Revisiting an old me...

Over the last few days I've been putting all of our pictures onto CD's. We need to reformat our hard drive and we don't want to lose any precious material along the way! As I put the pictures on the CD, I look over them. We've seen a lot, done a lot, grown a lot. I love having so many pictures!

I guess it didn't really hit me how different I look now than two years ago. I saw a few pictures that were enough to make me double take and stare. It wasn't an easy road and it wasn't a short road either, but losing weight was the best thing I could have done for myself, for Patrick and for our future.

I'm sure I could have been heavier. I'm certain that I was the heaviest I've ever been two years ago. But weight lost, is weight lost and I'm so surprised to see myself now. I still pick up the sizes I use to wear and then remind myself that I've changed. Losing weight it's all physical, there's a lot emotionally and mentally that has to be dealt with too.

Here are some pictures that I found from before and a few after. Maybe you'll be as surprised as I was, or maybe not.

Hummm...at Kemah, September/October ish 2005

Kent's graduation, with my nieces. May 2005
At the Texas state line, April 2005
At my mom's house, August 2005
At the Lodge, September 2005
It's not my desire to boast or brag or make anyone feel horrible, but it's such a huge part of my life that I rarely discuss or post about. I want so badly to share this joy and enthusiasm with people who want to change their lives with weight loss. I truly can't wait until I'm a certified trainer!

Here are some picture, 42 pounds lighter....

After my triathlon, July 2007

At the beach, August 2007WWith my red boots! December 2007 (this is probably the most recent picture of me...)

In Superior, October 2007

At my birthday bash, November 2007

Even now, I'm still losing weight. Little by little, not drastically or in an unhealthy way. It's been so good on so many levels. I laugh a lot more, I'm more confident in public and in private, I feel more alive, I feel good more often and I know that I want that to keep coming for a long time! It was hard to look at these pictures, but it was a sweet reminder of where I've come from and what I've been through.

A little shadow...

Before I got all the materials and such to become a personal trainer, I did my best to talk to people who had already went through the course and were currently training. One person, who was very encouraging, was a trainer at the YMCA. Her name is Carole and she was very nice to talk to me and tell me a few things about the course and such.

When we were talking, she mentioned that I should get ahold of her when I start studying and we could get together. I did and now I shadow her once a week. It's been an incredible opportunity to see, hands on, what it's like to train someone. I even get to help out occasionally. It's been great to get to know the clients and be apart of their workouts.

Carole has been great at making sure I know what's going on during the sessions and is always asking if I have questions. I do ask a lot of questions and take advantage of her willingness to share! She answers questions about workouts, the exam, machines, muscles and even people.

I've learned a lot about being a personal trainer in the last two and a half weeks. The material that I'm studying is hard and in depth. (Exercise physiology and Human Anatomy are my current chapters.) However, I'm completely fascinated by it and can barely put the book down sometimes. Learning about the body is incredible. The way God so uniquely, so consistently, so carefully made our bodies humbles me each time I learn something new. How incredible that He made our bodies the same, inside, so we can learn about how they work and what they can do!

On Friday, when I was shadowing Carole, she asked what I did on Thursday nights. I told her nothing and she offered me another opportunity to shadow her at another gym with some younger clients (we are currently training more elderly folks). I was so excited that she cares enough about me doing well and learning and that she likes me enough to invite me to shadow her more than just once a week!

I'm so excited for the doors that the Lord is kindly opening and I'm so thankful for the people He has ushered into my life for this season. God is so sweet to help me through this course! I know He, alone, will help me to know, remember and apply all the information I'm learning.