One Year and Counting

Well, this week marks my 1 Year Anniversary with JC! Wow! I cannot believe it has been a year already. A year ago I took myself off the backburner and put me upfront. A wise friend told me once: "You are a mother and a wife, but first and foremost you are Amber." Well, I focused on the first two things, as well as being an employee and a student. I was so caught up in my "titles" that I looked in the mirror one day and did not recognize the person staring back at me. Now, don't misunderstand, because I LOVE being a wife and a mother. They are a HUGE part of what I am. But do you remember that saying "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy?" Well, mama wasn't happy...not at all. My mood was getting worse and my family life was beginning to suffer. I was SO NEGATIVE about EVERYTHING!! Who in the world would even want to hang out with me??

The Final Straw(I may have said this all before, but nonetheless...)
My VERY BEST FRIEND in this world got really sick and was put in the hospital with Pancreatitis. We did everything together, especially eating. We were quite a pair when we went out. We did an appetizer, main course, drink, and dessert. We were fat and happy together. Well, all that bad eating caused her to go in the hospital. I am not going to get into all the details of her being in the hospital. I will say that I thank God that she survived and made it out of the hospital. The doctor had put her on a very strict diet. She had this huge chart that was the size of half a door. It had everything broken down that she was "supposed" to consume during the day. I told her in the hospital that I would start doing better too. I was not going to be the cause of my BFF being in the hospital. I even joked with her that it was going to be great because we were fat together, and we would be skinny together too. I had come home after that last visit and started trying to look up some information on the Internet. I had no idea what I was going to do. I had tried so many things (WW, Atkins, LA Weightloss, etc) in the past, and they just weren't for me. I happened to see a commercial for Jenny Craig with Sara Rue's new body (this was before the bikini commercial). She was 50 pounds down, and my jaw dropped. I looked online trying to get information.
Now, I will tell you I was one of those people on the couch watching these JC commercials, and I really thought they were a joke. I really thought that when I saw Kirstie Alley gain all her weight back. But Sara Rue changed all that. I know she had always struggled with her weight loss. She was more real to me than any other spokesperson I had seen on JC. So, the next day I decided I was going to call JC and get some information. Well, anyone who is on JC knows it's an investment. I told the program director that I would have to crunch some numbers with my husband and asked her to call me back the next day. After having a VERY emotional talk with my husband, he understood that I wasn't happy. I told him that I was so consumed in my "titles" that I lost myself somewhere and that I needed to find me again. I had let out all the emotions I had bottled up for years. I didn't even realize everything until after that talk. When my program director called the next day, I joined JC. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I would definitely have to committed to this. No looking back.

With each meal and each passing week, the journey got easier. I was strict on myself and didn't CHEAT AT ALL for months! I think my birthday was the first time I ate something off the menu. It has been a rollercoaster of a year. I have lost 70 pounds and 45+ inches. Although I wish I was at my goal and not yo-yoing toward it, I don't regret where I am. JC helped me get my life back. I am the smallest I have ever been. I do have more to go, and I know I will get there.

So to everyone out there that is wondering if they can take the first step. You can. Something out there will work for you. It may be JC, WW, Nutrisystem or something else. You have to have COMMITTMENT! You didn't gain the weight overnight and you will not lose it overnight either. I know we want that instant gratification sometimes. But be happy with the choices you are making. I don't always make good decisions. But I know when I make bad ones and I try to learn from my mistakes. This is not a diet...it's a lifestyle change. I could easily go back to the person I was a year ago, but I don't want that. I know how to be a healthier person. I like vegetables now! I like to exercise now (I participated in 2 5Ks this year)!

So goodbye to the old me! We had some good times, but I am looking forward to some better times with the NEW me!