My 1-year anniversary

One year ago today, I started taking steps to a healthier life. It's hard to believe that I was 264 lbs. at that time. I was always tired, sluggish, and feeling disgusted with myself. It was time for a change, and I was finally ready.

I'd heard one of the best things you can do when you start a weight loss program is write down all your food and exercise, so I started doing that. That first week, I didn't do much to change my diet. I was just trying to get a sense of how much I ate on any given day. I ate more than the "normal" sized person, but the quantity wasn't what disturbed me. What disturbed me was the quality, or lack of quality, in the foods I chose. Also, nearly every night, I ate before bedtime. I wasn't exercising. There it was, on paper. Concrete data for me to see, and not imagine away.

I was fat, and I was sick of it.

It was the perfect time of year to make changes. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years were long behind. The weather was nice. More fruits and veggies were in season. I started taking our dog on brisk walks to the park. As cars drove by me, I was sure all the people were looking at my beet-red face and thinking "Man, it's a good thing she's out walking, because she really needs the exercise. " It was frustrating to be so winded after a 25 minute walk, but I knew I would improve with practice.

As the days, weeks, and months went by, I became stronger and the pounds came off. I had many, many setbacks. Most of the setbacks were minor, such as small binges every couple of weeks. I had one pretty major setback when I injured my back and didn't exercise for two months. Still, I knew that one of the characteristics all weight loss success stories is perseverance. Even when I screwed up, I had to keep going.

In the last year, I've traveled about 670 miles on my feet, either walking or running. That's enough to get me from my hometown of Kansas City to Denver, and then some. I've run in 4 races. I've gone from a size 26 to a size 12. I've lost 103 lbs.

Sometimes it's scary to think that I'll need to be on top of the diet/exercise game for the rest of my life. That doesn't mean I'll never have another cheeseburger or pint of ice cream, but I will have to be vigilant for the remainder of my lucid days. I suppose after I get really old and all I care about is bingo, I can forget about exercising and logging what I eat. Until, though, this is my new life. Exercising. Eating the good stuff. Falling off the wagon and getting back on.

I'm okay with that. It's worth it.