Weight and the CONSTANT Ups and Downs Part 1

Two days in a row! I really am going to put much more effort into blogging often. I cant guarantee that I'll make a post everyday or that everyday it'll be something crafty or food-related, but I do promise to be as me as possible! :) So, I still live at home, but I'm planning to move out with my fiance in the coming months. The reason I say this is because I spend a lot of time (which I'm grateful for) with my family and my brother and dad both know a lot about me wanting to be a writer and attempting to become a better blogger. Although I do not want this blog to be completely about weight-loss, workouts or nutrition...I feel as though it's something so many people can relate to and it can be motivational to hear someone else's story...especially if the person reading is struggling themselves. Now...I am in NO way an expert or anything in the field of nutrition, weight-loss or fitness, BUT I do know what worked/works for me and I think it's important to hear these stories and adapt to what works best for you!



This is me in 2003, at 17.

That being said, I wanted to take time today to share my story. I have always struggled with weight. When I was in fifth grade, I remember gaining weight and continued to do so in sixth and seventh grade. I was still active, but as I was entering my pre-teen years, the hormonal changes in my body were definitely reacting to what I was eating, which was the usual kid food of hot dogs, mac and cheese, fries, chocolate and chips. However after seventh grade I met this group of neighborhood kids that were always out and about so I was ten times more active then I had been. The only downside...I was eating less...in fact, so much less that my mom would refuse to let me leave the house until I ate a full meal. Needless to say...I lost all my extra weight and at 5'2/5'3, I weighed about 105/110lbs. But this too was unhealthy. Now as I went through high school I battled between counting every calorie and going on diets just because I gained 3-5lbs and even hitting low points of insane exercising and diet pills. This was all because I was scared to be overweight again. 



Me in 2007

Me in May 2009

Fast forward to 2006 (two years after I graduated high school and had moved from my childhood city to Wellington) and I was in a new relationship with a guy who could eat ten meals a day and not work out at all and stay the same weight. This and my lack of activity caused me to overeat and under exercise and I gained weight. A lot of weight. When I moved to Wellington in 2004, I weighed about 120/125 at 5'4 and although I was not tone or fit, I was mostly satisfied, and I maintained that for a few years. Around mid/late 2007, I had started gaining weight and although I was unhappy about it, I didn't do anything to change it. In fact, I continued eating badly and not exercising and by June/July 2009, I weighed approx. 185lbs.


     This picture to the left is me at what was probably my heaviest. It was taken in June 2009 and was one of the last pictures before I started my journey to becoming healthy and fit. I wish I could say that seeing this picture, among others taken during that time led me to a desire to get healthy and stop having to buy newer, bigger clothes every few months...but it wasn't. Granted, something in me changed and I remember in July of 2009 sitting in my room, in bed and watching reruns of The Biggest Loser and I was drawn instantly to Ali and her struggles. When she won and I discovered that she had maintained and was an advocate for healthy living, I realized I could do it too.


Alright readers...I have to jet off to work, but Wednesday I'll be back with how I lost the weight, the struggles I've had and how I work to make sure I am never that unhealthy, depressed, tired and confident lacking woman again!