Hello my fitness friends! I hope you are enjoying a great start to the week. It is a beautiful, sunny day here. Thankful winter is over. Tonight’s topic of choice is, “Why did you start?” Feel free to post a comment with your reasons for starting on a wellness journey. I posted my reasons when I started this blog, but wanted to share some reasons again.

I work a full-time job that is normally high stress. I also juggle tons of outside work activities. As a young person, I should have had tons of energy! I didn’t. I was exhausted all the time. I heard someone say in a movie I was watching, “Are you living or just existing?” There is a difference between living (enjoying life) and existing (taking up space). I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was also tired of the hideous pictures my associates would post of me on Facebook. One in particular I remember was from a wedding I was in; I looked like I was pregnant.

It’s easy once you start the journey to get tired. It’s in those moments you must go back and look at why you started. I don’t want to go back to being tired all the time. I don’t want to return to the relationships that left me drained, stressed out, and unhappy. I don’t want to return to doing nothing but eating and sleeping after work. I don’t want to ever be mistaken for being pregnant without actually being pregnant. It’s been a year since I decided to embark on this journey….I FEEL great! I have far more energy. I dropped three dress sizes. My skin looks better. I enjoy life more. This journey for me was about improving my life, not fitting into a social mold of beauty. My life has improved: mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It’s about changing our lives!

So when you feel like it’s too challenging, remember why you started!

When you feel like giving up and going back to old habits, remember why you started!

When you feel like the progress is slow and tedious, remember why you started!

When everyone else is indulging and over indulging, remember why you started!

Lastly, I wanted to say I run an at work Biggest Loser contest. We have done it multiple years, and we have some of the same people each time. Weight is lost for the competition and for some, drastic measures are taken. The problem is those drastic changes cannot be maintained for life, so the weight comes back on. This year I am pushing lifestyle changes! It’s about changing your life. If we can start for the right reason, to change our lives, then we can stick with those changes. Say no to obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, increased risks of cancer or diabetes….say yes to HEALTH! You can do this!