33rd Time's The Charm

Okay, so maybe I haven't taken this weightloss journey 33 times, but definitely 10 from the time I was 14 to now. (I'll be 40 in May.) I'd lose 20, 40, 60 even 75 lbs and gain it all back. My body paid a terrible price.

My wakeup call came in January 2017, when I went to get off the couch and had to roll off instead. My legs weren't strong enough to do it. I needed to do something...and stick with it! So, I downloaded the MFP app and began really watching those calories. Then for my 20th wedding anniversary, my husband got me a Fitbit and the matching scale. Wow! I thought as a warehouse supervisor, I was getting a lot of running around in. Wrong. I was about 2,000 steps off from their starting 8,000 step suggestion.

I knew me. If I went gun ho, I'd burn out. So, I made smaller changes and set attainable goals. Get under 200. Check. Find alternatives to my beloved Cheetos (I can't even finish a lunch/snack bag of them now!) Check. Get under 175 and start walking outside of work. Check and check!

It wasn't easy--at all. I remember a few months in, my 18 year old walked into the bathroom to find me crying because I was gaining weight. Sweet boy that he is, he gave me a hug and gently reminded me that being more active meant building muscle. "Don't aim for skinny, Mom. Don't aim for gym rat either. Aim for not giving up."

It's been a year now and a recent knee surgery has put me a tiny bit off track, but I'm down to the weight I was when I met my husband. I have 5 lbs to go and a 5k to train for. I loathe running, always have (Kudos to all of you runners who put sneaker to pavement each day!!) but nowhere does it say I have to run it. I just need to get my butt out there and do it.

I'm excited about my success and I credit most of it to my husband and children who pushed me every single day to keep going.

Start weight: 208
Goal #1: 150 DONE
Goal#2: 135
Current weight: 140