I've been on SparkPeople since May 2009, and this has become part of an incredible journey. I came here to lose weight, but I have found so much more than weight loss support. I had never thought about sharing my thoughts with "perfect strangers" online and certainly had not considered blogging, but this has become one of the best experiences of my life. I am not the same person when I began this journey. I am stronger and wiser and happier ... and I weigh less. I still have weight to lose and muscles to improve, but I am moving forward in my journey. I am enjoying this adventure and look forward to the next twists and turns in the road. I recently added an image to my profile images to reflect one of the happiest moments of my life. I had just returned from almost 2 years of living abroad and was visiting one of my favorite relatives. I took a walk and ended up in a field of daisies on a wonderful sunny day. I remember I threw my hands out in the air level with my shoulders, threw my head back, and laughed and twirled around in a happy dance. I want the person I was that day back in my life. Other flowers may appear as my image from time to time, but daisies will remain my soul flower. I love flowers and look forward to the day when I can enjoy them growing year round, not just a few months of the year. Part of my retirement traveling will include visiting gardens.

A happy, healthy life.

Slow and steady is my motto. Using the Nutrition Tracker on SP has made dramatic difference in what I eat. The power of numbers is amazing! I have osteoarthritis in my right knee, and adding fitness into my program is challenging. Using this site and participating in teams has truly sparked my life! Thanks to all of you at SparkPeople!

I am from lots of places. My family moved to several cities in the southeastern US when I was growing up. I spent a lot of time in the eastern US, Canada, Europe, and Southeast Asia as a young adult. Now I have been in one town for most of my adult life. I'm retired now. One thing about having so much free time is that I waste a lot of it. I function much better when I have to budget time. That was quite a revelation!

Life is too short to waste time regretting what could have been. Take a deep breath, and keep moving forward!

Add a Link Patt in Minneapolis Leader, Forks Over Knives & Engine 2 Diet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I don't understand why asking people to eat a well-balanced vegetarian diet is considered drastic, while it is medically conservative to cut people open and put them on cholesterol lowering drugs for the rest of their lives.” ~Dean Ornish Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That's why they call it the present. ~Eleanor Roosevelt
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