EDITOR’S NOTE: Susan McCreath was selected to participate in the inaugural Year of You, a fitness challenge hosted by The Manteca Bulletin and CORE Athletic Performance. McCreath kept a weekly journal, highlighting the strides and struggles of her fitness journey. These are her final thoughts and feelings.

Day 361

Started the morning off right at the Embassy Suites breakfast buffet! I did very well choosing an omelet with tons of veggies. I wanted some fruit, but the only one they offered was cantaloupe. Cantaloupe must be the only fruit available in Dallas right now because that’s what was served in the restaurant at lunchtime too. As we settle into the game at AT&T Stadium to watch the Ducks  versus the Buckeyes, I realize a few things: They serve way healthier food here than any other stadium I have been to and the seats are actual seats which means your butt is not touching someone else’s the entire game. 

Day 362

Early morning flight means eating breakfast in the airport. Who books their flight so early that they miss the all-you-can-eat buffet at Embassy Suites? I settle on some oatmeal from Starbucks, but can’t resist the mocha as I’m working on about two hours of sleep. Thankful to be home tonight though as the hubby fires up the grill for some chicken.

Day 363

I have received so many emails, texts, and phone calls from people that I know and don’t know regarding this journey and how they have followed me for a year. Many have thanked me for being honest about real life and sharing the day-to-day battles. I truly feel that I am no different than the majority of people out there. Life is a struggle, time management is a struggle.

Day 364

Volleyball game and our 40-something team just beat a 20-something team, but boy is this going to hurt in the morning. Our team is a mix of former athletes and volleyball players who all know what we are doing mentally, however physically our bodies just can’t seem to move (or move quickly) enough to where we need to be. Nevertheless, we prevailed and it felt good! 

Day 365

Wow! Day 365. The year is over. What a mixture of happiness, sadness, and relief all rolled into one.  I may not have been the perfect candidate for this task. There were definitely high and low moments, but at the end of the year progress has been made physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have lost weight and inches. I have dropped pants and dress sizes, but more importantly I stopped the train that was rolling out of control. I was able to stop my blood pressure medication and my sleep apnea has disappeared. I feel good about myself again and have the confidence that I can continue this journey on my own. People that know me know that I am a very quiet, keep-to-myself kind of person so this year was hard. Really hard. Putting it all out there is so not me.  However, without this intervention, I am convinced that I would have continued to gain weight and probably would have hit the 300-pound mark. Yes, I do feel that way. With the stress of my job and just day-to-day life I was spiraling out of control.  Thanks to Robert and his team at CORE, I was able to stop the destruction in time and start back on a healthy lifestyle. His gym is amazing and the transformations you see there with his clients are more than amazing. I can’t thank him enough for opening his gym and his knowledge to me. The Manteca Bulletin and their staff who were also there every step of the way … even calling me out when I was missing workouts. It’s all part of the process.  In life I am a super responsible person. I have no choice but to be responsible. Now I just need to keep being responsible to myself. This journey is over for me in the paper, but my journey in life, my weight loss journey will continue. Maybe in a year I can update everyone on my progress. I have gained many friends in this process, friends I share this battle of the bulge with. Let’s all stick together and continue down the positive road. Thank you again for following me, and remember this: Eat clean, you can’t outwork your diet!