Live It Out Every Day

Eight months ago, I made a decision that completely changed the course my life had been on.

I decided for the first time in my life that my weight was going to be unhealthy in the long run—though I had no health issues at the time—I decided to do something about it. I’ve been overweight since my pre-teens, but have had an overblown sense of self-esteem. I never felt bad about who I was; so I never felt any need to change. (Photo to the right is August 2009 with my beautiful best-friend, Lauren.)

But my aging grandparents gave me a glimpse of what unhealthy living can do to you. I guess I like my life so much that I wanted to live well as long as possible!

So I signed up for the 20/20 Lifestyles program at the Pro Sports Club in Bellevue, Washington. It’s an intensive weight loss program that involves a lot of education and a lot of exercise. I signed on with pretty low expectations. I was going to get healthy, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up over dreams of being “skinny."

But, from the start, I prepared myself to make these changes stick. These weren’t changes I was going to do for several months and then quit. I was preparing myself to live what I was being taught out for the rest of my life. Every day.

In eight months, I lost 88 pounds.

And I worked hard to do it. There’s no way I’m going to undo that work over a couple of Thin Mints. But Thin Mints are really good… And you can’t avoid Thin Mints forever. They’re there every year. Every March, just calling to you using adorable little girls posted like sentinels at the grocery store entrance. You could try to will-power it through the Girl Scout gauntlet every March—or you could learn how to eat healthy in a way that allows room for a few Thin Mints!

This is what 20/20 taught me: how to enjoy the foods I love in a healthy way!

I’ve been so excited over everything I have learned and continue to learn about food that I want to share it with everyone who has ever eaten a dozen Thin Mints and felt guilty and with everyone who has looked longingly at a Thin Mint but not eaten a single crumb.

I hope you’ll join me as I take what I’ve learned and Live It Out Every Day.