My name is Heather Montgomery and I am a newly minted triathlete, recent fitness addict and proof that losing weight after 40 is not a myth. 
If you had told me two years ago that I would be running in races and completing my first triathlon, I would have sat on you until I stopped laughing.
I have always had an emotional connection with food, and stress will have me craving any baked goods.
I had been very active as a kid with gymnastics and ballet as my focus through my teens. I did not have a healthy relationship with food, but my constant activity let me eat pretty much what I wanted without weight fluctuations.
My first experience with weight gain was in my early 20’s after my son was born. This woke me up to the reality that weight loss would take work, so I started moving more, but not enough to keep the weight off while eating whatever I wanted.
I jumped back on the fitness bandwagon in my early 30’s for a few years and lost about 20 pounds. That lasted about as long as my gym membership contract.
Slowly the weight piled on. Slow enough that I really didn’t notice for years.
Starting a business and working over 80 hours in a week is a perfect distraction from taking care of yourself. Watching that same business fall apart in the economic bust was enough stress to push me over the edge of bad health habits.
New Years day in 2011 and I did not magically wake up at my “goal weight”. Instead, the scale showed me a number I had never seen before.
199 pounds
I remember seeing that number and thinking:
I wonder what I would look like at 220?
Seriously? Why would I even think that!
This was the turning point. I knew that this extra weight I was carrying on my not-quite- 5’4” frame was not going to go away overnight.
- I started walking every day
- I kept track of my food
- I cut my calories to 1200 per day and focused on real whole food
- The pounds stared coming off, slow and steady
- I walked faster and farther
- I survived the holidays without putting it all back on
- I started running.
- I ran 5k and 10k running races
- I started setting fitness goals
My purpose is to offer support, humor, inspiration, and honesty to all women who want to find what fitness and health means to you.
My life is just as crazy as yours: Husband, son heading to college, full time work, and several ventures on the side including writing about going for my dreams at www.8womendream.com.
It’s been one year since I lost the weight. I still plan out my food, set my alarm early for workouts, track my weight and set fitness goals.
There is no magic pill. I can’t wave a wand to make it all better. It’s going to be hard and will some days it will really suck.
I found the strength and resolve to change my health and fitness. I know you will too.
The alternative? You can do nothing and look back in a year looking and feeling exactly the same as you do today.
It’s up to you. I can’t wait to hear your story in the comments on my posts.
Let’s go get our fit on – Heather