The Start of My New Life(This is a long one.)

 I used to be 175 lbs at my heaviest. Size 14 pants, and XL shirt.

Looking at these are embarrassing.

Here I was only 18!  That's me though...the fat, chubby girl in the middle.

I have no children, and no health problems.  I came to the conclusion then that I needed to change.  There was no excuse.   I was tired of looking at other girls and women and wanting to be like them.  I always wondered why God chose me to be born chubby and fat.  It wasn't until I finally had a revelation, that I realized that I AM THE PROBLEM.  I eat lousy food (a lot of it being fast food), I drink crappy soda, and I choose not to exercise. At 19 years old I completely changed my eating habits, and in the course of a year I lost 50lbs!  

At my smallest in that time I got down to 125. Size 6 pants, and size S shirt.  I loved all the praises I got from people.  It felt so nice to know that all my hard work had paid off, and that I COULD attain my goals.

Those last 2 pictures were taken in May 2010.  

      Now fast forward to August of 2011, I'm not sure what was happening.  I stopped paying attention to what I was eating at some point.  I started craving lots of sweets.  I got really busy with work, my house, and nothing...Those were the excuses.  I was busy.  I started noticing that a problem was occurring; my waistline was getting bigger. my pants were getting tighter, and the swim suits I had worn the summer before were not looking as appealing.  I was embarrassed by this.  I felt like a big fat failure all over again. 

      I knew that I had to diet all over again.  I had to put a stake in the ground, and decide to discipline myself.  Now came the next part: procrastination.  Its a killer.  I am terrible and fantastic at it all at the same time.  Every time I would stop at a gas station I would get that craving...CHOCOLATE, SUGAR...whatever was in front of me.  Somebody else around me would eat something crappy and unhealthy...and I would look at it and think, "boy, that looks good."  So, I would eat it, telling myself that it would be the last time. Or, Sunday will be my last day of crappy eating.  Monday will be the best day to start.  Beginning of a new week, and the beginning of my new life....RIGHT. Then it soon turned into, well next Monday, and then the next Monday, until I stopped into a local business that I had driven by a hundred times.  Bemidji Breeze. I knew what it was.  It was the sister nutrition shop to Bemidji Fusion.  They sell Herbalife products there.  I knew I liked going to Fusion, however their hours of operation did not coincide with my schedule.  Breeze however, was close to where I worked, and had better hours.  So I stopped in a couple times.  

      If any of you ever have the opportunity to stop in at either of these places, do it.  It is FABULOUS.  The smoothies, tea, and aloe are delicious. The people there though, they are what makes those places so great.  All the people that go there and work there have the same things in common.  They want a better, healthier life, and they want to help those that want to help themselves.  Everyone has been in the same place at some point or another, and they can relate to you.  They show you that you are not in the fight ALONE.  

     It was at Bemidji Breeze that I came to a turning point in my life.  One day they had a sign up sheet for a weight-loss challenge.  I thought, "why not?"  This is exactly what I need to do.  This will give me the motivation.  It will give me a goal and a timeline.  Also if I won, it would give me a little cash in my pocket as well. Heck, you really can't beat that.  Alongside the weight-loss sign up was a chance to enter into a drawing.  The drawing was for a free month at Elite Performance and Fitness.  

      Elite is run by a guy by the name of Justin Cox.  He is a personal trainer, and specializes in kettlebell classes.  I had heard of them and him before.  However, I didn't know his name at the time.  I knew him as 'the kettlebell guy.'  All of the things that I had heard of the kettlebell classes were good.  I heard that they were really tough, but that they gave you good results.  Anywho, I signed up for this 'free month' with Elite and never gave it a second thought.  I had forgotten completely about it, until I got a random phone call one afternoon.  Justin called to say that I had not won unfortunately, but that he would like to meet me anyways and see if he could help with whatever goals I may have.  Unsure as I was, I went in the next day to sit down and talk with him. I went in nervous, and skeptical.  I left however, with a renewed sense of motivation.  I loved everything that he had to say.  Justin doesn't just offer fitness classes like some I've taken at other local fitness places.  He coaches the fitness classes.  Small classes so you can actually learn.  He can actually help. He tracks all your progress individually, and he pushes you to always improve. YOU AREN'T JUST A NUMBER.  The only downside to his classes verses the other places in town is the price.  When he let me know what he charges, I will admit my stomach dropped.  There was no way I would be able to afford the amount of classes I wanted to take.  However, whenever one door closes...a window opens right?  I had a wonderful window of opportunity.  Since I signed up for the weight-loss challenge, everyone in the challenge got a FREE month at Elite.  WAHOO. 

During the weight-loss challenge,  Debbie Madsen (Herbalife distributor/weight-loss challenge coordinator) made us keep a record of all the food/beverages we took in everyday.  The food logs were a real eye opener.  When you actually write down what you are eating...and being absolutely honest when doing it, you really start seeing the reality of what you are consuming.  I implore everyone to try this, and be sure to be honest.  The only person you will be cheating is yourself, and if you are going to take the time to do it...what would be the point if you lie?  We also had a weekly weigh-in.  If we gained any weight we had to pay up $1 per pound  that we gained.  YIKES, thats motivation in itself.  

I tell you when you are with a number of people who are all going through the same thing,  it helps TREMENDOUSLY.  I guarantee you, when you step on that scale and the pounds are shedding, and when your measurements are taken, and you lose literally inches in a matter of weeks...there is no better feeling of accomplishment in the world!  It makes you want to work that much harder.  It makes you want to set new goals. Because you know, if you work hard enough, sweat enough, have enough self discipline...you can accomplish whatever you desire. The sky is truly the limit.  That in itself is liberating.  Nothing is holding you back anymore.  Soon, that crappy food isn't a weakness...but its a non-issue altogether.  You don't even think about it anymore.  You don't even want it. 

We started that weight-loss challenge in the beginning of October. That first meeting I weighed-in at a whopping 150 lbs.  ICK!

By the beginning of December, I had lost a total of 12lbs and a total of 19.75" on my body.  All in 9 weeks! YAY! This was good enough for 2nd Place(which is really kind of lame)...lol.  I did get $70 though, and since I lost the most overall inches, I also got to order whatever I wanted out of the Herbalife Catalog.  

Now, the second weight-loss challenge has begun.  I started at 140lbs for the first weigh-in.  I also am excited to say, since I am a member with Justin at Elite AND I'm doing the challenge..I get unlimited membership for the next 9 weeks.  OH BOY!!! 

     So for the next 9 weeks, I plan on doing a body transformation.  I have new goals.  I'd like to lose 15 more pounds, and I want to get into shape.  I have a goal to do a 5k.  I know to some, a 5k is child's play.  For this girl however, running just plain SUCKS.  Not easy, Not fun.  That's going to change.  Running will now be a big part of my life.  I am determined.  I started off with 1 mile yesterday.  I am happy to say, it wasn't that bad! Between kickboxing at Elite this week though, and that mile yesterday...My calves are KILLING me.  So, I'll run again tomorrow.  I don't relish the thought of injuring myself, so I'll use a little wisdom in that. 

This blog will be a journal.  It will be a way to share my progress.  I want to show people that they can do it.  Hopefully I can inspire others.  This is my only word of advice to people right now:  Discipline yourself, Stop making excuses, Be honest....YOU got you into the shape you are in, YOU are the person who has to change YOU.  Nobody else.  

Once people come to grips with this one fact, it is all downhill.