![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.110pounds.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/IMG_0005.jpg\" "\\"IMG_0005\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe’re passed the stressful, go-go-go of the holiday season. We’ve come through the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year’s Eve-eating-orgy probably with a few extra pounds and most\u00a0definitely<\/em>\u00a0in need of a Christmas cookie detox!<\/p>\n If you’ve stumbled onto this blog for the first time, welcome! You’ve come to the right place. I write about a lot of different things here, one thing being how to balance healthy living, exercise and eating good food. I used to weigh over 250 pounds. I was unhappy and unhealthy<\/a> for a very long time. Losing over 100 pounds<\/a> was the best gift I could have ever given to myself. I turned my life around and improved my health–I was no longer developing diabetes, I no longer had high blood pressure.<\/p>\n My message to you: don’t get overwhelmed with the idea of trying to lose weight and get into shape. It’s a scary\u00a0endeavor\u00a0but it doesn’t have to be. The idea of losing 100 pounds seemed too magnificent for me. So I decided to lose 50. Taking a big project and breaking it down into smaller, achievable goals worked for me.<\/p>\n It took me a little over a year and a half but I lost 110 pounds and I became a runner. I ran a 5k, an 8k and then took the leap and raced in the 2010 Hood to Coast Relay Race<\/a>! My feats didn’t stop there. I biked 55 miles in Reach the Beach<\/a> and 72 miles in the Portland Century<\/a>. Doing things that challenge my body, my stamina and my mind make me happy.<\/p>\n I’ve kept the 100 pounds off for over three and a half years now. Fitness is a big part of my life but I love it and try to make it fun<\/a>. That’s the key to staying on track! I hope that my little stories here can inspire some of you to make changes that you’ve always wanted to make but weren’t sure where to start.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n