Happy 3 years to ME!!!

Hard to believe.  Seems like yesterday.  Couldn't imagine life w/o it.  Can't believe I've done it.  It's a lifestyle not a diet.  

YES!  I successfully made it to my 3 year mark.  Three years since I started this journey to better health.  I'm w/in 5 lbs of my goal weight (fighting HARD to get back to goal).  I'm still personal training with Dan.  I continue to do cardio 4-5 times/week.  I'm training for my second 1/2 marathon.  And......

I LOVE IT.  Everyday.  Every time I look in the mirror.  Every time I look at old photos.  Every time I go shopping for clothes and things fit.

I'm not sure if my journey is over and this is my life or if this is my lifelong journey.  Whichever, I'M IN!!!

Countdown to 3 years...

Yesterday at Body Solutions, where I workout with my Personal Trainer (yep, still Dan after all these years), one client introduced herself and said she was there because of ME and MY BLOG.  Are you kidding!!!  She further said, "you should know you are inspiring people you've never met."  WOW! How cool is that!!

This conversation prompted me to visit my blog today as it's been sitting out there with no new entries since last February.  Hard to believe a year has passed.  And I finished that half marathon I was training for last year and I'm running it again this year!  I'm still personal training with Dan, still watching & journaling what I eat, doing my cardio 5 times/week....some things have not changed at all.  I didn't even realize until I read my blog that just 3 weeks until my 3 year anniversary of losing 50 lbs.  Now that's something pretty cool too.

Start your electric razors...

It's head shaving time again.   On Friday, March 11, the Body Solutions Team will for the third year shave their heads (and raise money) for childhood cancer.  Once again this year, I'm the FUNdraising manager.  What FUN and such an incredible cause. 

St. Baldrick’s volunteers shave their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer worldwide.  The St. Baldrick's Foundation uses the donations to fund more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the United States Government.  What began as a challenge between friends has grown into the world's largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. 

The funds we raise are saving lives.   Any and all donations (any amount) are really welcomed. 

Check out the team page @ https://www.stbaldricks.org/donate/donationinfo/teamid/68670/nouser/1

Thanks and check back later for post-shave photos! 

And make that ten!!!

Miles that is....I ran 10 miles yesterday!!! I still can't believe it myself.  It went much better than the 8 miles the prior week.  I guess all this training is really paying off. 

After finishing my run, I decided for sure......the More/fitness half marathon is for me.  I CAN DO THIS! 

It all started TWO YEARS ago!!!!

Today marks the TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY of my weight loss & better health journey!!!  There are times it seems like I just started and others that feel as if I've been eating this way and exercising forever.  Amazing!!!!

It all started first with a quest to lose weight; a diet.  I was so tired of being fat.  I also had terrible balance; I really couldn't stand on one foot.  I saw and read terrible things about the aftermath of falling.  I didn't want that to happen to me.  Things had to change!

I started with my Atlanta personal trainer and Body Solutions guru, Dan, and the goal setting began.  Lose 10 lbs, another 10 lbs and on to 50 lbs; master (?) squats, walking lunges, curls & presses.  Walk the IJT 10 miles for breast cancer, run 1 mile, run a 5K, start boxing and now train for a half marathon.  The goals got bigger & bigger and I'm hooked! 

The weight came off, some came back on a little and I took it back off.  Two years later and I'm still at my goal weight!!!  My fitness routine has remained;  still doing 3x/week w/Dan plus 5x/week cardio!!!  Two years later and I still journal every day!!! 

My life has changed!!!  No diet for me; lifestyle change.  The physical changes are great - weight loss, strength, endurance and so are the changes to my mental & emotional well being.  I won't even go into that, trust me. 

Yeah me and as I've said so many times..............NEVER AGAIN and I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL!!!