Prepare for some sentimental mushiness.
One day when I write my book, this blog post will be entire chapter.
This post goes to one person:
Nick.
For those of you who don't know, Nick is my other half - most often referred to as
"my honey".
Someone asked me tonight how I have time to do all that I do and still be a mommy and as I thought about the answer to that question, I looked around my living room and caught a glimpse of Nick lying on the couch -
there is my answer. This man has been everything to me and more!
From D-Day when I decided to lose the weight, Nick was the one who told me to go after my goals and never look back. He told me
"There is nothing to it but to do it babe. I support you". A lot of people can SAY they support you but Nick is the epitome of what it means to have someone in your corner
100% of the time. To be there through every up and down, both figuratively and literally.
Allow me to note that Nick has never had a weight issue, never had a food issue, was always active and in shape. He put on a few pounds when I was pregnant but that's about it. He has no personal experience with this, cannot understand this journey from a
personal perspective, yet has somehow managed to understand
ME every step of the way.
I remember my first gain. I cried my eyes out like a fool. Nick was there to talk to me. He reminded me that the weight didn't get there over night and that this wasn't something that was going to happen without hard work but that I could do
anything and that he would support me along the way.
I remember our walks early on. I would always yell at him for walking too fast (and too far!) and he would always encourage me to keep pushing and
"stop being lazy". I also remember the first day he had to work to keep up with ME several months later and pointed it out by saying something to the effect of
"Look at how fast you're walking babe! Remember when....."
I remember the first time he really pointed out my weight loss as I was getting ready for Weight Watchers one morning at the crack of dawn and he said
"Dang Krystle, you look like a different person these days"
The comments over the past two years such as:
"Wow, look at your arms"
"You're so ripped" (even when I was clearly NOT!)
"Don't give up babe"
"I know it must be hard but I am here for you. You can do this"
"I'd love you at any weight"
"You have come SO far" - his response when I told him I wanted to be a fitness instructor
***Cue the tears***
He has eaten every meal I have ever put on the table and complimented it - some more than others but has never complained, not even once, about what kind of dinner is served or what is kept in the house.
The mornings when I first fell in love with fitness and I was doing Zumba for the Wii. He would walk out the door to work and say
"You're about it 'bout it. Good job!"
I remember the first time I did Turbo Fire and thought I might die. He watched me and told me how good I was doing then a few months later, as he was watching me again, told me
"You look just like them. You could teach this DVD yourself"
Every week, every pound lost, he would give me a modest
"good job" as I reported my weight loss to him but it wasn't those moments that meant the most. It's the moments that I was down and out or thought about quitting that have always meant the most to me. He has always been there.
I've pursued a gazillion different workouts over the past 2 years - some involving leaving the house, others in the living room. Whenever I want to go to the gym, he has been there to take care of our daughter so I can take care of myself. When I want to run, he offers to run with me.
The other day, as I was leaving the house to go to the gym, I sent him a text that said
"Thank you for supporting me in all that I do. I appreciate you" to which he responded
"Baby, you're amazing. I love you"
But the thing that I love
most about Nick when it comes to my journey is that he loved me from day
one. He saw me as the most beautiful woman in the world when I gave birth to his daughter at 270+ pounds. He never pushed me to lose weight, only encouraged me.
He has watched me transform and loved me through
every calorie,
every pound,
every drop of sweat,
every weigh in,
every tear
every workout
every binge
every regret
every victory
and now he gets to love and enjoy the new Krystle both physically and mentally.
Someone once asked me to ask him if he loved the new Krystle or the old Krystle more. His response was
"The new Krystle loves HERSELF more but I just love you".
I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for a man like Nick.
He is the wind beneath my wings.
To my honey,
Thank you for ALL that you are - an incredible man, an incredible father, and an incredible friend.
I love you.