This was really hard to write, and post. But I've been challenged to step out of my comfort zone... so here it is:
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I am a traveling corporate trainer. I am on the road about 40-46 weeks out of the year. I train 8 hours a day, standing on my feet, and then provide support for 8-15 hours a day during a go live process. We do one of those a month. I was tired of feeling like I was exhausted at the end of the day with no energy during the day. I made a few changes in my life. I hope to encourage you to do the same and make some small changes that will have a huge impact!
My journey began about 15 years ago. I was about 10 pounds overweight at about 150 and my parents did not want that to escalate. So they really honed in on my eating habits and tried to keep the junk away from me as much as possible. Unfortunately, I still found ways to eat it. Instead of toning up and losing the 10 pounds, I just continued to gain weight. When I left for college, I did not gain the Freshman 15; instead, I gained more like the Freshman out of control 50 pounds. As I look back on it now, I can just picture myself wolfing down the fast food and cafeteria food like it was the last thing I was ever going to eat. Not a good feeling now.
I dated a little bit and dating always made me want to lose a little weight but I didn't know how. So I just kept eating. I eventually pushed past the 220- pound mark and all I was wearing were sweat pants or pajamas out in public. It was disgusting. I was about 230 when Mike and I got married and from there, I started to control my eating a little bit more but I still did not understand what good eating habits were. I had a job where I sat all day long and then I would go home and sit some more. I was rarely active, and it does not help that my hobbies involved sitting too. When we moved to Washington State five years ago, I was about 270 and I still continued to gain weight. When I met my good friend, and personal trainer, I was weighing 280. The heaviest I had ever been in my life. I was still feeling gross. But she helped me find a place in my heart and mind where I could accept who I was at the time, but with the knowledge that I was working to change it. I bought great clothes (just a few) and felt so much better about myself. This allowed me to concentrate on losing some serious weight. My friend helped me lose 30 pounds so I was back down to 250. I felt so good about myself.
Then the scale stopped moving. I got frustrated with myself, and stopped the healthy eating habits. I even stopped talking to my friend for a time who had helped me so much. When we reconnected about six months later, I had gained at least 15 pounds of that 30 back. So I was back up to about 265. I was going through a time where I just didn't care. I didn't care that I was overweight. I didn't care what I ate. I just ate and ate and ate.
When Mike and I moved to Louisville in July 2011, I weight in at about 270 again. I was traveling more with my new job and I kept telling myself that the traveling was what got me. I couldn't find the time or the money or the creativity to eat healthy on the road. All excuses.
Then, one day, in February 2012, I snapped. I was on the road the previous week like always, and I came home. Mike wanted to go and do something... don't remember what it was... tennis or a walk or just shopping. I was sleeping 11 to 12 hours and waking up not rested. And I would waste my two days home a week in bed and being lazy. All of a sudden something clicked inside me.
I weighed myself and to my dismay, I saw the number 290 flash across the screen. WHAT??? That had to be wrong. I stepped off the scale and re-weighed myself. Yup, there it was... 290. My heaviest I had ever been and VERY quickly approaching 300 pounds. I was only 10 pounds away!! I was obese and I hated it.
I called my friend who had helped me lose the 30 pounds three years before, almost in tears. I begged for her help. I told her I didn't know what to do but I needed to do it and FAST. I was 30 years old and almost 300 pounds. I was so ashamed that I had let myself get so out of control.
She had introduced me to Beachbody and the power of Shakeology a year before that but I was not ready to hear her. In February, I was. I didn't care what it took. I was ready. So March 1, I started drinking Shakeology. I replaced one meal with a shake. And it was so good. My cravings were limited, and I was feeling more energetic. Now, when I went home, I was no longer sleeping 12 hours a night and not feeling rested. I was sleeping 7 to 8 hours a night and waking up so energetic!!!! What a difference.
On April 4, I started Chalean Extreme. It is a combination of strength training and cardio and it's a workout I can do in the comfort of my own home. Wow! Building muscle helps me so much!!!!
I've also started eating cleaner, less processed food. I'm feeling so much better and as of July 2012, I'm down 22.5 pounds!!!!! It's a SLOW process, but this time, I'm NOT giving up. I have come too far to stop now.
What is on these pages is a story of me. I'm a work in progress. I'm in the middle of a drastic lifestyle change and this page is how I document all of it. I'm so excited that you've read my story and I hope it has encouraged you to let you know it is NOT TOO LATE. I'm so happy with where I am now, and even more thrilled with where I am going.
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