Suzanne Team Rider
Riding The Tour in	Bloomfield, CT to Scranton, PA
Riding out of	Hartford, CT
Motivation for joining The Tour	My motivation for joining the Tour is to share my story and to be an advocate for healthy living. I want to help motivate people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and to know that change is POSSIBLE! I am most looking forward to talking to people and motivating them to take action to improve their health. If I can make a difference is one person's life, then the Tour will be a success. Remember: The power of one.
Reasons for adopting an active lifestyle	2005 was a turning point for me. I had lost 2 friends to cancer (aged 46 and 54). I was turning 45 in December and realizing that I was going to outlive my father, but not at the rate I was going. (My father died at 45 as a result of a plane crash. It made me realize how young 45 really is.) I was not taking care of myself. My doctor was telling me that I needed to go on cholesterol medicine, I had hypothyroidism, had suffered major bouts of depression over the years, and had gained 10 pounds almost every year of marriage. Do you remember the childhood game of tag? One person is designated as "it", and that person runs around and tries to tag someone else. If they succeed, the person they tag is now "it" and tries to chase everyone else. Well, I finally realized that I was "it!" I was responsible for my own health and well-being. Me, not anyone else. I took action and through the support and partnering with my family, friends, co-workers, healthcare professionals and my dog (who insists on her daily 3 to 4 mile works), I made positive changes in my life. Today, my cholesterol is 154, my BMI is 22.1 and I have lost seventy pounds. I thank my husband Steve for being there through thick, thin and plump! You're "it!" The "I" in "it" is you. Take action now!
Why a healthy lifestyle is important	Quite simply, a healthy lifestyle is important to me because I want to enjoy life and all it has to offer. Life is too short and I have wasted far too much time being overweight and unhappy.
One piece of advice to help others live a healthier life	Determine your goals. Organize your plan. Get moving. Make conscious choices. Acknowledge and own your successes and failures.