Hot off the Presses!
The cat is out of the bag! Our story of building a new and healthy life has just hit newsstands across America in the latest issue of First for Women magazine! We were contacted back in November and have been anxiously waiting for the story to be shared in a brand new platform. It is very fitting this is happening right now as we approach the four year anniversary of the night I became Ready for Change. I, along with my entire support team, would like to thank everyone at First for Women & Kristen Mance with Alabella Studios for how wonderful they have been to us throughout the entire process.
As is the case when putting together any story, there are often bits and pieces that get left out or rearranged for various reasons. So I encourage you to please check out the videos on this site and watch them to get the entire story of how this journey started. It actually began the moment I died....when that happened, I started to live. Since that night, there have been several people who have stood beside me to help me build a new life, beginning with Shelton State Community College Health and Fitness expert Dr. Milady Murphy, my husband Bryan, dear friend/mentor Terri Brewer, ....and our parents....to name a few. Without their support and encouragement we would not be here today 80 pounds lighter and with health reports that are in the "normal" range!
I have learned so much over the past four years. First and most importantly: The journey of building a healthy lifestyle is a life-long committment...and it begins the moment you become Ready for Change. Until a person reaches that moment of total committment, they will have great difficulty maintaining sucess. There is no quick fix for a life-long problem. Living a healthy life requires a long-term solution. Second: The more I have studied about nutrition, the more I have come to realize, dieting does not work. Getting healthy requires a committment to a lifestyle. Diets have a beginning and an end. A healthy lifestyle changes everything,,,, including the way you think and feel about food and yourself. When I reached out to Dr. Murphy for assistance, she talked with me about changing my diet ( meaning the foods I eat...not going ON a diet), taught me about the importance of exercise for maintaining weight loss and building strength, and helped me see how a support team plays a crucial role in keeping the weight off and staying on track. A passion for learning about nutrition and life-long wellness continues to grow as I discover more of how food has an impact on our bodies throughout our entire lives.
Finally, I do not think there is anything special about me. I am a regular person who God blessed with an opportunity to face a cross-roads and make a decision. I am forever grateful to Him for giving me the strength to take that first step and for providing me with wonderful people to walk along with me. It is my hope to someday be able to share this with people in churches and community groups in an effort to encourage someone who was just like I was at one time: looking for answers but feeling helpless in the search. It is something I feel passionate about....Ready for Change is like my daily ministry. Wherever I go, wherever I am....it's an opportunity to encourage someone else to believe they have the ability to change their life.....when they are READY.
So, over the next couple of weeks when you see Dr. Oz's flashy smile on the latest cover of First for Women magazine, grab a copy and check out page 30.....you'll see a familiar face smiling ear-to-ear....that would be this Mississippi girl who now calls Alabama home. Also, new recipes are on the way, so stay tuned!!! And remember: Whatever you are facing....you can walk through to the other side....just take the first step and the rest will get easier with time.
Blessings!
Janie
