My Year In Review

Wow!  What a difference a year makes!

A year ago I was very discouraged about the things that I was hearing in the news about the epidemics of bullying and suicide.  I made a decision that one day I wanted to do make a big difference in ending these two issues.

But first I had to take a look at myself and ask, "Am I someone that looks dedicated to anything?  Am I someone that looks like someone people should believe in?" 

I know that there are people in my life that will say I should have not thought that way...that I should have thought I was a beautiful person and known I was capable of anything.  Well...the person I was back then isn't EVEN CLOSE to the person that I am today.  I was happier than I was 4 years ago, but I had a lot of growth ahead of me. 

I think it's important to love yourself.  But that doesn't mean settling for the way things are now.  It means loving yourself enough to say things aren't okay right now and make the change to a healthy lifestyle.

So, I decided first things first...I had to lose 100 pounds.  I don't know of anyone that would say that losing 100 pounds wouldn't show dedication to something.  I have never been so focused for so long as I was this past year.

At the start I named the year, "The Year of Accomplishments."  The reason I named it was because I had started an album called Project Life.  This actually is something that I lost focus on once I really got deep into fitness...but I did complete 50 days worth.  It is just a compilation of either what was going on each day or the people around me.

Since I was in high school, I've been pretty good about knowing that you have to set goals.  What I haven't been so good at is the follow through.

My goals changed quite a bit throughout the year, but some of what I can say I accomplished:

Fitness/Weight Loss/Sole Sisters

Although I did not reach the 100 mark, I did reach 50.  A lot of peole would say that's even better.  I took the slow and steady approach with losing it, developing habits that I will be able to maintain throughout the rest of my life.  Did I stop eating all junk food.  No.  When I decided that I wanted to lose weight, I didn't decide that I was going to hate all the food that I've always loved.  Knowing myself, that just wasn't realistic and I didn't feel that was a habit I would always maintain. 

Instead I took on the philosophy of Weight Watchers:  I can eat anything I want on Weight Watchers.  I just chose not to eat it with a shovel any longer.

I know there are some that would disagree with this philosophy.  To that I'd say, "Maybe it's the wrong attitude.  But I HAVE lost 50 pounds." 

Instead of being overly concerned in WHAT I ate, I became concerned with how much I hate in relation to the activity I was doing.  I fell in love with Turbo.  I fought it when Isaura wanted me to try it.  I was SCARED!

But I did it and I loved it!  I still to this day say there is no workout like a Turbo workout. 

Love it!!!!

And then there is running.  Can't believe that I do it.  One of my goals was to run a 5K and by March (remember that my year starts in November, not January) I really hadn't done much about it.  Then my friend Naomi sent me an invite to Building Steam and I decided if it was going to happen, it had to happen this way.

Building Steam was awesome.  Steamboat was even better.  I bawled from the moment that I arrived until about the first half mile in.  And then several times throughout.  I just couldn't believe that I was doing it!  4 miles.  That's MORE THAN A 5K! 

And then came the Sole Sisters.  A wonderful group of women that entered my life in June and have been a amazing force ever since.  I have met such fabulous people through the Sole Sisters, I can't even tell you!

Something else that I acheived that I didn't even mean too....the motivation of others.  I put myself out here on my blog and Facebook in order to make some accountability for myself; never did I think that I would get the response from people that I have.  It is amazing that weekly I get private messages from people who tell me what an inspiration I am and how I helped motivate them to get off the couch and into the gym or on the road.  People write me....ME....asking for fitness advise.  I'm in awe.  I don't tell you this in order to toot my own horn.  I tell you this because it is a huge reason that I have kept going.  Every week I learn that there are more and more people watching; people who I see as people I would let down if I give up.  Talk about a rush.

Reconnected

I reconnected with  a lot of friends in the past year.  But probably the most powerful reconnection is the fresh friendship that I have found in Jenn Morgan.  Our friendship didn't start based on anything even close to fitness, in fact almost the furthest thing from it.  While I think there was probably something in each other that we both thought could make us good friends, there was too much bad around us to support a friendship.  We tried several times, but it didn't stick.

But through Turbo, running, and the Sole Sisters, my friendship with Jenn has grown to be huge.

While I love all of my Sole Sisters and friends in fitness very much and can't imagine a life without them, I don't know that anyone knows and understands me like Jenn.  Jenn knows secrets and has seen a part of me at the worst part of my emotional low.  I am forever greatful to fitness for bringing the Jenns with two N's back together stronger than ever!  Go Morgan Stanley!

Social

A year ago it was very difficult for friends or family to get me out of my house.  I knew that once I got out of the house I would enjoy myself.  But I just didn't have the motivation or courage to do it.  I do like my peronal time anyway and have other hobbies that are kind of loner hobbies: crafts and reading.  And so I could totally support myself staying home by having projects to do or books to read. 

And I still enjoy my alone time.  But there is a lot less hesitation when someone wants to do something.  I have been out of my house at times that are truely amazing if you really know me.  Like getting up and out of bed early to go watch races that I'm not even running in, just to see and support my Sole Sisters.  I love the time that I am spending out of the house.

So, to list them more specifically...from 34 to 35 I acheived:

• Became a Turbo Addict
• My first race - 4 miles in the Steamboat Classic
• Firecracker 5000
• The Cupcake Classic
• The Screaming Pumpkin
• Lost 50 pounds
• Met some fabulous people
• Became closer to my family
• Became more social
• Organized several successful fitness challenges
• Made my way back into a career where I get to use my business and coaching skills and feel like I'm making a difference
• Became a Beachbody Coach

And so now the question is, "What are going to be the initial goals that start the baseline for 35 to 36?"  I word it that way because we never know what life is going to throw at us and when we will need to realign our goals.  There is nothing wrong with sitting down and saying this goal that I set 6 months ago no longer is feasible or applies to my life.  What's wrong is not being able to do that because you never sat down to make the original list.

So for right now, the goals are:

1. Run a half marathon
2. Run a full marathon
3. Become certified in Turbo Kick, Hip Hop Hustle, and Personal Training
4. Remodel my bathroom
5. Save $XXX.XX a paycheck
6. Make $XXXX.XX in my Beachbody business between December 1, 2011 and November 23, 2012
7. Lose the other 50 pounds
8. Be 90% done with my (private) proposal
9. Continue to be engaged with my family
10. Continue to be the best friend to Josh and all those dear to me that I can be.