“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston Churchill

*~* Update September 2012 *~*

Here I am again. I fell badly off the wagon after the loss of my furbuddy and walking partner, Sadie. I hate to say that the end of 2010 and all of 2011 was a total loss, and my weight creeped back to over 170 lbs.

What’s important though is that I am getting back on track and I’m losing the weight I gained back. ...

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston Churchill

*~* Update September 2012 *~*

Here I am again. I fell badly off the wagon after the loss of my furbuddy and walking partner, Sadie. I hate to say that the end of 2010 and all of 2011 was a total loss, and my weight creeped back to over 170 lbs.

What’s important though is that I am getting back on track and I’m losing the weight I gained back. I’m also exercising consistently, both walking and running, and I’m seeing results.

I know I can succeed because I had already done so. I know what went wrong, and I am committed to making sure it doesn’t happen again. And this time, I will be kinder, gentler and more patient with myself. I will listen to my body and take time off when I need to. Success is a journey, not a destination. This is a lifestyle change, and while I will achieve a goal weight, it doesn’t mean that my efforts will stop once I get there. Exercise and healthy eating will need to continue in order to maintain my success.

So here’s to second chances and not giving up. Here’s to me!


*~* Update - January 2010 *~*

As I approach my 2 year Spark-iversary, I continue to celebrate my accomplishments so far. I've learned many things along the way, and I've met many people whose stories continue to motivate and to inspire me. With the support and friendship of my Sparkfriends, I've managed to accomplish things I never thought possible.

I see many possibilities for myself in 2010, including the possibility of completing my first half marathon. So let's make 2010 our best year ever!


*~* Update - July 2008 *~*

Six months ago, on a blustery January day, I joined SparkPeople. I had signed up for the Discovery Challenge National Body Challenge at the end of December 2007, but I had become increasingly frustrated by many difficulties I was having with their website. While browsing through the technical assistance threads, I found a post from someone who said they use SparkPeople.com. I had never heard of SP, so off I went to explore. I joined that same day, and after being initially overwhelmed and a bit intimidated, I found my way to some really great teams and have made some very special friends.

What have I accomplished over the last six months?

1/6/08 weight 168 lbs.; 7/8/08 weight 144.6 lbs.
1/6/08 BMI 28.8-overweight; 7/8/08 BMI 24.8-normal
1/6/08 wore a size 16/large; 7/8/08 wearing a size-8/medium

Most importantly, the past six months have taught me:

*The best way to improve my physical well-being is to improve my emotional well-being at the same time. Achieving better health and fitness are much easier when I love and believe in myself.
*When a goal seems insurmountable, I can break it into smaller goals and it becomes a lot less scary and much more achievable.
*Struggles happen. When they do, it is easier for me to overcome them by maintaining a positive attitude, resting if I have to, and not giving up.
*The number on the scale is not as important to me as being able to walk a bit farther than I could the day before or how my clothes feel.
*In order to achieve the big goal, it is important that I celebrate the smaller victories.
*Have fun and enjoy the view along the way.
*By finding something I enjoy and look forward to dong, it is no longer a "work"out.
*With the help and support of my friends, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

As I round the bend in 140ville, I can see my goal weight of 133 ahead in the distance. Each day I notice a new and exciting improvement in my life, and I know I will achieve my goal. I also believe in myself enough now to know that I will keep the weight off this time.

So bring on the next six months!

---

January 2008

Growing up, I was always underweight and referred to as a "stick" by my friends. People don't realize that comments like that to an underweight person are just as hurtful as they would be if the opposite comment was made to an overweight person. I didn't try to be underweight, I just was.

I was a figure skater, as well as involved in school sports, so I was very active. Because of my activity level, I could eat anything and not gain any weight. Once I entered college, however, I suffered a knee injury that ended my skating career, and caused me to be much more sedentary than I had been in high school. So I began to gain weight. I had knee surgery, which didn't improve my knee, so I was off my feet, using a cane for about two years. Gradually, through my own physical rehabilitation program, I was able to walk without the cane. However, I was never able to master the art of losing weight and keeping it off.

In October 2005, I saw a picture of myself that horrified me, and at a doctor's visit, the nurse told me that my weight was 197. I decided that no way was I going over 200 lbs. That's when my weight loss journey really began. I discovered that, for me, it's mostly about exercising because I was already eating pretty healthy. I began walking everyday, on the treadmill and with my weight loss buddy, Sadie, my dog. I continued to lose until May 2006, when we began construction of our new home, and the stress of dealing with contractors and moving made it very difficult for me to continue to exercise and eat right. I gained back much of the weight I had lost in the seven months I had been losing, and reached a high weight of 188. Then in November 2007, I again decided that's enough.

I had been walking during my lunch break at work. I added my treadmill at night, and I began to build up my walking, with the goal of at least 10,000 steps per day. In January 2008 I joined SparkPeople, which has helped me to be accountable for my food and exercising. I've made so many new friends, and found so much motivation and support from reading other peoples' stories.

I love the increased energy that becoming fit and healthier has given me. And the added rewards of knowing that I am controlling my fibromyalgia and lowering my blood pressure keep me on track. I know that I will reach my goal this time. I can do this, I will do this, I AM doing this!

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