Keep moving forward even when you are discouraged!

I have been on my weight loss/fitness journey for a long time now...a little over 3 years. When I started this journey I was weighing in at about 180lbs (I am 5'2") and smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day and could barely walk two miles without being winded. However, I never thought it was that bad. I didn't have a clue as to exactly how overweight I was or how unhealthy I was. When I started this journey I just wanted to lose a few pounds and I had used WW several times but I always gained the weight back. That is when I found MFP. I have had my ups and downs over the past 3 years. At times I have fallen back into old habits (emotional eating and laziness) but I have always kept logging in to see what my MFP friends were up to and usually found myself wanting to get back on track just by hearing about their successes. I truly believe that the friends I have made on here are what has kept me going! They constantly inspire and encourage me (and usually they have no idea that they have).

In my profile pic you will see two photos of me. The one on the left was taken around 2006. I don't think I was even at my heaviest at that time. I found this pic on my mom's refrigerator the other day and I literally almost cried! I don't even recognize this person! I don't ever remember feeling that fat! I don't think that I realized until I saw this pic that I was seriously overweight. The pic on the right was taken just about two weeks ago.

Today I ran 10 miles without stopping...and the slowest mile was 9:37! I was never a runner and would have laughed at any one who told me one day I would enjoy and even look forward to running! However, it is what has kept me pushing myself and in less than 3 weeks I will be facing one of my biggest fears and running my first half-marathon!!

What I want everyone to take from this is that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other and making small changes one at a time, you WILL get to your goals. Never give up and never count yourself out! Make friends on here and read the boards and do your own research and find what works for YOU! NEVER GIVE UP!

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt