My Big Fat American… Body

Hey, it’s me again. No, not the informative and often hilarious (no commentary please) blogger from Listen! It’s Vetrano. It’s the voice from 2015 that reminded myself –and urged my readers– to ditch the ‘Fat Jeans‘ and get back into shape.

Remember that voice? I hear it often and loud enough, so I assume you hear it on your end, too.

From that 2015 holiday binge to now (2017), I’ve managed –with the help of carb overloading, gallons of rosé and countless hours of sitting on my ass, watching Housewives bicker– to reach an all time high in weight. A whopping 229 lbs fat, which is about 50 lbs from my actual goal weight.

Embarrassed, I share that number with my readers because I know I’m not alone in this struggle. We live in a society that is filled with fat-shaming on one hand and praises unhealthy lifestyles —Netflix binges, 24-hour food delivery, syrupy coffee drinks and happy hour cocktails– on the other.

So what do I do about it? What do we do about it?

For starters, put down the fork and back away from the recently delivered Postmates. And then next, exercise. There’s nothing that will work better than exercising. It’s painful (literally), but true. I don’t believe in fad diets or cutting this-or-thats to reach goal weights. They don’t work long term and they often lead to unrealistic lifestyle expectations. I even tried to Whole 30 myself to thin again earlier this year, but, while I gained some insight on my relationship with food, it wasn’t realistic for me to change long term enough to make a significant difference. And honestly, when I cheated on day 21 at my friend’s wedding (cause YOLO and champagne is a MUST at a wedding), it only made me feel depressed and unsuccessful, which led to more unhealthy eating.

So now that I have a closet full of clothes that don’t fit and a body that I’m uncomfortable in, I feel (finally) ready to do something about it. Kind of. Are we ever really ready to exercise and get healthy?

My exercise plan.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know exactly where to start or what formula works the best, but I have some awesomely fit friends (remember Sara?) and a supportive group of people (including you) to help me along the way. I set 5 goals to help me get started, which I outlined below. Maybe these will work for you, too?

1. Join a gym: I joined Takes 2 Fitness for 24/7 access to a gym in Nashville (meaning no excuses due to schedule). I am going to start 3x a week and go from there — nothing worse than burning out or injury to set you back.
2. Take a class: There are so many workouts I’m unfamiliar with, so I plan to try out a couple of classes to see if anything really gets my blood pumping in a way that will keep me motivated.
3. Make a schedule: I’m a planner and fairly OCD about my schedule. Ironically it’s my schedule that I typically default to as an excuse not to workout. So I’m putting it on the books. This will (hopefully) keep me motivated and on track with my new healthy routine.
4. Avoid sugar: I am not someone that needs, or even craves, sweets. Sugar is usually an unnecessary additive for me and it can cause some serious defects to the body, so I will cut it where I can (without going all Bernstein Cares about it).
5. Sleep: I lack a consistent sleep schedule, which causes a lack of energy and can lead to unproductive, unfocused workouts. Sleep allows your body to recharge and heal, and is often noted as one of the most important factors in losing weight.

That’s it: goals are set, my mind feels ready (my body, not so much) and I’m focused on the future. A thinner, healthier and, oh what the hell, sexier future. Are you ready to come along on the journey, as well? Follow along on Instagram and share your story, motivation and tips in the comments below. Let’s go from fat to fit!