The End, Yet A New Begining

WOW, the 12 weeks went by soooo fast, here is my essay I turned in at my final weigh in.
Thank You so much for everyones love and support.
I will continue to blog, I am still on this weight loss journey and I am determined to lose another 100lbs, my goal is by my 30th yr class reunion next year, hang on cuz we are on for the ride of my life, lol.
I would like to first start off by thanking Gold’s Gym, this has been the most awesome journey I have ever experienced in my life and I would like to especially Thank Blair,Laura, Randy and Rose at both local Gold’s they have all taken such a personal interest in helping me with my success.
When I first started this journey and would tell people about these changes I was experiencing, there were so many people who had their own health, diet and exercise tips. I would think to myself, how can they be such an expert, when they are sitting there eating a super size quarter pounder meal, followed by a cigarette, very interesting.
Before I started the challenge I was leading such an unhealthy lifestyle and my life was at risk, I was eating out at fast food restaurants 3-4 times a week and continuously gaining weight. Being a single mother of 3, I needed to do this for my children. But first and foremost I needed to do this for myself.
I have learned to love myself and to be happy again. I have learned to rid my life of toxic food, people and relationships; I carry myself in a more happy, confident and proud way now. I have dealt with so much stress in the past 12 weeks, everything from being laid off, to having to move out of my home. But I know how to deal with stress in a totally different way now, then I would have handled in it the past. I no longer eat out of stress, I work out. My diet & workout routine have been the only two things in my life in the last 12 weeks that have been consistent and positive in my life.
I have learned that living an unhealthy lifestyle is like being a drug addict, food was my friend before, it never let me down or judged me it calmed and soothed me. Now exercise does this for me. I have learned to eat as needed, not as much as I want. I have learned that if you fall off your diet and/or exercise program to pick myself up, dust myself off and start back where I left off.
I never in my life thought I would have people telling me how great I am looking and asking me for tips and asking me questions regarding my weight loss journey, my weight loss and fitness journey has inspired others, family members and friends. Even strangers who have read my blog. Never in my life would I have ever thought I could do this let alone inspire others.
In the past when I would travel out of town, I would think of all the awesome restaurants and food I would get to experience, now I am googling where the gyms are where I will be visiting. My lifestyle has done a 380 degree turn around, I love myself, I have learned to eat healthier, exercise daily, no longer settle in a relationship, I know now I deserve so much better things & people in my life.
I have completely changed my life thanks to Gold’s Gym and all the support I have received , I am more fit and healthier than I have ever been in my adult life. I am off my anti-depressants & blood pressure medicines and I accomplished what I set out to do, I will continue on this weight loss/fitness journey. I still have a long road ahead of me, but with the support from the good friends I have made will on this journey, my family and the love and adornment I have found for myself I will succeed even further than I have done in the last 12 weeks.
I now want to write a book in hopes to help other women who have struggled their whole life with their weight, health, relationships, loving and finding themselves . I will continue on my journey of a healthy way of living & eating, with my daily exercise at Gold’s Gym, but most of all my love for myself and my children and my drive now to know that I can do this and I have proven to myself I can and I deserve it.
Final Results:
For the 12 week Gold's Challenge I have lost 32 lbs & 7 1/2 inches off my hips.
For the KYSN contest I lost 36 lbs.
Now the next step...lose 100 lbs by the 30th year class reunion next year and to research on how to get the book I want to write published, any idea's?