Turning 30 didn’t seem like a terribly big deal. Outwardly, I had a good life. A wonderful, supportive husband, two beautiful boys, a career.

Inside though, I struggled to feel comfortable physically and emotionally, and I often hid my insecurities. Deciding what to wear in the morning irritated me, because I was not comfortable with the way I looked or how my clothes fit. I weighed more than 210 pounds and wore size 18 jeans. I felt tired and unmotivated to move, but I worked hard to hide both my insecurities and my weight. I held pillows over my lap and stretched my clothes after putting them on. Then there are all of the things that I never tried, simply because I didn’t want people looking at me. In so many ways, I was hiding.

Then it hit me. The path I was on wasn’t going to change unless I changed it. All of the good things in my life couldn’t outweigh the fact that I didn’t appreciate my body, that I lacked confidence, wasn’t healthy, and that I was holding myself back from truly living. I didn’t want my children to see me living that life or have them repeat that life. I knew that as their mom, I needed to set a better example.

I decided I wouldn’t start anything that I couldn’t do for the rest of my life. This wasn’t going to be a goal with an end; this was going to be a life long change. I improved my diet by tracking everything I ate. I saw the massive amounts of sugar, fat and calories that I was eating between meals. As I took control of that, I also started exercising.  I can still remember being on the treadmill, walking slowly, slowly, slowly, determined to just keep moving. I steadily increased my activity, but I kept my promise to myself that I would be reasonable, slow and steady

I varied my routine by trying a few of the machines at the gym, which kept me from getting bored. A few months into it, the thought of running an upcoming 5K crossed my mind. The more I thought about it, the more I began to realize that I COULD do it. So I set my sights on running 3.1 miles without stopping, which wasn’t easy at the time. My first goal was to just finish without stopping and do it in under 35 minutes. When I crossed the finish line at 26:36, I was overwhelmed with pride . . . I had done it and I was going to be back for more!  I ran several more 5Ks that year. I incorporated running into my regular workouts, along with other cardio, light weights, and a yoga/Pilates class. I was at the gym or outside running at least five nights a week.

As a working mom, adding regular workouts to my routine wasn’t easy, but I continually reminded myself that by taking care of my health, I was actually gaining time with my boys in the long run, improving the quality of my life. I was often at the gym at 8 p.m. or later. After a long day of teaching, parenting, and running a household, that was my biggest challenge, but I stuck with it. Watching the pounds fall off and my clothes shrink helped keep me on track. I felt more energetic, started sleeping better, and felt more in control and less stressed.

I committed to running a half marathon and doing a sprint triathlon. Then another sprint triathlon, multiple 5K races, a duathlon relay with my husband, and another half marathon. I felt like a completely new human being, not for finishing those events, but for competing with a light heart, a renewed spirit, and the determination of a mom who wants nothing more than a good life for her children.

It was, without a doubt, the support of my amazing husband and two little boys who inspired me to push myself to cross all of those finish lines and to keep looking for the next one. I knew that it wasn’t about finding an end, but a new beginning.

My next new beginning?  A full marathon in 2010, maybe two, along with a half triathlon. Today I am almost 70 pounds lighter physically, untold pounds lighter mentally and emotionally, and always up for a challenge. Life is good. It has, after all, just begun.

Written by: Kate K.