Things are getting easier!

Hello Jennifer,

I must say things have become a lot easier since the journey started for me. I really decided to be real with myself when I failed a Fitness test I had to take for work. Not only that but May 9, 2011 I had my 3rd C-Section of my lovely daughter Naomi. The entire pregnancy was very high risk for me and I gained more weight than I did with my previous two children. I experienced something called placenta insufficiency and I was placed on bed rest and high risk for preeclampsia. I was extremely devastated. There were so many problems with this pregnancy; I can't even begin to name them all. However, the main thing is my daughter was not growing properly so I was eating so much hoping that I could get her to grow but the problem was that the placenta was only giving her enough to live. So, I gave birth to her and she was 5lbs but dropped to 4.7lbs after birth. My stress levels were through the roof. After coming home from the hospital with my daughter the problems only increased. I was have anxiety attacks like crazy, I was passing out while at work and everywhere without any dizzy symptoms to warn me. My Doctor placed me on a driving waiver so I couldn't drive and I was also placed on a heart monitor due to the heart conditions that run in my family. During this pregnancy I weighed 198lbs. However after delivering a few months later I was at 178lbs. My weight just remained at 178lbs for some time. So I hadn't worked out in over a year and it was so painful getting started again. However, I knew I had to do this for my life and after my birthday this year May 19, I was so displeased with my pictures. I made up my mind that I had to do something. I currently weigh less than what I did when I went into my Doctors office and confirmed my pregnancy. My goal is to get down to 135 or 130. I still have a ways to go but I am much closer than what I was in May. Some days it hurts but I embrace the pain because the same pain makes me smile when I put on my jeans now and not have worry about love handles. I started trying to run 1.5 mile and it was horrible. I stopped so much it made me sick. However, now I am running 2.5miles without stopping and very much like you I have registered for my first 5k during my vacation. I am not sure if I will actually get to participate based upon the fact that it is so far away from my parents’ home. However, I will do my best to attend so I can post my pictures of my first 5K. I am able now to do far more calisthenics than before, pushups, sit-ups, Russian twist, and so many more that I learned in my boot camp class. I am also still a work in progress but I know that I will soon reach my goal.
That's my story.
Annokoye

This has been very inspiring for me, thank you. I am only just beginning and am finding brisk walking tough at the moment. Thank you again!