Back in 2008 I found my life at a dead end. I wasn’t very active or social and my nine year relationship was going no where. I decided I needed something to do to get away from it all and hopefully improve my quality of life. I chose the gym. I went in there thinking I only needed to lose around five pounds. The trainer I met with upon signing up suggested 20 pounds. I was shocked. I had already lost 20 pounds from my heaviest weight (which was 185lbs) and thought I was fine. I decided to do it, though. I needed something new to focus on and commit myself to. 

So my journey began. I changed my diet and began hitting the gym almost every day. I noticed my time away from my relationship was not improving it - it was improving ME. I ended the relationship and continued on to lose the weight and maintain my 145lb weight for well over three years.

For a little while I slacked off and stopped going to the gym. My longest stretch was two months. This killed me since there was a time two DAYS wasn’t even bearable. Oddly enough, I lost a few more pounds which has put me in my new weight bracket of 135lbs - 138lbs.

I’ve decided again that I need to commit and focus on fitness. This time, however, it’s with different goals in mind. Before, I only used to do cardio. Now I’m focused on resistance and strength training. With all my hard work, I still never had a flat stomach or any type of muscle tone so this time, that’s what I will get.

Me at my heaviest weight - 185lbs:

Me at my current weight: