It wasn't all the kids fault

So it would be easy to say that I gained my weight on and off over the past ten years due to having four healthy babies.  That however would be a lie.

Growing up I was very active in sports and grew up in the time when you just played outside until your mom called you in for dinner.  I played sports all the way through my senior year of high school and enjoyed every moment of it...except the LONG runs around the middle school for varsity field hockey practice...that was KILLER!  I still remember running with my buddies Amy and Patty and when we were far enough away from the coaches we would walk and over exaggerate moving our bodies up and down to make it look like from afar we were still running.  So silly!

I went off to college and that is where my athletic career came to a screeching halt.  I met this dreamy guy named Ben within my first month there and well the rest is history.  I went to the parties, stayed up late, managed to get to class and ate A LOT of bad bad food.  Health and fitness had no place in my life and I was just as happy as a pig in overalls...literally!  I even can remember the girls that would go to the little gym we had on campus and I really could not comprehend why in the world they would want to do that!

Ben and I got engaged seven months after I graduated.  I was so excited and so very young and still had no place in my life for fitness and exercise.  You would think a ring on my finger would maybe direct my car to a gym or the outer perimeter of the grocery store-not the case.  We got married in September of 2001 and my dress was a size 16.  I never once thought that I was overweight or unhealthy.  It was just who I had become in the past five years and I had a man that loved me and wanted to marry me-I was happy!

2001 was my tipping point

November of 2001 I joined Weight Watchers, weighing in at 200.8 lbs.  It was a VERY eye opening experience for me.  I had heard of wonderful success with WW so I felt it would be worth a try.  I went to my first meeting the Monday before Thanksgiving-crazy time to start but I only had everything to LOSE!  I remember coming home that night and saying to Ben-I did this today, I am going to give it a try, I do not want to talk about it again.  I joined a gym, began shedding some pounds, formed a group at work that joined as well and by August of 2002 I lost 51 pounds.  

I was in a really good place and felt normal.  I got a second job at Ann Taylor so I could buy all new clothes.  I did it and was so very happy AND healthy AND fit.  We got pregnant in the fall of 2003 and I tried my best between each baby to lose that weight again and again and again!  I had done it once and knew I would be able to do it again!

Running still did not find me until 2008 for good but I knew I had the tools to battle the weight on my own over the years.  

Embrace the suck and choose you-I am so happy I did!