Happy New Years Readers!
As its the beginning of the year and everyone is focused on resolutions, I wanted to share one of mine from the beginning of 2014. As a vast majority of the population does at the beginning of a new year, I vowed to make health and fitness a priority for me. You may be thinking, Cor its 2016, why are you going back so far.. well I wanted to take you back to the beginning of when I knew my life needed a change.
2013 was a very hard year for me personally and for my family. We were hit with the devastating loss of our father in March and I have to tell you, I wasn't one of those non eater grievers. I ate everything in sight and wasn't ashamed of it. I found comfort in mini chocolate covered donuts, ice cream of any kind, pasta, pancakes, essentially anything sugary and carb filled had my name on it. My siblings and I found comfort in each other and our families but we each had our own way of dealing with grieving and mine unfortunately happened to be food.
Despite how horrible the first half of the year had been, I'm always one to look at the glass half full and strive to live in the positive as much as possible. That being said, the second half of 2013 started off promising! I went to see Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in concert with my best friends, got a promotion at my job at the time and my mom sent me some Ellen Barrett workout DVD's. I began slowly easing back into "normal" life or whatever my new "normal" would be. I began loving these yoga/Pilates videos and found it was a nice way to start my day. I was finally starting to feel better and climb out of my grieving fog.
Then, in October of 2013, I was diagnosed with a detached retina in my left eye. Long story short- after a month off work, 2 laser surgeries and an awful eye injection procedure, I was good as new! The only issue remaining was I was unable to workout until my eye was fully healed. This took just about 4 months. 4 months of me not working out and continuing to eat my way through the holiday months.
Between the loss of my father, the detached retina and several other major family losses and sicknesses, it was safe for me to think that 2013 was the worst year to date for my family. When the clock struck midnight on 1/1/14, I cried in relief that we made it through that awful period and prayed so hard for a fresh start.
2014 brought me so much happiness. Mr. corStyle and I moved, we then got engaged and I had the courage to begin blogging. By April, I was the heaviest I had been since college and the happiest I had been in over a year. I could have cared less about what the number on the scale said because mentally I was healing. That being said, when I finally got on the scale, it read to me a number that made me think the scale was broken..HA. I had only thought I would see that number when I get pregnant.. MAYBE. This for me was the "beginning" and the moment I realized I needed a change.
With my wedding on my brain, I began going to a barre studio because I had known I liked that style of working out from doing those Ellen Barrett workout videos. I also thought the in person experience would work better for me as I find it hard to hold myself accountable. First I began going twice a week, then three times a week, then four, then five. I became completely obsessed as all my friends will tell you, I never shut up about it! Working out truly helped my mind and my body recover from everything that had happened, not to mentioned everything bad I had been eating. Little by little I started noticing differences and I started having muscles in places I hadn't even knew existed. I started dropping weight and by the time my wedding rolled around I completed 205 classes in 18 months and lost 27 pounds.
As its the beginning of the year and everyone is focused on resolutions, I wanted to share one of mine from the beginning of 2014. As a vast majority of the population does at the beginning of a new year, I vowed to make health and fitness a priority for me. You may be thinking, Cor its 2016, why are you going back so far.. well I wanted to take you back to the beginning of when I knew my life needed a change.
2013 was a very hard year for me personally and for my family. We were hit with the devastating loss of our father in March and I have to tell you, I wasn't one of those non eater grievers. I ate everything in sight and wasn't ashamed of it. I found comfort in mini chocolate covered donuts, ice cream of any kind, pasta, pancakes, essentially anything sugary and carb filled had my name on it. My siblings and I found comfort in each other and our families but we each had our own way of dealing with grieving and mine unfortunately happened to be food.
December 2013
Despite how horrible the first half of the year had been, I'm always one to look at the glass half full and strive to live in the positive as much as possible. That being said, the second half of 2013 started off promising! I went to see Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in concert with my best friends, got a promotion at my job at the time and my mom sent me some Ellen Barrett workout DVD's. I began slowly easing back into "normal" life or whatever my new "normal" would be. I began loving these yoga/Pilates videos and found it was a nice way to start my day. I was finally starting to feel better and climb out of my grieving fog.
Then, in October of 2013, I was diagnosed with a detached retina in my left eye. Long story short- after a month off work, 2 laser surgeries and an awful eye injection procedure, I was good as new! The only issue remaining was I was unable to workout until my eye was fully healed. This took just about 4 months. 4 months of me not working out and continuing to eat my way through the holiday months.
Between the loss of my father, the detached retina and several other major family losses and sicknesses, it was safe for me to think that 2013 was the worst year to date for my family. When the clock struck midnight on 1/1/14, I cried in relief that we made it through that awful period and prayed so hard for a fresh start.
2014 brought me so much happiness. Mr. corStyle and I moved, we then got engaged and I had the courage to begin blogging. By April, I was the heaviest I had been since college and the happiest I had been in over a year. I could have cared less about what the number on the scale said because mentally I was healing. That being said, when I finally got on the scale, it read to me a number that made me think the scale was broken..HA. I had only thought I would see that number when I get pregnant.. MAYBE. This for me was the "beginning" and the moment I realized I needed a change.
May 2014
With my wedding on my brain, I began going to a barre studio because I had known I liked that style of working out from doing those Ellen Barrett workout videos. I also thought the in person experience would work better for me as I find it hard to hold myself accountable. First I began going twice a week, then three times a week, then four, then five. I became completely obsessed as all my friends will tell you, I never shut up about it! Working out truly helped my mind and my body recover from everything that had happened, not to mentioned everything bad I had been eating. Little by little I started noticing differences and I started having muscles in places I hadn't even knew existed. I started dropping weight and by the time my wedding rolled around I completed 205 classes in 18 months and lost 27 pounds.
October 2015 - Honeymooning
December 2015
To be honest with you, I didn't realize how bad I needed something like this in my life. Instead of going to happy hours after work, I now put myself and my health in front of socializing and to be honest, I have no regrets! As our dear friend Carrie Bradshaw said, “The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself." God, was she so right! I have never felt more confident, happy or peaceful since beginning my fitness journey. With that being said, I am still in the thick of it and there is still so much I want to accomplish! To be able to look back to where I started helps me refocus on where I want to go and who I want to be. One thing for sure is I couldn't have done it without finding a workout I am completely obsessed with! The key is to enjoy what you are doing, and then it won't feel like working out at all!
I was unsure if I could write about this period of my life on the blog as it was truly traumatic. I decided to put on my brave girl hat and share my story. Sometimes awful things happen in your life that you can't control. I learned this isn't an excuse to let yourself go, but also it's a good reminder to be easy on yourself and to love yourself through heartache and pain. Now instead of having to make health and wellness a new years goal, its a goal I have incorporated into my life everyday. Trust me, if I can do it anyone can! Believe in yourself, be kind to yourself and don't give up!
Thank you for walking through this very therapeutic exercise with me. Cheers to everyone starting out or continuing on their weight loss journeys!! Lets keep it rolling for a fabulous 2016!
Until next time readers,
Xo-
Cor
Favorite blog post ever. So honest and beautiful. You should be very proud of what you've accomplished both mentally and physically... K I sound like a mom but it's soooo true. You look amazing.
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