Heavy Girl to Healthy Girl: Happy 1st Birthday Heavy Girl to Healthy Girl!!

Happy 1st Birthday Heavy Girl to Healthy Girl

How time fly's!!! It has been a year since Heavy Girl to Healthy Girl was born, and what a year has it been.

I must confess that I didn't want to start a new blog, since I already have a cancer blog (A New Camino) and share a health blog (The Voices of Two Mujeres). I started writing about my weight loss on my cancer blog, and got many e-mails and messages suggesting to consider splitting the journeys.

After a long consideration, I understood that they were two different kind of journeys, so I decided to split them, and that's when Heavy Girl to Healthy Girl was born.

I want you all to know that even though I split them - they are both my journeys and I don't consider and/or see one more important than the other. Traveling both of these journeys is what made me the person that I am today- "I am a Cancer and Obesity Survivor."

Making a wish

This year has been more than anything a learning experience. I had lost 113 pounds, I have found my healthy self, and I did not want to lose that. I did not want to go back to where I started, and I did not want to fall into old habits. I was really DONE with all that. I had to learn how to balance everything, and stay within the boundaries. In some cases it was done by trial and error, and in others it was done by the guidance of caring and knowledgeable people in my life.

The year was filled with highs and lows. I loss two important people in my life (my Mom and my friend Ronni), almost back to back. I must confess that these loses really knocked me off my feet. I'm an emotional eater, and I really thought I was going to lose ground due to the emotional roller coaster, but with the love, and constant support of so many people, I was able to maintain myself in the vicinity of normalcy.

I have ran seven 5'k's--This is something I never saw myself doing since I couldn't walk for 15 minutes straight without getting winded. I sustained a small injury that hindered me from training to do my first half marathon this October, but there is another October next year, and I still have this goal in my sight.

The biggest milestone for me was being able to maintain my weight loss for a year, and to keep on getting stronger. I have fallen in love with the lifestyle I chosen, and I plan to stay in this path for all my days to come.

My highest point of this journey so far, happened recently. In a million years I never thought that I was going to be recognized by the American Heart Association and be given the AHA 2013 Lifestyle Change Award. An award given to individuals who have made a positive impact on their health and quality of life, and influenced or inspired those around them to do the same. What an honor!!!! A validation that I was not expecting at all.

So I'm ready to start the new year with many visions and goals ahead. It is so amazing to me to have accomplished what I have so far, yet I feel excited knowing that I can accomplish much more.

Thank you all for following my journey, and I hope you will continue to follow. Some of you call me "an inspiration," but I want you to know that it is YOU who inspire me to continue on this path.- Thank You!!