A Voice From the Past

I found something I wrote after I completed the second season of Biggest Healthiest Loser in 2010.  Crazy how I have written very similar things on here without even remembering that I had written this. I was second place for that season.  It was a great program and taught me soo much about this journey.  I still keep in touch with a lot of people I met during it.  Anyway, I thought I would share what I wrote back then.

 I have been overweight since I was 8 years old.  I remember being teased on the bus about being the fat girl.  I remember boys looking at my differently because I was not the thin girl at the pool or in class.  I remember being embarrassed to weigh over 100 pounds in elementary school

During a few years of high school/college I dieted, yes that horrible D word, and lost 80 or 90 pounds.  However, it did not stay off due to not changing my lifestyle and eating habits.  I put all that weight back on and then some.  This has been the same pattern for the last 10 years.  I would take a little off and then put it back on. 

After I had my daughter, 4 years ago, I decided it was time to change.  I began losing weight but without a real support system it was slow.  I needed encouragement and people around me to keep me going.  Someone must have been reading my mind because I got just what I needed. 

In 2009, RCI and Promotion Fitness introduced Biggest Healthiest Loser.  My friend told me all about it and encouraged me to sign up.  Thank goodness I did.  This started the journey I have been on for the last 15 months.  It has been an amazing experience.  There has been pain, physical and mental, moments of weakness and places where I got completely off track.  The trick has been to not beat myself up and get back on track. 

Why did I do this?  Because I am fighting 26 years of weight.  I am fighting to show my children an example of what a healthy lifestyle looks like and how to prevent becoming overweight. I want to prevent them feeling the pain of being an overweight child and living with the battle that I now face.  I am fighting to show others that they can make these changes. 

This is a fight that won't end when the scale finally shows my goal weight.  I will have to live the rest of my life making the right decisions to never gain the weight back.  Just as an alcoholic will have a predisposition to pick it up again, my body has definitely picked the weight up again and again through the years.  This battle must remain ever present in my life.  Many people that have never experienced a lifelong issue with weight may never understand.

I have learned through this amazing journey that I have impacted others, just as others have had huge effects on my progress.  I am truly honored that my struggles and successes have helped others.  I enjoy sharing my journey with others to gain support and encouragement.  However, in the end it is up to me to fulfill this obligation I have to myself and my family. 

I have met some amazing people throughout this journey and I am grateful for each of them.  The Promotion Fitness staff has been invaluable and if not for them I would not be where I am today.  My coworkers, my girls, you know who you are, my family and most importantly my husband. Kent fell in love with me when I was over 100 pounds more than I am now.  His unconditional love and support has been invaluable.  He continues to get up every morning to help me start my day at 5:00 AM and works out with me any chance he gets.  I could not ask for a better partner in this. 

The only advice I have for anyone in anything they need to accomplish is:

Start today!  Don't put it off one more day.  Gain the support of those around you because they will be your encouragement and help guide you through.  If you fall off, get right back on.