Navigating the Holidays

I’m sorry that I've been slacking, things are just crazy busy for me! Trust me, it’s not that I’m not interested in keeping my eyes on the road, I just haven’t had time to really focus on what matters, and that’s a most unfortunate thing. But now, with Thanksgiving behind us, Hanukkah starting last week, Christmas this week, culminating with the binge drinking and binge eating event otherwise known as New Year’s Eve, I just figured it was time to examine where I am on the map. After all, isn't the end of the year the best time for reflection? Looking at where you've been this past year in order to plan where you are going for next year.

I had to ask myself a few questions: 

Where have I been? Well, in 2014, I logged about 1846 miles worth of walking this year (with yet another week to go, I should end somewhere close to 1900 miles), hit my goal weight, had my story featured on CNN.com, appeared on the TV show “The Doctors” and was interviewed for Fitwoman.com, so all in all, 2014 was a great year. 

Where am I going? No one knows what the future holds, but I do know that I will be focusing more on my passion in 2015. This weight loss journey has not only inspired the birth of this blog, but it has also given me the spark I need to put myself out there as a writer. I expect that spark to grow into a much larger, brighter flame this upcoming year. I will most definitely be making time to nurture that spark in 2015! 

How do I keep moving forward? It’s not easy to stay on track, especially this time of year, but there are little reminders—road signs, if you will— that I come across on my journey. It’s those little signs that help me stay focused. For instance, at my meeting this past Saturday, one of my awesome meeting friends gave me a custom Christmas card telling me how I inspire her to continue on. It was the best feeling, knowing that what I've done, and continue doing, helps others. When I started back in 2011, my goal wasn't to inspire others, I was lucky if I could inspire myself, but as I have attested many times right here on this blog, I get my inspiration from those who surround me. That is how I keep moving forward! 

How do I navigate these holidays? I can’t believe it, but the Holiday season will be over before long and knowing that I have the tools and trusting in the awareness to keep my eyes on the road ahead is what helps me stay the course. One thing Margie the Magnificent is fond of saying is “they are called ‘HoliDAYS’, not ‘HoliMONTHS’!” Meaning, we are allowed to celebrate the day, but don’t let it continue on for the entire month of Octovember (also known as October, November and December)! We've all worked too long and too hard for a derailment this close to the end of the year.

I've found that self-reflection and self-awareness always seem to be my two best road trip buddies. Usually, I typically lose focus when I ignore who I am and what I’m doing. Self-doubt and self-recrimination are the worst possible traveling companions for any journey. The best thing I've ever done was leave those two along the side of the road somewhere, and never look back. Besides, I just didn't have enough room in the car to keep carrying them along. 

How will you answer the questions? Will you be able to find your spark in the new year? That is my Christmas wish for you...live your passion and may you never have a wasted day. 

I most likely will not be posting again until next year, so to all of you out there, have a very Merry Christmas and a brilliant and blessed New Year! 

Safe travels into 2015! Cheers!

You Don’t Have to Remain in the Fast Lane

So, way back when, as one of my earliest blog posts, I discussed how speeding isn't necessary. I remember that I wrote that, but so much has happened in the nearly 2 years since that post, that I had to go back and re-read it to ensure that I didn't repeat myself. While revisiting that stop along the Road Trip, it occurred to me that I really should go back and revisit my entire journey. Especially right now, with the holidays looming and end-of-year reminiscing, it just made sense that now is the time to look back. As the old saying goes, “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

I started this blog as a means of chronicling my struggles and successes, my trials and triumphs as I embarked on the (seemingly) overwhelming task of losing half my body weight. Now that I've achieved that goal, I continue to find little things along the way that inspire something down deep inside that I feel I should share. One such tidbit came from an unexpected source. As some of you know, my story was featured on CNN, and since then, I have been blessed with many opportunities, including being interviewed by FitWoman.com and even appearing on a segment of “The Doctors.” As it turns out, the unexpected source of inspiration came when someone from CNN reached out and asked if I would be interested in doing a follow up “Where Are They Now?” type story for January. It would coincide with people making New Year’s Resolutions. I sent back a quick response indicating that I would love to be a part of the New Year’s Resolution story and jotted down a quick piece of advice that I would offer someone making such a resolution: It’s not a resolution for a New Year, it’s a resolution for a New You. As soon as those words were staring back at me, I knew I had to translate that idea into a stop along my Road Trip.

 As you are driving along the interstate, it is tempting to want to hang out in the far left lane– the fast lane, as it were– in order to get where you’re going as fast as you can. It seems like a logical thought, but you can go too fast. When I talk about a New You Resolution, what I really mean is that thinking about the diet as a temporary activity will more than likely end in disappointment. For someone to get the desired results, it takes more than a casual “it’s a new year, I should lose some weight” passing thought. It takes a core desire to change what you've done your entire life and try something new. After all, if you want to be something you've never been, you have to do something you've never done. Overhauling your mind and body is not something to speed through. It took me 2 ½ years to hit goal and I learned a lot about myself during that time. If I had stayed in the left lane, pedal to the metal, there is no doubt I would have lost the weight faster, but I also may have gotten distracted and lost focus of the final goal. I’m not saying I wouldn't have been successful, but slowing down and appreciating the changes that I made helped me change old habits and create new ones. No one is timing you on your progress, so there is no need to rush through it. People often want instant gratification, but proper and healthy weight loss is not something that can be, nor should be, done overnight. It’s a long slow journey, but it is worth every mile!

Beware of Reckless Drivers

OK, so I know that I have talked about “Road Rage” in the past, but that was mainly about anonymous hating focused on people whom I have never met simply trying to live their lives. I want to address the reckless drivers out there who pose a specific threat to my personal journey. There is no doubt that the internet offers a certain level of anonymity that has been the downfall of basic human kindness. I guess it’s the internet. I’d prefer not to think that the bully mentality that is so prevalent today is not because Homo sapiens suck, in general, as a species.

Anyway, as I was saying, I’ve dragged my soap box out previously to discuss how people can bash random people for being “chunky” or “fat” or any other derogatory term that indicates someone doesn’t meet the impossible standards that Hollywood— in it’s infinite wisdom— has set for how women should look. What I never expected to be discussing was how I have suddenly been subjected to some of this anonymous, random internet trolling (I believe a radio show known as The Kane Show refers to it as the 1% Effect: no matter how positive a story, there’s 1% of the population that will still find something negative to say.)

 When the story of my journey was published on CNN’s website and then, subsequently, around the world, I never dreamed that I would be reading negative comments about me. What I’ve come to realize through this entire ordeal is that I am a much stronger person than I could have imagined. Reading what these reckless drivers are saying actually amuses me and spurs me on to continue to succeed. People who say I will gain all my weight back in a year because diets don’t work or those who think it’s so easy to lose 150+ pounds and they don’t understand why it took me 2 1/2 years. Really? While I would really like to address each and every naysayer, I realized...who cares what they think? They are just sitting at their keyboards, hating their own lives hoping to lash out at any success that they see in hopes of derailing, or emotionally stunting, the ones who have had the success. Well, guess what? It’s not gonna work! Much like keeping a weary eye on the driver who is weaving in and out of traffic, with little regard to his own safety or that of the other drivers on the road around him, I will have to learn to be vigilant, keep my eyes wide open and stay alert and shake it off. I never, in a million years, thought I would understand where Taylor Swift was coming from!

Who knows if there will be more spotlights shining on me in the future. If there are, then that means more detractors. As long as I learn my lesson now, I should be able to navigate the crazy drivers that are sure to be on the road ahead and make sure that I stay clear of any collisions that they may cause.

An Open Road

So many things have happened over the last week, that there are no words!

Since the CNN Article was published, my life has been a near constant blur. But, I wouldn't change it for the world! I started my journey to be healthy and this blog to give me an outlet to talk about the pit stops as well as the green lights along the way. The interest that everyone is taking in my story is incredible, overwhelming and encouraging. I was even given the opportunity to talk with Fitwoman.com about my life changing experience (you can find a link to the interview HERE).

The road is wide open for me and I am trying to soak it all in. I also want to thank everyone who has been reading the blog all along and welcome those of you who may have just found it. I am excited to continue my Road Trip and can't wait to see where the journey takes me!