I know all about it. I didn\’t start exercising till I was 39. I was one of those \”naturally skinny\” girls, except it was never natural. I starved myself constantly and purged any time I wasn\’t capable of maintaining my ridiculous standards. I also starved/purged as a form of self abuse. One of the reasons I am so passionate about helping people with emotional eating issues is because I get it. Food and emotions are very intertwined.
Something I have finally come to terms with is that if you want to have a great body, you have to love it, and you have to feed it. I see so many people trying to starve themselves beautiful and you can\’t just get there that way. Exercise is a commitment, eating healthier is a commitment, and it\’s not something you improve on overnight.
I think sometimes people think \”oh but you love exercising.\” When I first started working out, I didn\’t tell anyone because I figured it would just be another thing I wouldn\’t stick with. I waited till I had stuck with a few months before I started telling people. I am here to tell you it\’s okay to start and start and fail. And start and fail. And start and fail. It\’s okay to start over on Monday, on New Year\’s, as soon as I get out from under some of this work stress. BUT START OVER!
Start over. And start over. And start over. Persistence pays off. If you want someone to nudge you along, I will give you that. This was me in July 2016. I was really in great shape in 2014, but then the state of Michigan removed all five of my children from my home after a family crisis. I was determined not to let them take my progress from me, but they beat me down. I literally didn\’t get out of bed for almost two years and gained 40 lbs. Life will beat you down. It\’s okay. Get back up.
Getting back up. 2016
![\"\"](\"http://www.pattygetsfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/before-and-after-july-19.jpg\")
On August 20, 2016 I made the decision to walk away from a 24 year relationship with the only man I had ever loved. Again, I said that I wasn\’t going to let life beat me. But it doesn\’t talk long to lose all that hard work.
This is me in April 2017, when my divorce was finalized, when I decided I was getting back up again.
![\"\"](\"http://www.pattygetsfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/divorcepic.jpg\")
In a few months, it will be April again and I don\’t plan to take any new transformation pics till then. But, I can tell you when April rolls around you will be able to see exactly how much you can accomplish in one year, if you don\’t quit.
This is my story and it isn\’t over. You get knocked down. You get back up. But you can\’t quit!!!
