I was sporty and active till I had kids. In 1990, after 6 yrs I got back to being that person and started working out. I was 30yrs old with 4 kids and 20 kg (44lbs) overweight after having the last 2 (twins).
Weight Watchers and walking got me back to normal within a year then I got into weight training at the gym, laps swimming and martial arts over the next 7 years. Two black belts later I was teaching martial arts and self-defence classes in schools.
I'd put some of the weight back on by 1997 due to ankle arthritis. Discovered nutrition and supplements worked really well for the pain and in 1998 lost the 6kg I'd gained, plus another 4 kg and for the next 8 yrs kept fit & trim with martial arts, step, aerobics, weight training, road cycling, rock climbing, running, skiing and yoga.
By 2006 my husband was in crisis with bone-on-bone arthritis, needing an ankle fusion and 2 knee replacements over the next 2 years, which was then followed by really bad depression. The financial problems along with burnout from my own overtraining (coping strategy!) compounded my own health problems resulting in anemia, endless series of iron injections and finally medical intervention.
By 2007 I was overweight again, and by Christmas 2009 it had crept up to being 7 kg overweight.
I got on top of the health problems and expanded my work to help with the financial problems and then in 2010 re-focused on getting the weight off and improving my fitness again. By Christmas I'd lost 6 kg (14lb) using Weight Watchers Online then the iphone apps, MyNetDiary and Get Running (but using the intervals for weights training instead of running!).
After 10 years using Polar HR monitors and PCCoach Software to track workouts am loving the online community support of using MapMyFitness with Wahoo HR monitoring.