Transformation Tuesday - What a Difference a Year Makes

It was in the late fall of 2013 when I was in the worst physical shape I had ever been.   Yes I had my reasons - the worst tragic event in my life occurred on April 2, 2013 which sent me into clinical depression.  I turned to food not for nourishment but for comfort.  However, it never satisfied that need and actually made it worse - because now I was not happy with how I looked, or felt.  I gained over 30 lbs in less than a few months, and was now 50 lbs from my ideal goal.  I had gone backwards during those months, and I was not happy.

I thought about doing what I have always done, another fad diet, or starve myself (HCG, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Cayenne Diet, Rice cake Diet, Pop corn diet, don't eat one day, eat another day diet) you name it, I have done it!  However, my sister Lisa asked me to join her for a session of 'bootcamp' around November 2013, insisting that I really needed physical activity to make a change in my body.
I was scared - I hated working out, I hated running, and I actually thought it wouldn't work for me. But I said yes even though I was scared and hated the thought of what I would have to do at 'bootcamp'.

And yes I did hate it.  Oh how I dreaded the running, my chest hurt, my legs hurt, I could barely breath.  I may have cried, or was that just sweat in my eyes?  I couldn't do one push up, I couldn't even do a burpee. Ok I admit it, I didn't even know what a burpee was (for those who don't - you jump up, then you put your hands down in front of you as you kick both your feet back out behind you to get into a push up position.  From there you do a push up, then jump your feet back up to your hands and jump back up again).  My burpees meant I stepped my feet back, one at a time, and my push up was barely a one - off my knees.  And I could only do 1 or 2 - at most.

Yes I was sore after, sore everywhere, and sore in places I didn't know I could be sore.  But my friends and my sister kept pushing me to go.  When I didn't want to go, they called and encouraged me - usually kindly and sometimes harshly - I needed both.  My first goal was just to show up.  Once I got that done, it was to get through the whole class.  When I achieved that, it was to go twice a week, then three times a week, then five times a week.  When I started doing that, I began to feel a difference.  I didn't see any weight loss yet but I hadn't really changed my diet.  However, I was feeling better.  I was stronger, and tighter - my clothes were feeling a little more loose - so that was nice.

Then I started using MyFitnessPal on my iPhone to track my food and I realized how much that peanut butter jelly sandwich really was affecting me.  As I tracked my food for a month, I began making better food choices.  So now going 5x a week and making better food choices, I lost 6 lbs, but I was also stronger, and smaller, my clothes really started feeling loose!  That was in May 2014.

I finally saw progress, and began to feel in control.  I REALLY could do something to reach my goal of getting into the best shape of my life and looking the best I have ever looked, and to improve my health.  Now I was determined and nothing was going to stop me!

Since May 2014, I have consistently attended bootcamp at least 5x a week and continued to make better food choices.  And the weight and the inches just started to come off.  By September 2014 I was down 25 lbs and 2 dresses sizes!  My sleep had improved, my overall health improved, even my asthma improved!  I was on my way to reaching my goals.

So here I am a year later and 35 lbs lighter.  But its not about the weight anymore because I have weighed less but wore bigger sized clothing than I do now.  Because I am stronger, I have more muscle tone, and I am leaner than I have ever been, I don't fret over weight as much.  Its about how I look and feel.

My goal for May 2015 is to drop those last 15 lbs and really tone up.  I am in better health and shape now at almost 40 than I ever was in my 20s!  I am looking forward to reaching my fitness and health goals and I hope you will join me along my journey.

The photo is of me in late 2013(Before)  and in the Fall of 2014(After).  I am excited about what my 2015 photo will look like.  I do have an image of it in my mind and it is that image that pushes me through every single work out, every single day.