"I'll Start On Monday": Meet Kari

I am so honored and excited to present to you the first “I’ll Start On Monday” feature... the positively wonderful and inspiring Kari of A Winning Loser!

Here is Kari's story:

Hi!! My name is Kari. I am a 37 year old wife and mother. I have struggled my entire life with my weight. I lost my first husband when we were both just 29 and I knew I had to make some changes because I was now a single mother. I joined Weight Watchers and was very successful losing about 60 pounds.

BUT, I met my current husband and very quickly gained ALL the weight back plus some. I truly thought that being obese was just my lot in life. That I was always going to be this way and I needed to learn to live with it. There came a day when I realized that I was not really happy and not really living a life. I was merely existing. I knew I was not being the best mom, wife, friend that I could be. There were so many things I wanted to do with my kids, but I was too “fat” to do them: amusement parks, zip lining, canoeing, etc. I reached a point where I truly believe that if I didn’t make a change, I would not survive another year. I knew that this time was for ME, not for anyone else. I rejoined Weight Watchers on November 1, 2012 (weighing my heaviest ever at 402.2 pounds) and have lost 102.6 pounds so far. I would like to lose 247 pounds altogether.

There are really not any words to describe how worth it this decision was for me. I am not even halfway to my goal and I already feel like a different person. 14 months ago I could barely walk from my car to the store without needing a break and now exercise is a part of my everyday routine. I have so much more energy and can participate in more activities with my boys. And even better than the pounds lost, I have learned to love myself. I am not there 100% yet, but I am working on my self-esteem and my self-confidence. I am learning that I am worth these changes. I am worth feeling good. I am worth living up to my potential. Thank you for reading my story. You can follow my journey at www.facebook.com/AWinningLoser and at www.awinningloser.com.

I chose Kari to be our first “I’ll Start On Monday” feature, because of her spirit and positivity.  She could have easily accepted the “lot in life” she thought she was given. She could have just accepted that she would miss out on doing fun things with her kids because of that “lot in life.” She didn’t. She made the decision to take control of her life. She made the decision to live a healthier life for her family, but most importantly for herself. She made the decision to start! And now she has to accept that her lot in life is to inspire lots of people!

So I want to know… WHO IS GOING TO START ON MONDAY?

Keep inspiring,

Emily

If you want to be featured for “I’ll Start On Monday” please email me at myjourney2thefitlife@gmail.com