Weight Off My Shoulders In The News...

I'm wicked honored whenever anyone wants to chat with me about my weight loss, fitness or running journeys. Now I figured I should keep the pieces together in one place so I can truly cherish how lucky and blessed I am!! ---

September 21, 2011

Inspiration Of The Week - Just Weighing In And Moving On Blog

December 28, 2011

How I Lost It - TimeOut Chicago

April 3, 2012

Real Life Biggest Losers - FUDiet.com

May 14, 2012

BEE Active - Athlete Interview - Bee Well For Life

May 29, 2012

Biggest Loser Blog - "Losing It On Their Own" - phillyburbs.com

June 1, 2012 

Blogger Of The Month (June) - Sparkly Soul Headbands

September 12, 2012

TransformationPics.com

September 17, 2012

Weight Loss Success Story - Half Size Me Podcast

October 3, 2012

CHANGE Spotlight  - TrulyJess.com

October 16, 2012

Twitter Can Help You Lose Weight - FOX 25 News

December 20, 2012

Fitfluential Ambassador Spotlight - Fitfluential.com

Fitbie.com - One of the web's best weight loss stories of 2012

February 1, 2013

Featured Fit Friends - DivaOnADiet.com

February 14, 2013

Runner Spotlight - RunToTheFinish.com

March 21, 2013

Blog Post: A Boston Marathon Virgin - Runkeeper.com

March 29, 2013

Featured Blogger Friday - RunStretchRepeat.com

Dani Holmes-Kirk; How She Got Her Start - Fit-Journey.com

April 9, 2013

Marathon Profile: Dani Holmes-Kirk Runs For Stroke Awareness - SomervillePatch.com

April 15-22, 2013 - Boston Marathon Posts

Boston - MrsFatAss.com

Boston Marathon 4-15-13 - BusinessOfLosingWeight.com

Finish Line Heartbreak (For Boston) - FoodFoodBodyBody.com

Red Sox can help Boston cope - FOXSports.com

Phone Interview - Chicago Tribune Live

May 27, 2013

Featured Sneakers #28 - SneakersAndFingerPaints.com

May 29, 2013

I Lost Weight - HuffingtonPost.com

November 20, 2013

{Runners Who Rock} Dani - ThisCrazyLifeOfMine.com

December 16, 2013

I Wanna See You Be Brave - TheValentineRD.com

January 2, 2014

Blogger of the Month (January) - Sparkly Soul Headbands

January 8, 2014

1,150 Miles In 2013 - Runkeeper.com

January 23, 2014

Faces of Assembly Row (Video 5) - Youtube.com

February 22, 2014

Dani Holmes-Kirk Story - DietsInReview.com

March 31,  2014

Why I Run: Dani Lost 64lbs - UniversalSports.com

April 9, 2014

Why I Run: Meet Dani - UniversalSports.com

Meet Team X-1: Dani Holmes-Kirk - X-1.com

April 17, 2014

Boston Marathoner Spotlight...Dani Holmes-Kirk - LittleFancyNancy.blogspot.com

April 25, 2014

Feature Fridays: Dani Holmes-Kirk - OnFireFitnessPT.com

May 27, 2014

Running Toward Her Goals - WeightWatchers.com

June 26, 2014

Guest Post - Running for Fun vs. Time… Can it be both? - CMDot.Blogspot.com

August 3, 2014

[GUEST POST] Top Threeve Things I’ve Learned From My Weight Loss Journey - TheFFKid.com (Fotographing Fat Kid)

August 10, 2014

Runner Spotlights #98 - RoadRunnerGirl.com

September 26, 2014

Health Nut Hero: Dani - HealthNutInTraining.com

October 10, 2014

Blogger Spotlight: Dani "Weight Off My Shoulders" Holmes-Kirk - 300poundsandrunning.com

November 13, 2014 Weight Loss Success Story – Dealing with your “Before” when you hit your “After.” - Comeback Momma

November 24, 2014

Motivational Mondays: Dani of Weight Off My Shoulders - CMCDOT.Blogspot.com

January 16, 2015

9 Bloggers Who Changed Their Lives One Post at a Time - DailyBurn.com

I Need A Change...

Ever have that feeling that something in your life needs to change, but you just don't know what? Yeah... I am currently going through that.

As a whole I am loving life and living it to the fullest, but in some aspect I am lacking.

Something is missing.

Some spark.

Some passion.

Do I have any idea what it is right now?

Nope.

So how do I figure out what the change that needs to be made is?

I'm not sure.

I think I need to really sit down with myself and see what is my life is causing me the most stress, most unhappiness, most headaches and drop it.

Okay maybe not drop that activity/job completely, but stop allowing it to rule my thoughts or dreams or mind.

If I don't try new activities, jobs or paths I will never know what I am truly meant to do ... or be.

Right?

I think so.

Since I was little I thought I knew what I wanted to do. I always dreamed of being a Statistician for the Boston Red Sox. It's the reason I was a Math Major in college. But once I started working for the Red Sox in 2004, I learned that job no longer existed.

Ouch!

But I kept trying.

I found my way in baseball for 8 years and loved it. The hours were tough, but the relationships I made with players, front office personnel and media were unmatched, the travel was exciting and the job itself (PR) was something I loved.

In January 2012, we made the decision to leave Chicago and move to Boston.

I left baseball.

It was tough.

But, I cannot dwell.

I need to celebrate the time I have with my wife. She hated being a "baseball wife."

Now I have more time with friends and family than I have had since probably 2003.

I love being a part of people's weight loss and healthy journeys.

So what do I explore next? I cannot say ... yet.

***

Have you dealt with the inner turmoil of making a "big change?"

Dear Former Self...

Dear Former Self, You are 30 and more importantly alive.

I know there were many times in High School, College and even after graduation where you thought about ending it all. Just slipping away because you thought no one would ever notice.

Well, people would have.

So thank you.

Thank you for not taking away the time I now have with the wife, friends, family and the world.

YOU are making a difference.

YOU are now brave enough to share your journey, your happiness, your sadness, your self doubts and your strengths with the masses.

And people appreciate that.

They appreciate you.

And you know what?

You are staring to appreciate yourself as well.

Now, I'm not going to tell you it is all rainbows and unicorns.

Okay - there are some rainbows - I mean you are gay after all. :)

But, seriously ... there is actual joy in your life. There are smiles that aren't forced. There are some serious kick ass accomplishments you are achieving.

Hello! Running The Boston Marathon in less than two weeks. I think we can classify that under Bad Ass and something we NEVER thought would happen.

But it is.

None of this could be happening if you hadn't made that decision in 2009 to walk through the doors of Weight Watchers and change your life forever.

Over the past four years, layers and layers of fat, insecurity, pain, self-doubt and self-loathing have slowly but surely been stripped away. There are little chunks lying around here and there, but they too will be shed over time.

You didn't have to think for all those years that you weren't worthy of true happiness because you were.

Why did you doubt yourself? Why did you put yourself down SO much? Why did you think you were so unworthy of being alive?

I don't know the answers. Maybe over time we will figure them out. But for now, we are happy to be moving past those.

The self-deprecating humor you used for so long as a shield is still here ... but now more out of habit. A habit that we are working on changing. The hatred behind it is lessening.

Someday it will go away completely, but we save that for a letter from our Future Self.

For now, in the current state, things are pretty awesome. Just know that all the pain you went through and held on to for so long is clearing ... it is being released and freed.

The heart is opening to the love of family, friends and even complete strangers you have come to meet - and love - online. The world is embracing you flaws and all and you are FINALLY embracing it back. You are sharing things with people you never thought you would.

And I have to say it feels GOOD.

So former self, thank you again for allowing me to be here ... for allowing me to feel ... for allowing me to live!

Love,

Your Current Self