Milestones.

It has been a long time since I have been here and a LOT has happened.

Job changes, life changes, family struggles. Lifestyle changes. The kids are getting big.

I am going to focus on the positive. A year ago this month, (give or take a couple weeks) my BFF Jess said to me "You really should start drinking Diet Coke". Fairly certain I looked at her like she was CRAZY. In the course of the next month, I started counting calories, watching WHAT went in my mouth, drinking Diet Coke! and started training for a 10K. Which at the time, I thought was a totally unreasonable goal.

Fast forward to May of this year. I had lost over 20 lbs, Jess had lost more than that! and we ran the Original Mud Run!! A 10 K with over 79 obstacles, all in the woods, MUD and water. We were NOT in it to WIN it, we were in it to FINISH it, which we did with flying colors. It was a fantastic day that we shared with friends and family.

I am shocked that I have stuck with this lifestyle change for a year. I am still going to the gym at least 2 days a week, sometimes 3 or 4, and running on at least one other day. You are talking to someone who had never run more than an 800M dash in her LIFE. And that (I thought at the time) was pure TORTURE. I am now doing Zumba for an hour twice a week, doing strength training 2 days and running 3.5 miles another day.

I have gone from a size 10-12 pants to a size 4-6 pants. I am wearing a medium shirt. a MEDIUM! And sometimes that is too big. I am stronger than I have been in a LONG time. I have more energy, I have more patience. I also have a renewed outlook that ANYTHING is possible if you put your mind to it.

My new goal for 2012? A sprint triathlon! I am focusing on strength training this fall and then starting the hardcore swim training in the spring, and then adding biking. Hoping to FINISH in August. I also have some body fat percent goals that I am working on and hope to get stronger as well.

I would never have thought any of this was really possible a year ago. I thought my days of being fit and not fat were over after having 2 kids 15 mos apart. Come to find, I just needed the right people in my life to push me and support me and be there for me and to find the place in myself where *I* knew I could do it.

Thank you so much to Jess, Jeremy, Kelly E, Robyn, and ALL my other friends and family for sticking by me, telling me I looked great, helping me learn how to push myself again and loving me no matter what. The only regret I have? Not taking before pictures!!