My wake-up call came 2 years ago when I took on a new position consulting for health care facilities. It was disturbing to see how many patients were so badly off—often struggling with diabetes, obesity, or both—that they'd almost completely lost their ability to move around on their own. Some needed a mechanical lift to get in and out of bed. I was nearing 45, and the thought of losing my own health really scared me—and it popped up every time I looked in the mirror. I was 237 pounds. My hair had lost that healthy shine, and I'd totally given up on the athlete I'd been in high school. I knew that if I didn't do something soon, my fate probably wouldn't be any different, which wasn't the example I wanted to set for my two daughters.
Photograph by Daniela StallingerMessina discovered that the striving, along with daughters Lindsey and Amanda, is what makes life fun.
One night on my way home after another day spent mostly glued to a chair, I realized that I actually missed the rush of endorphins that I used to get after being active. It was time to get moving. (Need a fitness plan made for your crazy schedule? In just 10 minutes a day, you can transform your body with Prevention's Fit in 10 DVD!)
At first it was all about losing weight—I signed up for a 5K and huffed my way through it. It was painful, but training for the race motivated me. Then my friend Jen got me to go to the gym with her and eventually invited me to a CrossFit class. Knowing I could stick through that discomfort fueled me. I started working out for an hour or more, 6 days a week. I also changed what I ate, cutting out soda, fatty foods, and the bottle of wine I regularly shared with my husband 4 nights a week.
I've done another 10 races in the 2 years since. Physically, I've transformed: My hair is shinier, my skin glows, and I've lost 77 pounds. But the most significant change is that I'm confident in all aspects of my life. I know there is nothing I can't do.
