Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.
-- William A. Ward


When I saw this quote, I thought I really have no adversities. I have a healthy body, legs and arms that work, eyes that see and ears that hear.

Then I thought adversity does not have to be a physical challenge. It can be an emotional challenge, an eating challenge, a social challenge and the list really goes on. An adversity, to me, is anything that stands in the way of accomplishing a goal.

For me, my first adversity was not taking the time to take care of myself. It was not until I was 198 pounds that I decided enough was enough and I needed to do something for me. I put my son in a stroller and took the time to take a health walk...not a stroll, but a fast paced walk that was for no one else but me and my health. Eventually, the walk turned into a slow jog that actually required me getting a jogging stroller.

From that adversity, I faced a mental one, embarrassment. Yes, embarrassment of joining a gym. I felt like the fat chick surrounded by skinny, sexy girls and muscular men. I knew I needed something more than jogging through the neighborhood and the gym was my next step. I faced my fears and joined...never looking back, never regretting. Showing up each and every day. I found that I have a very strong body that loves to build muscle and all of a sudden I found myself as a lean, sexy girl at the gym who always tried to encourage "the new girl".

Now I was on to another adversity. One I never expected....friends. I was losing weight, changing the way I was eating and they were not. I was faced with comments such as, "you never take the time for us any more", "go on, it's just one brownie", "how could you leave your children in the playroom". I was not getting support from them. Slowly, some came around and even joined the gym with me, while some didn't. I lost some friendships, but I gained a lot of friendships too....most importantly, I gained a friendship with myself, I was beginning to like who I was and who I was becoming.

Still faced with another adversity that I still battle....food. Bad diets, yo-yo dieting, not eating, eating too much, not knowing what is good for me and what is bad for me. I still find food so confusing, but I'm getting better. Once again, with some modifications, the SparkDiet has been such a blessing to me and I feel like soon food will be an adversity I can put behind me. I will not let food break me.

While I may not be breaking any records most would recognize, I am breaking personal records each and everyday. Even if it is just shaving a second off my running time...who would of thought 8 years ago I would be lean and running strong today!