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Introduction Text Starting off 2021 with a personal "100 Day Challenge." In the 10+ years I've been a Spark member I've learned a lot about myself and people in general. I'm a perpetual student of life with a curiosity that lends itself to learning new things daily. If 2020 didn't teach me anything else other than you better be ready to roll with the punches... and get up and start again, then I wasn't paying attention. The past 10 years have been very successful. None of my deepest fears have come true. The majority of those years found me healthier than I had been for decades prior while basking in the many joys family brings living within minutes of each-other. DH and I have been retired long enough now to be adjusting to a life well earned. Our kids are far from young and our grands are getting older by the moment. We lovingly cared for my mom and she is resting peacefully now with all those whom she loved and missed so dearly. It really is my time and come Hell (Pandemic) or high water I must concentrate on my health. I want to get back to the success of that first year with SP. I know I can do it because I know what I had to do to be successful. So here we go again dear Spark friends. January 1, 2021... Day One. 2020, a new decade, a new chapter entitled "Me!!!" A chance to focus on myself for a change. I've always been a care giver and got a lot of satisfaction from being the best daughter, mom, grandma, sister, friend and wife I could possibly be. Mom passed away, kids are grown, grands are all in school now, DH has found purpose since retiring, it's my turn to heal physically and emotionally while... BLAH BLAH BLAH And then Covid-19 struck and EVERYONE'S world changed!!!!!!!!! What a nightmare. Still can't believe or have the stamina or desire to list all the challenges we've faced. One thing I know for sure we have all been affected and must find a way to survive in these life changing times. Perhaps this mantra from Sparkpeople's 5% Fall Weight Loss Challenge will give us hope and strength while we continue forward in support of one another. "I will not let things outside of my control change me in a negative way. I will choose how I feel, and I will focus on my goals. I am coming out of this better than I went in. I will get through 2020 well prepared for 2021." September 2020 2019... Finding the calm in the chaos. Abraham Lincoln said... The best way to predict your future is to create it. Creating anything takes patience. 2019 is my year to take patience to another level. A new year to focus on the joy while emphasizing "Less IS More" Life is what you make it... 2018 Stop the world I want to get off!!! Last year went soooo fast, although I'm glad to see it end in many ways, I want to slow down in 2018 and enjoy each day of this special year ahead. Truly health, well-being, and a joyful heart is more precious than gold. It is my intent to spend my time and energy working towards a healthy lifestyle so I can continue to enjoy all the days of my life. Happy New "YOU" Year... 2017 NEVER QUIT!!! I literally limped along last year with little to no progress and yet I'm healthier and happier than I was 10 years ago!! Attitude is everything and I owe my success to SparkPeople and all those friends who have cheered me on and kept me going. Using my 70th birthday and 7th SparkVersary as a goal I intend to be happier and even healthier by June 21/22, then the sky's the limit after that. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill Sweet 2016… a honey of a year!!! New Year = New ME =] Time to re-focus on weight-loss and get some of this extra fluff & stuff off with the Teddy Bear Teams 5% Weight-loss Challenge while continuing the step challenge at The Grandmother's Fitness Club. Goals for year end... to be back to my lowest weight with SP of 256 in October of 2011... and then down from there =] Happy trails Sparkfriends!! 2015... Chapter 68 in a life worth living!!! I've come full circle since joining SP 5 years ago. I no longer Live to eat. I eat to Live and enjoy the process as well as benefit from the results. I may not be able to run or walk a 10K or a 5K but I can participate in my own "lifeK" Life is good=] no life is AwEsOmE. NEVER QUIT =] 2014... I'm going to use the stumbling blocks along my path as stepping stones to a healthier lifestyle. Join me SparkFriends as we turn baby steps into steady strides toward our goals remembering "Strength doesn't come from what we can do. It comes from overcoming the things we once thought you couldn't." Let it go, let it go, let it go!! 2013... Are we there yet? Yes, I am!!! Am I done? HAHA NO!!! I'm living in the now and appreciating how far I've come. Knowing my limitations and honoring my body by being gentle with myself so I can do more each day. I have learned to love myself just the way I am and appreciate the fact that it wasn't too late for me... thank you Sparkpeople! My hope is that each one of you embraces your life, count your blessings and regardless of the difficulty you face in any moment, please remember you always have the opportunity to change and direct your choices into greater blessings. Life is so good. Enjoy. YOU deserve it!!! 2012...BRING IT "If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough." ~Ellen Sirleaf The future is NOW!! New year, same goals... healthy living and a happy heart. Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't I give myself reasons why I can. NEVER QUIT!!! 2011 & loving myself more than food by facing my "stuff" instead of stuffing my face =] Exercise 1st Spark 2nd... works for me!! 2010... Food is my frenemy. I'm overly sensitive. I take things personally and hurt all over. I use my fat as protection. I use it to cover the hurt that's turned into the hidden anger I've had with my past. I have forgiven those who hurt me and I'm working hard to forgive myself as well. But stuffing the pain and frustration down my throat so no one can hear my pleas for help became a way I delt with self loathing and all the scary things in life. Like money and love and being widowed. I believed I didn't deserve to have nice things or be happy... when I did love myself and expressed it through the pure joy of living someone said to me when I was very young "Who do you think you are??" I must have answered, "No one" and that answer haunts me still. I recently realized I'm disabled (using a cane) but more importantly have come to the conclusion that I really do have control over that as well so watch out world Speedy's caught the Spark and plans to carry a torch for herself because no one else can!!!! New thought process..... I am protected by Divine Love. I am always safe and secure. I am willing to take responsibility for myself. I forgive others and myself. I am safe in the Light. So I will "Eat to live not live to eat".... and remember that EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY I'M GETTING BETTER & BETTER As I face my stuff not stuff my face =]

To be healthy no matter what the scale reads.... tackle my arthritis so I have less pain in my joints and to lower my blood pressure and get off the $$$$ medications. Then I'll have more funds to do more FUN things with my sweet family... Go Speedy =] On Sept. 1st I left 300Ville and in 3 short months I've lost 30lbs. WooHoo!!! 10/26/10 lost 10% -32.6 lbs. Goals/rewards -10 lbs. scale 07/15/10 (316) -20 lbs. haircut 08/20/10(306) -30 lbs. wii 09/24/10 (296) -40 lbs. pretty earrings 11/21/10 (286) -50 lbs. 2/27/11 Plant a "Victory" garden (276) 4/18/11 retired my cane =] -60 lbs. 6/4/11 A "NEVER QUIT" bracelet Voted "Sparkpeople Motivator" (266) -65.2 lbs 8/9 reached my 20% weight loss (260.8) -70 lbs. 10/2/11 (256) 2012 Maintained a 70 lb weight-loss for a year 01/01/13 (266.5) 6/21/13 3rd SparkVersary gifted myself with a monthly CSA box of freggies =] 10/13 SPAT WalkTober 11/13 "Motivator of the Day" 06/17 269 pounds, 70 years

I'm NOT on a diet, although I do have a lot of weight to lose, my goal is a life style change.. a new approach to nourishing my body, to rewarding myself, and most importantly to love myself unconditionally. My goal is to "Eat to live not live to eat" At 1 month I added an exercise program. 30 minutes of aerobics in our pool. At 2 months 30 minutes of strength training. At 3 months I rewarded myself with a wii and will be making exercise more FUN!! I'll be using SparkPeople for life. So thanks again to Chris & his SparkTeam. Going public with my page to encourage everyone to light(en) up their life was the best thing I have done for myself... please don't wait until you are 63!

I'll always be Gods' child. 73 years YOUNG, a contented wife, mother and grandma, a daughter, a sister, a friend and neighbor to the world.... this is not the order I would have described myself in the past but this is who I strive to be from this day forward. I'm also very blessed to live in a small Southern California coastal town in the good 'ole U.S . of A... GOD BLESS AMERICA =]

My DH of 40 years and I have four adult children, 2 boys 2 girls from 38 to 50. They are all married so as far as I'm concerned we have 8 wonderful children =] They've blessed us with 7 grandchildren. 5 boys, 2 girls. Ages... 6, 7, two 11 year olds, 12, 17 & 19, who all live within minutes of us! We take care of our two youngest grandsons twice a week while mommy teaches. I'd like to out live my beautiful 91 year old mother, she deserves that. We moved her in with us in June of 2017. Update: Both youngest grandsons are going to school full time as of 8/2019 and my beautiful mother passed away 7/27/19 here at home in my arms. My life has changed completely and yet my DH and all our kids & grand-kids make me want to live forever and ever. It's never too late to start taking care of one's health and that's why I'm "STILL" here!!!!

Add a Link Linda from Southern California (PST) Tired of starting over? Stop giving up!! Promise yourself to give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
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