SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did it! I met my goal! Man, I am sooooo psyched!

In July I weighed 166lbs and was a size 14. As of THIS MORNING, I am now 135lbs (and hopefully a size 6...that remains to be seen). YEA ME!

This really has been fun. I have learned that I can do anything I really want to do. I can lose 30lbs. I can run a 5K and am signed up for 3 more. I can actually go to the gym and like it. When I read the article about the lady who was "happier heavier" b/c the dieting stressed her out, I wanted to tell her that it's not about the diet. It's about doing something you never thought you could do. LA Fitness has a corny phrase on one of their walls that says something like, you can't reach a goal unless you challenge yourself. It's so corny, but it's true. I had to push myself through hating the treadmill. I despised the treadmill, but would get back on. And now it's one of my favorites.I had to force myself to stay on the elliptical even though I was tired and had met my goal of 2 miles. I'd done my 2 miles and figured I could get off. But where was the challenge in that? I kept thinking about that stupid phrase on the wall. I forced myself to do 3 miles. Then 4 miles. Now I do 5 miles. I have to force myself to not faceplant into that new package of double stuffed oreos or to order fish tacos instead of cheese enchiladas...and now I LIKE fish tacos.

I wish I had done this when I was younger. I wish I had known what I know now about challenging myself and doing something just because it's for YOU. I'll be 49 on Sunday and while I can continue to push myself and will now focus on maintaining and toning, I think about how much fun I would have had if I had been running 5Ks or half-marathons since my 20's. Or in a cycling club. Or whatever.

Here's the thing...we don't have to settle. We can accomplish whatever we want as long as we remain dedicated and are willing to work HARD.

I posted before/after pictures. The before pics were in Feb. 2013...remember the Carnival Triumph cruise that was stranded in the Gulf? I was there. These were obviously before we became a floating cesspool. The after picture is from this morning. Ignore the goofy look. My coworker took the picture and I was laughing and look like a dork.