I AM a Success <3

I read and look at everyone's success stories, but I have never posted my own. Maybe its time?

To be honest with you I wasn't always over weight. I was a normal sized child. Average build and very active. I was always out playing with the boys.

I do not think it was until I hit senior year of High School that I noticed changes in my body. I left home half way through my senior year. A big fight at home. I never went back and haven't been since then, so in the past 12 1/2 years I have hardly spoken to my mother and step-father. It really was the best decision I could have made for my self, I don't think I would be the woman I am today if I stayed.

It wasn't until after graduation when I started noticing 5 lb gain here and there. It did not happen over night. It happened over the course of a couple of years. I think I graduated weighing HS at about 140. I lived with my grandparents from graduation until the summer I turned 19. Then I moved in with my high school boy friend.

Here I am at my heaviest, roughly 205 lbs on a 5'3 frame.



NOT pretty! I felt like complete garbage about myself. I hated wearing shorts. I sweat like crazy. I don't know how I got like that. Wait, yes I did. I did not care about ME. And I just ate what I felt like when I felt like it. After my boy friend and I broke up after over 3 years I decided it was time I did something about ME.

At 22 years old I joined Curves.

Over the 3-4 years I lost almost 80+ lbs and got to my lowest weight ever of 118 lbs in May of 2008!

That is one weight I don't plan on seeing again because it is impossible for me to maintain. Although I totally felt the best I have ever felt at that weight.

I gained some back and maintained a weight of 130-135 for the next year. Then I met my Husband, January 2009. I maintained my weight of 135-140 the first year we were together. Then we got married a year later. I had a good two years years of maintaining 135ish. Here I am on my wedding day:



I became pregnant September 2010 weighing 147. I gave birth June 1, 2011 at 194.

Here I am at 9 months pregnant:



It wasn't until my son reached 6 months old I realized I needed to do something about my weight AGAIN. I knew I had issues when I was STILL wearing maternity clothes.

Here we are 3 months postpartum:


I once again started WW January 2012. I went back to the gym when I could. By May 2012 I was back down to 150. It was at that time that I took up running. I signed up for my first 5k in August 2012 and started training for that. By my first race in August i was back down to 135. I managed to maintain this through September and October. It wasn't until November and thanksgiving when things went down hill and I managed to gain 15lbs! I stopped running after my second race in October was done. I don't know if I was burnt out or what. My January 2013 I realized I screwed myself and that If I did not put an end to it I was going to be back to starting ALL over.

I could've kicked myself for not keeping up with running last fall. My stamina come January was gone so it was almost like starting over. So I picked back up in January, signed up for 2 races for the spring and got back at it and have not looked back since. I lost the 15 lbs I gained and then 5 more. I reached my ultimate goal weight of 130 last month and have done everything I can to maintain it.

I have worked so hard to get to were I am today as a mother, wife and woman. I want my son (who is now 2) to see me succeed to know that HE TOO can succeed when he works hard. My son knows what I do. "Mommy go run" he says as I lace up my shoes. We actually run tiny distances together and I cannot wait for him to get a little older to join me in runs. I want him to be proud of his momma.

Here we stand at 31 years old and at goal weight of 130 lbs..my official "After" Photos



Im finally starting to feel good in my skin.

I've completed two 5ks and an 8k so far this season with one more 5k (this weekend) and possibly a 10k on Thanksgiving.

I am currently training to run a my first half marathon in March 2014.

I will admit maintenance is def. harder than losing weight but I am determined to never go back to my old self. If I can do it and succeed, so can you.