My Story

WOW! I haven't written in several months! Currently, I just finished another bootcamp session in which I was down another 4lbs and a bunch of inches. I like that!

I decided it was time to relive my story. I didn't get this fitness bug from no where, ya know?

As a kid I was slender. NEVER athletic. I stayed slim simply by breathing. Ahhh the good old days. Shortly after that monumental 21st birthday I started packing on the lbs. We're talking going from 119 lbs to 180lbs. In a matter of months. While I was out having fun all the time, it was also a very sad time. I hated seeing my double chin when I looked in the mirror. I hated wearing shorts and tank tops because my arms and legs got huge. I put on the weight so quickly, that I also started getting terrible heart burn and other health issues I'd never dealt with before. I felt puffy and uncomfortable all the time. And lets not mention all the cute clothes I had that didn't fit anymore.

My life was massive chaos. I was unhappy, partying a lot, making bad decisions..... (like loads of cheeseburgers and mac n cheese daily at bartime) In 2001, I made the decision to leave the town I had been living in for several years. A town I loved and was going to miss terribly. My friends I would miss terribly. Having my family 30 minutes away, I would also miss terribly. But I knew that all around I needed to make changes. I took a job in a very small town about an hour and a half from where I lived. I moved in with a guy I'd been dating just a short time. He worked funny hours. I knew no one. I took this as a chance to pop in some of my old workout videos I'd kept for years. Yes, people, I am talking about a Cher dancercise video, and 2 Cindy Crawford videos (Note: years later, I would trade in the Cindy VHS for DVDs. I still do these on occasion. That's how much I love these videos!) I also took this as an opportunity to explore my new dwelings. I went power walking most days.

Eventually, I met a nice group of people at work. I also ditched the boyfriend, and moved out on my own. A few of my new friends walked everynight, so I invited myself to join them. And when summer turned to winter, we got memberships at a gym, but only used the cardio equiptment. But, in a matter of months, I'd dropped 30 lbs! I also stopped eating most fast food, and really watching my calories. Dropping 30 lbs felt wonderful! I was back into a size 10 and feeling so much better about myself.

Around this same time, I'd met someone who lived 3 hours away and I knew the relationship was going places. I finally felt like I was in a good place, both mentally and physically. I could give so much more to this relationship. I took a gamble and applied for a transfer within my company. And it worked! I moved 3 hours away where I did know at least 2 other people (long time friends) and the guy I was dating. Once I got here, I knew how to keep my weight loss going. We walked daily. Several miles. It was so wonderful! Eventually, we moved into a condo that had a fitness club. There I discovered lifting weights. I'd started subscribing to fitness mags, and I'd tear out the workouts I liked and take them with. I also started running. I did the couch to 5k program and couldn't believe the difference in how I felt. I continued to work on my diet, but lets be real. I still loved my beer, and tacos. So, I tried to be good 80% of the time and splurge on the weekends. Eventually, I was at a plateau. I joined Weight Watchers at work and dropped 20 more lbs. I had more muscle than I knew what to do with. And I LOVED it! I was in a size of clothing I never thought possible, even at my tinest before. And most importantly I felt good. I'd made lots of positive changes, I'd also just gotten married (to the guy who lived 3 hours away). When we went to Vegas for our first anniversary, you bet your bottom dollar I rocked that bikini!

My weight gain/losses are evolving. When I became pregnant with my son I went hog wild and gained almost 60 lbs (BACK!) I was on bedrest because I'd gained so much weight that my bloodpressure was all over the place. Bed rest is no fun. I worked out until my doc put me on modified bed rest and I wasn't allowed to go to the gym (yeah, I worked out, but I also ate for 25). For someone who had been active prior to bed  rest, having to lay there and be bored and watch more reruns of Full House and 90210 than anyone ever should, I felt like I was going out of my mind! Bored, and lazy. I couldn't even go to the library to get a stack of books to read. My husband had to get them. Ugh.

Alas, a wonderful little boy was born and it was all worth it. I peeled that weight off as soon as I could. And there have been changes to my body. There have been ups and downs. It's a never ending journey. I feel mad that I had to take it in the first place, but at the same time I've come so far and learned what's health and what's not. I've learned about balance and deprivation. I've become a healthy role model for my son. and I think, over all, that's right up there with being healthy, myself.