It's hard to say when it all started. I've been dealing with body image issues most of my life. I've spent half of my life either on a failed diet or thinking I needed to be on a diet. I yo-yo dieted back and forth twenty pounds every year for six years. Something needed to change.
The Catalyst:
I have a seizure disorder. This does not affect my life in any way other than I have to take medicine every day and I have to send paperwork to the DMV every six months with a doctor's note saying I am fit for driving. Oh, and I see a neurologist once a year. I think I am very lucky. People try to tell me how brave I am for handling this problem so well, but really, it's not an issue in my life. So February 2010 I went to visit my neurologist for the yearly checkup, and she decided it was time to put me on a newer, safer drug. Sure, whatever keeps the neurologist happy and gets me out of the office quicker with less lecturing. Then she says the magic words: "Side effects include lack of appetite and weight loss." BAM. I am sold on this idea! I went home thinking all my problems were solved! But in researching the drug, I found that people on this particular drug tend to lose 2.5-5% of their body weight and then level out. So what happened was I lost about ten pounds and leveled out. If I wanted to lose more, I was gonna have to do it on my own. But it was the catalyst that started it all.
Why did I finally start taking myself seriously?
Have you ever gotten all dolled up for an event and been shocked when you get pictures back? This has happened to me on more than one occasion, but there was one in particular this summer where I decided I didn't want to look like that in a picture ever again. At this point I had lost sixteen pounds already and I started taking dieting very seriously. It was when I had lost forty pounds that I started this blog as a way to keep myself motivated and to help inspire others. I have had to overcome my bad attitude in regards to exercise and have had many learning experiences along the way. Although this journey has been tough, the outcome is a much happier person.
My philosophies:
As I have mentioned, I spent most of my life with body image issues. Now that I am finally having success with dieting and weight loss, I am bound to have some opinions. Of course everyone knows that yo-yo dieting is terribly unhealthy, so it's best to avoid it. It is my goal to avoid yo-yo dieting by changing my lifestyle habits rather than by dieting alone. It's best not to deprive yourself too much. I'm hoping to be a different person when I make it to my end goal. I will have different eating habits. I will have lost weight slowly. This way I won't gain it all back immediately when I am no longer "dieting."
My other philosophies include having a support system. You can't do it alone! I am so appreciative of the amazing support I have from my family, my friends, my roommate, and of course the other health bloggers I have found out there who have amazing and motivational posts!
One of my principle philosophies is POSITIVITY. I have a rough exterior, and it's hard for some people to see through it. Underneath my blunt and sometimes brutal honesty is a POSITIVE ATTITUDE. You cannot lose weight with a negative attitude! After a bad week with no weight loss, you have to be able to bounce back. You have to be able to re-evaluate yourself and give yourself constructive criticisms, which you cannot do without a positive attitude. This is why I end each post with what I am grateful for. I truly am grateful for all the experiences that have brought me to this point.
