A blessing created halt for my training

Training had been going well for my first half marathon to take place in January. Who would have known that I would get such shocking news that would put all of it on hold for a while? Well after a car wreck on 25Oct I got the news in the ER that I am pregnant and due Jun2014. After trying for over 4 years I thought that it would never happen, but after being told "you're pregnant" I remembered the words my OB told me that if I didn't lose the weight I had gained that it would be almost impossible to become pregnant again.

The journey to get healthy started because I wanted to have more energy for my 5 year old, but it has now taken a whole NEW direction on being healthy and prepared for our new expected addition. For me the truth is that it had never really sank in that my weight was stopping me from giving my husband the child he wanted until my weight loss allowed us to finally have the chance. Honestly I am not where I would like to be starting out for this pregnancy, but I know that eating healthy and stay moving we will both be happy and healthy in June when we welcome our new baby into our family.

This new addition will only delay my first half marathon. It will in NO WAY keep me from reaching that goal of being able to run farther than I EVER have before.

Training for my Half Marathon

A nice morning run before heading with my mom to the dr to meet her Oncologist. What a great way to start my day to feel good and get my body moving :) I am so EXCITED for the Half in January. This journey has led me to discover that even just a little bit of added moving for the right reason can make you feel great. I figure if my mom can give her all to beat cancer then I can give my all to finish the Half Marathon in my best time possible. Just gotta keep going and keep smiling because the journey has just begun.

A new personal discovery…

The past few years I have been on the search to find something that really helps me in giving back to my community. From participating in Relay For Life with the American Cancer Society to Lone Star workshops with F7 Group, I have given my time but not felt like I had found the right place where I best felt my capabilities were used to the point where I personally felt refueled every time I attended an event. These organizations are all amazing, but personally I felt like I was lacking something within and I still am involved with them both.
Out of the blue last year an e-mail was sent to me for a training camp through an organization I had never heard of before. Although I wanted to attend the event in the end I decided not to, but it was just the beginning of a surprising new chapter for me and my family. That e-mail opened a door that day, but we did not walk through it until a few months later.
In January we were made aware from an e-mail that the organization needed volunteers to help out with their Aid Station during the Houston Marathon. We decided to help out and it was an AMAZING feeling to help those athletes stay refueled and hydrated with 9 miles still to go until the end. That event was just the first that we would do with this amazing organization. Since we have become involved with Team Red, White, & Blue I feel like what I do impacts more than just a small group because we interact with Veterans and our community at large. Since becoming involved in January I have learned that I am capable of doing SO MUCH more than I could have EVER imagined.
Next year I will not be on the sideline volunteering I will actually be RUNNING the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. The thing is that a year ago I NEVER could have imagined that it was possible to do something like that, but SO MANY athletes that I have seen at the events I have volunteered at have inspired me to reach for new goals. It is AMAZING to discover that it is possible to run and to actually feel good running. Discovering that there is SO MUCH more in me than I EVER could have imagine has helped to boost my self-confidence and to set goals of things I had never imagined before.
Team RWB has a mission of Enriching the Lives of Veterans, but in my case being a part of them has enriched my life as well in just a few short 6 months. See you at the Finish Line of the Half Marathon and I will have my flag right there with me while wearing my Eagle with PRIDE!!!! God has truly blessed me with Team RWB this year.

What is Team RWB?

Our mission is to enrich the lives of veterans by connecting them to their community through social and physical activity. So what we do is “connect veterans to their community” and how we do it is “through social and physical activity”. And I can tell you that we are the best organization to help veterans make the transition from military to civilian life, bar-none. There is no other organization that allows for everyone- civilians, veterans- literally anyone- to have an immediate impact in the lives of veterans WITHIN their community- it’s better than wearing a yellow ribbon, better than a “thank you” and better than cutting a check. Why “social and physical activities”? Remember- we want to “enrich the lives of veterans”, right? So one of the key findings of positive psychology is that true happiness and life satisfaction comes from relationships. So when we formed Team RWB we kept asking- “how can we create relationships?” Especially for veterans in their communities- a large percentage of whom do not return home when exiting the military. Then, of course the physical benefits of keeping fit are well documented- but it’s really important for veterans because while there are many different ways to treat the invisible wounds of war there is no answer, no one-size-fits-all template. Except physical fitness. In fact, studies show that exercise can be as effective as pills and counseling. And what’s even better is that when you conduct exercise in groups there is a multiplier effect to that effectiveness. So what we found is that if we can create relationships and if we can create group fitness programs then veterans’ lives will be greatly improved. So that’s what we do- we create consistent, local social and fitness programs all over the country to properly connect veterans to their community in a way that promotes building and forming natural relationships (networks). The results are pretty incredible, my life is a testament to that fact. Check out our website for more info and some success stories. www.teamRWB.org ~Written By: Chris Widell, Director of Team RWB Houston Chapter

Rejuvenation for getting healthy

Over time I have had my good moments and bad moments while on my journey to healthy. I have had so many moments where I felt like I could just keep moving and nothing could stop me, but then I would have no energy and all I wanted to do was just give up. I am still amazed thay I could go 6 miles without giving up, yet lately I some how had lost my drive to get moving. The best thing that EVER could have happened for me was being introduced to Team RWB.
The chance to become a part of an organization who is about fitness and social interaction for Veterans and the communities that they live in. Since I found out about the organization I have volunteered with them at events, but soon my interaction with them would take me to a whole new level of finding out more about me.
This week for the first time a group of Team RWB women here where I live have committed to getting together twice a week in order to support each other and further our fitness capabilities. It was an amazing feeling for someone else to be right beside me and encourage me to not give up even if I didn't have the fastest pace in the world. Another great feeling for me was as my running partner stayed with me and our other two running mates came back because "you never leave a friend behind".
I never knew that an organization for veterans and our service members could in the end be the tool that I needed too. My new found love for putting my feet to the pavement will be just what I have needed to stay on my path to getting healthy. I cannot wait for the day when I can finally get out there moving and not be out of breath less than a minute into it. Team RWB is the blessing and avenue that I have needed for a long time to FINALLY get to the point that I can keep going and not give up. This time I have just gotten started and I WILL NOT QUIT!

New Challenge

As most know who have seen me throughout my journey I have moments where I do really good and then lose focus. The only reason I continue to lose focus is because I no longer have something to reach for, to achieve as a short term goal that will hold me accountable. SO I have decided to take on the Mamavation Virtual 5K on March 9th. The great thing about this 5K is that ANY ONE can participate no matter if you can run or just walk it, the goal is to Complete it. I am starting my countdown which as of right now is T-10 days and that means I need to get my act in gear if I want to complete it all without giving up. I would love to have my friends join me just to be able to say "I completed a 5K!"

Mamavation Virtual 5K

In order to be able to complete it I am committing to go for a jog every other day, but to take my dogs for a walk every night just to keep my body moving without being constantly hard on it. I am sticking to my #NoExcuses which means I CANNOT back down on this one. Will you join me and help hold me accountable? Want to learn more about the Mamavation Virtual 5K? Visit http://www.mamavation.com/2013/02/mamavation-virtual-5k-march-9th.html and I hope to see you there :)

New Motivation for my Journey

Lately I have really struggled with staying on track for my workouts, eating healthy and remaining accountable to my health goals. You would think after getting rid of 40 lbs already and starting to feel better about myself I would have a reason to keep going, but instead of gaining confidence I started to lose what I already had. That was though until I met Dolvett from Biggest Loser and EVERYTHING changed for me. His kindness and willingness to talk to me for a few minutes was the boost I needed to know that I am still at the beginning, so that I don't get discouraged.
Who would have thought that someone who is SO well known would take a few minutes to give me advice and treat me like just another person. After living SO long at over 300 pounds I still have moments where I cannot believe that I am REALLY doing this and there is actually a noticeable difference in the weight that I have lost.

The picture on the left was taken Summer 2011 when I was weighing in at my highest of 332 pounds. Well the GREAT thing is that the picture on the right was taken January 2013 after already getting rid of 40 pounds FOREVER!!!!!! To actually look at both of these pictures now is motivation, but also it makes me cry to really see just how much I had let myself go. My goal now is to get healthy, fit and reconditioned to be a firefighter again some day. If I can do this after all that I have been through then you can do it to, just don't give up and keep going!