Changing for a Lifetime

Last night I was talking with a friend of mine and I almost started crying. It was in that moment that I realized that the changes I'm attempting to make aren't just for a goal I'm trying to reach, but they are for a lifetime. I talked to her about eating different, choosing menu items I never explored before because I didn't care about how many calories they contained or how much fat i was consuming. We also talked about me and how I feel and about the worst part of being fat -- the overwhelming insecurities.

In high school I weighed somewhere around 140 lbs, right in a very healthy range for me and pulled on a size 6 or a size 8 depending on the item of clothing. I was athletic and active, and most of all, I was happy. I distinctly remember standing in the bathroom at my parents house naked, before taking a shower and staring in the mirror. There was a little bulge on my tummy, barely noticeable unless looking for it, and to myself I thought, "well, I knew I was going to be fat at some point." If only I would have been able to see almost 10 years into the future and known that that little bulge was the least of my problems.

I became less active in college and then got a desk job after graduating and packed on the pounds. I am definitely an emotional eater who rides the ups and downs of my emotional rollercoaster with a bag of chips in one hand and a soda in the other (sometimes even a delectable thin mint martini). I never realized how many calories I was consuming until Amanda actually had me stop and take a look at the calorie counts before selecting my meals at restaurants and even at my house. I was outraged.

So now, I've made one of the best decisions I could have possibly made, and I don't think it's too soon or too late. I think I needed to experience that "aha!" moment before making the decision to cut the fat. I've decided that it's my time to be an inspiration story, and why not? As long as I stay focused, motivated and on track, I'm as good of a candidate for success as anyone else.

I won't always have a tip for everyone else when I blog, but I do today. Share your story, your entire story with someone else. Tell them how you used to look, what pushed you over the edge, and show them that one photo that inspires you to lose weight. My photo was taken in 2003 and I'm wearing a bikini while vacationing in Jamaica with my family. I haven't worn a bikini since that trip, then again, I was only a size 8-10 then. Lastly, find someone else to motivate you, almost harass you to keep you motivated. Amanda showed me the way and she's still my motivator, texting me around meals to see how I'm doing and encouraging me to exercise. I couldn't do it without support, and I don't think you can either. So, if you don't have someone like that then ask me. I'll gladly call you or text you or email you just to keep you motivated. What other opportunities are there?