much as 136!!! That's close enough to ten pounds and that's enough that it is noticeable to people (I even had someone ASK me if I gained weight at work) and that's enough to make my clothes a little tight. This morning's weigh in put me right around 133.5 pounds.

I'm one of those people who is relatively fit, but still on the higher side of "average" as far as body weight. I have not EVER EVER been naturally lean or thin as an adult, nor do I have any natural athletic gift whatsoever and I ranted about this earlier this year in this post. So if I wanted to embrace this and allow it to become my default reason for gaining weight and becoming out of shape I seriously could. I could totally use that "genetics" excuse too. And it wouldn't be far from the truth. When you read the nutritional content found on most store bought food labels, you'll see that it says "based on 2,000 calories a day."

Guess what? 2,000 calories is too much for me, and for many of you. If you are one of those "I have a hard time losing weight/I gain weights so easily/I can't keep the weight off" people, it's because your numbers are all wrong. How do I know this? A few years back, I was tested with this equipment. My resting metabolic rate at that time was 1180 calories per day. So if I sit around and don't do much AND consume 2000 calories (which I can do with much ease in 2 meals-- or less if I add alcohol) I give myself an extra 820 calories a day. 3500 calories adds a pound so I can easily gain more than a pound a week. So it's safe to say that if I don't sit on my ass all day because I'm doing my piddly errands and cleaning and walking to my car and to this building and that(but I don't exercise) I can grant myself an extra 300-400 calories a day. Yay! So instead, I stand to gain about half a pound a week if I consume 2,000 calories a day. If we add the fact that I enjoy dining out once or twice a week, we can more than double the calories on those days. Most indulgent restaurant meals easily fuel you with 1000 calories or more. Add the appetizer and beer(s) or soda(s) or cocktail(s) or dessert and I have just fulfilled my body's minimum caloric requirement for 2 to 4 times over! So I'm back to about a pound a week if I did nothing and ate like this consistently.

So in order to not be an unhealthy overweight unhappy person, I literally have to work my ass off. If I don't, I simply don't feel good. I don't need to be rail thin or super muscular or attempt to look like an air brushed magazine centerfold. I just need to feel strong and able and content in my own skin. I have accepted the fact that I can't eat as much as most people do and that I cannot forgo regular exercise. If I sit around envious of those who can, then I have no one to blame but myself for my own demise.

But still... it is scientifically proven that I have a slow metabolism. Waaaaahhh!!!! Poor me!!!! It's genetic and beyond my control...

BULL SHIT!

It's a setback. Have you ever seen a really ugly looking person who has to compensate for their aesthetically unpleasant setback with heavy makeup, high-end clothing, or some other means? (Yeah that's not very nice to say, but you know exactly what I'm talking about.) Do you know someone with a speech impediment? (I had one- 3 years of therapy helped but I am still self conscious... oh, and that's hereditary too- my middle son was lucky enough to get it from me.) What about a physical handicap? In order to live and enjoy life, we have to find ways to work with or around our setbacks. If we don't, we can just hang back and exist and try and make others buy our lame ass excuses as to why we aren't living and enjoying the blessing of being alive. I know what I'm going to choose.