I have been putting this off for too long....but here it goes!
I started my weight loss journey towards the end of January this year (2013)....what made it all HAPPEN was how disgusted that I was with myself. I woke up one day and had to get the kids off to school...we were running late, so I just decided to grab something on the go. I stopped at the local doughnut shop and got each of the kids a kolache, and myself a kolache and two donuts. I ate those things before we even GOT to school and they tasted GREAT...don't get me wrong, but when I got home I felt like crap. At that very moment I SNAPPED....my mind COMPLETELY changed gears and I immediately told myself that I couldn't do this anymore. At that VERY moment is when my journey started. Instead of starting the next day with a clean slate, I started at lunch....no more excuses for me! That moment was about 200 days ago.
For the first week, I focused on my eating. I typically ate FAIRLY healthy most of the time, but I would binge eat and always get that nasty feeling afterwards, and would get depressed....I KNEW that I shouldn't eat that, but I COULD NOT control myself. With the help of the MyFitnessPal app, I was able to quickly get my eating and portions under control.
So, next step....exercising! Yeah, I have NEVER been one to workout....never liked it...never wanted to do it, but I knew that needed to change. Thankfully enough, my best friend and neighbor had just gotten the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution program, and she invited me to do it with her! I quickly accepted and was so excited to start on my journey, especially with the help, and support of my friends. We started the program just as directed to and took our starting weight and measurements. I was honestly shocked at how big that I had gotten. I started my journey at 278 pounds....ouch...that really hurt to see those numbers on the scale, but I used it as motivation...that and my kids. I had gotten to the point that I was tired all the time and never wanted to do anything, so I sat on the couch all the time. Not only was I a couch potato, but I hurt...I hurt SO BAD. It was very sad to realize that all of my aches and pains that I was getting were from being obese....yes obese....MORBIDLY OBESE in fact. That really hurts to write, but it is reality.
We started on the exercise program and followed it to a T and within weeks, I was seeing results. I had to modify SO MANY of what was on the video, but I was MOVING and committed to it. That is one of the hardest parts. We completed right at 9 weeks of the 12 week program, when we started to get bored and really needed a change, so we decided to do some cardio and strength training. It was nice to be outside for a change and get some fresh air and have a little more freedom in our workouts. We rocked it and pushed ourselves SO HARD! We proved to ourselves that we could do it...we had a BREAKTHROUGH and it was an amazing feeling!
After a few months of working out with my "personal trainer" (lol...my friend seriously was such an amazing trainer for me), our lives got busy and I was having a hard time leaving my husband each night to go workout...I missed him, so I decided to try something new ON MY OWN...what?!?!? I NEVER thought that I would be strong enough to do that. Another good friend of mine (and now my coach) introduced me into Team Beachbody and invited me to be a part of her challenge group that she was doing. I finally decided to join and purchased the Les Mills Combat program along with Shakeology! I am now 6 weeks into the program and ABSOLUTELY LOVE it! I feel so empowered doing it by myself and knowing that I CAN DO IT...for the rest of my life. There are no limitations when doing it on your own. I try my best to do my workouts during the kids naptime...doesn't always happen, but it is what works for me. As for the Shakeology (a daily nutrition shake), it has done wonders for me! First of all it is all natural, and you know what a hippie I am, so that means a lot to me, but the biggest benefit has been that it has totally taken away my cravings for sweets. I have ALWAYS had a HUGE sweet tooth, and even struggled with it for months after starting on my weight loss journey...those cravings are HARD to tame. After almost a week of drinking it, I felt different, but I couldn't figure out why...and then it hit me...it was the cravings...they were no longer there and it was SO LIBERATING!
With all this hard work that I have been doing, I am happy and proud to say that I have lost almost 60 lbs and still going strong. I still have my days where I struggle, but I have some AMAZING support! What has also been so FREEING is my mentality. I have had a HUGE mental shift not only in my outlook on life, but also in my role as a mother. My kids can enjoy their mother now and THAT means the WORLD to me
Thank you for all your support and for reading my story!!!!!!
