New years no resolution

I get the idea of the new year and turning a new leaf, but I have rarely had success at this.  There is one exception.  Before I had kids I weighed over 200 pounds...it's tough to think about now.  But just after 9/11 I ended up in the ER with a kidney infection, the follow up Dr. appointment I was told I was morbidly obese and I needed to make changes.  This was in October 2001.  That sent me into a depressive tailspin which of course made me turn to food.

That Christmas we spent with my hubby's family and it was one that, for a time, made me have a distaste for every single one of them,  They were beyond mean in their criticism of John and I and it was beyond hurtful.  I remember crying to my sister-in-law and how angry she got.  She told me, "I've never seen you as fat, I just love you for who you are."  I did need that reassurance, but the truth was I had been denying my weight problem.

That Christmas we also spent some time with our adapted family and our adapted Brother Brian and his Fiance had lost a ton of weight.  So we spent an evening with them and talked to them about how they did this.  They told us Weight watchers.  I appreciated their form of honesty because they both understood what it was like to have food control you so they were loving and kind about each and every word. Their time is what motivated me.

John and I the Christmas of 2001

I guess I look back and realize that John's family also motivated me, but it was not something I would ever do to anyone.

Yes the words we heard still hurt, but yes I still love them all.  I realize now that I am here and not there that we were all younger and more immature and their comments likely came from a place of concern, so for that I am thankful.

I vowed after talking with Brian and Ida that I would lose the weight.  I joined weight watchers  January of 2002...John did this with me only at home.  John joined a fitness competition at work with money on the line.  He tied for the pot by May.  By August I had lost 65 pounds and was trying to reach lifetime.  In September I discovered I was pregnant with Bella...so I never reached lifetime.  Though my weight has fluctuated I have never again reached those heights.  I believe weight watchers taught me how eat right and what a portion looks like and it has stuck with me.

What I love about that experience is rarely can someone say they look better after having 3 kids than they did on their wedding day.  I actually had that confirmed when a cashier at Osh Kosh (who happened to be a young male college student) did a double take of my id.  You see that picture had been taken just after our honeymoon.  There I stood many years and three kids later.  He finally asked me how old the picture was.  I told him and he was flabbergasted...he then said that he had never met anyone who looked better after three kids.

A side by side comparison, wedding day and May of 2013

Aside from that one year I have never really made a resolution...probably for fear I won't reach it nearly as successfully as I did that year.  Also, I think we should always be making small goals to improve ourselves...and if we slide back, we don't give up.   Don't wait a whole year because you messed up on week three of 2014.  It takes consistency to make any changes.  

Lets make this our resolution revolution: I vow to try my best every day and not let failure defeat me.  I vow to make the healthier choices even if they aren't the more fun options.

These are things we should be doing anyways and it's a day by day adventure not a mammoth task that ends the next new year.

Here's to a happy, healthy and thriving 2014 and beyond!!!