When we got engaged, I was so excited to plan for a new life with Josh, my husband-to-be. We have always loved dreaming about the future - our future home, our long term goals, our future daily lifestyle...it was always filled with images of a happy and healthy "us". Shortly after getting engaged and viewing photos of the big day, I took a good, hard look at myself in the photographs. "Hmmm...is this how I would have hoped to look at age 24 on the day of my engagement?" I was happy, and was loved, but I ate fairly frivolously and I hadn't felt physically strong since high school when I had played soccer. I knew something was missing from my lifestyle. I wanted to be happy AND healthy. In addition, I knew it would be nice to wear a pair of pants that didn't dig into my side.

The first step for me was correcting my eating habits. I reviewed several healthy eating plans and decided that Weight Watchers was the right choice for me. Along with a coworker, in the fall, I joined the online point tracking program. For the first few months, I learned about balance, planning ahead, and making healthy meals at home. I finally had an excuse to learn to cook every day using fresher, lighter, healthier ingredients. I bought several cookbooks and learned how to cook lean, fresh foods. I stopped packing my freezer with frozen entrees, and started learning how to keep certain "staples" in the pantry. I tracked my foods online, and began losing weight. By the end of December, on the day I went wedding dress shopping and chose my dress, I had lost 15 pounds! My dedication to eating right was paying off.

The next breakthrough came in January. I had lost 20 pounds, but seemed to be stuck there. I knew that eating right was only half the battle, and although I was losing pounds, I still wasn't strong. At this point I heard about the Healthy Bride Boot Camp. I joined, and it was hard work! But I showed up every Saturday for an entire session, and by the end I had lost inches off my waistline, I had lost five more pounds, and even more amazingly: I could do 20 real push-ups in a minute! I had met or exceeded all of my goals for the session, and I felt stronger than ever before. I also met some wonderful women - other brides who could relate to the excitement of wedding planning.

I kept attending bride classes, and I kept getting stronger. By May, I was in the best shape of my life, and I reached my weight loss goal - I had lost 30 pounds! But I was committed to the new lifestyle, and I didn't stop there. With my coach's guidance, I continued to set and achieve fitness goals. By our wedding day in July, I'd maintained my goal weight for two months. On our honeymoon, I knew my coach would be proud if I came home and told her I'd done a big hike in Kauai...so we did...on the third day there we hiked eleven miles!

The best part has been maintaining a commitment to health and fitness. My husband and I joined a CSA, which has challenged us to continue trying new healthy cooking techniques with local fresh produce, and I keep trying to set new goals to keep myself challenged. I completed my first race in November (a 5k), and now I'm looking into doing longer race, like a 12k. Continuing to attend classes through the Healthy Goddess keeps me accountable, and the ladies help me set challenging (yet achievable) goals. Thanks to the Healthy Bride and my coaches, I was able to begin "the rest of my life" with my new husband as a happy AND healthy person.