The Beatles inspired many things.
Now, before you think this is a blog about the history of rock n' roll, or that'll find out any useful information about the Beatles, or even that this is an exploration of the mind of Charles Manson, I want to let you know that is not the case at all. So you may as well get that notion out of your head right now. But I want to ask you a question.
Would you believe me if I told you that the Beatles have inspired one 22-year-old girl from northeastern Ohio to get in shape?
'Cause they have.
Okay, to be fair, the Beatles weren't the only thing that inspired me–the 22-year-old girl from northeastern Ohio–to get in shape. It's true that I've been bemoaning the fact that I have had more than an inch to pinch for a good long while now. I have days where I feel as big as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man (it's a good thing I don't like marshmallows). Sometimes when I see pictures of myself, I'm a bit shocked. To top it all off, I've been a few sizes bigger than most of my friends for almost as long as I can remember, which has inspired several very frustrating exchanges that went something like this:
"Michelle, I don't want this pair of jeans anymore. Do you want them?"
"What size are they?"
"10."
"Sorry. I can't fit into those. I'm a 14, sometimes a 12. On a really, really good day."
*pained, sympathetic, caring look* "Michelle . . . you're not as fat as you think you are."
" . . . I-I know. Did you hear me say I think I'm fat? What makes you think I think I'm fat? Do YOU think I'm fat? No, I'm not fat. Am I? I mean . . . I just don't fit into a size 10, that's all!"
So, there you have it. I can't fit into a size 10. So if you have a size 10 pair of jeans, don't offer them to me, unless you want to rack me with sudden fits of self-image issues. And if you do want to rack me with sudden fits of self-image issues, you're kind of a jerk. I'll still be your friend, but you're kind of a jerk.
Anyways. I bet you're wondering how this relates back to the Beatles. Ever listen to Abbey Road? If you have, you are no doubt familiar with the song, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." It's 7 minutes and 47 seconds of John Lennon wanting someone so bad it's driving him mad, interspersed with the occasional and ever-s0-uplifting chorus, "She's so . . . HEAVVVVVVYYYYYY!" I was listening to this album shortly after cookie/pie/huge-meals-8-times-a-day-for-weeks-on-end season–a.k.a. Christmas–and this song was starting to hit a little close to my cookie-filled, fat-clogged home. To make things even better, a song appears later on the album called "Carry That Weight." If you're not familiar with the lyrics, they go like this:
Boy, you're gonna carry that weight
Carry that weight a long time
Boy, you're gonna carry that weight
Carry that weight a long time
I screamed, "SHUT UP, BOYS, I AM NOT!" If I was fat enough that the Fab Four could see me from 1969, I knew it was time for something to change.
At this point, I had already been a member of a gym for about 4 months, and I had been seeing good results. I had lost some weight, I was gaining strength and endurance, and I was overall feeling pretty good. But the results I was seeing tended to stick around for a little while and then disappear. I started to identify with another Beatles song, "Baby's in Black," not because my lover had just left me, but because black was the one color that could hide all my fat bulges. I continued to go to the gym and tried my best to stay on the dietary straight-and-narrow, but I still couldn't help but feel that I needed a little extra "Help!"
Starting February 2, 2011, I will be meeting with a personal trainer once a week as a means to accomplishing my dietary and fitness goals. I won't be alone in my year-long butt-kicking, however. My mom and her best friend Sue are also lining up to get fine-tuned. It always helps to have some accountability partners to keep you focused. And consequently, that's where you come in.
As part of my training, I am responsible for keeping a food journal. That way, every time I meet with Justin–my personal trainer (you may as well know his name, as he's going to be a big part of my blog posts in the coming year)–he can give me the kick in the pants, or pat on the back, that I need. I started thinking about the idea of journals and accountability, and I realized, "If I post my goals, what foods I've been eating, and my level of physical activity on the interwebs where everyone can see, I'll have a bunch of people to keep me on track!" At least, that was my line of reasoning. I can't do it without YOU!
Are you feeling the pressure yet?
I'm going to post my fitness goals, what foods I've been eating, periodic updates of how much weight I've lost (she said optimistically), and what exercises I've been doing. It'll be a great way to track my progress, and hopefully, get some encouragement from all of you lovely people. I'm looking forward to the ups and downs of this coming year. Hopefully you'll be seeing less of me by this time next year–only because there will be less of me to see! The journey to physical fitness goes down a "Long and Winding Road," but I know that "With a Little Help from my Friends," I can make it!
