Brand New To Town!

Ya know... I've been following so many blogs lately... I've been am a Facebook junkie... and now I'm gonna do a blog of my own. I suppose I could tell you my life is perfect and I have 3 perfect children, a rewarding career, an amazing husband, but no one really wants to read that junk EVEN THO it's the TRUTH! :) That's my facebook disguise! HA

What I am going to blog about it my REAL life. My true struggles with my own body. My learning to be a runner. My struggle to be "healthy" and my GOALS. If I've learned one thing, I've learned I MUST HAVE GOALS!

My first post is dedicated to being brand new at something. Yeah, you heard me... I'm starting from scratch. I started this little journey just about one year ago. I remember wanting to lose weight. I remember thinking that I didn't want to be the "heavy" friend. The husband and I were planning our trip to Mexico. We were going with some good friends and THEIR friends, who we didn't know. I was sitting at approximately 179 pounds (on a good day) and felt pathetic. I started to hit the gym. It was a month before we left and started going. It sucked. I sucked. It was stupid. Really I know you're expecting something inspirational right now but NOPE ... it was stupid. I honestly didn't put too much effort into it and therefore I got LITTLE RETURN.

We went to Mexico and I looked like this .........

 Why the hell was I dressed like that?



I was the heaviest gal there in our group. In the past I've always tried to be the funny girl but something about this trip made me want to change that. I wanted to be healthy and thin. That's when it changed. When I got home I heard about a Boot Camp plan that a friend had joined the year before. I basically invited myself to tag along. I had a piss poor attitude and I was NOT enjoying any bit of it, but I was afraid to stop. I was mostly afraid to look like a loser to everyone else there. I paid for the full 3 months in advance. If I'm one thing, it's cheap and I'll be damned if I was going to pay for something and NOT use it. I remember thinking that Candice, our instructor was the Devil. I remember thinking "This is easy for her because she's skinny". BUT, I also remember she believed I could do it. She yelled at me for my crappy attitude and high-fived me for finishing. Now Candice is one of my closest friends. She measured me and in 30 days re-measured. When she called me to tell me my loss that night, I bawled. I cried so much it was ridiculous. I wasn't sad. I was proud. I cannot tell you how long it had been since I was proud of myself for taking care of myself! I had lost inches in the DOUBLE DIGITS! I think it was 13 inches. In ONE month. I hadn't been eating well so when I saw what I could do I decided that had to change. I joined myfitnesspal.com. I still journal almost every day. I made some goals for myself and every month I lost a few more inches. I started hiking with my family, which my sexy hunting husband LOVED. It just felt great to be active. It's funny looking back because I knew I wanted this... I just didn't know I could do it.

Running. I wanted to run. I wanted to be like those other women at boot camp that had those lean bodies and were strong. They all talked about their runs and their goals and I have to admit... I was jealous. I wanted to be strong. I remember saying to Candice and Jana (a fellow boot-camper) I wished I could run. Sooo, what did those two beeeotches do? They made me run. They really did. They MADE me do it. 2 slow miles on the school track, but I did it. I'll never forget that feeling. I still hear Jana say "Just slow down" and Candice saying "YOU GOT THIS!". This motivated me in ways I never knew possible. This made me want to be a runner. No.. I DON'T LOVE RUNNING. I love being DONE running. I signed up for a 5k with my cousin's wife, Teresa. She pushed me through it. Then did another 5k... with my longtime friend Carrie. I bawled when I crossed the finish line. YES, the full on ugly cry!!  Then I got ALLLLL KINDS OF CRAZY and have committed to a 1/2 marathon in May 2012. Running has changed my life. I'm a better wife, mom, and friend because I LIKE myself and who I am becoming.

Today I'm still learning. I'm still growing (shrinking DUH) and still struggling. However, I haven't given up. I'm weighing in at 152... and I wear a size 10-12. That feels GREAT. I'm more active than I could ever imagine or dreamt of being. I'm PROUD of ME.... HOWEVER... I'm doing this blog so I can have YOU guys keep me going. PLEEEEZE.... I'm really stuck on getting into the 140's.... I'm training for a 1/2 marathon (or two)... I'm trying to shrink my BELLLLLY FAT.... I'm always learning and trying to understand my body and how to take care of it. I'd love to have your feedback, support, suggestions... anything!

Here I am today.....

Love

M