Health and Weight-Loss a Story of my Personal Challenge

 Advice tip for weight loss and lifestyle change: Tell Someone! 

I'm telling you all!

My goal is to bring half of me to next  years events! 

To keep myself motivated  and empowered I'm using  my favorite tools ( no, not a pitchfork - although that helps [see more later]) THE INTERNET, technology and inspiration my tools of choice.

2012 is the year of ME! Not in a selfish manner, well maybe a little. The year of me is the year I take back control of my health and fitness and seek to find the old athlete hidden inside.

                                                                        The Story

The pudgy cheeked infant becomes the round faced little girl, beaming with health.

The move at age 5 to rural Coventry, CT. gave me an outdoor country lifestyle that was very healthy.

In this photo ( approx age 9) I'm riding my pal Sparkey who as you can see,I was outgrowing. Another pony, Pongo came  my way, he was bigger, then at age 16 my Morgan Horse Cindy came into my life.

Keeping equines, kept me fit! Especially since the barn  was at the top of a hill! This is where pitchfork fitness begins, cleaning stalls is a good workout!

The years rolled by, equines are constant in my life but raising family, working, and cooking for an active farm family kept me inside more. I put everyones needs in front of mine willingly. The weight crept on and the drive to maintain the athleticism of youth waned.  The strength and  fitness of my high school and college years was a distant memory.

So here I am in this unhappy place, overweight, injury bound, restricted from things I love.

In 2011 the loss of my parents and the long arduous journey they took  with ill health was a bold reality check. I do not want to travel that path! The reality of how difficult it is to play on the floor with my Grandchildren was the second motivational factor. The third factor; I'm really excited about the career as storyteller I'm building for myself, my outlook is very positive.

The Gift

My daughter Katie and her husband Andrew gave me a Christmas gift membership to the Mansfield Community Center -they have a wonderful pool and therapy pool.  http://bit.ly/wFbvy6  The day after Christmas I began. 4 lengths of the 25 yard pool in 30 minutes, ugh, I'm whipped and mad!  I realize mad is good, it has power when channeled. I am mad at  me for getting to this point.

 DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Swim, push, swim more, come back tomorrow, come on the cold nights after a 12 hour workday.

January 19,2012   40 lengths in 30 minutes -YES! Down 12 pounds!!  YES!

New Tools

My new phone  Droid Charge 4G by Samsung via  Verizon is another great tool! Paired with   www.myfitnesspal.com  as an app I can record all my food and exercise. I love the bar code reader for finding calorie count on foods!

Good Choices

 Hunkered down to spend a snowy day catching up on  all this work by my computer, I choose the  healthy  snack.
                                                                        Inspirations!
                                                                    Read all about it!

                                                 Today on yahoo a very inspirational cover story via Women's Day! Kimberly Truesdell age 30 of Fort Wayne Indiana is the weight loss story that inspired this post with her blog. www.healthystrides.blogspot.com  her weight loss journey has gone public in a big way and she is my inspiration today! Way to go  Kimberly!!! Thanks!!!!

         I will occasionally update you on my journey to health and fitness right here in my blog. Daily  posts on my twitter page  @carolynstearns. Telling you all means I can't quit! Being here to enjoy my family and career means I can't quit!  When the snow lets up a bit I'll be off to the pool.

Associated post:
www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/09/journey-of-thousand-goodbyes.html