Sunday 1 February 2015

Blog post #1...Here I go!

I am on a journey....to be healthy on every level....spiritually ( I am a Bible believing Christian) and physically.

A bit about myself: I am 51 years old...52 in May.

 I am a wife....have been for 32 years to a man who is my soul mate and best friend and who is about as opposite to me in personality as one can get....this keeps things from getting boring! :)

I am a Mother to three amazing young men and a Mother-in-law to three amazing young women!

I am a Gramma to 10 wonderful, awesome, cute grand-children (do I sound a little "over-the-top"?)  5 boys and 5 girls...ages 2-9. They are the lights of my life and a huge part of the reason I want to be healthy in every way going in to my "golden years"
This picture is almost 2 years old...so it's a little out of date but the only one with all 10 kids and me as of right now.


I love to sing, play piano and guitar, I am an artist and I love to create whether on canvas, creating cards or crochet. I've always been a reader, a movie watcher and a shopper...I am a "fashionista"!

OK....so why the blog??? 

The main focus is going to be on the ups and downs...the challenges of being physically healthy in my 50's+.

I have struggled with my weight my entire life...starting at age 10 or so. In my adult life I've been up and down 70-80 pounds a couple of times (my first pregnancy I gained 90 or so pounds and then had 3 babies in 3 years) Then again in 1999 I lost 70 pounds only to gain it all back over the course of a few years. Then On Jan 2, 2012 I, once again had an "aha" moment. I realized there were no pictures of me with my grandbabies over the holiday season because I had gotten so heavy again I didn't want my picture taken. I determined I was not going to go into my 50's overweight and unhealthy. I had 16 months until I turned 50 and I joined Weight Watchers that very day. Over the next 20 months or so, I lost 75 pounds....YAY!!! I became more active and was a much happier overall healthier person.

Here are some before pics:



And here is a pic after 50 pounds lost:





And then...some challenging personal times came along and I, being the emotional eater that I was, started falling in to some bad habits again...before I knew it...20 pounds back on as of mid January 2015.

I definitely was feeling terrible...having back problems again and just and an overall sluggish, lousy feeling.My clothes were getting TIGHT...I knew I needed to something or I would end upright back up where I had been. So I prayed! Weight Watchers was a wonderful program for me and I have had great success with it a couple of times in my life... I tried doing WW again and I just couldn't seem to get back into it. I think I grew weary of trying to write down and "track" all my food.....so I continued praying! Then I met a woman who I had briefly known back in 1999. She recognized me from when we had both attended WW mtgs. then. We got to talking and she shared with me a program she was about to start and invited me to an informational seminar.
 This program tackles 4 things that are important to me and that I needed. 1: It is designed to burn fat...esp. belly fat. 2: It is "clean eating" way of life...little to no packaged, full of preservatives foods. 3: Blood sugar levels even out and the sugar cravings disappear 4: If done properly, you see and feel results fairly quickly...which I needed. My back was in seriously bad shape!

Are you intrigued??? Stay tuned for post #2 and I will introduce this program to you and let you know what my results have been so far (today ends week 2 for me). I will share with you my day to day challenges and the victories...what's working and what is not. How I am going to make this a way of life and not just a "diet" And how I am going to keep myself accountable.













7 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Awesome first post Mom! You are such an incredible example to so many! I'm so excited to keep up with your blog! :) xoxoxo

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  3. yay! Im so glad you are blogging too! Looking forward to reading all your posts! xoxoxo

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  4. Hi Michelle and welcome to Blog world. I am excited to follow you and to hear what is working for you. Hopefully this will encourage me to be more active with my own blog.
    Love, love the photo with the grandkids. Sooo cute. To your health, Sharon

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  5. If you put the 'follow me' tab in the side bar I'll click it. Don't want to miss any of your posts.

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  6. Go Mom! 😄💕
    Amazing blog! I am very intrigued! 😁 you a look great! {and always have to me!}
    Love you! Xoxo ❤️

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  7. I'm so proud of you sweet friend! You are such an inspiration and I can't wait to read more. Keep it up!
    Xoxo, Jeannie :)

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