How I won my personal journey in the WEST!

This is not about about our trip WEST but more about what I have discovered while being here in the PNW.

I started this journey in Oct 2013. I was 90lbs overweight. Dave and I had moved to the PNW Oct 2012 and for this sun loving southern girl that was hard. I had been active before moving here and why not, I lived and worked at the beach. Being outside in the sunny weather was a way of life for me. Upon moving here I gained 60lbs in the first 9 months...and no that was not baby weight unless you are referring to a food baby. I was fooling myself into thinking that a couple of glasses of wine and fatty food were not causing me damage. It wasn't until I saw a picture of myself in August 2013 that I realized I needed to change and not just for appearance for my health and well being. Of course it took me another month to really get into gear.

I met with a trainer (Rachel) at my gym (that I had belonged to but of course never went) and we set some goals. We talked about how I got to this point, what I needed to change in my life to reach my goals and how she could help me achieve those goals. She told me to log all my food and activities into myfitnesspal. I didn't see the point in that but of course I did as I was told. I thought that perhaps burpees would be punishment for not. HA! She knows what I will do anything she tells me to do. I bought into the program and it has paid off TEN FOLD! 

 To start my goal was to just workout 3-4 times a week for 45 minutes. I worked with her twice a week so one to two additional days didn't seem that hard to get in my schedule. She was big on measurements because she said the scale can be very defeating. She took my measurements and I was shocked at what I saw. Holy YIKES! She measured me every month and after the first month I couldn't believe it I was down inches. All over and in places that I have never lost before (I am a big busted girl). After that first month I was down a whopping 13.2lbs. It didn't stop there. As the months went on I got stronger and stronger. I was doing things I never thought possible. My trainer (Rachel) always told me that I could do something even when I felt like I want to puke or give up.

 Those 3-4 times a per week workout turned into 4-5 times per week. I found my love of running again somewhere in that mix. I had completed several 1/2 marathons but never really had a goal other than to finish. As the weight came off the faster my running became. I trained really hard for the Diva 1/2 Marathon in April 2014. My time was 2:35 minutes, which was faster than I have ever run one before. In June 2014 I completed another 1/2 marathon and my time dropped by 12 minutes. I decided then I wanted to try a full marathon which I will run in January 2015. As part of my training I did the Rock N Roll 1/2 in Savannah which my time was 2:06 a PR and something that I never thought I would do. 

I am now working out 6-7 times per week with active recovery built in. I typically do a yoga class to help with my running. This summer Dave and I did something that I wanted to do when we moved here but never thought possible. We did 14 mile hike of Mt. Rainier with a major evaluation increase. This would not have been possible to do in the summer of 2013. We hiked into Mirror Lake which was totally breath taking. As I stood there for a moment I thought what a shame it would have been for me to not experience this wonderful site simply due to that fact that I was overweight and unhealthy.  

Mt. Rainier Hike up to Mirror Lake 

I am very close to my goal weight. I am actually 3lbs away but more importantly I have found a place where I am comfortable in my own skin again and living a much healthier life style.

I do still have a glass of wine or a little treat every now and then but what I have found is that my body can no longer take it. My body now SCREAMS...What the hell are you doing to me?!?  

I have been lucky to have the support of:

A husband(Dave) that totally got on board with my revamping our eating habits, training runs and gym time.  
A trainer (Rachel) that I now call FRIEND! She tells me I can do things when I think I can't.

A wonderful group of friends that give me little shout outs although they have no idea that most of them come on days when I need the support.  


To date I am currently 87lbs down and 40 inches overall. This journey is nowhere close to being over. It is a life time journey and one I deserve to take.