Introduction

Well, I've been meaning to do this for about a year and a half. Last January I woke up one day and realized I have a pretty great life. I have a great husband, family & friends. I have a career that I love and my own business which is holding it's own. I've got it all! Well, except for one thing. I was fat, out of shape and managed to be unhappy about that most of the time. And for some reason that morning I was seeing things more clearly than usual and realized that it's stupid to continually beat myself up for something I have total control over changing. I had a decision to make: I either stay the way I am and quit the self-destructive thoughts or I do something to change it. And in my heart, I wanted to change. So, I laced up my tennies and thought I would run a mile and then go take a weightlifting class at the local gym (which I had signed up for a free two week trial membership and it was going to waste quickly). So I left the house and started jogging. I was mortified to realize that about 20 steps in, I was exhausted and ready to stop. Had I really become so disconnected with myself? I was shocked and angry. I kept running. I started to do that wheezy breathing thing because my lungs were struggling so much I had all kinds of stuff shaking loose. There was this landscaper along the side of the road and he stopped what he was doing and just stared as I wheezed and limped on by. Ouch. I ran the mile. It just about killed me. But I was so mad and determined to not keep that my reality, I went to the gym and did the weightlifting class too. And so my journey began.

My regret is not posting daily from that day to this point. Because I've been on quite a journey and am now on the other side of things. I've lost over 50 pounds, I'm fit, I'm thin-like, and I'm joyful in my own body. Since that fateful day I have run three half marathons, learned countless lessons in body image, fitness, nutrition and the dysfunctional relationship our society has with all of these things.

My purpose now for posting is twofold: 1. I would like to keep a journal of this endeavor because I've become inspiring to myself and on the days I forget how I was ever strong enough to get here, I may find it helpful to come back and see what I'm capable of. 2. I've recently started a new nutrition program through my gym and I have some friends and family that are interested in how it's going. And my poor Facebook friends have been getting countless updates on my calorie intake that they may not wish to know about. So, here goes. I guess I'm a blogger now.