This is a testamonial I wrote for a contest the Chix were running in the beginning of 2011.
Road to Transformation
There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting.-- Buddha
I have struggled with my weight most of my life. The only time I can remember being "thin" was when I was 10 years old. Once puberty hit the battle began and I have been losing the fight ever since. I began my journey to health and fitness in my early 20's. I didn't know what it was like to be fit, healthy, and confident. I went all out to obtain that honor and did whatever I could to follow the road to success. I lost 50lbs but quickly the path I was following started to take a turn and I ended up right back at the beginning.
Throughout my 20's I would continue down the road to nowhere. It was an endless circle of yo-yo dieting. I would tell myself, "This is how God wants you to be, because if he didn't, you wouldn't have to struggle". So I would give up and go about my life unhealthy, unhappy, and watch the scale climb. There were times that I would grow tired of my situation and once again I would drag myself back onto the path. Hoping that this time would be different and it wouldn't curve back around but would continue on to end in victory.
Last May (2009) that old familiar feeling started to arise. I looked at myself in the mirror and hated what I saw and how I felt. I was at the highest weight (289) I had ever been and it was slowly creeping into the 300's...an area I was not willing to head into. Thankfully, my sister suggested I try boot camp with her. The first thing that came to my mind was "BOOT CAMP...I am going to die doing this". I had done the trainer thing and knew what it had to offer. Though I had a little success, I was still back in the same situation. Since I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, I went for it. June 22, 2010 marked the day I had started the journey once again. This is the day I began my transformation and left the old me behind.
I vividly remember how nervous I was the night before the first day of camp. What if I was the biggest one there? What if I pass out? Am I going to look like an idiot? Well, it turns out that I was the biggest one there and I did feel like passing out a time or two but no one even cared. These women were about to become the support I never knew I needed. They were there to see me succeed and make sure I didn't allow myself to turn back around.
After the first boot camp, I was hooked and was in it for the long haul. The scale was starting to go down and I was beginning to change. Oddly enough, I couldn't see it but continued to press on. Then before I knew it 20 lbs were gone, then 30, and so on. Then two weeks ago I looked in the mirror and finally saw what everyone else was seeing. The results of getting up everyday at 4 am, for counting every calorie and being exhausted to no end.
The person staring back at me was changing...transforming. Of course my body looked different. I was digging out clothes hidden in tubs I had not seen in years. I was able to perform my job with ease, no longer feeling like the patient. And for the first time I could feel my collar bone making its appearance after being hidden by layers of fat.
My mind set was changing, clear from the haze I allowed myself to hide behind. I started to realize that food was there to nourish my body and not to comfort my soul. I understood that nothing in life comes for free. Only hard work, a positive attitude, and being honest with myself would get me what I wanted and I was worthy of that desire. Finally, I discovered something that I never knew I had, SPIRIT. The spirit to tell myself everyday, "I can do this!" The spirit from above and in the people I faced every morning guiding me along the way. Now I believe that God didn't want me to be the way I was. He just wanted me to find the right people to take the journey with, and the Chix are those people. I am thankful everyday for them.
So here I am, continuing on my journey 50 lbs lighter and my head held higher. I know the road is long but straight and this time with women on the side lines, pushing me to the end and to help celebrate my victory. So, no matter what my numbers say, I already know that I have won the biggest prize and for that I THANK YOU.
I have struggled with my weight most of my life. The only time I can remember being "thin" was when I was 10 years old. Once puberty hit the battle began and I have been losing the fight ever since. I began my journey to health and fitness in my early 20's. I didn't know what it was like to be fit, healthy, and confident. I went all out to obtain that honor and did whatever I could to follow the road to success. I lost 50lbs but quickly the path I was following started to take a turn and I ended up right back at the beginning.
Throughout my 20's I would continue down the road to nowhere. It was an endless circle of yo-yo dieting. I would tell myself, "This is how God wants you to be, because if he didn't, you wouldn't have to struggle". So I would give up and go about my life unhealthy, unhappy, and watch the scale climb. There were times that I would grow tired of my situation and once again I would drag myself back onto the path. Hoping that this time would be different and it wouldn't curve back around but would continue on to end in victory.
Last May (2009) that old familiar feeling started to arise. I looked at myself in the mirror and hated what I saw and how I felt. I was at the highest weight (289) I had ever been and it was slowly creeping into the 300's...an area I was not willing to head into. Thankfully, my sister suggested I try boot camp with her. The first thing that came to my mind was "BOOT CAMP...I am going to die doing this". I had done the trainer thing and knew what it had to offer. Though I had a little success, I was still back in the same situation. Since I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, I went for it. June 22, 2010 marked the day I had started the journey once again. This is the day I began my transformation and left the old me behind.
I vividly remember how nervous I was the night before the first day of camp. What if I was the biggest one there? What if I pass out? Am I going to look like an idiot? Well, it turns out that I was the biggest one there and I did feel like passing out a time or two but no one even cared. These women were about to become the support I never knew I needed. They were there to see me succeed and make sure I didn't allow myself to turn back around.
After the first boot camp, I was hooked and was in it for the long haul. The scale was starting to go down and I was beginning to change. Oddly enough, I couldn't see it but continued to press on. Then before I knew it 20 lbs were gone, then 30, and so on. Then two weeks ago I looked in the mirror and finally saw what everyone else was seeing. The results of getting up everyday at 4 am, for counting every calorie and being exhausted to no end.
The person staring back at me was changing...transforming. Of course my body looked different. I was digging out clothes hidden in tubs I had not seen in years. I was able to perform my job with ease, no longer feeling like the patient. And for the first time I could feel my collar bone making its appearance after being hidden by layers of fat.
My mind set was changing, clear from the haze I allowed myself to hide behind. I started to realize that food was there to nourish my body and not to comfort my soul. I understood that nothing in life comes for free. Only hard work, a positive attitude, and being honest with myself would get me what I wanted and I was worthy of that desire. Finally, I discovered something that I never knew I had, SPIRIT. The spirit to tell myself everyday, "I can do this!" The spirit from above and in the people I faced every morning guiding me along the way. Now I believe that God didn't want me to be the way I was. He just wanted me to find the right people to take the journey with, and the Chix are those people. I am thankful everyday for them.
So here I am, continuing on my journey 50 lbs lighter and my head held higher. I know the road is long but straight and this time with women on the side lines, pushing me to the end and to help celebrate my victory. So, no matter what my numbers say, I already know that I have won the biggest prize and for that I THANK YOU.
1 comments:
What a beautiful story! How inspirational. Congratulations to you, and I wish you the best of luck on your journey!
Post a Comment