As a child I was always involved in sports. I have a love for softball, started playing at age 10 and still play on a co-ed league. My high school days brought on my love for volleyball, played all 4 years. As I went through school my weight fluctuated from 150 to 95 lbs. by my sophomore year. I always struggled with food issues and body image, getting teased and my mother was very over weight, I did not want to become that. The 95 lbs weight my sophomore year was not done in the healthiest of way (eating disorder). Through my first marriage I was always conscious of my weight and most often would venture back to bad habits just to keep my weight down. I divorced in 91 still struggled with my weight but managed to keep it in check, birth to number 3 in 99’ and gained way too much stepped on the scales at 172 the day I delivered (oh By the way I am 5’1”). Did well on getting that weight off in a more healthy way. By this time my mother, really way before 99’, my mother was diagnosis with Type II Diabetes and lost a significant about of weight (probably 75-100 lbs). In 2001 she was diagnosed with colon cancer and had a long hard fight. From 2001 – 2003 my sister and I cared for her either at home or in the hospital with her and my weight took a leap forward. Mom passed away in December 2, 2003. My weight was out of control and in 2005 my sister was diagnosed with colon cancer. (Hello can you say wakeup call). My sister went through two surgeries, chemo and radiation over the course of a year and a half. The physicians urged me to go through genetic testing to see if I had the same genetic malfunction as my sister (lynch syndrome). I put off having the test as my husband was completely against it. By this time (approx 2007)I was tipping the scale at 167 only a few pounds shy of my pregnancy weight with my third child. Instead of going back to bad habits I chose to through Quick Weight Loss center, they helped me tremendously and I lost 30 pounds. During all this time I was not working out, maybe an occasional walk or playing with the kids outdoors.
In 2009 I decided to start cycling and started hearing the words “eating clean”. I had no idea what this meant so of course Internet here I come. I found Tosca’s book and Vicki http://www.eatcleandiet.com/ so I started doing reading and reading and reading. I also decided without the consent of my husband to go forward with the genetic testing. I figure if I wasn’t positive I didn’t have to tell him, but if I was I would cross that bridge when I got there, well test came back positive. This meant that I had a missing chromosome which could lead to colon cancer or various other cancers (ovarian, cervical, stomach). Oh yea my husband wasn’t real pleased that I had the test but he got over it! The recommendation was to remove things I really didn’t need and reduce my cancer risk. In 2010 I had a total hysterectomy which put me into menopause immediately. During all this I am still reading and finding my way around eating clean and still cycling, taking time off to recover from surgery. After my recovery I made a pact with myself to stay as healthy as I could so that I could and will beat this “cancer risk” I have. Having lynch syndrome puts me a much greater risk of developing specific cancers (colon, stomach) than the average person in the upwards of 80% greater chance. So eating healthy and keeping my body in shape will even further reduce that risk. Since this roller coaster (2010 to current) ride I have completed 3- 5K obstacle races, 25K Trail Run, and various other races/runs (half Marathon Dec 2011), 4 MS150 cycling events (this is a two day cycling event from Houston Tx to Austin 167 miles total in two days) as well as my first Duathlon last August. On the calendar right now is my first Triathlon in two weeks, 2 Obstacle runs, 10 for Texas run and two Coed Softball tournaments.
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