Jul 30 2008
Your mistakes do not define you now, They tell you who you’re not
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Hi Everyone ! I just wanted to let everyone know I have my ” about Me ” page filled out up top ! I wanted to post it here for everyone to read and in the future you can just click on the about me tab at the top where it will be stored 
As the title to this goes, from one of my favorite songs, Your Mistakes Do Not Define You Now, They Tell You Who You’re Not !
About Me…
Every time I look at my photo’s I cant really believe its me, but, guess what, Its ME ! And that is just amazing to me !
A Little about me ………
I joined my first weight watchers meeting when I was about 10 years old. I never really had a “problem ” with food, obviously that would become much clearer as I finally ended my weight at almost 300 lbs in my 30’s.
I am not a newbie when it comes to losing weight, or for that matter, gaining it, because I have lost and gained I am sure thousands of pounds over my life time.
You name it I have tried it, Weight Watchers ( was a member 12 times ( yes you read that right ), Jenny Craig way back when it first came out, Nutri system, Cabbage soup diet, Zone diet, Bob Greene when he first hit Oprah’s show, you name it, I have done it or at least tried it. I have spent thousands of dollars I am sure and then some on quick weight loss fads, gizmo’s and everything else in between……so you ask, what was it that worked ? It surely wasnt the Thigh Master ! HAHA !
ME. That is what worked and also my, as I call it, AH HA moment that came some years back.
I had arrived home from a vacation and couldn’t wait to pick up the pictures. After getting ready to look at them, all excited to show my friends and family, I opened the package and was upset that I was sure the Photography lab had sent me the wrong pictures back. Who was that FAT woman in that god awful blue shirt with the frizzy hair standing on the cruise ship ? Surely not me……. until I looked again and there was no mistaking the next photo where my now ex husband and grandmother stood next to me. I felt like someone had smacked me upside the head and I thought OMG, I would never go on another vacation again. How did this happen ?? Sure I had 2 babies by then and all of life’s stresses that come with just, well life. I was always told I was beautiful and here’s the kicker to my families answers when I said ” Do I look Fat ” ? AM I Fat ? ” the reply was always the same, ” No, you look great ” ……..well I sure did Look great, I was about the size of the great wall !
It was that moment that I decided I would take up walking and I was not going to live like that another day. So sure enough, I just kept at it. I really wanted to run, but lets get serious, at almost 300 lbs, there was no way my legs and knees were going to put up with that kind of torture for long.
So I started walking each day bright and early in the am. I started writing down everything I ate and yes, it was a PITA, but it also made me realize that I was overeating etc.
So walking ended up turning into slight jogging/walking over time and the weight was coming off ! The more it came off the more I wanted to push further, until finally, I did just that.
I cannot tell you what a feeling it was after 13 months to step out of size 24 pants into a size 4 ! How could that possibly be. Was it hard ? Hell Yes it was hard ! Probably the hardest thing I have ever endured in my life ! But now that I struggle with getting the last 20 off, I know what hard really is.
We all make mistakes, we all fall, but the important thing is we stand up, brush ourselves off and continue on forward ! How many times did we all say we would start on ” Monday ” . Do you know how many calories I had consumed from a Thursday to a Monday ?? And weeks went by before I would actually even start……..
After reaching my goal, life changed. I changed. I wanted to live life for all it had to offer and it was time for me to finally be free and live life the way I had always imagined.
Things of course changed, relationships changed. I lost some of my ” best friends ” because they thought me getting thin was shutting them out and it was sad. I also got divorced, I just didn’t want to sit in the house and watch TV, etc. I wanted to be OUT, I wanted to LIVE ( We are still best friends and he’s the kids dad and I am so thankful for whatever reason this happened the way it did ) I actually didn’t want to be married at all and just wanted to enjoy my kids and it was the most amazing feeling of going to a park and running after the kids and just being US !
A few years went on and I was traveling with a great group I had met up with running, yes you guessed it , 5 k runs fun ! I couldn’t think of anything else better and was happy with my kids and my new life…………..well then, Yes, you guessed it, this handsome dashing guy came into my life and well, as life would have it, I would get remarried 
Which is wonderful, however with that came BBQ’s, family get together’s and more…………so while we are so happy, kids love him, even the ex loves him The weight starting come on a few lbs at a time…..
Things were a bit too comfortable and stressful at the same time over this last year, My dad came down with cancer and well it was probably one of the worse moments of my life, I was not dealing well and the wine seemed to come more often then needed. My dad is now recovering and is doing well. Of course, the wine wasn’t so good and I managed to pack on about 20 lbs 
I went all the way down to 135 from 276+, I am now weighing in at 155 and I am a size 10. I am hoping to lose the 20 again and get back down to the 135. I actually feel great at 147, so my actual goal is to stay at 145-135.
I gained some back over the last few years, But that’s ok, I know how to take it off and I know that only I can control what goes in my mouth and I can only control how much I work out.
So I am back at it again, but I know one thing is for sure If you put your mind to it, you CAN do this ! We are capable of so much that when you reach deep down inside, not just the ” oh I cant do this, but when you reach far down inside, you will find power that you never knew you had. I can attest to the statement , nothing tastes as good as thin feels !
So dust off those running shoes, weights, DVD’s, whatever it takes, just move and the scale will move with you ! Trust me on this one !
I have come up with a pretty rigorous workout schedule and I plan on sticking to it faithfully Because when you think about it, its only time. Time you are working on yourself, sure the house may not get dusted, maybe the clothes wont get folded, but this is for YOU !
I have been inspired by so many emails, notes, posts, and I hope that as much as you have all motivated and inspired me, that I have done the same for you !
So here’s to dropping 20 ( I am actually shooting for 30 ) but here’s to 20 by Sept 28th, totally not a problem
In good health,
Happy Beautiful Me…..
A few of my pics ( I will update with clearer photos over the next few days )
Me Before !
This is a photo of my face before
Ok My head it cut off ( not sure what that is LOL ) but I'll figure it out
So keep on keeping on ! Hopefully I’ll be able to motivate you through the thick to the thin ! Feel free to use the Contact Me tab at the top of the page if you wish to ask me a question You can also use the subscribe button so you can read about all the great items, idea’s etc I have daily ! Thanks again for visiting ! Now go and get your running shoes on ! Grab your jump rope or push play on your workout DVD ! You CAN DO THIS !!!!!!! And Remember…..Your mistakes do not define you now, They tell you who you’re not ! Move forward ! Let’s GO !!!
