Transformation Thursday - Loving Every Step of My Journey

If you are my friend on Facebook then you saw a little mini blurb of this post already today.

I decided, upon reflecting, that it deserves a complete blog post of its own.

 My journey to health has been a long and winding one. It has taken many years, many tears, many motivational people in and out of my life, many hours of sweat, a few pounds lost and gained back and lost again! The photo below is me (one the left is 1996 and the right was last weekend). In that time I have lost over 150 pounds but gained so much more!

I had not really ever stopped to think when I decided to start trying to lose weight and become healthy until I got this picture via text from my sister yesterday.

She sent it because she came across it and was stunned by my size. She did not remember me ever being this big. I kind of chuckled because I definitely remember and, after a little reflecting, I remember what turned things around for me. Its not what most people are probably thinking. I read a lot of blogs that say it was a special event that you could not find a dress that fit for or a picture that you could not stand to look at. Mine is nothing like that.

Back in 1996 I got in recovery. I started to look at myself and my faults and my life and saw it was headed no where so I started to change things around. This has been a long process (almost 18 years now) of looking at my insides, making amends and changing my behaviors.  It has been life changing in so many ways. When I got into recovery I was promised one thing and that was the ability to live life without alcohol - I have been given sooooooo much more! I have been given a family that trusts me and can rely on me to do what I say I am going to do, I have been given friends that love and support me no matter how many times I trip up and I have been given a set of tools and steps that help me in all my life matters and I have been given a body that is capable of doing anything I train it to do (completed my first marathon in May 2014)! I am so overly blessed! The tools have spilled over into my life (outside of the program) and have shown me how to live better and be better and do better! It is because of this that today I strive to live a longer and healthier life!

I can remember a time when all I wanted was to not wake up the next morning. I am testimony to the fact that life does not have to be like that! There is an easier, softer way through recovery.

I know I do not have a lot of readers but if anyone out there that sees this needs help - please contact me and I promise to get you connected with people that can definitely change your life!

Today, I workout almost everyday, eat healthy everyday (aside from a little chocolate here and there), go to work everyday -except Sat and Sun ;-) and try my best to help others and care about others.
I am considering changing the face of my blog in the future but I have to plan a little more on that.

Thanks to all the Friends of Bill at helped me throughout the years, all the fitness instructors that motivated me to take one more class, family and friends that have loved me beyond what I deserve!

It has taken almost 18 years but I love where I am now (still have over 20 pounds to lose) and I would not change a single step of the journey! The picture below is also from last week - still a few more pounds to go but happier inside and outside!

Happy Thursday yinz!!!

I would love to read some of your transformations...please link below in the comments!