Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.

Today, I finished my 3rd 100 miles in 30 days challenge!! My best ever, with 104.75 miles in 21 days!! YAYYYY. I had even taken off 5 days when I was lazy/in Charleston! yayyyy life.

I am feeling great.  I am at about 58 lbs off from my weight last Aug (Aug 7 to be exact--when I began this weight loss journey).  Last August, I was first mistaken for my cousin's aunt at her engagement party in Florida and then at my cousin's son's wedding the weekend after, I j felt like such a heifer. I looked terrible in those pictures and just wasnt happy.  That weekend began what has now become to an almost obsession.

Last fall, I started changing almost everything about my lifestyle.  I started with a better diet, more fresh fruit and vegetables, and cut out everything good inlife (in terms of food that is!!! haha) I stopped eating cookies, candy (my 2 weaknesses), cakes of any type (haha didnt even have any on my bday in Jan), ice cream, basically anything ofyour dessert category.  I also stopped eating out as well.  That made a huge difference in how I felt physically and in my wallet haha.   ANYways, last fall I also started running as well. At first, it was only 3x a week for 30 minutes and I started off slow, walking and then jogging, and eventually running.  Over the past 11.5 months, I increased my time from 30 mins to eventually 50 mins. Also, I went from running only 3x a week to 4x a wk to 5x a week and now 6-7x a week.   As soon as classes start, I am planning on increasing it to 60 minutes.  I started noticing changes in my physical self last November when I like was super intense about working out when I was seeing this jerkface but whatevs I guess.  that's when my family started noticing a change.  After this past spring semeste,r I really intensified my workouts to 6-7 days a week and so I hope there is some sort of change.  My arms and legs I think have gotten smaller but its good.  Until my trip to Charleston a few wks ago, I never felt confident or even felt good wearing a bathing suit (EVER in life) but I was a lot less self conscious about walking about in my bathing suit, etc it was an amazing feeling.  Dont get me wrong, I still have a ways to go but I am really close to where I want to be in life! yay

I am being much healthier nowadays.  Im down about 4 dress sizes from last August.  I was an 18 last Aug and now I am a 10! It feels so great! I am still trying to lose about 35 more so I can get to the healthy level for my BMI so hopefully, by Jan 2011 I will be in ideal shape!

I really think I've become obsessed with running though.  It is so addicting though, there is definitely a think called 'runners high' that Ive heard about via my favorite running website: www.mapmyrun.com I log my runs and start running challenges from there too.  I've been doing the run 100 miles in 30 days challenge for the past 3 months and today I finished my 3rd challenge.

It really has been a whirlwind of a year but I wouldn't change a thing.  I know I got a little ridic when shit hit the fan in Jan but mentally, emotionally, and physically I have never felt this great/amazing.  (Now dont take this as being cocky or anything b/c clearly, I have a clear sense of reality and I know what I look like haha.)

 It really is true, exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins really do make you happy :)