• Water bottle
• hairspray
• body spray
• paper plates (for “slider” work)
• MP3 player armband
• hair rubber-band
• workout booklet
• timer/clock
• sweatbands for head and wrist
• resistance band
• extra socks
• extra change in case I forget my water bottle
• My Exercise TV towel (this towel has special meaning to me now that the Exercise TV channel is now defunct).

My blog is: www.mistransformation.wordpress.com

I made the decision to begin my weight loss journey after I became “sick and tired of being sick and tired” of feeling bad about my weight. My energy level was low and I wanted to have a healthier, happier lifestyle. There were a lot of personal struggles in my every day life because I was overweight. I hated having my picture taken, finding the right guy to date was like finding a needle in a haystack, and I just felt older than my years. Refusing to continue in my old ways, I started working out at the local YMCA and started to see the pounds dropping.

I have since lost over 60 pounds and have built a lot of muscle and pretty much changed my body composition. While working out I felt my body changing, I had more energy and soon was able to buy clothes that I wanted to wear—not just what fit or was comfortable for my size. Seeing these results motivated me to keep working hard to continue to my body transformation success. I lost over 4 clothing sizes and have given over a dozen huge garbage bags full of clothes to charity.

My initial fitness goals have come and gone long ago but I still continue to strive to the be the best I can be. I am constantly trying new challenges and pushing myself harder to reach new fitness. Greatest challenge/struggle: Breaking plateaus. What has been most positive about my weight loss journey: Being told by others that I have inspired and motivated them to begin their own journey into a healthier lifestyle. Top tips for readers and favorite exercises: Variety, variety, variety. Don’t let yourself get bored with your workouts. Step outside of the box, push yourself and try something new and fun. I did this by adding dance into my fitness routine.