It's Not Just a Journey, It's an ADVENTURE!!

I suddenly feel like my life really began 18 months ago. I have had ups and down, losses and gains, plateaus and huge break throughs! But more importantly, I think I found my true self! I never imagined that by just changing this facet of my life, that it would allow me to have the confidence to open up more and realize what I want out of life. This has been more fun than stompin' baby chickens! I don't know where this road will end, but it has taken me through so much. I had a realization in the beginning that this wasn't a fad diet, nor was it a bid to get skinny by pulling my bun off of my cheeseburgers. This was something that was going to last. This adventure has allowed me to do things I'd forgotten I loved and things I didn't even KNOW I loved! This is too exciting to keep to myself and I love sharing what I've been through with anyone who will listen! Every now and then I get someone to change their way of thinking about exercise and food and that is the most AWESOME feeling! I truly believe that more and more people really want to be healthy! A junkie doesn't really wanna be a junkie and the same applies here!


The Fat Old Me is Gone FOREVAH!
This past weekend we bought a new dresser for our bedroom. I was so excited about it and immediately started going through our clothes and picking out what to trash and what to keep. I didn't realize how LIBERATING this would be! I pulled every single stitch of clothing I had out of tubs, drawers, and closets. I have culled my closet a couple of times since I've started my journey. When I'd get into a new size, I'd take the older clothes and set them aside only holding on to tshirts, undershirts, and just comfortable lounge clothes. After all was said and done I had given away 4 large garbage bags full of clothes and thrown away at least 2 bags worth of clothes! When I walked back into my closet, I had one single lonely shirt hanging in there. LOL! I had really cleaned out EVERYTHING this time! Not a shred of my "fat clothes" left! Now.. don't fret.. I'm not walking around nekkid. I did have my usual, but limited, wardrobe which couldn't fit into my closet for all the CRAP I had in there! While I was at this whole spring cleaning thing.. I was going through things that had to be put up into my memory boxes. I came across my engagement pictures from 2000. I once remember looking at those photos and wishing I could look like that again. The sad thing is.. I was still very heavy then, but before I'd started losing weight I had allowed myself to get so far gone that I wanted to look like a less fat version of myself! CRAZINESS I TELL YOU! I was showing my husband the pictures and was telling him how I couldn't BELIEVE that I had once longed to look like that again! I never really knew how heavy I was.. not even at my heaviest! I know NOW that I really wasn't as happy as I thought I was. I only thought that I felt great.. but that was a HUGE lie! I can't imagine spending a day in my old body ever ever ever again. I hadn't really planned on sharing before and after photos until I've reached my goal, but I just don't think you can appreciate my entire story until you see it with your own eyes. So.. I'm doing something I've never had the nerve to do before. TAKE A PICTURE! EEK! This is scary stuff! LOL!

Here are a couple of before pictures.. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!


This picture is Juuuuust before I began my crazy journey.
















This picture is me in January 2009 and was down 15 pounds. I thought I was one hawt momma!






















This is some of my most recent pictures. I may not be to my ideal weight or look like Twiggy.. but I have to admit that I'm pretty darn proud of me.. and THAT is what counts the MOSTEST!
























Okay.. I'm not all that brave to post anymore. But you can see the difference. Right?



Knowledge isn't just power, it's EMPOWERING!
I have recently been finding myself researching foods and what makes my body tick. I mean.. you can't do brain surgery without first knowing how the brain works. RIGHT? I have reached this new level in my adventure! I thirst for more knowledge! It helps me understand why I feel the way I feel. I am really in touch and aware of myself. I understand how foods effect me.. and IT's AMAZING what you can find out! PLUS!!! I can plan meals better! I've read a book called "The Mediterranean Diet". Now WAIT! Before you shut me down.. I've never in my entire life read a "DIET" book before. In fact, I despise them. Atkins didn't do it for me.. the whole eating a t-bone steak and bacon for every meal sounded good for like a day. The same with other books, like 'The South Beach Diet' and any of those others that claim they will be the last diet book you will ever read. In fact, I was so un-interested in reading "The South Beach Diet" book that I bought the Cliff's notes and skipped to the recipes! Then I was so disappointed in the so called recipes because it wasn't something that I could work into my families lifestyle. I have three children.. er.. I mean two children and a husband.. and I am still the cook in the family. This is MY lifestyle change and although my goal is for my family to be healthy, I can't shove it down their throats. In my quest for knowledge, I realized that I need to EAT TO LIVE NOT LIVE TO EAT! All of this information has opened my eyes about how to become a healthier person and use foods to fight against the very things that are have plagued my family (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc) for generations! You don't have to study like a college student on finals night, but just look up some information.. you'd be surprised at what you THINK you know. LOL!


I was so excited about sharing the knowledge that I had with others who wanted more information that I had began my facebook group. I was ready to spill it! I didn't realize that by doing so that I would get so much more information and motivation! I am very very excited about finding the new me! My new life looks pretty exciting and I don't wanna stop anytime soon! Feel free to join me in finding the new you! ;)