Two Years and Still Going

This month marks two years since I started on  the road to health and wellness, and I couldn't be happier.

I never in a million years thought that I would be 35 and in the best shape of my life.

As I've mentioned before, I spent the majority of my life overweight and unhappy. I would start a new weight loss program, become frustrated and go back to my unhealthy ways.

Every January 1st I would join Weight Watchers or the gym, like the rest of America, only to fall off the wagon by Valentine's Day when chocolate took over the stores.

What is it that made this attempt different? I'm not sure exactly, but something just clicked. I did approach things differently this time and maybe that was the key.

I set small goals for myself instead of only focusing on the big picture. As I hit those goals, I felt my confidence grow and a new excitement take over. I liked working out and I liked how I felt when eating healthier food. Before I knew it I decided to take on P90X and that was a true turning point for me. I finally saw what my body was capable of and knew that I had the power to break the cycle and become a healthy & fit individual....I haven't looked back since.

Since starting on this journey in May of 2009 I have completed:

• P90X - 2.5 times (I had issues my 1st attempt & some workout ADD)
• Insanity
• Turbo Jam
• 10 Minute-Trainer
• ChaLEAN Extreme (I'm currently on my second round)

I have also done some Zumba, completed my first group workout (I have a phobia of working out with others), started jogging and become a vegetarian.

Was it easy? Heck no! There was a lot of sweat and tears shed (not to mention some vomit spewed during Insanity), but all of the above have helped me to lose over 100 pounds and completely change the person who I was.

I owe a lot of that to some amazing people I've met along the way. Without them I may not have come as far as I have. They've all inspired me to be my best and keep pushing forward.

However in the end, only I had the power to make the changes that needed to be made. It was up to me and no else to find the time, to make it happen and to reach for the happiness and health I deserved.

What's my advice to those looking to make the change?

• Start off slow - You didn't gain the weight over night and you're not going to lose it over night. Plus the slower you lose it, the longer you will keep it off. You need to form a healthy lifestyle, there are no miracle pills.
• Set small goals -  Don't obsess over the total amount of weight you need to lose. Set 5-10lb goals for yourself.
• Reward yourself when you reach those goals - You will be working hard to achieve this and you should reward yourself. It's not easy to wake up early to fit in a workout or give up some of your favorite junk foods. Celebrate the victory!
• Surround yourself with positive people - This was a big one for me. It's hard to keep an "I can do this" mentality, when the people around you call you crazy, offer you foods you are trying to avoid or are waiting for you to fail. You need people who are willing to support you and cheer  you on. This is one of the hardest things you may ever do. You need a good support team.
• Believe in yourself - Hands down....The. Hardest. Thing. - especially if you haven't done the above mentioned yet. Most of us psych ourselves out before we even try. You need to embrace the "I got this" attitude. Get out of your own way!

I could keep listing things but to me, these are the most important. The majority of the changes are going to be mental. I didn't realize this when I started and I am amazed at how many road blocks I have hit along the way. I thought this would be purely a physical challenge but to be honest...that's been the easiest part, especially when I listened to the last bit of advice and stopped being my own road block.