All Good Things Must Come To An End

By Ashley Wisniewski

All good things eventually come to an end and my time as a That's Fit blogger has reached its conclusion. I am incredibly thankful for the lessons that I've learned and the people that I've met along this journey. While my That's Fit adventure is finished, my healthy lifestyle is literally just beginning.

In nine months as a blogger, I lost approximately 30 pounds and gained an immense amount of knowledge. I've learned to be nutrition-savvy, make exercise a consistent part of my life and realized that to make big changes, you have to put forth big effort. Weight loss and fitness do not have to be difficult, but both require commitment.

When I first started this project, I wanted to be a runner but I didn't have the drive to actually become a runner. Since August, I've worked my way up to running three miles without stopping and recently completed a 5k. In less than three weeks, I will compete in my first 10K!

I will admit that there were times throughout this blog project that I wasn't 100 percent committed. I didn't track my food, I didn't go to the gym and I didn't make the best choices; however, for every mistake I made I learned many lessons whether it be that I need to at least watch my calories to lose weight, or that not all so-called healthy foods are created nutritionally equal.

This blog also allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my decision and became an outlet which allowed me to figure out how to get back on track. Instead of staying off track for weeks and months, I quickly got back into my routine. I'm thankful to my editors as well as all of you who took the time to read about my struggles. Writing a blog provided me motivation when I needed a push in the healthy direction.

Honestly, I feel a little vulnerable. I'm at a pivotal point in my pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes I worry that I am one weekend away from slipping back into a sedentary lifestyle full of unhealthy eating. Though this blog isn't the only reason I have been able to make some huge changes in my life, having an audience has kept me accountable. The positive feedback and even the negative commentary from readers provided me with different points to consider and added fuel to my already well-lit, healthy-lifestyle fire. Writing my blog has become a part of my weight loss routine, just as much as drinking eight glasses of water, eating breakfast every morning, working out and all of the other decisions I've made that have contributed to my success.

Through all of my setbacks, challenges and successes, if there is one thing that I've learned and will continue to incorporate into all aspects of my life, it is that I really can do more than I thought possible. I never imagined actually being a runner, actually being not obese and actually being at a healthy weight. I am a runner, I'm no longer obese and in time, I will be at a healthy weight.

If you would like to continue to follow my progress, you can visit my personal blog, or find me on twitter @ashleycrockett.