I AM A SUCCESS STORY!!!

After 2 LONG years of diet and exercise, I have accomplished my goal of losing 100lbs... weighing in at 150.0 =)  I now plan on losing another 15 or so, just wherever I feel comfortable.

My secret?  Put on your tennis shoes every morning and just WORK OUT.  I loathe exercise... it's like a nightmare every morning getting my shoes on, but once I pass that point, I'm not going to take them off before I've finished my 45min workout.

Another secret?  Ask yourself the 5 w's when eating...  why are you eating this food?  when are you eating?  how are you eating?  where are you eating?  WHAT are you eating???  When i started to answer these questions for myself, I found answers I wasn't very proud of!  I was eating because I was bored... eating late at night or when I wasn't even hungry... swallowing my food whole and eating way more than 1 portion... eating while watching tv or at my desk... and most importantly, I was eating SOOO terribly!  It was nothing for me to put down 2-3 doughnuts in the morning with a frozen cappachino... then a pack of peanut butter crackers or pretzels for snack... then left over spaghetti or pizza for lunch... so on so forth.  Then I took control and watched the numbers on the scale decrease =)   I would love to help if anyone needs guidance!

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies;  for the hardest victory is over self.  -Aristotle

My 24 months of dieting...

11/01/07:  250

12/01/07:  240

01/01/08:  232

02/01/08:  218

03/01/08:  208

04/01/08:  203

05/01/08:  197

06/01/08:  186

07/01/08:  197

08/01/08:  187

09/01/08:  193

10/01/08:  183

11/01/08:  179

12/01/08:  176

1/01/09:  176

2/01/09:  179

3/01/09:  178

4/01/09:  168

05/01/09:  158

06/01/09:  160

07/01/09:  165.....

11/01/09:  150!!!!!!!!!!!

Dieting and being healthy are HUGE parts of my life, but they do not define who I am.  I am known best for my sense of humor and wittiness (hey, gotta have personality if you don't have looks, right?)....

I grew up in competitive swimming.  This defined my whole outlook on life- don't finish until you get to the end, give it your all everytime...etc.  My best stroke was butterfly and I am proud to say that at the age of 8, I was 3rd in the nation for the 50 yard butterfly.

I always had a tendency to believe I was better than others.  Being shot down time and time again on that theory has left me where I am now, an insecure, self-concious little girl.  At times I can be the life of the party, but inside, I'm really worrying about what others are thinking.  I have a hard outter core and an extremely sensitive interior. 

I was great in school, but seeing as no one really liked the 'dork', I quit trying.  When my grades slipped, my parents started paying attention to me and I loved the attention.  I began to act out- quit swimming, got piercings, started drinking and smoking pot.  At the age of 19, my parents had had enough and quit caring.  I was left alone... this shy girl in a mess of her own making.

I bought my own apartment and began bartending.  The job put me in a bigger slump... all my friends were alcoholics and drug abusers... and I was right there with 'em.  At the age of 21, I met Mark.  Thank you Lord for that occurrence.

Mark straightened me out... told all my bad influences to hit the road... and set me on a new trail in life.  I got back in school, cleaned up my debts and got pregnant.  After having my son, I didn't know what was supposed to come next.  I began to want to drink again and have my old lifestyle before Mark because I was so lonely. 

Now, I am putting the pieces of me back together.  Where would I have been had I not gone down the wrong path?  Not here- so it's not worth thinking about.  I feel that this life I have chosen for myself is far from complete.  I want so much more.  I have come so far to reach greatness that I never want to quit.  God has a reason for my being, and I am working on finding that out.  I hope and pray I can serve him as he has me.

If you are ever thinking you can't do this, well, you are wrong.  I couldn't do this and look at me now, I'm doing it. 

That's who I am.

My MINI goals:

THE COURAGE TO START,

THE PATIENCE TO TRAIN,

THE WISDOM TO REST,

AND FAITH TO FINISH!!!

There are tons of reasons to keep going... but what is your reason for quitting?