Ever since I can remember my mother has always struggled with her weight. She popped out three babies by the time she was 24 and I'm sure me and my brothers are mostly to blame for her constant weight struggle. My mom was the typical fat mom who put her kids first and herself last. She was always trying some diet when I was growing up and could lose the weight, but never keep it off. In late 2009 she began Jenny Craig and was doing a fabulous job... Until May 2010. When a 76 year old in a mini van plowed over her while she was on her motorcycle. She had to have multiple surgeries to deal with her multiple injuries. Here is a pic of her a couple weeks post accident (beautiful, isn't she?):
This obviously slowed down her weight loss and eventually reversed it. She tried to keep it off, but ended up gaining around 50 pounds after her accident. In 2011, she began researching weight loss surgery. She was pre-diabetic, had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, you name it. She knew something had to be done. In November of 2011 she had the gastric sleeve done. She has lost a shit ton of weight and by December 2012, she weighed less than her 26 year old daughter.
**Before I go on too much of a rant, I must put my disclaimer in here that I am not a horrible daughter. Me and my mother happen to be best friends. But due to us being exactly alike, we always, always butt heads. We bitch and nag at each other constantly. So when I say I refused to let my mother weigh less than me or be more in shape, I'm not being a bitch daughter. This is simply how my mother became my number one motivator. And she is just fine with it.**
So let me give you a little bit of my back story. In June 2012 I married the love of my life. Unfortunately, my body took that as a cue to get fat and happy. I have always been blessed with a decent metabolism and even when I was eating the shittiest of food or drinking way more beer than I should, I could always maintain my weight, give or take about five pounds. But after marriage, this was not the case. I gained about 15 pounds, which put me at 160. I hadn't weighed that much since right after I gave birth to my son.
So here we are. When I started out on this journey, I had no idea that it would become more about running than anything. It was simply wanting to lose weight and not wanting to be in the position at the age of 48 that my mother was in. I told her that my goal was to be skinnier than her and I think she was happy to hear it. Even though I hated her motherly comments about watching what I eat, I knew it was her desire for me to be healthy and not end up fat and uncomfortable in my own skin twenty years from now like she did.
I love having my mother to motivate me. I love that she is finally at the point where she is healthy, happy and looking fabulous. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of a happy life. I believe that 2013 holds fantastic things for me and her.
On February 23rd, she will be doing the cowtown with me, but will be walking most of the way. I think it will be a huge step for the both of us in our paths to being healthier and happier. I'm so glad to have her by my side in all of this.
Left: March 2009 Right: February 2013
I love you, mommy!
No comments:
Post a Comment