Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman

Hello.  My name is Cynthea.  I'm a 40-something single mom who owns her own business and is overweight.  I’m joining the Summer Yfit program with Alexandra Jasinowski to take my own advice and make my health a priority.

There isn't just one reason I find myself heavier than I would like to be.  I wish we could look over my eating habits or lack of exercise or stress level and have an "A-ha!" moment and say, "Well, if you just change that one thing then your extra weight will simply fall off," and it would be SO easy.  But, it just isn't that simple.  Many factors have contributed to my being overweight.  And the truth is I don't have much control over many of them.  Probably when I try to control things is when I feel the most out of control.

I am an emotional eater.  I reward my self with food.  Nothing crazy.  No whole pints of Ben and Jerry's for goodness sake.  But I have an out of whack sweet tooth.  I can't keep ANY sweets in the house or I will eat them.  Later at night, after I put my son to bed, I walk into my kitchen and I am so mad that there is no ice cream, cookies or ANYTHING!  I bang around and settle for some yogurt or tea or cereal.  I eat it but, it's not what I really want.  I also punish myself by not eating or not planning well.  I'm great at making my son's lunch and snacks everyday for school but, I don't do it for myself!  Why?  I don't know.  But, I do know that it has to stop.

It's not easy for me to admit that sometimes I get so wrapped up in taking care of others (which I love), my family, my business, or whatever fire that needs putting out, that put myself and my health lower down on the proverbial "list". I'm sure many folks can relate and maybe that's exactly why YMCA asked me to share my experiences.

I promise to be as honest as I can be in this blog.  I have struggled with my weight since childhood.  During my young adulthood I was a US National Luge Team member and was the most fit of my life - but even then, I was asked to step on a scale everyday before breakfast and body fat tests once a week.  My fitness and training was my job and my life.  I enjoyed it and at that time I didn't have any other responsibilities. It was an all-consuming goal - to be the fastest woman in the world on ice.  In that world, you are both all in and completely dedicated or you are out.  It is very black and white. 

Now my life is much fuller, I am struggling to find the middle path.  I am seeking a way to balance my life as it is now and my fitness goals at the same time.  I have a wonderful opportunity to finally succeed with these goals and I am going to give it everything I've got.

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.