**I’m grateful that I started this journey in February and don’t have to start at Day 1 today.** but of course, I do wish I had started earlier. I certainly thought about it plenty enough…I visited family in October 2011 and when I came back I was determined to lose weight and never let them see me in the high 190s again. I was so embarrassed seeing people I hadn’t seen in a while. and I don’t know what the hell happened but not only did I not try to lose weight but I gained another 10+ before I woke up and realized what was happening. and then…I was determined to start for New Years, but I just couldn’t get going. it took me all the way until mid-February to be disgusted enough and to finally get the motivation and drive to get the heck up off the couch and back away from the chinese food. wtf?!?! no regrets though - because I’m so grateful that, no matter how long it took, in the end I was finally able to get started. but I need to always remember how damn hard it was to take those first steps because I don’t ever want to have to restart at Day 1 again.