I joined SparkPeople 02/16/2008. This community has been a huge part of my life for the last 13.5 years. I've made some of the best friends imaginable through this site. So finding out 2 months ago that the site was closing was devastating. SparkPeople closes the doors for good on August 17, 2021. In these past years, I've got a log-on rate of 82% - which means I've logged on for the equivalent of 11 years. Not a bad record.
In 2008, my mom and I lost 170 pounds between us, by eating better, moving more, and NOT doing anything drastic. Whatever happened that year, everything just worked for us both. I look back now and feel like it was magic. Because it sure hasn't been as easy in the years since then.
Christmas 2008
But there's no "give up" in me. Despite all that's happened, my dream to get healthy again is alive and well. And moving to MyFitnessPal! I've had an inactive account there for years, so I'm NewStart127 over on that site, too. Never was a fan of MFP, but they are at least not leaving their members in the lurch, so I'm going to do my best to make a new home there and thrive.
It's been super emotional for me, going through old blogs, my friend list, my teams, my saved articles, recipes, and messages. SO MUCH HISTORY. I wish this change wasn't happening, but I can't wish it away. It's coming, it's almost here, and I can't stop it. So I am trying hard to embrace the change and what the future holds... who knows, maybe moving platforms will be the magic I need to get going again.
I am going to leave off here with the last bits of my history from my profile.
SparkPeople, I'm going to miss you. It was a hell of a ride.
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Welcome to my SparkPage. I moved my original introduction to a blog, so that my story would be saved. Now I have a clean slate to start the next part of my journey. I hope you enjoy reading my story and that you always remember that YOU CAN DO IT no matter how impossible it may sometimes seem.
Spread the Spark and BELIEVE in yourself.
01/13/13 - In 2008 and 2009, I was on a roll... I lost half my body weight, was active and feeling good (see blog posted 1/13/13) - and then it was 2010 and I hurt my back, my yellow lab, Cameron, died suddenly at age 8, I hurt my knee, I lost my mojo, started struggling. Then it was 2011, my knee still hurt and my gallbladder blew up and I was 40 pounds heavier... my mojo was still missing, I kept gaining weight and losing my confidence and self-worth. Then it was 2012 and I decided I was going to do a triathlon. That was a great experience (see blog posted 09/09/12) and I started to get my mojo back. After the triathlon, I joined a relay team and did 5.7 miles in the California International Marathon relay in December. Fast forward to the New Year and I was "lucky number 13" in the New Year's Dualathlon, which I did with my friend Ralene on two official days of training, because we were determined to set our intention for the New Year - ACTIVE and a little CRAZY. It's a good mix, right? 2013 is the year I WILL get back on track with my weight loss and will rediscover my self-worth. Onederland, here I come again!
09/01/14 - 2013 was a year of biking, swimming, walking, running, strength training... and continued weight gain. Despite best efforts and hours of activities logged, my metabolism still didn't cooperate. But that didn't mean I didn't keep going... another triathlon, 5ks, 32 miles in a Fondo bike event, 5.9 miles at a record pace for that distance in CIM... but it was very frustrating. And if I thought 2013 was frustrating, I had no idea what 2014 had in store for me... I hurt my knee the day after I signed up for my first 10k. Then I irritated my shoulder. Went to PT and was getting better when I had an allergic reaction to antibiotics - one that left me with neuropathy in my head. And in all the follow-ups from that, we found a node on my thyroid that's requiring some additional testing. And while all of that is going on, I have somehow refound the desire to move forward, despite all these medical challenges. So that's where all this starts again. Pulling up my bootstraps, putting on my big girl panties, and finding all the determination I once had.
01/04/15 - 2014 was a year of survival... visits to 4 different "ologists", 4 allergic reactions, nearly dying, living in constant fear... it was overwhelming, and I couldn't wait to turn the page to 2015. Ready to find all the ways I can to MOVE FORWARD and THRIVE. 2015 is my year to return to SparkPeople and be part of this amazing community in a bigger way than I have been in years. And 2015 is my year to return to living life, not just barely getting by. I've picked THRIVE as my word to live by... I still have many challenges ahead of me, but I can still find ways to live a rich and full life. Happy New Year to my Spark Family!
11/01/15 - 2015 has not been without its challenges... most recently, bad anxiety, mostly brought on by severe work stress. Anxiety this bad has been eye opening in so many ways... and I'm so grateful for the people who stuck by me, even as I did my best to shut myself off from the world. I have gotten up today filled with peace and promise. Maybe it's the rain falling outside, the extra hour of sleep, the turning of another calendar page... but it seems like getting back to my "old self, but better" is possible.
9/18/16 - I am loving the promise of Fall and a cooler season... I am still struggling with anxiety, but most of my health issues have started to settle down, and I'm finally starting to feel more like me again. However, the "me" I really want to be, is the me about 6 years ago - and I have a lot of work ahead of me to get back to that level of fitness and health.
04/02/17 - 2017 has been off to a rocky start. But with the help of sunshine and a new therapist, I'm finding "my old self" buried behind the fear, anxiety, and depression that I've been struggling with for a long while now. I've started to MOVE again, and with movement, comes a sense of strength and power that has been lacking. Now, to keep it up and embracing change that is GOOD for my physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
01/01/20 - I have been through so many changes in the past couple of years, so it's odd to feel so "stuck in place." But weight-wise, that's exactly the case. I can't seem to get myself moving and grooving, and the last six months have seen me get in hardly any formal exercise. In December, I started putting things in place that would allow me to change that in 2020, and so far, so good! I have BIG DREAMS, LOFTY GOALS, and PLANS to really TRANSFORM ME on all levels this year. Time to let 2020 take flight!
Welcome to my SparkPage. I moved my original introduction to a blog, so that my story would be saved. Now I have a clean slate to start the next part of my journey. I hope you enjoy reading my story and that you always remember that YOU CAN DO IT no matter how impossible it may sometimes seem.
Spread the Spark and BELIEVE in yourself.
01/13/13 - In 2008 and 2009, I was on a roll... I lost half my body weight, was active and feeling good (see blog posted 1/13/13) - and then it was 2010 and I hurt my back, my yellow lab, Cameron, died suddenly at age 8, I hurt my knee, I lost my mojo, started struggling. Then it was 2011, my knee still hurt and my gallbladder blew up and I was 40 pounds heavier... my mojo was still missing, I kept gaining weight and losing my confidence and self-worth. Then it was 2012 and I decided I was going to do a triathlon. That was a great experience (see blog posted 09/09/12) and I started to get my mojo back. After the triathlon, I joined a relay team and did 5.7 miles in the California International Marathon relay in December. Fast forward to the New Year and I was "lucky number 13" in the New Year's Dualathlon, which I did with my friend Ralene on two official days of training, because we were determined to set our intention for the New Year - ACTIVE and a little CRAZY. It's a good mix, right? 2013 is the year I WILL get back on track with my weight loss and will rediscover my self-worth. Onederland, here I come again!
09/01/14 - 2013 was a year of biking, swimming, walking, running, strength training... and continued weight gain. Despite best efforts and hours of activities logged, my metabolism still didn't cooperate. But that didn't mean I didn't keep going... another triathlon, 5ks, 32 miles in a Fondo bike event, 5.9 miles at a record pace for that distance in CIM... but it was very frustrating. And if I thought 2013 was frustrating, I had no idea what 2014 had in store for me... I hurt my knee the day after I signed up for my first 10k. Then I irritated my shoulder. Went to PT and was getting better when I had an allergic reaction to antibiotics - one that left me with neuropathy in my head. And in all the follow-ups from that, we found a node on my thyroid that's requiring some additional testing. And while all of that is going on, I have somehow refound the desire to move forward, despite all these medical challenges. So that's where all this starts again. Pulling up my bootstraps, putting on my big girl panties, and finding all the determination I once had.
01/04/15 - 2014 was a year of survival... visits to 4 different "ologists", 4 allergic reactions, nearly dying, living in constant fear... it was overwhelming, and I couldn't wait to turn the page to 2015. Ready to find all the ways I can to MOVE FORWARD and THRIVE. 2015 is my year to return to SparkPeople and be part of this amazing community in a bigger way than I have been in years. And 2015 is my year to return to living life, not just barely getting by. I've picked THRIVE as my word to live by... I still have many challenges ahead of me, but I can still find ways to live a rich and full life. Happy New Year to my Spark Family!
11/01/15 - 2015 has not been without its challenges... most recently, bad anxiety, mostly brought on by severe work stress. Anxiety this bad has been eye opening in so many ways... and I'm so grateful for the people who stuck by me, even as I did my best to shut myself off from the world. I have gotten up today filled with peace and promise. Maybe it's the rain falling outside, the extra hour of sleep, the turning of another calendar page... but it seems like getting back to my "old self, but better" is possible.
9/18/16 - I am loving the promise of Fall and a cooler season... I am still struggling with anxiety, but most of my health issues have started to settle down, and I'm finally starting to feel more like me again. However, the "me" I really want to be, is the me about 6 years ago - and I have a lot of work ahead of me to get back to that level of fitness and health.
04/02/17 - 2017 has been off to a rocky start. But with the help of sunshine and a new therapist, I'm finding "my old self" buried behind the fear, anxiety, and depression that I've been struggling with for a long while now. I've started to MOVE again, and with movement, comes a sense of strength and power that has been lacking. Now, to keep it up and embracing change that is GOOD for my physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
01/01/20 - I have been through so many changes in the past couple of years, so it's odd to feel so "stuck in place." But weight-wise, that's exactly the case. I can't seem to get myself moving and grooving, and the last six months have seen me get in hardly any formal exercise. In December, I started putting things in place that would allow me to change that in 2020, and so far, so good! I have BIG DREAMS, LOFTY GOALS, and PLANS to really TRANSFORM ME on all levels this year. Time to let 2020 take flight!
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A Toast: To moving forward. To being brave. To making good choices. To finding mindfulness with each breath. To community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things. -Kurt Vonnegut
If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything, is ready, we shall never begin. -Ivan Turgenev
Dream big and then work to make those dreams come true! We're all stronger than we think we are! -Me!
A Toast: To moving forward. To being brave. To making good choices. To finding mindfulness with each breath. To community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things. -Kurt Vonnegut
If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything, is ready, we shall never begin. -Ivan Turgenev
Dream big and then work to make those dreams come true! We're all stronger than we think we are! -Me!
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