Culmination of Hard Work

It’s been a while since I last wrote in my blog, as I was waiting for something to really write about. I didn’t want to give drab commentary of all the workouts I’ve been doing, although it might become a more regular addition to the blog.

But then something happened two weeks ago, which was more a culmination of hard work and long days/nights at the gym. As my body has gone through this transformation of losing weight, gaining muscle and just plain feeling awesome, a side effect of that was felt recently.

As Jen and I were getting ready for our trip to New Orleans for her birthday, we did some shopping the day before we left. I was looking for a pair or two of shorts to wear in the warm weather. As we shopped, I didn’t really find anything I liked. Until we went to Old Navy.

Jen and I at her Fabulous Birthday Party, January 2013.

I have never been a big shopper at Old Navy, more because, when I was bigger, there was nothing for me to even try on. It was a waste of my time. So, with that still in the back of my mind, I went with Jen to check it out. Much to my surprise, I found some shorts and jeans worth trying on. But when I took the first trip to the changing room, and as I started trying on the Old Navy shorts and jeans, there was one problem.

THEY. WERE. TOO. BIG.

The size I thought I would need, based on what I had been wearing, was too big. The smile on my face, teamed with the smile on Jen’s face, could’ve light up Fenway Park. Jen happily went back to the shorts and jeans section to get smaller sizes for me to try on.

After dropping a couple hundred on some jeans and shorts to wear in NOLA, I was left thinking one thing: the damn jeans I had worn there were WAY TOO BIG for me now. And they were officially added to the donation pile, along with about 5 other pairs of jeans, that are just too big for me to wear any more.

That led into the second big thing to happen to me, no pun intended. Some of you may remember the blog post that started this journey, about how big I saw myself in DC on a summer trip there with Jen and some friends. I was sweating, couldn’t keep up with the walking, etc. One other thing that happened on that trip was on the plane from Providence to Baltimore via Southwest: I needed a seat belt extender.

There is no worse feeling as you are boarding a plane and getting into your seat then having the stewardess walk up with the seat belt extender. It really was embarrassing.

That embarrassment stayed with me as Jen and I boarded the plane last week to go to New Orleans. I sat in my seat, gleefully grabbed the seat belt and, *CLICK*, fastened the seat belt. Best part? No extender needed. Second best part? Tightening said seat belt because it was too loose.



Deadlifting 355 pounds at Reebok CrossFit Medfield, January 2013.

Two happy moments I wanted to share in this blog. The journey has been amazing, and the road continues for me. I have been training with Robert Foster at RBF Fitness in Johnston since October, going 2-3 nights per week with Jen. Additionally, I have started doing CrossFit classes with Spencer Hendel and Luis Alvarez at Reebok CrossFit in Medfield on my lunch break from the Recreation Department. Both have been amazing, and the communities I am now a proud member of at both places is awesome. I don’t dread any of these workouts ever, I am happy and excited to go to each one, and look forward to the challenge each coach has for me on any given day.

My hope is to blog about these experiences more often. Thanks for reading as always!