Angie’s Story

I started this journey 4 years ago. Both of my parents have heart disease and that in itself should of been enough to change my ways of eating right? It wasn’t. It took something that involved our son to change my way of living. Our son was hanging out with his grandpa, my dad one afternoon when my dad coded in his driveway. Our son watched him go down, ran and got help. watched him turn blue laying their lifeless. Ambulance was called in the meantime he stood over him watching the neighbor administer cpr not knowing whether he would make it or not. Paramedics arrive, taking 3 shocks of the paddles to get a faint heartbeat. Again, our son seeing it all. Many sleepless nights followed by a few nightmares which was to be expected. I watched him fall asleep only to watch him awaken telling me it was hard to close his eyes on this side of town not knowing if grandpa would open his in the morning at his house.

The following days I could not get that conversation out of my head.  I told myself something had to change with me. If it didn’t due to my eating habits, I could be the next one he would have to watch go down and he didn’t deserve this. So along with another friend, I put one foot in front of the other and started walking….a lot. More people begin to follow. Before we knew it we had our own little gang. Someone suggested a Facebook page.  I went home and pondered what a good name would be….instantly the word PUSH came into my head. Persist Until Something Happens. The page was created, administrators were put into place.  What was about to take place was nothing less than amazing and sent from above. We have went from a group of 2 to 400. This growth has taken place over the course of 4 years. In this 4 years we have put on a yearly 5k walk/run free of charge. We just want others to have the chance to move to show everyone how important it is.

But something was missing for me….I was walking but not watching my nutrients real close. Just walking was not cutting it for me any longer. I came to a plateau and needed more in my life. I was speaking to a friend in the grocery store one day and had noticed how slim he was getting so we started talking. He gave me this gals name and before too long we were making conversations…….and we have not to this day stopped. If you would of told me 4 years ago I would end up with a health coach I would of said negative. Her name is Sarah Kroes and there was just something about her. We hit it off right away having so much in common. Even our thoughts….so in tune with one another.

This beautiful woman has taught me about nutrition, how to fight for what I believe in. She has introduced me to beach body although I never put myself and those words in the same category. I remember her words she shared with me…..”don’t let the name scare you.” It was obvious I was not this and far from it. So I joined a virtual boot camp. Then I was hooked….the support from all these women living, working, juggling careers, housework, kids. I learned I was not alone. They were real. They had struggles, triumphs, and we all shared them together supporting each other day in and day out.

It was not long before we were tied as a family. We have cried together, laughed together and smashed goals….together. I loved watching people in our walking group achieve a 5k, something that they never dreamed of accomplishing. The look on their face as they cross the finish line…priceless. Now to the flip side….participating in a mud run with my health coach and many members of this new “family”…….totally priceless. She leads a Dutch Fit Club once a month I attend when possible and is always so fun.

Remember in the beginning I knew I had to change because of our son….not wanting him to see me next code? Although that still holds true my desire to better my health is stronger for ME! I have finally learned how to F.L.Y. (first love yourself). It was not easy as I had a few obstacles standing in my way. I had to learn more than physical moves…..I had to learn to walk away from others that brought me down mentally even if it was family. Hard choice but I could not keep getting dragged down when I was trying so hard to stay above water.  It was then that I began loving myself. Doing it for me….learning the rest would follow. Sarah means everything to me. Not only because she is a woman like myself and can relate to things we go through but our bond goes deeper. She has taught me how to live longer by making right choices and including much more than just walking in my daily lifestyle.

I recently finished 80 Day Obsession, have tried a little T25, and currently participating in Core De Force which involves martial arts and kick boxing and so much more. Since I have started walking and met Sarah my weight has dropped 50 lbs.in the last 4 years. Just by exercising, watching what I eat, making the right food choices. I am loving life. It has not come without blood sweat and tears but that is all part of my journey and without it I would not be as strong both mentally and physically as I am this very moment. My journey will never end, and I don’t want it to. I am beyond thankful for Sarah Kroes. The title of Health Coach has never looked better on someone as it does her. We have done many 5k’s together, a mud run, work out in her fitness group, are smashing our virtual boot camps together by completing programs together with so many fabulous women and hoping there will be more to come. I have went from rolling out of bed, walking like a 80 year old woman across the floor, feet hurting all the time to sitting up when my alarm goes off, and when my feet hit the floor I am ready to take on a new day, one that is a blessing and getting the most out of it.

You can never control what a person does to you but what you can do is control how you react to it. Thank you Sarah for introducing me to the world of workouts and a world full of good healthy choices that are out there just waiting to be sampled.

Angie’s 80 Day Obsession Results – 2018
24.5 inches and 32.2 lbs lost!