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Introduction Text I joined sparkpeople in 2008 and I lost 168 pounds in about two years, but when I was about 23 pounds from the goal weight, life threw some hard balls at me and I found myself working some crazy long eleven hour days between two jobs, to pay my mortgage while my husband was between jobs for seven months... and that put a strain on our already strained relationship, which led to talk of divorce. There was job change and some other life stressors in that time period as well. Needless to say losing weight kind of took a back seat, but those lifestyle changes weren''t completely thrown out the window, but I did, over the next two years, gain back about 40 pounds. Although I gained 40, I kept off 128 and I continued to exercise and eat better. I just exercised less, and enjoyed more wine and meals with friends. I met friends for drinks way too many nights... but it was fun. In the end of 2011, I recommitted myself again and felt ready to finish what I started, so I am now back to my lowest weight and heading back towards the goal. Losing weight was one of the best things I have ever done for myself. It has completely changed my life in so many ways. First, by gaining control in an area that I felt so out of control in for so many years, it has given me a confidence in myself that I didn''t have before. I believe I can anything I want, if I want to do it bad enough. I take more risks, and most the time the outcome is good. This last year I finished a marathon. I went on a great trip to Paris... if you knew me before, you''d know how much I wanted to go to Europe, but everything use to cause anxiety.... I am just more adventurous now. I am more willing to go to all sorts of places, and try new things. I am enjoying my life. I am no longer the biggest girl in the room. In fact, sometimes I feel like one of the prettier girls in the room. I am WAY more energetic. I am way more capable to handle things. I fit in the world.. no more pouring into my neighbor''s seat at the theater or worrying about if the seatbelt in my friends car will reach. I statistically added years to my life, reduced my chance of cancer, lowered my blood pressure, and am now optimal for cholesterol levels. I am feeling full of life and I just want to make the most every moment. If you are just starting out, my advice to you would be don''t focus on the negative. Realize that you are a valuable person who deserves to be cared for. Eat the food that nourishes your body, and if you want a cupcake after you''ve gotten what you need, then eat the darn cupcake. It''s a lifestyle and it should never feel like deprivation. Start walking... slow and easy at first, then build up. Exercise feels good, and for me it can be like crack... it''s addictive, and walking is the gateway exercise. If you have a bad day, don''t beat yourself up. Tomorrow is a brand new day that is full of new opportunities to be good to yourself. Tell yourself that you can do it, because believing in yourself is half the battle. Reward your small successes and make short term goals that you can see progress with. Find a replacement behavior for stress eating... like go for a walk instead, or call a friend. Just be sure to have a plan for when you would normally be triggered to over do it. If there are emotional reasons that inhibit you from moving forward, deal with those emotions. Just love yourself and realize that you deserve this and it is so worth it! If I can do it, then you can too. 2015 update... Happily divorced, still enjoying life, my weight fluctuates but it never gets out of control high... Maintaining

I want to model healthy choices for my family. I want to feel better about how I feed my children. I want to have energy to do all the things I have chosen to do. New short term goal (added 3/09): I want to be able to run the entire duck pond at my park. I can currently run about 1/3 before I need to walk. Goal met 9/4/09/ New goal run the duck pond twice without stopping to walk. I want to excercise at least 30 minutes a day. Other, non-weight loss goals, are I want to be accepted into a post graduate program next year.

I have been following the spark meal plans, and I started walking or playing Wii fit for 30 minutes or more a day. I currently go running a few times a week, and I add in some bike rides, and cardio tapes as well.

Born and raised, kind of, in Long Beach. I work for school district as a behavior interventionist with children with autism. It gets a little crazy sometimes, but it's fun and it can also feel very rewarding. .



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