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Introduction Text Welcome to my SparkPage. I moved my original introduction to a blog, so that my story would be saved. Now I have a clean slate to start the next part of my journey. I hope you enjoy reading my story and that you always remember that YOU CAN DO IT no matter how impossible it may sometimes seem. Spread the Spark and BELIEVE in yourself. Find me outside SparkPeople at: findingaudraagain.blogspot.com/ 01/13/13 - In 2008 and 2009, I was on a roll... I lost half my body weight, was active and feeling good (see blog posted 1/13/13) - and then it was 2010 and I hurt my back, my yellow lab, Cameron, died suddenly at age 8, I hurt my knee, I lost my mojo, started struggling. Then it was 2011, my knee still hurt and my gallbladder blew up and I was 40 pounds heavier... my mojo was still missing, I kept gaining weight and losing my confidence and self-worth. Then it was 2012 and I decided I was going to do a triathlon. That was a great experience (see blog posted 09/09/12) and I started to get my mojo back. After the triathlon, I joined a relay team and did 5.7 miles in the California International Marathon relay in December. Fast forward to the New Year and I was "lucky number 13" in the New Year's Dualathlon, which I did with my friend Ralene on two official days of training, because we were determined to set our intention for the New Year - ACTIVE and a little CRAZY. It's a good mix, right? 2013 is the year I WILL get back on track with my weight loss and will rediscover my self-worth. Onederland, here I come again! 09/01/14 - 2013 was a year of biking, swimming, walking, running, strength training... and continued weight gain. Despite best efforts and hours of activities logged, my metabolism still didn't cooperate. But that didn't mean I didn't keep going... another triathlon, 5ks, 32 miles in a Fondo bike event, 5.9 miles at a record pace for that distance in CIM... but it was very frustrating. And if I thought 2013 was frustrating, I had no idea what 2014 had in store for me... I hurt my knee the day after I signed up for my first 10k. Then I irritated my shoulder. Went to PT and was getting better when I had an allergic reaction to antibiotics - one that left me with neuropathy in my head. And in all the follow-ups from that, we found a node on my thyroid that's requiring some additional testing. And while all of that is going on, I have somehow refound the desire to move forward, despite all these medical challenges. So that's where all this starts again. Pulling up my bootstraps, putting on my big girl panties, and finding all the determination I once had. 01/04/15 - 2014 was a year of survival... visits to 4 different "ologists", 4 allergic reactions, nearly dying, living in constant fear... it was overwhelming, and I couldn't wait to turn the page to 2015. Ready to find all the ways I can to MOVE FORWARD and THRIVE. 2015 is my year to return to SparkPeople and be part of this amazing community in a bigger way than I have been in years. And 2015 is my year to return to living life, not just barely getting by. I've picked THRIVE as my word to live by... I still have many challenges ahead of me, but I can still find ways to live a rich and full life. Happy New Year to my Spark Family! 11/01/15 - 2015 has not been without its challenges... most recently, bad anxiety, mostly brought on by severe work stress. Anxiety this bad has been eye opening in so many ways... and I'm so grateful for the people who stuck by me, even as I did my best to shut myself off from the world. I have gotten up today filled with peace and promise. Maybe it's the rain falling outside, the extra hour of sleep, the turning of another calendar page... but it seems like getting back to my "old self, but better" is possible. 9/18/16 - I am loving the promise of Fall and a cooler season... I am still struggling with anxiety, but most of my health issues have started to settle down, and I'm finally starting to feel more like me again. However, the "me" I really want to be, is the me about 6 years ago - and I have a lot of work ahead of me to get back to that level of fitness and health. 04/02/17 - 2017 has been off to a rocky start. But with the help of sunshine and a new therapist, I'm finding "my old self" buried behind the fear, anxiety, and depression that I've been struggling with for a long while now. I've started to MOVE again, and with movement, comes a sense of strength and power that has been lacking. Now, to keep it up and embracing change that is GOOD for my physical, mental and spiritual well-being. 01/01/20 - I have been through so many changes in the past couple of years, so it's odd to feel so "stuck in place." But weight-wise, that's exactly the case. I can't seem to get myself moving and grooving, and the last six months have seen me get in hardly any formal exercise. In December, I started putting things in place that would allow me to change that in 2020, and so far, so good! I have BIG DREAMS, LOFTY GOALS, and PLANS to really TRANSFORM ME on all levels this year. Time to let 2020 take flight!

My ultimate goal is to get back down to around 160 pounds... which would be something I weighed back in grade school - and lower than the weight on my drivers license! However, I know that's going to be a long, long road... and I'm willing to go on this journey... detours and all!

I do best when I track my food - weigh and measure everything - and log every bite. Knowing the calories in helps keep my in check, and it helps me make sure that I'm getting enough protein, fiber, freggies, and water. I love being active - but activity can be a struggle with a demanding sit-down job. CrossFit is my current "jam" but I also love triathlon, Zumba, and yoga!

I love my boys! My labs are my 4-legged children! Kyler is 12, Finnegan is 9, Fletcher is 8, and Phantom is 4. I don't post blogs here much, but when I do, they REALLY mean something to me. Proud Captain of the Minion Cadet Squad!

I'm a huge fan of Auto Racing - particularly Sprint Cars and F1. I love to read. I read mostly mysteries and thrillers, or good epic stories. I always love to talk favorite books and authors with people. I love all types of music. A day without music is a day without the sun. And I'm fairly in love with Google Music and being plugged in wherever I go!

Add a Link -Audra (Northern California) BLC 36-42 Minion Cadet Squad Captain “Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.” -Kurt Vonnegut If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything, is ready, we shall never begin. -Ivan Turgenev Dream big and then work to make those dreams come true! We're all stronger than we think we are! -Me! <link>findingaudraagain.blogspot.com/</link>
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