A Year of Changes

This is me, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and talking about myself, and my journey over the past year.

I began my journey due to an invitation to a Healthy Lifestyle Makeover seminar being put on by my smoking hot chiropractor. :-) It wasn't the only reason. I was nearing the 4-0 milestone birthday, and knew I needed to make some changes in my life. I joined a 30 day makeover challenge on Feb 8, 2014. I was moderately successful at first. I lost 14lbs in that first month. Then the challenge ended, and so did the accountability. I stumbled, I half-assed it, I let life interfere with my goals. I exercised tough love in the summer of 2014, which ultimately resulted in a good friend committing suicide. I sulked, I grieved, and I felt guilty. I regained almost all of those 14lbs.

After a month or two of self pity over my friend, the clouds lifted, the fog cleared. I released the guilt. I didn't really have any life changing moment that I can pinpoint, as my turning point. I wasn't faced with bad news from the doctor, I wasn't ridiculed, I was just tired. Tired of being tired. I began to think about my life, and what I could do to change it. I had survived a brutal, ugly, year and a half divorce battle. I had survived the loss of my friend. I was finally on my own 2 feet. Maybe it was possible to find some happiness. Yes, I finally felt like I truly deserved some happiness in my own life. But how to get there?

As someone that has tried every diet plan, every supplement and pill, every fitness fad, I realized that it was going to come down to diet and exercise. I was trying to figure out what exercise to try next. I had read a lot of good things about weight lifting, but had no clue where to begin. I knew I would need someone to show me (I have a hard time learning from a diagram in a book or videos on youtube while standing in a gym) good form and technique. I thought I would find someone who knew what they were doing, and have them show me the ropes for a couple times, then would venture out on my own. I stumbled across an ad on Facebook for personal training. This trainer was offering some free sessions to try him out. I was like "heck, I'll even get some of my training for free...even better" I contacted him. Little did I know how much that little ad was going to change my life. Enter heavy weights, a hottie trainer, and CrossFit into my life.

On Sept 27th, I met Jordan for the first time. I'm was sure he saw me coming into the gym, and was thinking "Oh God, here we go, another fat soccer mom who will never last" Thankfully, he didn't think that at all, or if he did, he never let on. He encouraged me from day 1 to do the best I could with where I was. I think back to those workout. Those first squats, where I could barely even bend my knees, or those first lunges where I was practically losing my balance with each step. When rowing for 100m about killed me. Fast forward to today. A solid 4 months in, and I can't believe the differences. Differences in my physical appearance, to differences in my attitude about working out, and eating relatively clean. Differences in my happiness and overall attitude toward life. I'm still a work in progress, but I know I have truly changed my lifestyle. How do I know I've changed? I haven't let life take a front seat to my new goals. I managed December & January with closing on a house, doing the remodeling, preparing for Christmas and moving, all while maintaining my workout schedule with Jordan. That's honestly a first for me. In the past I would have said, eff it, I'll get back to it once all this craziness is over. The funny thing is my workouts energized me to keep going through the craziness, and stay focused. The people in my CrossFit community have been so welcoming and encouraging. I know people have a lot of opinions regarding CrossFit, and that's okay. What works for some people doesn't necessarily work for others. I'm just saying, I finally have found something that works for me. It's helping me achieve my goals. Everyone can find something that suits them, whether it's running, yoga, walking, DVD's, or the Y, if it makes you keep coming back for more, hella yeah, that is what it's about!!

Now, why did I write all this? Well that Lifestyle Makeover event that started this whole thing? I've been asked to be a speaker this upcoming Saturday at this year's seminar. Can you believe they asked ME to talk about MY transformation and journey? You know what? It scares the hell out of me. I don't like public speaking, and I especially don't like talking about myself. I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone, and figure, if I can inspire just 1 person to even consider making a lifestyle change, then it's worth it. Everyday stronger, everyday a little better. What do I have to lose? So I'm putting it out there, where I started 4 months ago, to where I am at today. I'm happier, healthier and stronger than I have ever been. I know it's cliche, but seriously, if this 40 year old soccer mom can do this, anyone can do this. You just have to decide to do it.

These are my progression pics. The first was taken in September. Then end of Nov, Dec, Jan. 38# & 26" lost so far. The journey continues :-)