The 9 month weigh in

This week marks the end of my 9th month getting in shape plan. I started this journey on my 35th birthday. My mission was to loose 15 pounds and not feel like crap all the time. The medical issues were starting to pile up and I wanted to regain control of my body.

I hired a trainer who taught me the basics of running and weight lifting. Dan was great at giving me exercises that I could do. Because so many trainers give you tips on things you can't do and you never return to the gym after your sessions are done. I continued for 2 months on my own and lost my 15 pounds by September.

Then I hired another trainer. I asked Romeo to teach me what I could do to build muscle now that the 15 pounds was gone. Romeo trained me on a variety of techniques and made me less afraid of free weights and running. He listened to me complain and still pushed me because he knew I was just complaining at myself and really I just wanted to push further. Well...until the day that he thought I was merely "saying" that I couldn't possibly do another push up because my arms were like jello. He challenged me to do more and I did...until I collapsed on my face. LOL!

By December I had lost another 5 pounds but more than that I had gained endurance and muscles that I had never had EVER!

Since December I've been running 13 miles a week. I started running 5K's once a week, then I added a 5 mile run to the 5K, this morning I completed my first ever 10K (1:10:10). I work on power lifting (drop sets and super sets), I do split routines and toning and I'm now pushing myself to run 15 miles a week.

I have lost 23 pounds and am hoping to celebrate my 36th birthday by running an official 10K through Temecula Wine Country. Because a great end to a birthday run is definitely a fine glass of Southern California Wine.