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Introduction Text New year - time to update my page. 2012 was a hard year - one filled with not great choices and after loosing and keeping weight off from 2008-2011 - I gained about half back. I know how to lose and maintain - just need to put it into daily practice. Spark has ways of reminding me to be good to myself and achieve my goals. I'm thankful, still after 5 years, for Spark, its resources and its community. +++++++++++++++++++++++ 2011 Page I'm close to three years on Spark - what a great 3 years it's been. I started my journey at 222 pounds, size 16W, 1X or 2X shirts. I decided to change my ticker to my 2011 weight because I'm not the same person I was 3 years ago. Time to have a reflection of who I am today - not 60 pounds ago. 2010 showed some weight loss (about 20 pounds) but I had non-scale victories that were significant. I became a runner. I ran a couple of 5Ks but also a 10K. That's big for me. I always wanted to say I was a runner - now I can. What went along with this was setting a goal, coming up with a plan, and seeing it through. It may have been the first time that I did something so concrete! I loved it. Definitely a time that the journey was as exciting as the destination. I also added SparkFriends to my life in 2010. Anyone who is new to Spark and reading my page - my advice, add SparkFriends. I spent a lot of time on message boards before thinking that's where my community was - well, they help. SparkFriends, though, are a continual support we all need. Thanks to my SparkFriends who continue to inspire me with their actions! I'm determined to make 2011 even better than years before. I will make my goal weight, I plan on running a half marathon (maybe 2) and continue to discover things about myself that I didn't know were there. That's what this is all about. Becoming the person I was meant to be. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2010 Activitiy Feed. I am going to be 40 this year - that kind of hit me the other day. What better way to turn 40 than to be a healthier version of my 39-year-old self!! 2009 was a year that I lost a little focus on myself (and moved closer to a candy jar at work - control is not something I have with candy) but I know I have the foundational skills to help me moving forward on my journey. I know it's as simple as calories in and calories out - I have to keep that in the forefront of my mind. Being overweight had just been something I always was. It never really bothered me until I saw some pictures from the holidays in 2007. I was BIG. My click moment was when I didn't get a job I knew I was qualified for. My "impact" was lacking the reason I was given as to why I didn't get it. That experience and the pictures triggered me to do something. I started Spark thinking I would have a way to track my food and see where it goes. I never knew that it would turn out to be a major part of my life. It has a been a tool for weight loss and for becoming a better me. I've lost a good amount of weight (and gained some back) but I can't forget the other accomplishements I've had. I've run a couple of 5Ks. I ended up getting the job that I was passed over for the first time. I have gained more confidence than I could imagine. Spark and its wonderful member have helped me realize that I am able to accomplish so much more than I would ever thought. I look forward to 2010 and what it brings for me and my health.

2011 Goals - Reach my goal weight. Run a half marathon - GOAL MET ... Pittsburgh Half Marathon, May 15, 2011 Write one blog a week. Strength train at least twice a week. Read 10 books this year (last year I had "more" which I probably did - now I want an actual number. 10 isn't a lot but it's something).

Make choices that I'll be happy about the next day. It's all about keeping calories in a decent range. Exercise sure helps - but more with health and mental well being than weight-loss. So I am going to try and do both.

I am 42 years old, living in Pittsburgh, PA with my partner, Bonnie. We have no kids but now 2 dogs and a cat. We moved to a new house with a good sized yard so the dogs have a lot more fun now. We also have 10 nieces and nephews who keep us busy! 6 of them live out of town, so I can't enjoy them as much. It's fun watching 10 distinct personalities change and grow. They are a constant reminder that we're all lovable and wonderful not by our actions or how much we weigh but rather just because we were born !



Add a Link The most powerful agent of growth and transformation is something much more basic than any technique: a change of heart. -John Welwood If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves. -Thomas Edison
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