It's been a YEAR since my jouney began

Looking back, the last year has been one of the most challenging, scary, fun and rewarding experiences I've ever had. I totally changed my life, my health my WARDROBE (omg, you have no idea how much fun that is) .
At the risk of sounding superficial, which I am most decidedly NOT, (I just was not in a space in my head where I felt very pretty) For a long time I wouldn't even look at pictures of myself, before this all started. I would even cut myself out of pictures at family events if I thought they made me look a certain way. Now I'm like.. hey, you have a camera? check out this smile! Last week at my daughters I saw a  cringe-worthy picture of me at the Alamo with my Husband and Daughter in what should have been a cute, touristy photo from about five years earlier. I couldn't believe it was me. I looked so unhealthy and dare I say it, fat! In that body, it took me a while to realize exactly what I really looked like. Whereas a year ago I would have ripped that picture up, I stared at it a long while, amazed at image of me then, and excited for that "person" and who she would become, and focusing instead on the memories of the fun we had that day. It is only in retrospect that I can see it. Why didn't I do something about my weight or health back then? I didn't change anything until I was physically tired of it all, and really began feeling like I wanted to Feel different. I guess you sort of get comfortable with the aches and pains and addiction to food and that becomes your new normal, so I didn't see a problem for a LONG time. I had no idea back then what I was really doing to myself, I just knew I needed a change, and had no idea how to get there. I guess it's true what they say, you have to be ready. Now, yall better be ready for ME! :)
So ... fast forward one year and this is what you get... (below is me with my sons Sean and Nick on mother's day)

Sean and me and Nick on Mother's Day 2012

Am I still using Advocare? YES! since I'm not reducing calories anymore, I just take The Coreplex multivitamin, my Catalyst when I work out and drink my Spark. I do take Thermoplus if I'm going to a party or something, it gives me a feeling of fullness so I don't over indulge, but mostly now I am able with counting calories and watching portions to stay on track. And thanks to Advocare giving me energy, and my own motivation I am still feeling so great!!! I went from no activity at all to speak of to doing ZUMBA, bike riding, (8 miles a day) and bellydancing. My newest passion is hooping. (remember hula hoops) I am teaching myself all kinds of tricks. I eat a normal diet, cut out soda, do NOT do the aspartame/splenda/crap. I use stevia but not even very much of that. I watch my dairy, Drink LOTS of water, eat complex carbs, and stay away from chips and over processed foods.I eat lots of veggies, watch my portions and have been maintaining my weight without much effort because I still do my yoga/pilates workout in addition to my other activities. I don't go crazy about it. I just make sure I do SOMETHING every day, even if it's for 15 minutes. My goal is 300 minutes of exercise a week, and I stick to that. So have I eaten cookies, cake, ice cream? Sure, sometimes, but I find that I don't really need it. So here I am, today, at 109 pounds! I don't care what the scale says though. You can see the sparkle of life came back to my eyes!!