Working out has consistently been a part of my life since 1996. Even more so after my divorce when I really started learning about healthy eating, etc, and trying to fight the clock and hold on to my youth (I think that's called mid-life crisis, which started at 33 lol).

Look at my profile picture right now and the upper left corner...my "before" pic from February, 2012. Does it look like I was working out? No, but I was. For the past 5 years I was using Cathe Step videos, moderate cardio for 30-60 minutes, and programs like Cathe's "Gym Style Legs" that focused on high reps, light weights.

Since 2010 until last Winter, I had been having health problems to the point that I was pulled off of my high school run in Spring of 2011 and rushed to the emergency room because I thought I was having a stroke, yet they ran every test in the book and did a CAT scan and I was in perfect health! I was getting sinus infections once per month, like clockwork, for 2 years straight. Sinus infections so bad that I would get a tickle cough in my throat that would keep me up for nights and led to a cracked rib last December. In that time my IBS-C was OUT OF CONTROL...I tried every probiotic, Citrucel, psyllium fiber known to man and NOTHING worked. I suspect now that my IBS symptoms were directly related to my lousy immunity during that time.

I was depressed, exhausted, sick, and couldn't do it much longer. I was frustrated...doing all the "right" things and sick and tired all the time and didn't even look liked I worked out 1 1/2 hours per day X 6 days per week! I made life-changing decisions this time last year...some good, some beyond my wildest dreams, and a couple of bad ones that I quickly rectified once I started feeling better.  

Enter what I called at the time "pushy salespeople and their MLM schemes". Now, as I continue...THIS IS NOT A SHAMELESS PLUG OR AN AD! This is MY experience and I want people who are struggling to see that they have to find what works for them and NOT GIVE UP HOPE! Anyway, enter a pushy Beachbody coach, who shall remain nameless, with the promises of riches and the energy of my youth through a product called Shakeology. I had heard of it but as I was popping my GNC Women's Ultra Mega that wasn't doing any good, Align probiotics which weren't doing any good, and a host of other supplements that, combined, were costing me a fortune, I was a thinking "I don't need to spend that kinda money to feel good. There's their diet scheme. I don't need to lose weight! Sorry, folks, no sucker here! I'm a smart Jersey girl!"

Then I met a sincere coach who was not pushy, not sales-y, who also strugged with IBS-C. She promised me Shakeology would help and if not I could get my money back. Now, I'm a school bus driver and have been since being laid off from my last REAL job in 2008. I make $18,000 per year while killing myself doing late runs and middays and my regular routes. How the F@$* was I gonna afford $120 per month for some miracle shake? I lagged on this decision for quite some time and then after the aforementioned bad decision blew up in my face (I left my bus company for another one and it turned out to be a NIGHTMARE), I decided to get off my A*$ and do something about my situation.

So, I decided to pursue a lifelong dream and do something I had been doing for years for FREE as a business and start making a living from it. "Do what you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life." Well, I love to talk, I love to work out, I love making new friends and I'd love to be financially independent again one day so why not try it? Not only did I sign up for Shakeology, but I signed as a Coach to see if I really could earn back the cost of my own shakes each month. When I realized my supplements were costing me over $100 a month anyway, it became a no-brainer!

Fast forward to now, 11 months after my nervous breakdown. I truly believe I'm starting to come out of this breakdown. #1...I am more regular THAN I EVER REMEMBER BEING MY ENTIRE LIFE, even when I used to down half a 30-pack of beer a night! lol  #2...I've only gotten sick twice in the past 11 months. #3...I have energy, a renewed outlook on life. #4...I have hope for my future! I no longer have to do late runs or midday runs or charter trips to make my bills. While I'm not rich yet, I'm able to not only cover the cost of my beloved shakes, but have a 2nd income now from the comfort of my own home, at my convenience. I'm looking at being able to replace ALL of my income from bus driving in 2013 now and THEN, finally! I can GO BACK TO SCHOOL around my business, which is a lot easier than doing it around a full-time job! #5...I've gotten off of all the supplements, the 10 pills I used to pop per day and am currently in the process of getting off of my allergy medicine. I got off of Zyrtec over Christmas break and my sinuses were feeling so much better with just taking a holistic allergy medication called BHI-Heel Allergy, but the histamine backlash resulted in my being uncontrollably itchy after day 4 without Zyrtec so I had to go on Allegra, but that's giving me awful sinus symptoms so I'm trying to take it every other day and eventually every 3rd day. #6...MY HAIR IS 4 INCHES LONGER THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR! I'm obsessed with my hair. When I saw it growing faster than it ever has, I knew that even if Shakeology didn't deliver on any of its promises, I had to keep taking it for my HAIR! lol

The moral of the story is that old Virgina Slims commercial, "You've come a long way baby!" I'm a fighter. Always have been. I didn't give up. I got tired of doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. I hit my bottom without even knowing I was doing anything "wrong". I didn't crawl under the covers and die when that happened. I can't. I had a geriatric cat at the time counting on me. Now I have new rescue cats counting on me. Oh yeah, and family and stuff lol. God put me here for BIGGER AND BETTER things. I had to KEEP TRYING and find a SOLUTION to my problems.

They say change exists just outside of our comfort zone. I've spent the past 11 months outside of my comfort zone, WAY outside of it. And I'm a much happier and healthier person because of it. Every day I have to RECOMMIT to doing things differently and going outside of my comfort zone in order to follow through with the goals I have set for myself in 2013.

DON'T GIVE UP. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO BE! If something isn't working for you, make a change! Eventually, you will figure out what works for YOU and then there will be NO STOPPING YOU, like there is no stopping me!

Thanks to all my MFP friends for being part of my big change in the past year. I get a lot of love and support on this site. You guys all ROCK! <3