What led me to this life of Health & Fitness, you ask?

Why Do I Do This Stuff?

I was never an "active" person.

Well maybe that isn't true, I grew up before video games came around to being in every home so, Yeah, I went out and played outside as a kid.  I grew up camping, fishing, climbing trees, building sand castles, and having loads of fun outside. 



The thing is that I never realized people ran for sport or cycled for sport.  
In high school I knew kids in track and on the soccer team, but that was school, it made sense.  I was in the marching band and twirled a flag and rifle, not so lazy.  Went to the river, lived outside if I was able.  

         "What is your point JeanMarie?"

Well what I am getting at is the point in my life at which I was introduced to running and cycling and being active for your health and not because your mother told you "Go outside and play!"

I met my husband (ain't he cute?) when I was 17 years old and a junior in high school.  He was 19 and in the SeaBees (branch of the Navy).  When we met he was already an avid runner and cyclist.  I remember going to a duathlon with him, where he placed 3rd overall.  It wasn't such a big race then and I didn't really understand what it was to run and cycle.  I was the proud girlfriend though! 
Well, we got married had a baby and I gained weight, ugh!! 
He tried to help me be more active and drink shakes like Spiru-Tein, but I was a brat and turned my nose up! 

"What!? You a brat?!"

I know, I know, who'd a thunk it! 
Yes I still didn't understand how food and exercise affected my body! All I knew was I got hungry, I ate! 

"So what happened next? Did you ever learn what food and exercise were!?"

Umm, You are fired from this commentary! Yes, I found out! I still struggled though.  Around the time I became pregnant with our 3rd son I started to get wise to this "You are what you eat!" idea.  After he was born I lost the 30+ pounds I gained fairly quickly.  I started eating a 100% raw vegan diet.  I went to a size 12/14 I was happy, yet I slowly started eating SAD (standard American diet).  

I should probably mention that my husband and I became vegetarians 

before we were married and still are to this day.

"What! Where do you get your protein!?"

I'm going to punch you in the throat! Get off my blog! You're comic relief is wearing me out! 

Where was I?  

Oh year SAD, now my weight hit an all time high of 238 (if you read my "Getting to know you", you know that.)  I was NOT healthy, despite my vegetarian diet.  I ate out a lot, I cooked from a box, fresh veggies were not always in every meal.  Disgusting, I know! 

So slowly but surely I began to see how my husbands lifestyle and eating habits were helping him maintain a healthier weight.  He always slept good and had energy in the mornings.  So I decided, 

 "I'm going to run"

  This I found was easier said than done.  Running is hard!! Especially when you are overweight!! If you are not overweight and have never been go pick up 50 extra pounds or so and go for a run! IT'S HARD! But I did it.

At first my husband tried to help, he would tell me what to do and how, but it always came across in a manner that just didn't fit with me.  It felt judgmental.  He wasn't trying to be, he had just always grown up eating healthy foods and living an active life.  It was rote to him and he didn't realize how new it was for me. 

I started running 5k's and eventually began taking classes at the gym and even got into group training with a personal trainer.  I went to 199 pounds, Yay!

Well, life happened again and I went back up to 220, ugh! That was my last straw! 

I then picked up my husbands mountain bike and rode, and went to the gym, and ran again! This time for keeps!

I even got my own road bike!

I named her

Honey Biscuit

So, as I have become more and more active and knowledgable of how important diet and exercise are, I can look back over the past 17 years and see how much I really have learned from my husband.  Maybe I started out wanting to just lose weight; however, in the end I realized that if it weren't for meeting my husband I would not be the health conscious and active person I am today.

This year I even participated in the same Duathlon series that my husband placed 3rd in so many years ago!  His was a 2mile run/11mile bike/2 mile run and the one I did was 5k/11mile bike.  

                                          It was SO much bigger than I remember it ever being!  

                                         So much so that I wanted to turn around and go home! 

I was scared! 

Thankfully, my husband was there and helped me calm my nerves and reminded me that I wasn't there to win, I was there to participate! He; however, didn't participate. He was there to cheer me on.  He helped keep me motivated and on task at the transition and I finished it! I had an awesome time!
 I placed 194 out of 214, not bad for my first duathlon. 

Well, I guess the reason I do this stuff is not just because I want to be healthy and teach my children about being healthy.  But because I met my husband and I have learned from him over the years what life is all about; family, fun, and LIVING! 

Turns out I am pretty lucky after all.