Hit The Ground Running

I had a baby three years ago this Sunday. My son, Dawson, the love of my life, the child I housed in my belly for eight long months and two stressful weeks, celebrates his third birthday -- but I still haven't lost the baby weight.

Hell. Who am I kidding. I haven't lost the pre-baby weight either. I mean, I lost nearly 40 pounds before I got pregnant (thanks to the Atkins diet -- I'll never do THAT again), but I was still overweight by four bags of flour. I can't even look at my stomach without bursting into tears, and you have no idea how much courage it took to put up that hideous photo above. (Believe me, I had to befriend Jose Cuervo just to consider posting it.)

Weight loss has always been a challenge for me. I really have to work at it. I don't have the metabolism that allows me to graze like a cow without gaining an ounce. I've been a yo-yo dieter for years. Since high school really. I cannot count the number of times I've lost big pounds in short periods of time only to put it all back on even faster.

In my wiser years, I've learned not to diet. I've been an on-again off-again member of Weight Watchers for three years, and in January I joined a gym. I worked out 4 days a week for five months straight. And then I skipped July because I lied to myself ("I'm too busy getting ready for BlogHerCon!"), I missed August because I claimed I was too busy ("I've got so much to do! Who has time to sweat at the gym?)" and I've only recently (as in six days ago) crawled back (on my hands and knees) to my old lover, the elliptical trainer.

This time, I said, I'm going to lose that fucking weight for good. And then I won a pair of Ryka shoes a few weeks ago in a sk*rt contest, which solidifies my solemn vow to run again. What the hell was I thinking? I must be crazy, I said to myself.

But when I put on my new Ryka cross-training shoes (I got the Tri-Trainers because it's so darn rainy here these days), I knew it was meant to be. I've actually jogged to the mailbox and back. Twice. Through a puddle, too. (Okay! Maybe the driveway is only two centimeters long. I still ran to it! Doesn't that count? Do I get an 'A' for effort, at the very least?)

Ryka shoes are the bomb (so comfortable!), so when the Parent Bloggers Network told us they were sponsoring a blog blast to help spread the word about Ryka's fantastic 3000 shoe and shirt giveaway, how could I say no? Not only that, how can YOU say no? Click the link above to register.

If you'd like to participate in today's blog blast, click here for details. One grand prize winner, chosen at random, will win an entire outfit from Ryka (including new sneakers). Four runners up (4!) will win new sneakers!