Becoming Healthy

I try to keep my blog posts about fashion, or food, or anything I feel is more important than me, however I keep finding from my friends and family, that we all go through the same struggles, we just don't know how to talk about it.

Here is my struggle and Achomplishment

As of today when I went to the Doctor, I was weighed and came in at a whopping 191.5 Pounds. Does that seem like a lot? It's still a number that makes me cringe in fear, but I have to say, that its about 50 pounds lower than where I was in January.
Does that seem possible? It doesn't for me either!!

To see about the dress I am wearing, check out KaLib's Look. 

The first picture is of me when I weighed about 246 Pounds, just after surgery and felt not only, unhealthy, but awkward in my own skin. I almost always wore body control tops, or bigger clothing.

Having had surgery and being sick for nearly a year. The weight just packed itself on.  I was beginning to feel better, but still felt horrible about my body and what I had become. I decided to keep working on myself and getting healthy, not thin, but healthy. I cant explain how important the difference is to me. So many women believe they need to become thin to loose weight. NO, Wrong! Please don't feel you have to change yourself. Becoming healthy, eating right, watching what and when you eat and exercise is the best thing you can do to loose weight and feel good about yourself at the same time.

Honestly, not moving that well for years, not playing sports. It was strange to get back into the swing of moving. Infact, after surgery, a flight of stair could wind me. I figured that I was healthy and had always been. Why would it be hard to loose weight and get back to being in shape. (Having good lung capacity and muscles, not being skinny)

Brookelyn and I. WSU vs Rutgers

I started working hard, and doing more this summer. I took my dog Jill on walks around the neighbor hood and down to the beach near our house. The heat helped me sweat a lot and for that matter, shower more. (sometimes twice a day)

As of august. I moved across the state for school and here at Washington State University. The hills are everywhere. We don't have small hills either, to walk from my apartment to my first class of the day. It feels like I have to hike a mountain.

 Every single day I walk up and down campus numerous times. Sometimes 3-5 times. Its about a 15 minute walk, and I feel like I am always out of breath. I will confess that I try and look like the walk is easy, and not breath heavily while walking. Especially when other people make it look so easy.

Marching band has also helped tremendously.
I play Sousaphone, it weighs, oh like 50 Pounds, nothing much. This photo is with my little Sister Brookelyn at the first home game of the season. Game days are certainly long, as my day starts about 6 hours before kick-off and ends after the game ends. Its great exercise!

Sousa Line at WSU vs CAL. 

For those of you who struggle with weight. I completely understand!!! It has taken me 10 months to loose this weight and was no easy roller coaster. I eat healthy and work out but then want to be able to eat pizza and watch a late night movie with my sister and friends.
Being honest, I still did that. I just knew I had to keep up working out and striving to get better.

In July, I went to the doctor because I was getting massive head aches that made me feel like my heart was racing, heat waves, and light hurt so bad I couldn't open my eyes. I was sent to a doctor to treat my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. She tested my blood, and blood sugar and mentioned that I had high blood sugar for fasting, in fact, it I was one point higher on my fasting sugar level. I would be officially type 2 diabetic. I did and didn't freak out. I began taking Metformin and found it to be harsh on my stomach. I switched to Extended release and found that it made life easier, but counting carbohydrates is no fun!

Spending your time looking into what I can eat and couldn't eat was terrible. I spend my childhood not able to have Gluten, Corn, Tomatoes, Tree Nuts, Dairy, Seafood, among other things. It made it difficult to enjoy life as a child.
 I lived on salad and a few meats. It was liberating to be free and clear around my 18th birthday. The first thing I did was go out and eat a Taco Time soft taco. (My favorite food).
*More On my childhood problems in next post*

Having restrictions actually made me cry myself to sleep some nights. I missed making pasta. But I was lucky that my family was helpful and did their best to eat like me. But I did notice that I was loosing weight, so no matter how much I missed my fettuccine alfredo and homemade enchiladas. I couldn't even eat fruit, too much sugar. I love and I mean love raspberries and blackberries.

What has happened after loosing the weight and being pre-diabetic?

1. I am done about 50 pounds, as we noted early
2. I am able to eat more pasta, not a lot, but I can have some pasta now.
3. Being able to move and feel better its such a bonus.
4. I now have more clothes that fit and I feel better wearing them.
5. I am motivated and determined to continue with the progress!

Weight Loss is not easy! Don't let it get you down. Find a support system and motivate yourselves.