Getting started . . .

I am currently 63 and working daily on my fitness and health...and this is not easy!

Setting the stage . . .

Prior to menopause I was a size 4 and somewhat active. I started aerobics and slimmercize at the local Y after my first daughter was born in 1982, but my husband at that time was not supportive, so after a few years I had to quit. At that time I was able to eat anything I wanted without gaining weight. I could pretty much do whatever I wanted activity-wise although asthma sometimes kicked in. Once menopause began in my 40s, I only had to look at food to gain weight. Slowly the weight came on until I found myself at 180 with a double chin - and that was when I stopped looking at the scale and refused to be in any photos. My husband (new and improved version) and I were doing yoga at that time. I decided I needed something more active, and my instructor suggested Jazzercise. I have been doing Jazzercise now since 2006. I lost weight and toned up easily - as long I attended 5-8 classes each week.

Fast forward a few years through a stressful job and a move to Asheville, NC, in 2012.

Our current view

When I moved here to Asheville, I again gained some weight (about 25 pounds), but took it off again in Jazzercise, attending 5-10 times a week. Then we moved out here in 2014 to Barnardsville on top of a mountain, and Jazzercise was now over 30 miles and 45 minutes away. Luckily I teach full time online and have some freedom in my hours, but I just could not carve out that time more than a few days a week. My weight stared creeping up again. At the same time my husband John is fighting weight, diabetes, and heart problems, and my asthma started to flare up a little with the extra weight.

Flashback to September 2015.... 30 extra pounds and 26 inches ago.....

I realized I could no longer fit into the business suits I needed to wear for conferences and such, so, I purchased a Fitbit in September 2015 and added that to Jazzercise 3 days a week (in bad weather I cannot leave the mountain when it snows as we are just at the snow line). I lost 10 pounds - approximately - by walking daily...sometimes up to 50,000 steps a day - but that is just plain tough to do! I had been watching my niece, Rebecca, and her weight journey using Beachbody, and she inspired me. When we finally had a quick chance to chat face-to-face at Thanksgiving, I started pondering...and eventually tried Shakeology and the containers around Christmas 2015. I felt great with the Shakeology! John had a second atrial ablation heart surgery in January 2016 in NYC, and we both lost some weight there, and I was really watching my portions and trying to avoid refined foods. I lost some more weight and purchased CIZE, then Hip Hop Abs (although I put HHA on the back burner for later). I was 3 weeks into CIZE when Rebecca suggested I start the 21Day Fix Extreme workout and that was awesome! I really enjoyed the strength training, and 21 days was a good time period. I then did Country Heat and am now finishing up CIZE advanced. I have lost 28 pounds in the last year and my doctor is very pleased...and I am back in a size 4 and my suits fit! Now, I need to maintain. I like dance, but I also like some strength training and am trying to figure out the best blend for me.

The Beachbody approach really allows us to take control – we do not buy pre-packaged portions in the freezer section.  We create our own food– so we take control, we know what is in our food, we make responsible choices, and can even go out to eat !  The workouts rock, too! (If you want to know more, contact me directly.)

So... I have decided to become a Beachbody coach and help other people along their journey to fitness. I never dreamed this journey would be so close to home....

OK…that’s enough from me……for now....more to come....

POSTSCRIPT:  This journal started out being MY story.   This all changed on Friday, October 14, 2016, around 7 pm when my husband John had his second heart attack: The wake up call