Hey guys! It’s been a long time. Too long. I’ve been busy, but not really. (If that makes any sense at all.) I’ve been busy in the respect that while I’ve been away, I had a couple ankle surgeries and a knee surgery. The first ankle surgery was September 30, 2015. Whew. Was that something else. I ended up needing another surgery and that happened June 10, 2016. That was probably even more frustrating than the first time around because I had to be off of it for so much longer and actually – I am just now wearing shoes on that foot. To say it’s been a setback is probably an understatement. Setback in the way of working out and eating right. It starts with not wanting to be a burden to the people who are helping you out. Then that spirals to continue eating like shit even when you no longer require said help. Depression, from gaining weight back to the issues with my ankle, led to not doing anything. I was so embarrassed, ashamed, what have you about going in the complete opposite direction before surgery. I haven’t been able to workout because for the better part of a year and a half, I’ve been out of commission and wearing a boot and/or riding on a knee scooter. (I do NOT miss wrangling that thing around.) I am back to the beginning of when I first met my trainer in October 2013 or was it ’14? Either year, I have gained back the 100 pounds plus I lost and I’m just miserable. Honestly I cannot believe it’s happened, but happened it has and today is my first honest day of doing something about it. I have been wanting to get back to the gym but the one I was at back when is no longer there. I sorely miss that place. Like a lot. My trainer/friends moved away and that affected me more than I originally realized. They became very vital threads in the fabric of my life. (is that a commercial?) We still talk from time to time, so that’s great. My brother made me realize last night how much of me has been missing and I vowed to change that. He, my mom, and I wagered a bet to lose 50 pounds by the end of May 2017. $250 buy in, winner takes all. Once I win that bet, hahaha, we will continue and see who loses the most weight and/or maintains said weight loss until May 2018. Winner of that bet wins $3,000. Thanks mom and brother. I’ll prefer my winnings in cash. 🙂

So…in all transparency – I am weighing in at 491. At least as far as when I had knee surgery last month. By the end of May I need to weigh 441. I know I can do it. I’ve done it before. I need to keep this in mind so there’s no more going back to the beginning.