June 2014,

I’m a completely ordinary person currently going through a completely extraordinary (for me) transformation. In the last 9 months I have lost 50 pounds. This brings me to my ultimate goal weight... and now I plan to do more toning especially on my arms. I recently bought a pair of size 4 capris... down from my largest size of 16. The journey has been a grueling, fantastic rewarding experience that I really wasn’t even aware I was embarking on until I was mid-way through. At that point I started keeping a journal and was recently encouraged to share my story.

I know now and hope to remember in the future that this is a lifestyle change not for a month or a year but forever. I’ve learned that as we age, we actually need less calories which a lot of people don’t know… so even with the same activity level at 50 you simply can not eat the same as you did when you were 20 or 30. I also learned from Sue (R.N.) that in general our metabolism decreases by 10% each decade… but although that alone is enough to make some folks just settle for the way things are … it won’t for me anymore, because I also now know that there are things that you can do to wake up a sluggish metabolism — even when you have an under active thyroid.

I haven’t been this fit … probably ever. And haven’t weighed this weight in a long time – probably 20 years!!! I am not a fitness expert. I am not a diet expert. I do know what worked for me. I do know what encouraged me along the way, and I know how I felt and what kept me going throughout.

I hope this journal helps me remember this journey and helps keep me on track when things get tough or I stumble in the future. I certainly expect that to happen… hopefully not too often… but perfection would be boring and what good is the accomplishment if not for the struggle.It’s only recently that I’ve realized that people are asking me how I did it and probably considering my path as something that may help them. I’ve actually been told several times recently that I am an inspiration to them. If this is the case, I am honored that I may have an impact on others like so many have had an impact on me. For this reason, I’d be happy to share my story and answer any questions.