Blog part 2, continued....

As I am laying here wide awake because admittedly I forgot to set my alarm for my pain mess and am just waking up pretty sore (thankful only an hour past due), I can't help but call out two more very special people in my life that I KNOW I wouldn't be here today, without.

Christy and Faith. Funny story about us Christians. We tend to not see outside the blinders we put on. I've known Christy for about three-ish years and Faith maybe about the same. I knew Christy simply because of whom she is .... The youth pastor's wife (sorry, Christy, you're SO much more than that). She hung around with some of my then friends somewhat. BUT we didn't really get to know each other until just before last summer 2014 when we started challenging each other to do T25 with Shaun T. Let me tell you, this girl takes dedication and clean eating to a whole new level! Anyway, we sailed through most of Alpha phase and word managed to make it out that we were doing this workouts four to five times a week. We were doing them at Christy's house, in her living room. I'm pretty sure her hubby, TJ, thought we were crazy....if you saw some of the moves Shaun makes you do, holy cow. You might've thought you were nuts too! At any rate, we began using the program as a training gateway for the Muddarella Race in September. Through this training I met several other great girls, one if which is Faith Akers. Now Faith. Faith is a sweet soul from the heart of Tennessee. She had just moved here not too long before that because

Of her hubby's naval career. Let's face it. They girl can throw out a burpee like I have never seen. In fact in Speed 3.0, the third and final level of T25 for now, there is 150+ variations of burpees and I think Faith did them ALL or most of them. Because I was trying to have the skin surgery last fall, I opted out of the race. Nonetheless, Faith, Christy, myself and a couple others finished t25. 

L-R: Nikki, myself, Christy, Katie. faith 

After that it seemed everyone (but me) was but by the running bug. I wanted to be but the uncomfortabilitynof the  the weighty Extra skin couples with the then self consciousness I felt about the skin really hindered me. 

Extra skin smacking around in the breeze didn't make me want to join the run big. At least not that they knew of. Nonetheless, they agreed to sign up to the Susan G. Koen breast cancer run/walk for life. 

Since then, they've run the wicked 10k, shamrock half and Christy and a work friend are training doe the Marine Cirp Marathon later this year. I am so proud of her and her inspiration.  I am

Confident Faith would've been doing the same had she not blown a knee out. 

After T25 they did PiYo which wasn't my cup of tea. I work better with women yelling at me saying "this is my gym and you're gonna work" vs "please/thank you" Christy finalized PiYo and then INew started insanity Max :30

And if I thought T25 was rough, I'd seen nothing yet. 

Anyway all This to say, I can't wait to see what comes up in the future. shaus new program, 'Cize, anyone?

Happy 2 Year Birthday!

I didn't celebrate with cake. I celebrated with a half a protein shake and a sip of Coke Zero (literally, a sip). I would be remiss to not mention that today marks two years into my adventure of the fitness world. 

I can't possibly mention everyone's names that helped me get this far. Your love, support, encouragement, discipline when I needed it has all been there for me through thick and thin. Please don't be offended if I haven't mentioned you specifically. You know what each and every one of you has done for me along this journey. 

First of all, I have to give a huge shoutout to Cynthia. If Cynthia hadn't reached out and encouraged me to come work out with her and Nicole, I would be dead. I was on a fast path to nowhere. My first recorded start weight was 460 pounds but let me tell you, that's only because I was forced to weigh when I hired a trainer. Before then, I would venture that I was rapidly approaching 500 pounds. Remember our adventures up Jockey's Ridge, the Wright Bros. Memorial and more! I can't wait for more adventures with you!

Then, Danny came into my life and promised he would never let me fail. And he stuck by that. Even though we had our spats (mostly because he was right but I wasn't about to admit it) this man will always hold a special solace in my heart, because he reached a spot that no one else could. I remember the day I said I would meet him but not at the gym and he said fine. We will go to Starbucks. Dang him. That's the beginning of the never let you fail attitude I mentioned. 

Throughout the past two years, there have been many members that I've looked up to and aspired to be like. There have been many that have inspired me and didn't even know it (Paul, Landon, Leigh) then there are the gals that were always willing to go above and beyond...remember that deck of cards, Janice, Cindy, Christy, and Leigh? I still

Have that deck. 

Thank you to each of you .... Amish, Frugard, Elmo and Ally that encouraged me to Not give up. Even when the quitting was so close one of you guys mentioned and reminded me what all

This was for. This is for life. 

So, happy birthday to my new life. I couldn't have done it without you. 

Never going back here again.....NEVER!