This 60day challenge has been quite a journey! An amazing, eye-opening, life-changing journey. I decided to jump into this after a few failed attempts at my new years resolution for 2018 to get healthier and be more active this year. I found myself at my heaviest weight ever at 210 pounds come Christmas, that’s including my pregnancy weight of all three of my children!

I had lost a few pounds by the time of the 60day but it was just water weight as I started drinking a gallon of water a day and reduced coffee from 3 times a day to one cup. My body fat was almost 50 percent when I started this, I had swollen ankles every day, no energy and breaking out like I was a teenager again. I had enough of feeling like this! I didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything and despised buying new clothes. I had to wear stretch pants even to work because of my weight gain!

I fell into this cycle of secluding myself from people, overeating and just sleeping all the time after my oldest daughter was killed in a car accident June 13,2016. I lost my big sister, too, who was driving the car and my second oldest was severely injured. My whole world fell apart in an instant. I lost myself that day and everything I thought was important including taking care of myself, it just lost its importance and I lost my purpose in life. Just doing the bare minimum to exist, and pay bills and care for my daughter and son who I couldn’t protect from their tragic loss, as well. I took on all the blame and even have survivors guilt! I was actually at the Six Forks Life Time club working out watching the news of the Florida club shootings when I got that phone call of the accident, so for a long time It was hard to even drive by this club much less walking in!

Since I have been a member of Life Time since 2015 and never ended it despite not going, I continued receiving emails and that’s how I discovered this spring 60day just in time! Instead of deleting it as my normal routine, I opened it and read the words I needed to hear at that moment and made the split second decision to join! The absolute best decision I’ve made in two years.

I did the D.TOX, followed the weekly plans, batched cooked my heart out and planned and stuck to my diet daily! Basically, everything Coach Anika sent me I did or attempted to do! Tracking my calories, carbs and protein intake on the website. I scheduled my day around my diet and health! Even at work I take ten minutes out of each hour and do stair climbers, push-ups and lunges! Not caring who is watching! I enjoy reading the emails and using the advice and workout plans as my daily/weekly guide and motivation! I started walking on my Sunday rest days with my dog, and he is one happy pup now! I used to walk him about five minutes just enough for him to go, now we are doing three miles! My strength has increased substantially too. I went from barely holding a 30 second plank to over three minutes! I started taking every group class I could after work and on Saturdays, and found a passion for yoga which I had never even tried before this journey!

I did have a few setbacks including swollen knees and joints that I still have to ice every night, and my old sciatica injury tried to keep me down for a few days, but with the recommended back and core strengthen exercises I am getting stronger every day! I do not see myself going back to sitting on the couch, eating takeout and falling back into my depression. I have this awesome new routine which is like second nature now and I still have about five more recipes to try from the website! My weekly go-tos are the almond blender muffins and the turkey chili! They never get old and cure the sweet tooth and comfort food cravings!! I look forward to the next 60day in the summer as this gives me something so important to wake up to and look forward to and pass on to my kids!

This for me is about so much more than weight loss, and physically challenging myself with workouts and stretches. This has been therapy for me that I have needed for a long time! I received some awesome training sessions and advice from Trainer Reggie Carter that kept me on track and motivated me even when it got hard and results some weeks seemed small compared to others. I feel like God sent me this opportunity and these wonderful people right when I needed it most! I am just getting started now! my weight is down to 181 lbs., I’m at 38 percent body fat, down three dress sizes and I am determined now more than ever and armed with the best tools from Life Time to start living this precious life and not leave anything open to regret!! Thank you, Life Time!!!