First I would like to introduce myself. My name is Ali, I'm 25 years old from Davenport, IA. I was born and raised in Davenport, and I honestly couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I am a wife and a mother of 2. My life has been great and even though there were a bumps in the road to my life I wished I hadn't taken, I firmly believe that it was part of God's plan and it has taken me to where I am today. Growing up my sister and I were raised by the most loving and caring parents in the world. When we hurt, they hurt, when we are happy they are happy, and there isn't anything they wouldn't do for us. I had a happy childhood, almost storybook perfect.
I became pregnant with my first child and moved into my own apartment for the very first time. I ate crap, and I mean crap. Junk food snacks you name it. For the first time in my life I had control over what I ate. I got bigger. I had my son, Gavin in September of 2007, let me tell you. I love my son with every inch of my being, but boy did he do some damage to this mama's body. I was not happy with my weight when I got married in 2009, I still look at those pictures and see a complete stranger. I was always a chubby cheeked little kid, and finally thinned out in highschool. The strangest thing is I remember thinking I was fat. I look back now and laugh at my ignorance for thinking that way. For 5 years I continued to pack on the pounds, eating what I wanted and remaining sedentary.
In December 2012 I gave birth to my second child, Kynlee, and thats when it all changed. I had been a smoker since I was 16 years old, and decided to kick the habit, and I did. I haven't had a cigarette since May of 2012. I do however use an electronic cigarette, which I believe played a huge role in my smoking cessation. I am looking to get rid of that as well by lowering the nicotine levels until I am just vaping flavors and then hopefully not needing it either. After successfully quitting, I decided if I can quit smoking surely I can lose this weight. At my heaviest I was 230lbs. Eek! I began trying to use my treadmill and just couldn't stick with it. I HATE TREADMILLS! Christmas 2013 is when my life literally changed and I am so grateful to my mother for the gift she gave me. For months I kept going on and on how I wanted to get Focus T25, how it was "an hour results for only 25 minutes a day, mom can you believe it!" I literally feel like I said this like every other day to her and to others around me. So for Christmas, to my excitement, I recieved Focus T25! I jumped up and down and couldn't wait to start it the following Monday. I popped that sucker in the DVD player on that Monday, and the rest is history.
I followed the diet plan. I worked my butt off. Slowly but surely, the pounds came off. I missed days, I ate bad sometimes, but I always got myself back up on the wagon and pushed myself harder. Today I finished the program, and lost 11 pounds in 10 weeks. In the last two weeks of the program, I lost 6 lbs, thats 3lbs a week people.
We are going to call this before and during. Although I finished the program my journey is not complete. I plan on doing a 2nd round of Focus T25, and maybe a 3rd and a 4th, or until I need to change it up. What I do know, is that I am mentally and physically ready to change my body and my life. I plan to talk about my day to day life. My struggles with fitness, my success with fitness, my eating, my kids, my husband, just my life in general. I am doing it for me. To keep myself accountable and to be able too go back and see where it all began. Enjoy!
-Ali
