Seven Years Ago

As I was looking at my infamous "before" picture taken at the Grand Canyon, I realized that the picture was taken just seven years ago in early March of 2007 (I've attached a picture).

My daughter and I flew to Arizona that March to visit my nephew and spend a few days soaking in some sun and fun.  The flight was fairly miserable for me because I overflowed my airline seat and was crowding my daughter.  I tried to lean into the aisle as much as possible to give her room.  With the seatbelt pulled all the way out, it just barely fastened, but I was relieved that I didn't have to request an extender.  I had to walk side-ways down the aisle of the plane because of my girth, and I pretty much filled up all the space in the plane's restroom.

My size 24W jeans were skin-tight and uncomfortable, but I was desperately trying to avoid having to purchase an even bigger size.  We rented a mid-size SUV in Phoenix and my jeans were so tight I could hardly lift my leg to get in the vehicle, so I hoisted myself up every time.

When we got to the Grand Canyon, we had to climb a pretty steep stone staircase to get to the rim of the canyon.  Between my jeans being skin-tight, being 260 pounds and incredibly sedentary, and the higher altitude, I had to stop a couple of times on the stairs before I could continue.  I was miserable and beyond angry at myself.  I remember thinking that my husband and I wanted to start traveling and realizing that there would be things I wouldn't be able to do and places I wouldn't be able to see because I couldn't stop eating.  I loved seeing the Grand Canyon again, but my enjoyment was definitely dampened because of how miserable I felt.

My daughter and I are both avid amateur photographers and enjoyed taking lots and lots of pictures, so I shouldn't have been surprised when she told me that she wanted to take a picture of me.  I really, REALLY didn't want a picture taken, but realized that I needed to have a record of the fact that I was there, so I agreed.  I remember wryly thinking that since I had the Grand Canyon in the background, there would be something bigger than I in the picture :-).

That day seven years ago at the Grand Canyon was really the beginning of the end of my long struggle with obesity.  I came home determined to get my weight off and reclaim my life.  I spent the next three months trying unsuccessfully to lose weight on my own, and my repeated failure finally culminated in my decision to try Take Shape for Life for a month.  The rest, as they say, is history - and I am SO thankful to God for leading me to this program!

When I think about where I was seven years ago and where I am today, I realize that it all began to change with a single choice.  I had no idea that one single choice would cascade into so many other choices, and that the result of those choices would be a completely different - and wonderful - life.  You never know where your choices will lead . . . choose wisely :-)