This May Be Oversharing Podcast: Episode 5!

Ten years ago, I decided I needed to make a change. I am trying so hard in general to not obsess over dates, so I’m not going to go searching for the actual date but it was some time between my birthday and the end of February.

I was overweight and still unhappy. The move from Washington, D.C. to NYC hadn’t been the immediate salve I’d hoped for. I still needed to find what made me happy. And at the time, that was very clearly alcohol and food.

I decided to lose 50 pounds for a friend’s wedding, and, well, if you’ve read for a long time, you know the rest. If you haven’t read for a while, the tl;dr: I lost the weight, I ran 30+ halfs, seven marathons, did a handful of triathlons…and then gained back some of the weight. And dealt with grief and mental health. The latter two will be a part of my life forever, in different forms.

But the one common thread to all of this: 10 years ago is when I decided I deserved to take care of my health–and now that means all of it.

And so that’s what this latest podcast episode is about–the top 10 things I’ve learned in these 10 years about living a healthy lifestyle. What about you? What have you learned?

It’s Friday afternoon and I’m sitting on my favorite chair by my window killing a little time before meeting my BFF for a spin class tonight.

I just got home from recording a podcast interview with Rebecca Soffer, the founder of Modern Loss, an irreverent site about grief.

I worked a half day (I’m working part-time filling in for a friend who’s on maternity leave) in an office, and I filed a story for Self before going to work. I sat in front of my light box, I journaled, I read from Journey to the Heart.

I’m texting with a bevy of boys, and will hopefully have some dates coming up.

I started a new med last week, and I have more hope. While I’m trying to learn not to judge/measure myself by my productivity or lack thereof, it feels so so good to have days like this—days like I used to have. Maybe that was never sustainable, but it still feels nice to have a taste of “old me.”

Yesterday was a particularly dark day (for no good reason, YAY), so these flashes of light are extra appreciated.