Renewal

Fresh Start...
                                   I have had many up's and down's physically in my life thus far. I have been active to semi active to none at all! Exercising had always been a part of my life since I can remember. I always have felt better when I was exercising. Not only physically, but mentally as well. It's a "renewal" of the body, mind & spirit. I believe everyone should exercise to the point that they are physically able. I am only in charge of myself and this year, I have made a commitment to RENEW myself. Being a busy, working mom to 3 kids, I often put myself on the back burner while I am taking care of everyone else. This year, I am making some changes and although I will still take care of my family, I am making myself important as well. I am making time for myself and not letting anything get in my way. That has been a huge challenge since becoming a mom. I always felt guilty when I would leave the kids to do anything (besides working and even that I felt guilty when they were babies!!). I was very blessed to have a flexible job when they were babies that allowed me to be with them as well. In 2009 I started a new job that required me to be there 8-5 Mon-Fri, which was a big change for me. However, my very first day of work was my youngest son's very first day of Kindergarten. All 3 kids were in school now so it all fit together. However, with the first year of working, getting home late...homework, dinner, baths, etc. I never had time to fit anything else in my schedule. I had NO "ME" time. I was ok with that, but of course it would have been nice. In 2010, my work partnered with the YMCA and started "HEALTH QUEST". I decided I would sign up and try to make some changes....

Making friends...
   After I started my job..well 4 months after, I started talking to a girl named Jamie. Funny, her desk was pretty close to mine, but for 4 months, we just mainly said "hi" and "bye" to each other. We had one thing in common..we both smoked. So..we started talking when we would go outside to smoke. I liked her, she seemed very nice, very honest. We started Health Quest together. She went and weighed in (as were supposed to) every Wednesday. I think I did, maybe 4 times!! I lost 8 pounds and then I pretty much quit. HOWEVER, I made a decision to focus my HEALTHQUEST 2010 in a different direction. I QUIT SMOKING. I had been an on again/off again smoker for years. I am VERY proud to say that April 3, 2010..I QUIT FOR GOOD. It was not an easy task. I focused last year to making sure I did not cave. I went through a lot of changes...a lot of MOOD swings. I went from talking to some of my NC family on the phone every day to hardly at all. I had to do that to make changes. Talking on the phone went along w/ smoking. Some people thought I was so mad at them, it wasn't that...at all. I just had to pull through this. I had to beat any cravings. Several months later..a dear co-worker was diagnosed with lung cancer. That was another eye opener that I did the right thing. 2010 was all about kicking the habit...now 2011 is all about getting FIT and HEALTHY!! Jamie was with me all the way on this. She has also kicked the habit. SO PROUD OF HER! She has also signed on for Health Quest 2011 and we are on a team together. We have make a pact to not only get fit and healthy, but in the meantime to participate in a 5k EVERY month for the rest of the year...I could NOT do this without her. She pushes me when I want to give up and I push her when she wants to not work out...haha! We have had some challenges along the way...even though it has been a short time. We started so fast and dedicated that we had some injuries...will talk about that more later on...
    Our FIRST 5k is this Saturday and I am SO excited. I am SO not worried about our time or if we walk the whole thing. I am just so excited that we have made up our minds to make some healthy changes and we are sticking with it. This blog will help with that as well...and we can post about our journey along the way. No matter what, I am just so thankful I have Jamie by my side through this. I have made an awesome friend in the process! :)))

by Mary