Getting smarter after 30

Soon after turning 30 I was given a trial 2 week membership to Bally's fitness. I had never really worked out before but found that I liked the elliptical machines. I am still a member at Bally's- 8 years later. Once I learned to sweat my weight range came down to 160-170. I still ate fast food. I still binged. I was a smoker from 16 - 37 years old. I partied. I still saw myself as the fat girl inside even though my outsides were more socially acceptable. I wore a size 10 or 12, I had friends that were bigger and were envious of my size.

At 33 years old I was working out and was on the down side of my range (160 lbs) when I came across a female bodybuilder that was a client in the salon where I worked. She offered training at a reasonable rate in her garage. I signed up for 3 months, lost 10 lbs and gained a lot of muscle. I quit when my boyfriend at the time made a comment that my muscles were bigger that his. Of course I fell off the wagon and gained some weight. When I turned 35 I started freaking out that I was old, if I lived to be 70 my life was already half over. Ridiculous, I know, but sometimes Im a little dramatic.

I started walking 3 miles on a local trail 5 days a week. Honestly, I was getting my but kicked by retirees. I walked for a couple of years, religiously. I quit eating fast food after watching "Super size me". I lost 25 lbs between the walking and change in diet. I was weighing 144-147 lbs. There was something happening to my body. The longer I went without bad food the better I felt. When I would eat fattening food at a restaurant I would get sick. My digestive system couldnt handle pasta, large amounts of cheese, or too much bread. So began the love of fresh foods.