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Introduction Text (NEW INTRODUCTION BELOW) I originally joined SparkPeople in 2008, at the age of 38, after spending my entire adult life (& teen yrs) fighting an unending “battle of the bulge”. Over the years I’ve tried everything possible to lose weight (including diet pills, liquid diets, various diet plans, even bulimia). After hitting my then highest weight of 277, I started Nutrisystem & lost almost 40 lbs before discovering SparkPeople. I was very successful over the next 3 years, getting down to just 10 lbs. from my goal of losing 100 lbs. I even began to love working out, especially running, and participated in numerous 5K & 10K races. It was while training for a half-marathon that I ended up having to have a hip surgery & that was the beginning of my spiraling weight gain. Since that time, I’ve had a difficult time w/ fitness that works for my hip, along w/ being diagnosed w/ depression, and that along w/ the typical stressors of life has provided me w/ a one-way ticket to the weight loss/gain roller coaster that plagued me for the first 20 yrs of my adult life. I reached a new highest weight of 287 in 2018 & vowed to get the weight off before my 50th birthday, but was only down 7 lbs by that day. With my son’s wedding just 6 months away (& on a cruise), I was bound & determined to finally get healthy. I was able to lose about 30 lbs over those 6 months, which wasn’t as much as I wanted to lose, but definitely the most successful I had been for many years! After returning from the wedding cruise, I picked up where I had left off, and have managed to get another 20 lbs off, all w/ diet changes only. Now it’s time to add in the fitness aspects, as well as find the support & accountability that I know I need as I get to this slower, more difficult part of my weight loss journey. I know SparkPeople provides me that, so here I am again… back to finish what I started some 13 years ago! Here is a brief “recap” of my weight “roller coaster” story: 9/2007: 277 lb. (previous highest wt) 12/2008: 234 lb. (first SparkPeople wt) 12/2009: 211 lb. 9/2010: 187 lb. (lowest wt so far) 12/2011: 228 lb. (first hip surgery) 12/2012: 262 lb. 12/2013: 236 lb. 12/2014: 265 lb. 12/2015: 254 lb. (second hip surgery) 8/2016: 270 lb. 8/2017: 282 lb. 9/2018: 287 lb. (all-time highest wt) 8/2019: 280 lb. (50th birthday wt) 12/2019: 252 lb. 4/2020: 231 lb. (halfway to goal wt – 175lb)

SHORT-TERM: 5% Loss (272 lbs) : 9/18/19 10% Loss (258 lbs) : 12/17/19 15% Loss (244 lbs) : 3/20/20 "Halfway to Goal" (231 lbs): 4/21/20 20% Loss (229 lbs): 25% Loss (215 lbs.): 30% Loss (201lbs.): "ONE"derland (199 lbs.): 35% Loss (186 lbs.): No longer "Obese" (185 lbs.): GOAL WEIGHT (175 lbs): 40% Loss (172 lbs.): 45% Loss (158 lbs.): No longer "Overweight" (154 lbs.): LONG-TERM: 1. To have a BMI no longer in the "obese" range for the first time in my adult life 2. To finally reach my goal weight of 175 lbs. (which will be almost a 40% weight loss!) 3. To reach my goals before my 52nd birthday (I would prefer to do it in just 1 yr, but I know all too well that it has become more difficult to lose weight as I've gotten older, so I'm allowing myself 2 yrs in order to lose the weight in a healthy way)

Now that I've hit the 1/2 century mark, I want to trade in my old bad habits for a much healthier lifestyle (NOT a quick-fix diet!) My goal is to become the "healthiest" version of myself now that I am 50! 1. Currently following a Keto meal plan 2. Drink at least 10+ glasses of water/day 3. Exercise at least 3x/week

I live in a small town in western Kansas, where I was born & raised. (I have escaped twice, but came running back both times!) I have been married for 16 yrs. now, have a 30 yo son, 3 step-sons (35, 31 & 28), and my babies, 2 dogs from our youngest son's dogs' litter (Lab / Daschund / Blue Heeler mix). Also have 3 daughter-in-law's & a son-in-law. I'm also a grandma to 5 (+1) little darlings (a 4-yo granddaughter, a 2yo grandson, 18-mo twin grandsons & a 1yo grandson, plus another grandson due in June... I love how our family keeps growing! I work as the lead RN charge nurse during the night shift on the Bone, Joint & Spine Center in our hospital and absolutely love my job!

I am a Nascar fanatic (as you could probably tell from my screen name)... Jeff Gordon is my favorite driver. #24 rocks!!! I also root for all Hendricks Motorsports drivers! I am also a huge Biggest Loser fan, and even had the opportunity to attend the BL Couples season 5 finale!

Add a Link Sonja (aka Nascar_Chick) Kansas Central Time Zone Co-Leader of SparkKansas - The Official Team Co-Leader of Jeff Gordon Rules SparkTeam Leader of Ladies of NASCAR SparkTeam "Success consists of getting up just one more time than you've fallen down!"
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