HERE'S TO 2008 AND ON TO 2009!!

THIS WAS ME 16 MONTHS AGO. IT IS A FACE THAT I SAW IN THE MIRROR EVERYDY. FOR THE LONGEST TIME I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT MY HAIR. THEN IT DAWNED ON ME THATIT WASN'T THE HAIR. IT WAS THE FACE THAT LOOKED BACK AT ME FROM THE MIRROR. I HAD GAINED SO MUCH WEIGHT. MY BACK HAD GOTTEN BAD AND I HAD GONE THRU CANCER SURGERY AND CHEMO. THE YEARS HAD BEEN UNKIND AND I IN RETURN HAD BEEN UNKIND TO MYSELF. IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO REALIZE THAT A DIET HAS NEVER BEEN THE ANSWER. I THINK WE HAVE ALL REALIZED AFTER A LIFETIME , THAT WE MUST CHANGE THE WAY WE LOOK AND TREAT FOOD , FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

I THINK I KNEW THAT IN SOME PART OF MY MIND, BUT JUST NEVER WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO CARE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY CHANGE WHAT I WAS DOING. SINCE BEING HERE AT SPARK, I HAVE FOUND SO MANY AMAZING TOOLS AND INFORMATION. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR ME NOT TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. I HAVEN'T LOST AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO , BUT I HAVE BECOME STRONGER FROM THE EXERCISE AND THE NUTRITION TRACKER IS MY BEST FRIEND. IT IS WONDERFUL. I DO ADMIT THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I DON'T USE IT LIKE I SHOULD. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THE ONLY ONE I'M HURTING IS ME. I ALSO KNOW THAT I DON'T WANT TO HURT ME ANYMORE. HERE IS MY NEWEST PICTURE. I LIKE THIS FACE. IT STILL HAS WORK TO DO , BUT IT ALSO GIVES ME THE INSPIRATION TO MOVE AHEAD AND TRY TO MAKE THIS YEAR EVEN BETTER.

NOW FOR THE NEW YEAR: I WILL LOSE THE NEXT 50 LBS THIS YEAR. I AM COMMITTED TO THIS. I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS THAT I HAVE MADE HERE THIS YEAR, THAT I KNOW WITH THEM BEHIND ME , I CANNOT FAIL. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER TO THE END.

SO NOW I BID A FOND FAREWELL TO 2008 AND ON TO 2009 AND MY NEXT 50 LBS.