Slim to Win

So part of my come-to-Jesus epiphany of late is the realization that I need to get serious about my health.  I’m overweight because I eat too much junk and don’t exercise enough.  For me, it’s troubling that my most serious health concern is due to overindulgence.

The women’s weight training class I was in just finished and while I didn’t lose any weight I made to impressive (to me) gains in strength.  I’m the type of person that does best in a structured program so I’m applying to a “Slim-To-Win” (a la “The Biggest Loser”) program my city is doing.

As part of the application process I had to get a doctor’s wavier, take forward-facing and profile photos of myself in form-fitting clothing, and write a one-page essay.

I thought about posting my “before” photos but I’m not that brave.  Instead, here’s my essay.

Ever since I was I kid I’ve been more of an “indoors” person. Reading and watching movies are two of my favorite things to do. When I was in high school I wasn’t very confident in my athletic ability but at the same time I wanted to hang out with my friends who were in sports. So…I became the manager of the track team and the manager of the cross country team. Ta-da, problem solved!

Fast forward fifteen years and two babies and I find myself in somewhat of a crisis. Still fairly sedentary, my weight has crept up and up over the years. I still enjoy reading books and watching movies but have added eating out to my list of hobbies which has not helped matters.

I am at the point where losing weight isn’t something I’d like to do, it’s something I need to do. My dad is obese and has been for as long as I can remember. He now has type 2 diabetes but still does not eat well or exercise. It scares me. I worry for him and I worry that I’m headed in a similar direction.

I want to be a healthy parent to my two kids, someone who is able and eager to run around with them and go hiking on the weekends. Our family likes to go hiking and I’d love not to be the one trailing behind, huffing and puffing. I’d like to be a good example for my kids, especially my daughter.

Besides improving my health, I’d like to lose weight to improve my appearance. I love fashion but for the last ten years I’ve only bought cheap flimsy things because it’s hard to feel good about spending money on nice things in my current size. It’s also just hard to find cute things that fit.

Sometimes I feel like people dismiss me because I’m overweight; it’s like their eyes just slide right over me. I’d like to be taken more seriously. I’d like to be more confident in how I present myself. When I see a photo of myself I’d like not to be shocked or disturbed. I’d like to look more like the person I feel like I am on the inside.

If I’m selected for the Slim to Win program, I will give it my all. For the last several months I’ve been working on 3-4 times a week, twice with the Women’s on Weights class. Taking the class has given me more confidence in my physical abilities. It has been thrilling to see the progress I’ve made in the last few months. I’m the type of person who thrives in a structured program and I truly believe that if I have a trainer helping me plan my workouts and helping me be accountable for what I eat I will succeed.

I am ready to do this!

What do you think? Am I laying it on too thick? I really want to get into this program, I think it would help me turn my health around.