2 years in...

I have been on MyFitnessPal for over 2 years now. I wanted to share my progress and story.

I am 32 years old, I have a 1 and 3 year old, and I work full time. If I can do this, so can you.

Here is my starting picture. I hate this picture. Here I am hiking with my son on my back...weighing my heaviest.


I started a Biggest Loser competition at my gym January 2011. It was 8 weeks long, and I loved it. It was a great jump start to a new healthy lifestyle. I did the summer competition, and the fall. And in 2012, I did the January, summer and fall Biggest Loser again. Here is my January 2011 Before pictures, and my November 2012 after pictures.



I've accomplished a lot along the way. I went from running 30 seconds, to running a 5k. Last May, I ran a 12K (7.4 miles). I also ran a 15K (9 miles) trail run up and down our local mountain. I trained for a sprint triathlon, although a freak accident the week before kept me from competing. I am stronger, faster, and I feel so much better!

Eating has been another journey. I still have bad days, but have learned what makes me feel good and gives me energy....and it's not fast food or sugar. We have slowly transformed our eating, cutting out more and more crap, and adding more and more clean, whole, real food.

My favorite quote: "You can have excuses or results, but not both". During this time, I have had major shoulder surgery, a torn plantar fascia, pulmonary edema (Landed me in the ICU), and I currently have a torn ligament and tendon in my elbow, which 3 cortisone shots has not fixed. I am waiting for surgery this spring. I have orthostatic hypotension/POTS. Any of these could have derailed me. I chose not to let them.

I have made some changes: Date night with my husband used to be Outback for appetizers, a meal and dessert, followed by popcorn, soda and candy at the movies. Now, it's a 25 mile bike ride along the river, a 9 mile hike, or whatever new challenge we can come up with. I try to plan my workouts in my schedule. My husband works shift work in law enforcement, so I juggle his weird schedule with my full time job as a social worker. I plan our meals, and I pack my lunch. As I eat cleaner and cleaner, I get made fun of for the ice chest I carry, with all my real food!

With 2 kids, ages 1 and 3, sometimes we can't go to the gym. We have bike trailers, hiking packs, and jogging strollers. 40 pounds on your back adds a great extra bit to a hike uphill! I have found I can get a great workout at the park. Burpees, chasing, running under the swing and all around it...you can workout anywhere! We swim with the kids at the pool. They love the gym daycare, but they only go on days they didn't go to daycare while we were at work....Let me tell me, I am the queen of scheduling.

I do a lot of different workouts. I walk. Run. Hike. Bike. Step Areobics. Combat. Pump. Gravity class. Personal Training. Spin class. Water Aerobics. Zumba. Jillian Michaels. Biggest Loser DVDs. Tried TRX (fell flat on my face). My husband and I write our own workouts for home or the gym, we created a killer 12 days of Xmas workout this year, that we did Christmas Eve! I love my Biggest Loser competitions, great last chance workouts and team challenges! Working out never gets boring!

I still have a ways to go. I want to lose more weight. I want to drop my BMI. I want to run a half marathon. I want to compete in a duathlon (biking/running). I have a huge fitness bucket list. But I am also proud of what I have done so far.

Be stronger than your excuses! A year from now, you'll be glad you did. 2 years in, I am still working, and so happy to be living this healthy lifestyle!