For those of you who know me, you know that I lost a lot of weight recently. Well, maybe it wasn't so recently. It was almost a year ago already. ACTUALLY, I just realized that tomorrow will mark the one-year anniversary of my first day at Weight Watchers. What a perfect time to start my blog!
But I don't want to get ahead of myself here. Let me start from the beginning. (FYI, this post might be a tad bit lengthy, as I have a lot of background to set. I hope you don't mind!) I've never been a little girl, at least not as long as I can remember. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. I remember going on a major diet between middle and high school and losing a hefty amount of weight ... maybe 30 pounds or so. Good job, right? But then, I returned to my normal eating habits and the weight crept back on. I was feeling pretty big again during my sophomore year of high school, so I went on another crash diet, lost some weight, and ... you guessed it, started eating crappy again.
Still, at least one good thing did come out of my sophomore health craze. I discovered Jazzercise. Never before in my life had I found a method of exercise that I could stand. I have been a dancer all of my life ... not that I have a dancer's body. But dancing is my thing, so I always found myself bored out of my mind at the gym and couldn't run a mile to save my life. My first Jazzercise class was love at first step! I had finally found a workout that I enjoyed and that I have stuck with to this day. (I did take a hiatus when I met my first boyfriend. Of course, as a high school girl, I thought that spending time with him was more important than working out and taking care of my body. What was I thinking!) About two years ago, I became a Certified Jazzercise Instructor. This is something I'm really proud of. I know, I'm a dork, and I might be blushing right now.
Anyways, during junior year of high school, boyfriend number two came along. With boyfriend came worsening eating habits and decreased exercise. Maybe some of you can relate? If I could go back in time, I would definitely make some different choices, but I guess that is what experience is all about. I happened to stay with this boyfriend for over four years. It was an on and off, very unhealthy relationship. Those four or so years of my life were not the healthiest, in so many aspects. I started attending college at UW-Madison, but became homesick quickly. After three semesters, I transferred to Alverno and switched my major to Education ... two of the best decisions of my life. Academically, things were looking up, but I guess I failed to notice that my weight was, well, kind of spiraling out of control. Finally, last May, I woke up and realized that something needed to change.
I called my mom, and hoped that she would embark on my journey to get healthy with me. She did, of course, because that is what moms are for. We signed up for Weight Watchers on Sunday, May 23rd, 2010, and for the next four-ish months, I never looked back. I stuck DILIGENTLY to the plan, and worked out almost every single day. By the middle of September, I had lost over 60 pounds. (NOTE: This is not a normal rate of weight loss. Somehow, it just happened.) I also managed to inadvertently snag myself a new beau, and couldn't be happier in that department. I was thinner, fitter, and more confident. Overall, I was feeling fantastic. And best of all, I had done in a totally healthy way. No crash dieting ... just good, old fashioned healthy eating and exercise.
Okay, this is totally embarrassing, but I guess that is what this is all about. Here are some before and after pictures for your viewing pleasure ...
Before (at a Jazzercise convention in New Orleans in April 2010)
After (on the eve of my 21st birthday in September 2010)
THEN ... a new year of school started, I turned 21, I started living with my boyfriend, blah, blah, blah. Let's just say that I haven't been as committed over the past nine months as I was last summer. Ok, by not as committed, I mean barely committed at all. Working out once a day turned into maybe once a week. And healthy salads, sandwiches, and snacks turned into eating fast food in the car and stopping at the school vending machines. Needless to say, I gained some weight back. I know it's not the end of the world, only a few pounds. But I miss the healthy me. And I would hate for a few pounds to turn into a few more pounds.
So, I thought I'd write about it. I figured there must be some people out there in the same boat, looking for some support and willing to support me. I recently joined the WAC, since I've been teaching less and less Jazzercise classes (due mostly to location and the price of gas). I will keep you updated on my eating and fitness habits as much as I can ... to keep me honest. :)
What keeps you motivated to live a healthy lifestyle?
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