So....I really debated this. For weeks, really. What is it about weight loss that makes people shy about sharing their story while it's in progress? No one has a problem sharing it once the weight has been shed. They crow about it! They are so proud! (And rightly so!)

But there is something about the vulnerability of sharing a weight loss journey that is "in progress." "What if I fail?" you might wonder. "What if I go off track?" Well, I think people need to know if/when you go off track. (You never fail unless you quit. You can always get on the right path again.) It shows you're human, and that stumbling is okay.

My passion is for helping people share stories, so NOT sharing my weight loss journey would be against everything I stand for. The difference is, of course, that I usually help people share stories that have some sort of closure already, so sharing a story that's "in progress" feels a bit...odd.

I've lost a lot of weight before, a few years ago, but then so much happened: divorce, moving 1000 miles away, new job, new everything (expect the kiddos -- I kept those and didn't add new ones!). With the new job came money to eat out (a luxury I didn't have for a long time before), so....yeah, the 60 pounds I lost became about 75 pounds put back on.

So what brought this new desire to begin my weight loss journey again? Well, a few things:

• We went on a vacation, and walking has become increasingly difficult for me. This was painfully obvious when we were sightseeing.
• I dropped 6 pounds while on vacation because we weren't eating out as much. (Ironic, I know.) This made me realize how I could make some small changes and see significant success.
  
• We're saving up to buy a house, so eating out is not nearly as important to us as buying a house.
  

What I've done so far:

• Cut waaaaaay back on eating out
• Trying to walk for 15 minutes a day
  

I know this is going to be a long journey.
​I am giving myself 2 years, but I hope it won't take so long.

If you'd like to get updates on my progress, please sign up below! I'll pass along additional stuff that's not on the blog, as well. (Tips, insights that I'd rather not be on the blog, recipes, etc.)

I held a workshop yesterday at the UUCiA - "Activism for Introverts: 9 Ways that Anyone Can Change the World" - and it was uplifting and encouraging to see so many people who want to make the world a better place.

​This talk is taken from my upcoming book with the same title.

If you would like information about speaking to your group, please click here to contact me.