ask andi: part II

What got you started on this journey?
What got me started on this journey was when I realized that I weighed more than I did when I was 9 months pregnant with either pregnancy. (!!!) The highest pregnancy weight I reached was 206 pounds (which was hard enough to get used to being in the 200's, regardless of being pregnant). But to be 5 pounds heavier than that NOT being pregnant? That was a tough pill to swallow. I had hit 200 pounds a year or so prior to this point too, but I guess it was actually going above and beyond my pregnancy weight that really lit the spark under me. Enough was enough! I figured if I kept up the way I was, soon I would be one of those 400+ pound people that couldn't even get out of bed in the morning! Something needed to be done.

What was your motivation?
A few things motivated me over my journey. First of all, being accountable to others was a huge help! Starting up that local Biggest Loser competition was the best thing I could've ever done for myself. I can be pretty stubborn & competitive when I want to be. And this came out full force throughout this competition. I was NOT going to be the one to let my team down. And I WAS going to at least be my team's Biggest Loser (which I accomplished), if not overall (and I came close to the overall Biggest Loser too!). Had I decided to do this on my own, I doubt the results would've been as successful.

My family was also a big motivating factor for me. While Les NEVER made me feel unattractive even at my heaviest weight (love him for that!), he did tell me several times that he wanted me to get healthy. He didn't care about the way I looked, but he cared about my health. He would remind me that him and the girls needed me around for a long, long time! So that helped motivate me. Not only because I wanted to be healthy to stick around until I'm old and gray, but because I also wanted to set a good example for my girls. It would be heart-breaking to see them turn into over-weight teenagers and adults as a result of my poor example.

What was the hardest part for you on this journey?
I'm not sure that there was one specific hard part, other than just going through with it day after day after day...after day. I'm telling you, there wasn't a day that I didn't want to just give up. Especially at the beginning when I had SO far to go. It seemed insurmountable. But I tried to tell myself to just take things one step at a time. Not even one day at a time - but one decision at a time.

The formula was simple: Eat less. Exercise more. But deciding to follow through with it each and every day was a constant battle. And I wasn't perfect; I definitely made mistakes from time to time. But when all was said and done, when it was weigh-in day every Friday, I knew that I was proud of myself and I had done my best.

It was even tempting to give up as I got closer to my goal. I would try to tell myself, "You've done good enough. Nobody would blame you if you just decided to stop here. Afterall, 50 pounds is a huge accomplishment." But I made myself push through those times, since I knew my body could do more. I wasn't finished.


But I am finished this segment of 'ask andi' - and there are a couple of more questions left which will be continued...hopefully next week!