Day 139 - An Interview With Matt, Part Two

Part two of our interview with a fellow CIA student Matt. Click here to read part one.

Kara: Have you incorporated physical activity at all?
Matt: I did. I started with 20 minute increments in cardio and worked my way up to and hour. After about two weeks of that though, I was getting bored. So I started using weights. And I did that for about a month. But summer break came and I stopped working out. I could tell that I was losing muscle weight because I dropped 5 pounds by doing nothing. Then I went back up those 5 pounds. It's been tough getting back to it. Lot's of stress going on. Makes it tough.

Kara: Between cardio and weight training, which did you feel was more beneficial to your weight loss?

Matt: Cardio without a doubt. Weight lifting definitely sustained my weight loss but it didn't help me lose any more. Cardio is the way to go.

Kara: What has been hardest about losing the weight, other than changing your eating and physical habits? For me it's been under-growing all of my clothes and feeling frumpy in them because they are so loose. What is it for you?

Matt: Yeah! It's bad! I wanted to wear suspenders the other day and when I put them on my pants and there was this big old pocket in the back, and was like 'I can't wear this now.' And my class schedule messes up my breakfast and lunch, which messes up my day somewhat.

Kara: Have you given yourself any time limits- not eating past a certain time?

Matt: That's actually what I credit most of my weight loss to, not eating past a certain time. When I was hardcore losing, I stopped eating at 7pm. And to stave off the hunger I would drink a lot of water and chew gum.

Kara: What have been the greatest benefits other than improving your overall health?

Matt: Compliments! The compliments are nice. And going up Roth Hall stairs is cool, I'm still a little winded after four flights, but it's not as bad now. And I got a girl, I guess. *he gets a little red and bashful at this point : )* So that's nice.

Kara: Did you have any Ah-Ha moments when you realized you could do something physical again?

Matt: Actually my parents have some property upstate and there's a big hill in the back and I used to run with my dog up the hill, and halfway up I'd have to stop and catch my breath. Now I can just run right up it.

Kara: Have you found a lot of support from friends on campus?

Matt: Yeah, they'll say that I'm looking great, and keep up the good work. You know, it helps with the motivation.

Kara: How does your family react when you go home?

Matt: Well, they've seen me in between here and now, but they support me. Being home, though, can be terrible--something about home. I think I've just been eating bad my whole life and that just comes natural when I go home.

Kara: What has been your biggest obstacle other than being surrounded by all of this food?

Matt: I hate exercise. I loathe it. I detest it.

Kara: Have you found difficulties with people socially now that you interact with food differently?

Matt: Minor ones. I'll be out with friends and they'll want to split something and I can't, and I order a salad instead. They'll ask why I don't want to eat something and it feels like, you know 'This is hard enough already. Stop tempting me.'

Kara: How about tips, advice, motivational words for anyone who wants to lose weight but might think they can't do it?

Matt: If I can do it, anyone can. *laughs at his own cliche* But you've got be ready to do it. Something clicks in you, that you're going to do it and it's going to be now. I'm doing this, I'm losing the weight.

I agree Matt. Thank you for your candor and your time! : )

Tomorrow: Foods I can't live without. 

Day 129 - Supportive People

Kara and Shinera.

Meet Shinera (kissing my cheek). Shinera is someone who cheers me on when I undertake a new obstacle course. She believes in me before I even believe in myself. She might even think I'm Wonder Woman. Whatever her reasons for being behind me 100%, her support is so vital in my journey. Support from family and friends in any undertaking is key to achieving things bigger than you even set out to achieve.

I'm not trying to sound cheesy motivational speaker-ish, but a community of people dedicated to you and what you want to accomplish is important in any undertaking in life. I have found this to be mostly true when you are trying to change your lifestyle for the better. People get used to you as they know you, habits and all. It becomes part of them in a way, and it's hard to change how you interact with another person especially if certain social aspects need to change to make you a better person. I come from an Italian background where the center of every gathering is food. Even when we get together with friends it starts with food. My husband and I had rituals with some of our friends in Buffalo- every Tuesday night, we ordered in, played cards and spent the evening catching up. Those habits of socialization and gathering are hard to rearrange. That's why people like Shinera are so key to successful weight loss journeys. Changing certain things about my lifestyle is as much a reason to support me as is going back to school at 29 years old.

Wherever you find your support group--family, friends, co-workers, partners in crime at Weight Watchers : ), peers at school, significant others, even your children--soak up their support! It was awkward for me at first; I've always been rather reserved and independent. But allowing that positive energy to flow into my life, accepting for the first time ever that others accept me, and just enjoying the love, warmth and support around me has been life changing (having nothing to do with my waistline). This journey has been about so much more than weight loss. And to anyone and everyone out there who has offered so much as a "Hey, you look great" or changed their whole lifestyle around (like the man at the center of my world) I thank you. I could not have succeeded thus far without you.

Find a support system. And if you have a good one, give them a shout out below.

Tomorrow: My Rough Week in Review