Today is Monday, February 21, 2010.

I had my assessment and first meeting with Mike! It went really well. Going through several exercises over 90 minutes, he checked my form and noted my strengths and weaknesses. Overall, I was very happy with it.

I found out that my form is a lot better than I thought, and when it's off I recognize fairly quickly and adjust it. That was exciting to hear! Mike showed me how to use the foam roller to massage out the lactic acid in my muscles and that was amazing. I felt so fantastic after that I may well have been floating.

Even though I know in my head that this was a workout, the workouts I have been doing have been so intense and I've been so exhausted after they were done, that this one seems light comparatively. And yet I was sweating and I can feel that my muscles had a workout. I feel really good and I finally understand how a workout can give a person energy. My old workouts made me feel good, but they also exhausted me. These make me feel good and I can finish my day.

I have 2 regular workouts schedule for this week and at the end of the week Mike will have a routine worked up for me. I'll be able to look at it online, with a description of the exercises and some video that will show me how they should be done. That way I can do the exercises by myself if Mike's away, or if I'm at other gyms or wherever.

This workout has helped to soothe some of my anxiety and now I'm really excited and upbeat about everything to come!

Welcome to KelleyCommitToFit !

Welcome to my blog!

Let me tell you a bit about what I'm doing. My Name is Kelley Clements and I won the Diakadi Body Commit to Fit challenge for 2010. So for a year I have the privilege of working with Mike Clausen three times a week for exercise and Manuel Villacorta for nutritional guidance.

I saw the ad for the contest and submitted the 3 min video they required. I was called for an interview and asked questions about my exercise routine, support circle, habits, background, and such. Then I got a second callback and was asked if I would be willing to blog the year if I won. Of course, I said yes. So here I am!

So, a bit about me. I'm 37 years old. I currently weigh 255 pounds and am 5'2". I have been fat for as long as I can remember. I've been through Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Overeaters Anonymous, and any number of diets. I have consistently exercised at different gyms since 2006. Each week for the last year I've been doing 25-50 miles of cardio and weight training but only maintaining my weight or getting larger. As it turns out, Billy told me that the amount of work I was doing was stressing my body to the point that it felt the need to reserve calories. So, essentially, I was exercising myself fat.

Here are some of my challenges as I see them. I am addicted to refined sugar. I love cake, cupcakes, cookies, any number of baked goods. I had ovarian and uterine cancer (most likely a result of my weight) which required a full hysterectomy to cure. That put me immediately into full-on menopause, which slows weight loss. I have asthma and my inhaler is a steroid, which makes a person hungrier. And because I have been so large for so long I wonder if I actually can lose all this weight and keep it off. I'm scared of this unknown, thin person I could become.

Here's some of what I'm looking forward to: This unknown, thin person I could become. The possibility of being healthy. The possibility of liking a photo taken of me. Being able to find nice clothes with interesting cuts and fabrics instead of the fat-people tents which seem to be all that's available to people my size. Maybe being able to take a double dutch class.

So tonight, before my first meeting with Mike, these are the things on my mind. I don't know how often I'll update this right now. I'm thinking maybe once a week. But maybe a little more if there's something I feel like I need to say or something happens I think I need to get of my chest. But maybe sometimes a little less if my life gets too crazy. I'm hoping that this blog may help someone who's in the same place as me, with whatever challenge in their life.

So, here we go!