I've struggled with my weight all my life. I can't remember ever not feeling fat. Of course when I look back at pictures I was not as fat as my mind thought, but what my mind thought fed my actions.

My first real attempt to lose weight was right after college. I joined NurtiSystem and lost 80 pounds. I was got down to 180 pounds and my weight loss slowed and I gave up.

I got married in 1985 and in 1987 I used Physician's Weight Loss to lose over 100 pounds. Again, I didn't keep it off. I also don't remember how long it took me to lose the weight, but I was eating healthy and exercising so it wasn't a fad diet. I do think that in all my attempts to lose weight that I have been smart about what I've eaten so my health has not been too badly affected.

I have forgotten all the years now, but next I did Richard Simmon's Deal-A-Meal and again lost more than 100 pounds...again, I lost the weight, but couldn't keep it off!

In February 2002, I started Richard Simmon's Foodmover (same thing basically as the Deal-A-Meal, but it worked for me again). I decided that I wasn't going to gain the weight back again! This was my fourth go round with weight loss and I couldn't face losing it again. I had a grandson by then and wanted to lose weight to be active and healthy with him. This time I lost 160 pounds, had skin reduction surgery, and thought I'd never gain the weight back.

I completed two triathlons and two half marathons and was training for my third when I was plagued with injuries which led to me not exercising and started to gain the weight back. Because I'm such a loner and actually enjoy doing things alone I didn't have a support system to buoy me through this struggle.

Last year (2011) I found myself knocking at the 400 pound mark on the scale. I knew I needed to do something so I hired a private trainer who would come to my home to workout with me! She was wonderful and really what I needed at the time to get me going. I lost 35 pounds, but I made the decision to quit the private training because of expense and she was getting married so in my mind I knew it was going to end anyway so I might as well quit then! Wish I hadn't, but again, I can't change that now!

I was working a lot of hours and didn't make time to go to the gym. I'm a morning person and if my workout isn't in early it's not going to get done! Since I wouldn't make time for myself, God made it so I had time for myself! The school where I was tutoring has grown so much they didn't have a room for me to tutor in this year so now I have time to workout in the morning before I start tutoring in the afternoons! God is so good giving us what we need when we need it!

Although, I'm a slow learner and didn't start eating right until I got a little scare with my sugar level in late August. I started eating right using LiveStrong.com to track my food. I didn't start exercising until September 17, 2012 and when I started it honestly took longer to drive there and home than I could workout! I literally could only do a few minutes on the treadmill and a few weights and I was done, but I went! I went three days a week to begin with. Now I'm going 5-6 times a week spending between 60-90 minutes working out!

I already feel so much better and have more energy. Some of the little things I've noticed...
My workout shoes are loose on my feet! LOL
I had to move the seat up in my car for driving.
My house is cleaner because I have energy to do it.