Today is 334 of my keto journey.  I am on an a 100lb weight loss journey. All aspects of my life have changed for the best. I have been journaling through the entire journey.  I think that blogging again may be a great way to document my life.  I will be adding to this.

My journey

It's been several years since I have shared on my blog.  I have been on an incredible 6 month journey to good health, along with my husband, daughter Jamie, and son Brad.   I have lost 60 pounds doing ketogenics.  Our family has a combined weight loss of over 230lbs.

Living life to it's fullest!!!!

Welcome Fall Everyone! I've been having such a wonderful time with family and friends this early Fall Season.  We are shutting our pool down this week now that the weather is starting to get cool at night.  I bought a leaf blower yesterday so that will be my new toy for a while! I had fun blowing the leaves on our decks yesterday! Good exercise too!  Enjoying spending time with my "Fab 5" girls from high school on Saturday! We hit all the clubs in our home town - The Springfield Country Club, then the old Northwood Hills Country Club (The Elks), and then O'Conners! Fun fun fun!

Sunday, our family had our Christmas Party planning meeting and that went great too! A big Thank You to our daughter and son-in-law Jamie and Shawn Jackson for pulling this meeting together! Looking forward to the upcoming holiday season!

The South Vienna Corn Festival was so much fun this year! Enjoyed the parade, shopping, and seeing friends!  Our grandchildren had fun on the rides too.

Chuck has been busy at work with our huge home renovation project.  He is starting to build our screened in back porch this week!  I am really looking forward to this porch!  Chuck has done the siding for our home, new shutters, a mud room, and the new porch project, then gutters! Then we will be moving inside for winter to do more!  I thank God every day for giving us the opportunity to fix up our home! It is looking beautiful!

All of these activities I have mentioned keep me young and alive!  I move, move, move, like an ever ready battery!!  So thankful for my good health, good job, good family and good friends!  Life is good and I am one happy woman!!!!  Enjoy your Fall!

It's February - Heart Month! Are you still taking care of you?

Happy Heart Month! It's February! Are you still taking care of yourselves? I sure am! Saturday I attended a Zumbathon in my community. It was a fundraiser for Heart Month! Several ladies attended and took care of their hearts that day. I will be attending another one this Saturday in my neighborhood. Also, I have been walking 3 - 5 miles every morning, along with working at a job that has me walking up to 10 - 12 miles per night! Now how's that for making a lifestyle change for 2012! I love my life and taking care of me! :) Please - everyone - look at your lives and ask yourself this question; Am I happy with my life, my health, and where I am heading? If you answer "NO" to any of these questions - then back up and ask yourself "WHY"? Make some adjustments to your priorities!

Paying it forward for health and wellness

'Tis the season for holiday parties and over indulgence. Before you head out, play the events out in your mind first. If you are shopping, make a list to stay on budget (for whatever you are shopping for) Also - same with your health and wellness. Make sure you are tracking your exercise and activity. It is very easy to get "caught up" in the season. Remember to keep yourself on these lists too. You are very important and must continue taking care of yourself. 2011 has been a year full of change for me (endurance, stamina, career change). I am so thankful that I learned early on to take care of "me" first (putting the air mask on myself) before I can help others.

I ran another 5K on Thanksgiving morning for Special Olympics. This was the 4th year for this annual event. Last year, less than 65 people participated in the event. This year, over 511 people ran the event! I helped promote this event and am looking forward to having even more participants next year! It is very rewarding for me to see other people taking care of themselves and also paying it forward to help others! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

Training for my first Triathlon

Well I have finally decided to jump in and do my first Triathlon. It is being held on Saturday, October 22nd at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. I will be swimming 1/4 mile in their pool, then riding my bike 16 miles on the bike path, and running a 5K (3.2 miles) I think I am both mentally and physically ready for this new challenge in my life.

I have gone through some stress in the past few months while trying to help a local non-profit fitness facility get back on track. However one thing I know about myself since I have lost 85 pounds - I put things in Gods hands when the burden is too much for me to handle. Some things I can fix - and others God has to take the wheel. So I have again grown in my knowledge, wisdom, patience, and understanding - as I have before - and know that God has more plans in store for me when it comes to helping others get healthy and fit.

I am still teaching my weekly Weight Watchers classes and have stepped up my fitness plan and am getting more involved with other facilities in our community that help others get healthy and fit. Also - Doctor Oz has recently partnered with Weight Watchers and started the "Transformation Nation". He is inviting everyone to attend their first weight watchers meeting and weigh in for free. All you need to do is go to www.doctoroz.com and register on the link "Transformation Nation" at the top of the page. Then complete your profile and attend a weight watchers meeting! That's all there is to it! You will then be in a drawing for $1 million dollars to transform your body into a healthier you!

Well - I just wanted to update my blog and to continue on with this journey of helping others become healthy and fit! :) Congratulations for staying on your journey!: ) Talk to you again soon!

Fall is in the air / ready to get in gear for Health

Today we shut our pool down for the summer. We enjoyed many family moments in it this year with our children, grandchildren, other family members, and friends. It always feels that when we shut down the pool, that fall is close by. Also with fall, comes a sense of routine - since school has begun. We also had our annual South Vienna corn festival this weekend too. We always take our grandchildren to this event and continue to have many lasting memories.

I am so thankful that I have learned how to eat right, exercise regularly, and pay it forward as much as possible - to children, adults, family, and all whom come in contact with me.

Our youngest son Wes moved to Nashville, TN 3 weeks ago to pursue his music career. Chuck and I are officially empty nesters now. We are actually enjoying our freedom to do things that we had to put on the back burner when our children were home. We enjoy our time together, along with our time to ourselves.

My exercise is still daily and intense. I enjoy taking care of myself so much. It really helps, especially when life throws those curve balls from time to time. Eating right and exercising sure helps with keeping the stress level down. I highly encourage others to do the same.

Thank God for Freedom

I thank God for the freedoms he has given me. I grew up a very poor child from a broken home. My mother dropped out of school in 8th grade. She lived in a children's home with her brother and 2 sisters for many years. Her mother was Native American and battled with alcohol addictions. My mother married my father, who battled with drug addictions until he died at age 50 of a massive heart attack. My mother died of cancer at 56.

I share this with you because through all of this, I have still been able to make it through my journey with obesity. Because of my parents' struggles, I also lived in a children's home for 2 years during high school - however I chose to look for solutions, not problems. I became a very good student, learned how to budget, work, and the value of a good education. I can actually thank my mother for teaching me these skills, even though she dropped out of school. She cleaned houses for a living - so she taught me the fine art of "clean as you go".

Through my journey of health and wellness, I also learned how to eat right, exercise right, and live my financial life right. Health and Wealth work together. God has taught me to lean on him through the good and the bad times. Depend on him and he will see you through.

I now help others daily because of my own journey. This is my third year being a healthy and fit person. I have no regrets. I can look back and see all the positive changes that have happened in my life as the pounds fell off. I gave myself permission to let go of the weight and let God take control of my life.

We need to turn Springfield, Ohio around!

Springfield has been ranked the third worst city in a national survey released last year that calculates the population’s health and wellbeing.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which has been ongoing since 2008, has surveyed one million people in the United States about their behaviors, physical and mental health. Ohio is the seventh worst state in terms of health and wellbeing with a score of 65 as of 2010, according to the survey. Springfield is the third worst city with a score of 61.

“It is a score that comprises scores from six individual sub-indexes, which are: Life Evaluation, Emotional Health, Physical Health, Healthy Behaviors, Work Environment, and Basic Access,” said Elizabeth Mendes, deputy managing editor of Gallup.com in an email. “The overall Well-Being Index score is an average of those six scores.”

Within each score are a number of categories, 12 of which were featured on the Gallup website. Springfield was the worst performer in four of those categories: smoking, happiness, asthma and frequent exercising.

With this being said, it appears that we have a lot of work ahead of us. We MUST turn these statistics around for our community, our families, our children, and our grandchildren!

Let's start today by making some drastic changes in our lifestyles! Do ONE thing differently to live a better life! It might just SAVE your life!

March is National Nutrition Month

National Nutrition Month 2011

The theme for March 2011 is "Eat Right with Color."

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits .

Attached is a link with many nutritional education resources you can use this month. Continue on your health and fitness journeys! Happy National Nutrition Month!

http://www.eatright.org/NNM/content.aspx?id=5342

Thankful each day for my new beginning!

I am in my third year now of living a healthy and fit lifestyle. I truly feel like there has been a rebirth for me. Everyday brings joy, excitement, fun, and adventure. Money is not what buys happiness.

Taking care of myself has made me realize how important health is. I stand strong, tall, proud, and can honestly say, I am living my purpose and making a difference in the world. God has truly opened my eyes and I know what joy is.

Who would have ever thought I would learn this by losing weight, exercising, and eating healthy? You learn a lot about yourself when you peel back the layers, live within your means, and use what God gives you. You will all learn some important things about yourselves if you do this.

I pray that my journey can help others so they too, can feel some of the joy that I now have! :)

Starting my 3rd year being a healthy and fit person!

As of January 19th - I have now started my 3rd year being healthy and fit! I look back at this incredible journey and life has truly become amazing! I feel like a new woman! Being happy, healthy, and fit - plus paying it forward has been such a blessing from God. I wake up every day knowing that I have choices in life and am not a prisoner to my old unhealthy habits.

Since the Family Circle Magazine story came out last month - not a day goes by that someone in the United States gets ahold of me and says that I have been an inspiration to them. Whenever I hear this - it only motivates me MORE to reach out and help others on their health and fitness journey!

I pray to continue being positive, healthy, happy, and motivating others! This is a REVOLUTION and we are making changes - one person at a time! :) Continue on your journeys everyone! I am truly here for you!

Family Circle Magazine - my weight loss story is in the February 2011 issue

So excited about my weight loss story being featured in the February 2011 issue of Family Circle Magazine - on page 120! I went out and bought 5 copies this weekend! I pray that I can motivate, inspire, pay it forward, and help others - even save some lives - by continuing to live a healthy and fit lifestyle.

It has been an incredible journey that started for me on January 19, 2011. I am approaching my 2 year anniversary of this awesome journey and am thankful for all support from everyone along this path. I couldn't have done this without you and God. You have made the journey easier. God's Grace has been incredible.

Please know that I am also here for you all - and want to share any advice I can to help you, your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, or anyone in need of learning more about living a healthy and fit lifestyle. Have a blessed 2011. Continue on your journeys.

New Year 2011 - work on your goal setting

Happy New Year to you all! Today is a very good day - to pick up a pen and paper. Please do some serious soul searching. Work on your goals. Keep them realistic. Take baby steps. Focus on accomplishing one thing in the next 24 hours that is going to move you in the right direction. Monday is the beginning of our new year - a brand new week. Pack your gym bag TODAY. Get y our gym shoes out. Be proactive today. Pack your healthy lunch TODAY - for tomorrow. JUST GET UP OFF THE COUCH AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT - for yourself!! :)

Continuing my Health and Fitness Journey at the Springfield Family Y

As the weather begins to turn cold, I have moved my work out back inside again. I'm doing spinning classes regularly, along with zumba, fusion, boot camp, and other indoor work outs. I enjoy working out indoors during the fall & winter months.

I am officially the Corporate Membership Associate / Membership Director for our local Y and enjoy my job a great deal. I share my journey will people daily in my community and all the benefits of being a healthy and fit person. I have been able to maintain my healthy weight for over 7 months now. I have very healthy daily habits now and look forward to living a healthy lifestyle for many years to come.

Health and Fitness Journey

It will be 2 years on January 19th 2011 since I started my health and fitness journey. 85 pounds later, feeling like I'm 20 years younger, I truly feel that I am paying it forward by teaching a weekly Weight Watchers class and becoming the Corporate Membership Associate for the Springfield Family Y.

I am passionate about health and fitness, so God has truly blessed me to pay it forward by working for both of these wonderful organizations.

When you are passionate about what you do, you never have to work another day in your life! :)

Lots of walking has really been an excellent workout

My husband Chuck and I have been doing lots of walking the last few weeks. We feel it in our legs and core. Our walks have gotten longer. We actually have been walking up to 9 miles in one day. We average 4 - 5 miles daily though. For those of you that are seeking out a healthy exercise to do that doesn't take money - walking is it. Make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle is helpful too. We take our boxer Josie with us on our walks. She loves it. Josie is so calm too. She also gets plenty of exercise daily. We all are still on our health and fitness journey - for life! :) I hope and pray we can continue to motivate and inspire you along your journey too.

Absolutely enjoy teaching Weight Watchers

I've been teaching Weight Watchers meetings for several weeks now and I must say, it has been very rewarding for me. I am approaching 2 years as of January 2009 since I started my journey to good health and fitness. It has been an eye opening experience in so many ways. I have been able to peal back so many layers along the way. I am a much stronger person, not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually too. My self-esteem is back and I help many people daily along the way.

I have so much joy and energy too! My mind also seems so much clearer too. I also sleep much better. I do not have to take any medications and I exercise daily. I thank God for giving me this opportunity to make a difference in my community.

Teaching my own weight watchers class

I am officially teaching my own weight watchers class! This is the ultimate way of paying it forward! I love helping others also get healthy and fit. Weight Watchers has given me my life back. I enjoy motivating others along their journey to good health and fitness. Thank you God for allowing me to do what you have given me. This is a wonderful gift! Thank you for providing for our family during this journey. I will continue to help others with this gift you have so graciously allowed me to have!

I love having joy, inner peace, good health, fitness, and balance in my life.

Exercise and nutrition has really changed my life

I thank God daily for being able to exercise and eat right! My journey has been incredible! I want to share my journey with others in hope that they will also be able to succeed during their journey too! :) My body actually enjoys exercise now! I sleep so well at night too! I have not had heartburn in over a year because I eat the right foods! Weight Watchers has taught me so much about portion control and nutrition! I am almost done with my leader training and am looking forward to having my own Weight Watchers Meetings! :)