2008 was a time of quite a few firsts for me.  I was just hitting the 40 pound mark on what could only have been the 400^th diet of my life.  You see I have probably hit that mark at least 10 times before.  However, this was only the halfway point on my journey.  I usually start feeling pretty good at that point and then ease up, slide back and then put the weight back on.  My previous exercise program was going from the couch to the refrigerator and back.  That was pretty much the entirety of my aerobic activity.  I have also joined every gym, bought every gimmick and tried every exercise program known to man.  I even had a treadmill in the bedroom that was the perfect height for hanging laundry. 

However, and this is the part of the story where my life changed.  I had been going to a ladies exercise program in town three times a week and thought I was getting a good enough workout. I had a friend who had been asking me for months to come with her to try a Jazzercise class.  I didn’t think it would be my cup of tea because I am not very coordinated.  I went to the Jazzercise center she belongs to and really enjoyed myself. After my first Jazzercise class I realized I hadn’t even broken a sweat once working out at my current facility.  When I got home from that first Jazzercise class I felt like I had not only broken a sweat, I had to wring my shirt out in the sink, but I was able to follow the instructor.  I didn’t feel intimidated because there were people working at all levels, which made me immediately comfortable. 

I found a center that was closer to my house…East Cobb Jazzercise!  Now this is when things started to get truly amazing.  I walked in, signed up and took my first class.  The energy at East Cobb Jazzercise is something that I have never experienced.  You can actually feel it when you walk in.  I started coming to class four times a week and each class, although taught by different instructors, had the same level of energy.  As the weeks and months went by I found myself making Jazzercise a priority in my schedule.  I also found that I was inching closer and closer to my weight loss goal. I wanted to push myself so I signed up for Personal Touch and met with one of my instructors for 30 minutes twice a week in addition to my four classes a week.  Personal training taught me more about how to get the most out of my exercising both during training, but also during class.  I was also starting to feel more confident in my abilities and what I could accomplish.

As for the firsts…Well, I reached my goal weight in February 2008 and in February 2009 I will be celebrating my one year anniversary of keeping the weight off.  I took over 200 hours of Jazzercise in 2008.  I marched in the East Cobber Parade with my Jazzercise compatriots.  I signed up for the Jazzerthon in February.  And all this from a 48 year old who was a couch potato for 46 years.

So not only have I re-shaped my body, but I find myself clearing my head, releasing my stress and smiling throughout each and every class. 

Thank you East Cobb Jazzercise!