When I was a baby, it was cute; baby fat that I would outgrow. As a child, my family assured me as I got taller, I’d slim down. As a teenager, I had such a ‘pretty face’ if only I could drop the weight. Well, I didn’t outgrow my weight issues. Not only didn’t I outgrow them, they became steadily more taxing in adulthood. I felt trapped. As a child, I loved to swim and even swam competitively in my teens. As an adult, more often I was sitting on the side of the pool to avoid having to wear a bathing suit. I was athletic but when my sons begged me to play basketball with them, I’d claim I was too busy but really I was exhausted all the time.

Over the years, I became very used to counting myself out. When my family vacationed in the Dominican Republic, no one had to tell me I was too heavy to zip line with the rest of the group. I didn’t try. When we visited amusement parks, I’d stay behind with the kids that couldn’t ride the rollercoasters. That way, I wouldn’t have to squeeze myself into those seatbelts. I avoided most things that made me uncomfortable. But after a while that was almost everything.

Last year, everything hit the fan. In October, I was in a serious car accident. Every part of my body hurt. There was the physical therapy, the lawyers, and fighting with the insurance companies – it was beyond stressful. I started to gain more weight from all the stress eating. Barely a month later, my father passed away. He’d been battling bone cancer for years but what eventually killed him were complications to his diabetes. It was a serious wake-up call. How could I not change my habits? What was it going to take?

Well, I found out what it would take in the beginning of 2017. My marriage fell apart. I couldn’t handle any more. But for once, instead of going to food for comfort, I decided to let myself feel the pain of what was happening. It was the first time in my life that I didn’t try to smother my feelings with food. When it got hard and uncomfortable, I didn’t run away. But, I was also determined to make changes to manifest a happier life. Number one was my weight and health.

I was determined to commit myself to the 60-Day Challenge. I’d done it three times before and I never saw it through. It was just what I needed, and I was determined to at least see it through this time. With the help of a dedicated trainer, Olo Onuma, and the support of numerous other Life Time staff members, I began to see changes. I completed metabolic testing and actually followed the advice given this time. I used the D.TOX products to the letter! I’d spend my mornings, every morning, in the gym and in the evenings walking at home. Olo pushed me hard with strength training but more importantly, he pushed me to believe in myself and my journey. I placed my trust in something bigger than myself for once, and the weight steadily came off.

While I still have weight to lose, completing the 60-Day challenge has been such an accomplishment. I’ve repositioned my focus on me. I’m a better example for my children. They see me pushing myself out of my comfort zone and they are more willing to do so, too. I am confident that the weight will stay off because my outlook has changed. Sure, I eat clean now and I’m moving my body every day. But, the real difference is I’m not counting myself out anymore. I try. I don’t expect it to be easy or comfortable any more. And, that’s okay. As Olo would say, where it begins to get uncomfortable is where change starts.