My Weight Loss Journey

My journey started about 5 years ago. I had my 4th child about a year before. I was exhausted.....She never slept, and I had a home and 3 other kids to take care of as a stay at home mom. I had read somewhere that exercise gives you energy. I was desperate for anything. I thought "I can give up 15 minutes to give it at try. If it doesn't work all I lost was 15 minutes". I bought a Leslie Sansone "walk at home" DVD. It was actually kind of fun. I continued that for a month or so, never trying to lose weight.....just get energy. It seemed to work. One day, my husband hugged me (he hugs me all the time, but this one would have important significance). He said "wow, I can wrap more of my arms around you." I didn't even know what he meant. He explained and I went running to the closet in search of something that I knew was too small for me. A dress I had bought the largest size of without trying it on at the store. It buttoned up the front, and there hadn't been any hope of closing those buttons. I was too ashamed to take it back to the store with a "I thought I could dream and make a XXXL fit me". When I put the dress on that day....it buttoned. Granted, the buttons were crying for mercy-but IT BUTTONED!!!  I hadn't thought there was any hope of being thin again. I had given birth FOUR times. I had pushed that belly farther than I thought possible to get back. I started researching weight loss.  I started looking at weight loss books at the library. I started exercising more and trying to make better food choices. It was so exhilarating to need to buy new clothes (I didn't need an excuse, but how awesome is it?) because my clothes were TOO BIG. I had more energy, felt beautiful, and was happy. I thought that I was to be resigned to a frumpy mom of four for the rest of my life. It doesn't have to be that way. I fell in love with all things fitness and health related and realized that my dream was to be a personal trainer and help others with the journey that I had struggled with. If I can lose weight and be healthy on a limited budget and family, anyone can. I'd love to hear from you and hear your story!