"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing"-Walt Disney
Almost two years ago, I started on a journey to become a better me. I decided after 27 years of bad habits and bad eating, I would change my ways and become healthy. It was October 18th, 2013 when I decided a lifestyle change was in dire need and took the first steps on this continuing quest.
But let's back up a little. For most of my life, I have been overweight. I began gaining weight in third grade and continued to do so until the date above. I was teased in elementary and middle school for it and felt very much an outsider almost all of the time. It was worse in middle school; the time when six classes meant splitting up from familiar friends and faces. I was quiet, very shy and very insecure about my weight in middle school, all of which lead to even more teasing. The comfort I had was food. Food was always there and food was always good. Food meant home-a safe haven from the isolation I felt at school. And food, of course, meant more weight.
High school, on the other hand, was a whole new chapter; a chance to reinvent yourself. I joined the swim team my freshman year and was happy. Swim team represented a chance to get healthy and be part of a team. Well, one of those was true. Bad eating habits continued with skipping breakfast, eating little to no lunch, having swim practice for a couple of hours and then going home and eating everything in sight. After swim snacks would include anything from fast food to frozen dinners to tortillas with butter... You name the unhealthy snack and I probably ate it in droves. This did nothing to help my still insecure and timid nature, especially when it came to the subject of-guys (an issue I deal with to this very day!) Those eating habits continued throughout high school and then throughout college; the difference being that in high school, swim would kill some of those bad calories but in college...
Freshman 15? More like freshman 30... or more. It was a steady gain through the years until that October 18th. I was at roughly 230 pounds and being 5' 5", it was NOT a cute look. I had decided if I don't like me or the way I look, there's only way person who can change that. I will unashamedly admit this sudden epiphany was partially brought on by the encounter of a very nice fellow who inadvertently became the catalyst to get me going in the right direction.
So there I was: Monday morning. No idea how to even begin eating healthy when my family didn't generally eat healthy. I took a look at what my daily intake consisted of and found the biggest culprits were bread (SO much bread), tortillas, pasta, and potatoes. It was slow at first: lots of lettuce wraps, lots of chicken and vegetables, anything simple. Pinterest quickly became a go-to for new ways of eating the same old vegetables (by the way, cauliflower deserves my love forever). Brown rice replaced white rice, lettuce replaced bread and tortillas (my dad still can't stand the sight of my lettuce wrap tacos), and grated zucchini replaced pasta (AND makes a delicious pizza crust).
By my one year mark, I had lost 60 pounds. I had gone from a size 22/24 to a size 12. I'm nearing the two year mark and can happily say I've kept the weight off and have slid into the size 10 range. One of my good friends (you know who you are) encouraged me to start a blog (or "become a personal trainer!") as a way to inspire others. I don't know how many people this will reach but if any words I write here, now and later, can help at least one person then I am happy to oblige. There will be plenty of posts about food, exercise and daily musings and hopefully some motivating?
Carpe the diem my friends!
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