#MotivationMonday: Succeeding After Struggling

For those that don't know, I have lost 80 pounds (60+ with Weight Watchers).

I hit goal with WW in January 2012 and successfully kept the weight off for about 2 years.

Until...

(Left pic) In June 2014 I faced the scale after a bad winter/Spring and saw 178.6! I had hidden away from the scale and lied to myself about the weight gain. But at that moment I reclaimed my mojo and got back to basics. So while I trained for my first Half Ironman I lost weight. I tracked, attended my weekly Weight Watchers mtg, focused on portions and fueling my body.

(Right pic) January 2015 and back at goal (155). I'm in a much better space mentally and still tracking, watching portions and refueling my body while I train for the Boston Marathon.

Many said they didn't notice my 23 pound weight gain, but I did. I felt it as I trained and completed two marathons in a week in April 2014. I felt it as my tracker sat empty. I felt like a fraud to my WW members. I felt it in my soul.

While I never wanted to have a gain of that magnitude after hitting goal, I'm glad I did as it made me a stronger and more resolved in my journey to maintain my weight loss.

Now I can say I am back to being a person who shed 80-pounds.

Can I say with 100% certainty that this won't happen again? No! But I am in a better place to recognize the warning signs of struggle, depression and general BLAH feelings that lead me to emotionally eat.

So if you have had a backslide, you are not alone. Start with one small change to help right the ship.