Bay View

Member Since July 2008

My Story
Once upon a time in a land far, far away I was thin. It was 1988 and I had just lost 80 lbs. I started working as a waitress in a bar. That was fun and thats where I met my husband of 19 years. I quit working after we married to stay home and take care of my family. I slowly started to gain the weight back. We were eating out twice a week and I didnt see the weight gain at first. I continued on with life, taking care of everyone, including my father and sometimes my mother.

Things changed for the worse in 1995 when my mother passed away suddenly from a knee replacement surgery. I took in my brothers and was now caring for 9 people in a 2-bedroom house. During that time, my husband left me and also left me with all of the bills and no money. I lost my job, but started taking classes to become a nursing assistant.

My father passed away suddenly in 1999 and that is when my husband and I reconciled. Things were still difficult between us and we had some additional family traumas, but we made it through. Life was good for a few years! We were in the process of buying a new house when I got a phone call on January 20, 2005 that would change my life. My son had been shot and killed; he was only 25 years old. Life is not the same and it will never be.

It has been four years since that happened. It has taken me this long to realize I was slowly killing myself with food. My knee was hurting me so badly and I could not stand it any longer. I decided to walk (actually, limp) into Curves and see what it was about. I met Rhonda, a trainer, and realized I knew her 20 years ago. She knew what I used to look like and encouraged me to join Curves. I tried the workout for 30 days during the Fitness Study and had lost 9 inches and 5 lbs during that month! Needless to say, I joined Curves after the Fitness Study and have been a member for a year now.

I would love to share with you all of the good things that have happened to me since joining Curves. In a year I have lost 40 inches and 17 lbs! My club recognizes the Top 10 Losers each month and for the first time I became a Top 10 Loser this month!

I had a one day closet that housed all of my one day Ill fit into them clothes. I no longer have that closet because I can fit into those clothes! As a matter of fact, I never wore short-sleeved shirts because of my weight and self-confidence, but now enjoy shopping for cute short-sleeved shirts! I have even started tanning for the first time.

I was never able to get on the floor to do the stretches, but last month I became able to stretch on the floor. Also, last month I found I could now get my legs into the Hip Abductor/Adductor machine, which I could not do last year.

My health has improved dramatically since joining Curves. I came in limping, hardly able to walk or move my leg. Today I do not limp and am getting in shape for when I have my knee replacement surgery. My circulation has improved and my blood pressure is now where it should be. I went for my first mammogram in December and she showed me the pictures of where I had muscle behind my breasts from working out!

Because of the arthritis that I have, I thought exercise would hurt me and not help me. I was wrong. The worst thing you can do is not exercise or move. I cant walk that far because I need a new knee, but I can still work out at Curves and I wont quit now. I have made new friends and ran into old ones. You cannot beat the encouragement you get here!

Thank you Curves, especially Amy, Lynn and Rhonda.

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