Through Thick And Thin

According to my old Officer Evaluation Reports, between nineteen eighty-eight and two thousand and three, my lowest weight was 130, my highest 139.  Ouch!  I weighed, on average, about 134lbs during my officer years and, that doesn't even include my enlisted years on the "fat boy" Army weight control program.  I went from 118 after Basic Training to well...I know I got up to 140-142lbs at one point.  German food is good.  
To some, 134lbs may not seem like much but, that's a lot for my petite 5'4" frame.  I mean, we were doing physical fitness nearly every day and still, it seemed I couldn't lose weight and I was always getting injured.  But, that was then.  Now, I do smarter fitness (fitness designed for me) and I eat smarter too (healthy eating designed for me).    
I look at this photo, taken early in our marriage back in the mid nineteen-nineties  and, I wonder how he could be smiling with all that weight on his lap.  But what can I say?  He loves me through thick and thin.  Sure, he teases me on occasion about how bony my butt is now that I average 118lbs but, I know he is proud of me and what I have accomplished this year.  After all, mama has guns now and some pretty nice abs developing as well (granted, the ladies are a touch smaller).  
As of today, I have walked 1488 miles this year.  Simple changes in diet, exercise, and attitude have made losing weight and living more healthy easier than I ever thought it could be.  In making better choices, I can do so much more now.  I know I wasn't huge back then but, I was curvier than I wanted to be.  I have to be honest.  I wasn't happy with who I was.  I wanted more.  I wanted to be all I could be.
So here it is, nearly two thousand and twelve.  It is nearly time to start making those New Year's resolutions.  Last year, I set my goal at walking one thousand miles in two thousand eleven.  I never thought I would walk during vacations but I did.  I actually planned that I would suffer through several injuries along the way, injuries that would deter my walking schedule.  I thought it was reasonable.  After all, I am still pretty broken.  But, as it turned out, most of my doctor's visits this year were for refilling vitamins.
I surprised myself.  And, in the end, I found myself walking nearly every day, not to mention adding push ups, sit ups, weight repetitions, and butt lifts to my regular routine.  
When I look back, I cannot believe I have walked as far as I have.  I am a stronger and more confident woman now.  Mirrors?  Scales?  The Juniors section?  They don't frighten me anymore (Now sharks, crocodiles, and alligators are an entirely different subject..please don't go there).  My chronic migraines are a thing of the past.  When my back and knees fail me, I recovery in hours, not days.  Sure, I haven't ended all the pain but, with a little focus and determination, I now know how to get around pain (pain is just a pothole).  When all else fails, go back to the beginning...try slow methodical yoga stretches and heated massage.      
This year, I have discovered I like foods I would never have tried before.  I have stopped relying on food for comfort.  I now eat to fuel my body, to add years to my life rather than delete them.
I read more than I ever did before.  And even now, there is still so much to learn (like new healthy recipes).
I am always open to new ideas and healthier options.       
I've come a long way this year and, as I complete these final miles, it is my hope that I have in some way touched the lives of others, inspired them to take that extra step towards better health.
Remember...You are never too old or too broken to begin your own journey.
You deserve to live a full and healthy life.  Stop telling yourself what you can't do and focus instead on what you can do.  Then, face whatever is telling you "no" and simply say "yes".  Say yes to better health.
Make it happen.  Life is short.  Moments are to be cherished, and everything my friend...every mile...every moment...everything counts.