What Motivates You?

What is that one thing that you just can't get out of your head? That one thing that when you wake up in the morning it just won't leave you alone?

For a lot of us we are very good a quieting that thing. We can block it out, rationalize it, and try to make ourselves find other ways to satisfy that one thing. For some people it might be a wearing a bikini that first summer day, or for some it might be receiving a second look when you walk past a group of guys, or is it to make all of the haters have to eat their words, or maybe you're a parent who is making sure you can run and play with your kids, or for some it may just be feeling better.

 For me, that one thing is competition. I LOVE it! I thrive on it! I have always had it in my life one way or another. Growing up it was competing at the horse shows, then in my career it was being at the top in sales. When I became a stay at home mom there was no one to compete with except for myself. I might be a little crazy for needing this, but it makes me work harder.

I love taking fitness classes at the gym. Each week I take at least 4 of them. I like having the instructor there to make me push myself, and help me with my form. I had a really good schedule going until the first of the year when my Gym totally redid their classes and switched to mostly Les Mills classes. I was bummed at first but now I love them!! I usually take the c/x works (core strengthening) class followed by a spin class on Monday, Yoga followed with 30 min on the elliptical and some weights on Tuesday, Bodypump on Wednesday, Yoga or Spin on Thursday, and BodyFlow with more elliptical fun on Friday. I will usually run after yoga and then do a little work with weights after. But this is where the competitiveness that I thrive on can become an issue.

You know how they always give different options for different levels in these classes. Yeah, I have a problem where I HAVE to try the hardest one. This goes for all of the classes with the exception of yoga...there are just somethings I don't think my body will ever be able to do. This is one of them...http://www.mizozo.com/health/07/2011/01/most-powerful-yoga-poses.html

Today this issue became very apparent. I was taking a BodyPump class and this was only the second time I had taken it, and the first with this instructor. I was next to an older woman who is always at the gym the same time I am. Her age is not a factor, this lady is super fit! On the other side of me was a girl a little older than me, but you could tell she was an athlete. Behind me was a less disgusting John Gossling looking dude with huge arms! This was going to be fun I thought, I am going to really push myself. Usually I try to be next to the most experienced person in the class so I will really have to work. Well, bodypump is not the place for this theory. I was dying. Arms shaking, legs quivering about 20 min into the hour long class.

I learned today that while being competitive is a good thing, I need to be more competitive with myself than with the people in the class next to me. Will I begin to practice this? Probably not. But in the morning when my muscles are screaming, I will wish I had!

For more information on the Les Mills classes that I talked about in this blog go to http://www.lesmills.com/


Please let me know what motivates you!

The BIG loss Part 2!

Starting where we left off, after 2006 came to a close, I had reached my goal of a size 14. I had lost about 80 lbs. I had a new short hair cut, and I had met a new guy. (If you are a reader of Meet the Major's you are familiar with this particular fellow)

June 2007, Oregon Caves

The next year and a half was spent losing slowly, falling in love, and then planning a wedding. On my wedding day I was the thinnest I had ever been. Sliding into size 8 jeans, feeling great, and becoming a wife! Life in the spring of 2008 was awesome! In fact everyday with my husband is amazing. (I know this part is mushy, but really he is the best!)

March 8, 2008!!

Oh married life, it is so fantastic and happy. You know what happens when people are genuinely happy and in love.....weight gain. Yep that's right...here comes the part of the story where I gain some back. I maintained for a while, but here's the thing, we are foodies. We love going out to nice dinners, and we love delicious food. The biggest issue was that in the early years of our marriage we didn't have a whole lot of money (like most newlyweds, we were broke) so we would go out on 1 really nice date and pretend to be rich, and to compensate for the money we spent we would eat ramen noodles and hamburger helper the rest of the month. Oh hello 40lbs, not so nice to see you again!

My sweet sorority sister's wedding, May 2010

I lost about 15 lbs after this wedding, but then....

March 2011, 9 months pregnant with Madison!

So here I am, 5 years after my surgery with the most beautiful baby in the world (I'm a touch biased) and feeling much larger than I would like. And I was not okay with this!

 June 2011, Texas with baby Madi.

So I decided to make a commitment to be the best Mom I can, the best wife I can, and the healthiest me I could be! Starting in July 2011 I started working out, and concentrating on my diet.

In October I committed to working out 5 days a week, and I have only missed about 5 days since, due to sick kids. I am proud to say that I have a clear mission for my health, and I am not intending to stop anytime soon. I hope this blog will inspire you, challenge you, and help you to find yourself being the best YOU that you can be!

 The 2nd week of January 2012.

The BIG loss! Part 1

I was 20 years old when I woke up one morning, and looked in the mirror to see myself weighing in around 308lbs. I knew I had gained weight, I knew I was big. But honestly it got so out of control so fast that I had no idea I was over 300! I was a sophomore at Texas State University, I was in a sorority, I had tons of friends, a boyfriend, and I was having a blast! But what I didn't realize was that I was not living to be the person I was created to be.


Growing up on a cutting horse ranch in Texas, I was always busy. Always moving, and always on a diet! I had done weight watchers about 3 times before I graduated from high school. I would lose 20 lbs here and gain 40 back. But the big gain didn't come until college. I stopped riding horses, never exercised, and was just ready to have fun.


I remember calling my mom, telling her I had had enough. I was ready to make a change. I went with them that weekend down south to work horses. What a harsh realization when I couldn't life my huge body onto the horse. Forget fitting into the saddle....my rear end poured over the back of the saddle. I was out of breath before I loped around the arena 2 times. I was devastated. That is it, I was finally ready to make a commitment to my health.


2 weeks following our trip down south, I was meeting with a bariatric surgeon in San Antonio. That is when I found out I was over 300....what a terrible day. But it was also a great day, because I was on my way to making a change. 2 weeks following that meeting, I was admitted to the hospital for my RNY Gastric Bypass. I broke up with my boyfriend the day after my surgery. My eyes had been opened to the kind of life I was living, and if I was going to make a change, I had to start fresh.

July 2006, being inducted into the NYCHA Hall of Fame, with my grandparents!

The first weight loss happened insanely fast. It just started falling off. By Halloween I felt better than I ever had, sexy even. By Thanksgiving I was a new girl, and at Christmas I was sooo happy, and I was getting there, slowly I was getting healthy.

Thanksgiving 2006, at home with Poppy

Christmas 2006 with my roomie, Cyndi 

Stay tuned for more of my story, there is SOOOO much more to tell!