In my book “The Click”, there’s a picture of the 31 year old Sharon, referred to as “the girl on the fence”, taken in 1987 when I weighed 129 pounds.
That weight loss lasted for about 5 minutes, thanks to my yo-yo dieting mindset. I continued to struggle with my weight for years, but always dreamed of recreating that picture once I got my act together and learned how to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF.
Well, guess what? This summer it happened! Ever since I started my “daily workout” challenge on February 1st, my weight has been drifting steadily downward and my energy level has skyrocketed. Now my body looks forward to daily workouts and I have no trouble maintaining my weight. Actually as of today, I’ve lost 100 pounds since 2016. It’s truly amazing.
Here’s the thing. It’s taken 5 years but I finally got it through my thick skull — strength training is magic. I could kick myself for not grasping this 35 years ago, but better late than never.
Anyway, when I got to Los Angeles, my sister friend Andrea conspired with me to recreate that picture from 35 years ago. The day before I left, we snuck into my old condo complex and found our way to the exact same spot outside my condo. That was the best photo shoot ever, we had so much fun!
What a full circle moment that was, to achieve a goal that seemed impossible in 2016 when I weighed 222.5 pounds. Even though the “girl on the fence” vision pulled me forward, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever weigh 129 again and be able to relive that moment. Until I started weight training, it was a struggle just to stay in the 130s. But here’s the best part about this story — I didn’t gain the weight back the next week!
Now, of course it’s not exactly the same since I’m more than twice the age as the girl on the fence. But it’s not about turning back the clock, which we know is a exercise in futility. No, it’s about being the best you can be at whatever age you’re lucky enough to reach. Remember, health is our greatest wealth — it’s more important than money, than power, than success. And the older you get, the more you realize just how important it is.
