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Introduction Text UPDATE February 5, 2016 Hello, SparkPeople. It's been a while. I have avoided coming here. I have been so embarrassed. Why? Because I just gave up. I quit excercising. I quit trying. I quit on myself...and I over the course of 4 years, I managed to gain back every damn pound I lost here on SparkPeople...Plus an additional 8 lbs just for fun. But in July, 2015, it all came to a head...my poor lifestyle choices caught up to me and I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. What a wake up call. Man. So, August 1, 2015 I began once again to address my health and take care of ME. My all time highest weight...ever...was 285 lbs. Over the next 5 months, I began to religiously follow a diabetic diet (Low carb, vegetarian),and track my activity with fitbit. I have just this week reached my 50 lb milestone, actually. And now I have decided that I miss the community on Sparkpeople...so I'm BACK, BABY! :) Update April 18, 2011 I've been on SparkPeople now for 317 days...that's 10 months, 13 days...without missing a single day. What can I say? SparkPeople has changed my life! I am currently down 81 pounds, and fit comfortably in a size 14. I just bought a new Easter dress in a size LARGE....in a regular store! The last time I wore a size 14 was when I was 20 years old, so...that's half my lifetime ago! I'm so grateful for all of the support, inspiration and friendship that I've gained here. If you're still wondering if you should join...if SparkPeople would work for you....All I can say is DO IT! You have nothing to lose, and you just might gain your whole life back! The past couple of months have been tough, because I have definitely seen the weightloss slow down somewhat, and even had a plateau of about 3 excruciating weeks where I saw NO CHANGE on the scale. But during that time, I continued to trudge on...knowing that what I was doing was the right thing for my body and my soul...and even when the scale didn't change, my body continued to shrink! I'm quickly approaching my 1 year sparkversary here, and I am SO excited to see what the future holds for me! Update December 7, 2010 Well, I've now been on SparkPeople for 6 months, and during that time, my life has changed DRAMATICALLY. I have lost 59 pounds, and have found respect and love for myself again that I thought was gone forever. It's hard to believe that just six short months ago, I was knocking on the door of 300 pounds...and I was busting out of my size 24's and XXXL shirts! Now I'm easily wearing 18's (And I do have one pair of particularly forgiving 16's!) and size XL shirts! I'm amazed every day! I am so thankful for SparkPeople, and what this site has given to me. I am no longer afraid for my health, and I am excited to think that I will be healthy and active and around for my children for years and years to come! For now, I've set my goal weight at 130, which puts me at the high end of the "Normal" BMI...and that is still 89 pounds away....but I am not sold on the accuracy of any "formula", and will decide when I get closer just where I want to be. I have no doubt that I will reach a normal and healthy weight by next year at this time...and I plan to be here on SparkPeople every single step of the way! ******************************************* Update September 30, 2010 I've been on this journey now for almost 4 months, and I'm so happy to say that my life has changed DRASTICALLY in that time. I've lost 43 pounds to date, and have found a whole new, active, wonderful life! I'm so thankful for sparkpeople and the wonderful support I've found here. I know that this time is different. The weight that is gone will be gone for GOOD because I have learned to live my life to the fullest! 43 pounds down...about 100 to go! :) **********************************************UPDATE AUGUST 18, 2010 I've now been at this for just a little over two months, and as of this morning, have lost 31.6 lbs! I have surpassed my first short term goal, and two full weeks ahead of schedule! YAY! Sparkpeople really does work! ********************************************** My original introduction, June 5, 2010 I'm just starting out...and I have a L-O-N-G way to go, but I just turned 40 in May, and I'm determined to finally do something about my life! So...today, I joined 24 Hour Fitness, and I am proud to say, I completed my first day of the Couch-to-5K plan! It wasn't easy, BUT..I DID IT! I'm so proud of myself! I'm going to start on a healthy eating plan tomorrow, and I'm going to plan to do the cardio C25K stuff 3 days a week, and weight lifting 3 days a week. I've always absolutely HATED exercising, and all things sports-related. Always, even when I was a kid. I was that typical picked-last-for-the-team kid in gym class...and I was always horrible at anything that involved a ball or running. LOL But I have to say, maybe having 2 kids and turning 40 has helped me to find some motivation somewhere. Of course, it's easy to be motivated on day 1, right? LOL But I really LOVED the time all to myself...headphones on...nobody demanding anything of me. So, y'all can help me to keep motivated, right? My husband said when we were out last night for our anniversary that he'd like to train together to run a race...so...this girl is going to give it a try. *gulp* Ask me about it from time to time, will ya? It might help if I know you guys are expecting me to accomplish something here. I have a TON of weight to lose...but...if my estimations are correct, I have 11 months until I renew my driver's license...and maybe, just maybe, I can weigh what it says on there by then!

228 by March 1 (6 months and 57 lbs & 20% loss) **MET 3/10/16** 215 by May 4, My Birthday 80 lbs gone (Obese Class 2) 199 by July 4 (86 lbs & 30% loss) 185 by August 31, 100 pounds gone (Obese Class I) 180 by September 19, 2011--my son's 9th birthday 161 by Thanksgiving--57% loss (Overweight!) 130 GOAL WEIGHT...by Valentine's Day 2017 (54% loss...woah!) (NORMAL BMI)

I am eating loads of fruits and veggies, whole grains and healthy, REAL foods and tracking it all on SparkPeople...definitely love the tools on this site to help keep track of everything I've eaten! I've been a vegetarian since 1989...but still managed to gain weight eating all the WRONG things. (hello...mushroom pizza and raw cookie dough aren't exactly health foods!)



"You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance."--Lee Iacocca "We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough."--Helen Keller "Perseverance is failing nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth."--Julie Andrews

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