I did it!!! It was a long journey, but in May 2010 on my 42nd birthday I weighed in at 140 lbs. and was wearing a pair of size 2 pants. I had set out to lose weight and change my appearance. But I had no idea how much better my life would be in so many other ways as well. My blood pressure was normal. My hips and knees no longer hurt, so I could run up stairs and sit through an entire movie again. I no longer snored or had sleep apnea. I had more energy than I had when I was ten years younger. I was able to lower the dosage of my thyroid medication and didn't always need the daily nap (although I do sometimes still sneak them in just because). I felt better all day long after a morning workout. Somewhere along the line people went from saying "You look great for having 9 kids"... to simply saying "You look great!" Folks were so much nicer to me everywhere I went. At first I assumed it was because I looked better, but I have since come to believe it had more to do with the new sense of confidence that I had in myself. I think I projected a more friendly and welcoming personality that people responded to. I held my head up higher and walked with more energy. I was happier than I had been in a very long time. My family had the real me back!My newfound sense of self worth translated into other areas of my life also. With so much more physical and emotional energy suddenly life held amazing opportunities for me than I hadn't noticed before. And I wanted to experience them all. Who knew I would ever go ziplining over the ocean in Haiti? Wow! By tackling this one area of my life and succeeding I felt far more in control and willing to strive for other goals too.
I found myself talking almost daily to people about what I had done to lose the weight. So many women shared their stories with me, and I was shocked to learn how many others were in the same boat I had been in. Overwhelmed, discouraged...wanting to make some changes but not really knowing where to start. Needing support and encouragement so desperately. I am human too and at times (like today even) a few pounds begin to creep back on. I felt it was important to share the lessons I had learned and also seek support and reminders for myself to stay on track going forward. I became an independent coach for beachbody. Their products and services had helped me so much in my own personal process that I was practically a walking infomercial for the company anyway. I told everyone about them all the time. Eventually it just made sense to join the team. If you are interested check out my websites at:
www.beachbodycoach.com/fitnessmamx9
and
www.myshakeology.com/fitnessmamax9
to learn more about what beach body has to offer.
This blog was the next essential part of the equation...coming straight from my heart. My wish is that by sharing my story I can maybe help someone else out there to strive for greater health and strength in their own lives too. It's not an easy road, but it's so very worth it. I hope this will be an interactive site. I'd love to hear about your thoughts and successes and learn from all of you too. We need to stand together and lift each other up in this world don't we? Isn't that what the good life is really all about?
