My name is Rebecca. I am the mom to 3 amazing, beautiful, annoying, but truly wonderful girls (9, 6.5 and 21 months). I am married to an incredible man who I feel blessed every (okay, almost every ~ KIDDING!) day to wake up beside and fall asleep next to. We've been married for almost 2 years and I feel like I have been with him forever. My mom helps me to raise my daughters and she and my dad have been living near us for the past 4 years. I truly do not know what I would do without her. I sit and wonder that sometimes... and just can't imagine my girls growing up without her. We are very fortunate that my little brother, who is career Navy, is now stationed on the East coast and we get to see him often. This means more to all of us than anyone can imagine. I moved away from home at 18 and until the past year, haven't really been around my brother... he will always be the person that knows me best, and having him here is just. Awesome.
I also have an ex-husband. There is little drama there, thankfully. He lives about 3 minutes from me and we split custody 50/50 (half week/half week) of my two oldest daughters. The girls consider my husband their father, too. They have 2 dads. I've done well. :-D
The story of this blog is that obesity runs in my family. I was both a dancer and an athlete. When I stopped, I gained weight. And I mean a LOT of weight. I went from being thin to, at 5'9", topping 250 pounds. I had started to lose weight and when I got pregnant with my first daughter, I was 199 at my first weigh in. I only gained 31 pounds. But after she was born, I gained 40. Whoops. When she was 6 months old, I had a scare when I couldn't run up the stairs to her nursery when I heard a bang. I got winded. And it freaked me out, completely. I knew that was my "moment" and I began immediately making changes. With the help of some amazing women I met online, I made changes to my life, including joining Weight Watchers and adding a lot of working out - cardio and weight training - to my life religiously, and within a year had lost 76 pounds. I kept it off until I got pregnant with #2. A VERY difficult pregnancy, I gained 71 pounds and had a 3 pound baby. Within 10.5 months, I lost 103 pounds - the 71, plus extra.
I kept that weight off with diet and exercise. I learned I truly loved to exercise. I made me feel great and I felt confident. During that time, I went through a very rough period as my marriage dissolved and I did lose WAY too much weight, but that happens. But I got it all under control.
New marriage, new baby - gained over 100 pounds. Yikes! Love my body and pregnancy! Because of my job, I just couldn't focus on losing weight for well over 8 months, but when I did, I lost. Took me about a year, and I feel great.
But ~ I need something else. I saw my 66 year old dad complete his first marathon this past Fall. I see my brother complete CRAZY things like 50k runs and 100 mile rides regularly (well, until he busted his hip and needed surgery... but he'll be back and kicking my butt). But what about me? I'm at a less busy period in my life. And I need to push myself. I want to do stuff... ME ME ME! Selfish? Yea. But I want this.
So, here I am. I decided to do my first Olympic Triathlon. I found one that perfectly coincides with our family vacation on Cape Cod ~ July 22 in New Jersey. So, off I go! And that is my story.
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