How it all started...

I remember it like it was yesterday... 2 1/2 years ago I got a phone call from my Dr. that my mammogram came back showing some abnormalities and she was ordering more tests and an MRI. I cried all weekend. I had just had a baby a year ago, and had finally met and married the man of my dreams. For the first time in awhile, I did not want to die. I had not done much I was proud of in my life, but I was ready to change that and I wanted to live. So I woke up and decided I needed a change. How had I let myself go this far? I was always the skinny one... I found a Cooking Light cookbook and made a list. I downloaded an app for my phone that would help. "Loseit" was the first one I saw and I started logging all my food. I set a goal of a pound a week. I mean who wouldn't want to be 52 pounds lighter in a year? 

The more I went to the Dr's, the more my tests results were coming back bad. But each night, after a day of crying, I would make the meals I had planned. No excuses! 3 months later I had a lumpectomy of a mass the size of a golf ball. Thankfully God saw me thru that and everything came back benign. Life could now go on! And it did for a couple months, pretty smoothly. Then 4 months after that, my husband got some bad news at work. His contract was being changed and he was basically having his pay cut in half. How was I going to buy my healthy groceries? (because eating healthy costs more!). If that wasn't bad enough my ex decided to stop paying child support (yet again) with a deficit of more than $2000 a month, is was going to be impossible! Back to crying....

 All I had was my health! I started walking and praying... Alot! I felt better. I was still in control of something. I got creative with my cooking and meal planning. Then BAM! I injured my foot (plantar fasciitis) and couldn't walk anymore. Now what was I going to do? Why was this so hard?! I went back to concentrating on eating my calories MFP set up for me and guess what? I continued to lose weight! Then one day in the forums I was reading about Jillian Michaels and her 30DS. I could do this! Just modify any high impact with my foot! Low and behold it worked... 

One day I received a message from a friend telling me I needed to try Yoga. I had found a new passion... I not only had  an exercise that in a month had helped me tone and shape my body, but lose a whole pant size! All of the stretching had even helped to heal my foot. I was back to walking some and on the road to recovery!    

God has seen me thru this journey. He has given me the strength to never give up. My husband has received 2 promotions since that day and the state of Texas dealt with my ex. My prayers were answered. 

 Now I set out to lose 52 pounds in 52 weeks.... I  lost 51! Although I didn't exactly meet my goal, and learned so much more than that 1 pound could ever mean. I changed my goals to stop focusing on the scale as much and focusing on my health. I am still striving to eat cleaner and strengthen my body even more. Weight loss is a bonus! 

 I am trying to "Be the Example" to my friends and family! I want everyone to realize this isn't just about a number on the scale. It's about making a commitment to yourself. And keeping it no matter what!