Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Why I Fight the Fat

Today is day 15 of my 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss program. Now some of you may wonder why a person who is objectively not fat would want to do a fat loss program. And that's a fair question. For me, it's all about being healthy and feeling comfortable in my own body.

I was not an athletic child. When I say "not athletic" I mean that physical activity was my own personal nightmare. I hated sports of all kinds. P.E. class was a daily form of torture, in which I tried to do the bare minimum and hope the coach wouldn't notice. I hated exertion. All I wanted to do was sit still and read books. Books of all kinds, any book would do. Actually, as a child I read some rather age inappropriate stuff because I could not NOT read. If I didn't have my own novel with me I would read anything that I found lying around. At age 12 I decided to read the Berkeley Public Library's children's section . . . in alphabetical order . . . you get the picture, right?

(not me, but just like me!)
Luckily for me I have skinny genes, so despite the lack of exercise I was never overweight. I could eat pretty much whatever I wanted and I never gained much weight. It was a pretty good deal until I hit my 30s. That's when my pear shaped body started to reveal itself. I was still a skinny-minny on top, but down below I was carrying a wider and wider load. I didn't weigh much more than before, but I was 100% cellulite. From being thin and frail, I had become flabby and frail.

Beyond aesthetics, I have always been rather lethargic and prone to various annoying, but not too serious maladies. This lack of energy and the amount of time I spent being sick started to increase dramatically over the years. Every time I ate, my stomach would swell. I had become the victim of allergies and recurrent sinisitus and when I hit 40 I started getting colds that instead of going away would get worse, becoming bronchitis - or even pneumonia - that would knock me out for up to six weeks and more. 

I had started running and weight training by then, but was never really able to get into shape because as soon as I would make some progress I'd get bronchitis, be out of action for weeks and then have to start all over again from zero. I can't tell you how frustrating that is. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Then, thanks to the help of a good friend, I discovered that I am gluten and lactose intolerant. The doctor who diagnosed me, with genetic testing, told me that I had basically been poisoning myself every time I ate for my entire life. Wow. 

I have been gluten and lactose free for the past two years. It has not been easy. Imagine living in Italy, the land of pizza and pasta, breakfasts of cappuccino and cream-filled crescent rolls, and not being able to touch any of it! It has been a real trial and error process of trying to find things I can eat. Just about all packaged food has one or the other of my problem ingredients in it. The enemy is hiding everywhere.

So, my interest in Female Fat Loss After 40 and Shawna Kaminski's 21 Day Rapid Fat Loss program is twofold. For one, I want to drop the flab. And secondly, I want to be a strong and healthy person. I don't mind being small-framed and delicate, I love my body. But I am tired of being weak and without energy.

This has been a long post, so I will give you more specifics about how I am doing in my 21 day journey another day. Let me just say that I'm loving it!

10 comments:

Vicki @ Grams Made It said...

I've always been an avid reader too. When my mom would make me go outside to play, I would take a book and find a shady place to read. I wish I had thought of trying to read the children's book section in alphabetical order. Thanks for visiting Grams Made It. Italy is definitely on my list of must see places.

janice said...

Hi,

I just returned from Italy and France ( Paris,Tuscany and Florence)
Thank you for the comment about my Paris pictures.
I will be posting my Italy pictures next...
Love the post about getting fit over forty I will check that out now..

xoxo

Andie said...

Being strong makes all the difference in the world. I am at the end of my third and final pregnancy and can not wait til I can get back to fit!

Couture Carrie said...

Good for you, darling!
Keep up the fabulous work!

xoxox,
CC

Anonymous said...

this is so what i needed to read today, grazie. i know a lot of folks here in italy that are gluten intolerant - it's so interesting. are you needing a gym for this program or is it something you can do at home? am curious as to how you feel during/after it. grazie for your kind words today!

Saretta said...

Grams - you are obviously a kindred soul!

Janice - looking forward to your Italy photos!

Andie - well, having babies takes a lot of strength, mental and physical! This program would be great for you later on, 'cause it's all short high intensity workouts that you do at home!

Carrie - thanks for your support!

Sperly - hang in there, I'll write you more on your blog.

Francesca said...

hope you feel you have more energy now that you discovered your intolerance - such an insidious "disease"!

Anna said...

I know what you mean, I'm really skinny and people ask me why I go gym.. when it's just to keep fit :)

And yes, I am moving house to move in with my boyfriend :) <3

Karen@WaistingTime said...

I think that being fit and healthy is a great goal for all of us. And a much better focus than the number on the scale that the rest of us get caught up in. I was sooo not athletic growing up. It has taken me years to develop a consistent exercise routine but it is just part of my life now.

Shawna Kaminski said...

So impressed with your dedication Sara. Keep us posted with your progress!