I have always been a little "chubby" but have maintained a healthy lifestyle and been in relatively good physical shape. Now, at 23, I am incredibly busy - attending graduate school full time to become a mental health counselor (can't wait for graduation in October 2016!!!) and working full-time as a service coordinator/case manager for adults with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health issues, as well as being a full-time developmental home provider for a young man with special needs. With that being said, I have definitely neglected my own self-care (Oops).
I have been a vegetarian (no meat or seafood, but some dairy) for over 10 years, since I was 13 and in the 8th grade. Unfortunately, however, I often substituted additional carbohydrates for protein, contributing to lower energy and some weight gain. With such a busy lifestyle, I have recently taken to skimping on physical fitness as well. It is definitely time for a change!
In the past several years, I have accomplished many, many goals, and am known to be a "weird" 23 year old (a definite "old soul"). I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University in Vermont only two years after graduating high school, several weeks shy of my 20th birthday. Within a month, I was working full time and only a year later, had purchased my own home. I have already traveled to 10+ countries, begun my retirement savings and finished half of the items on my Bucket List. Having accomplished all of these personal and professional goals, I really need to buckle down and focus on "ME" - and losing weight in particular.
When I stumbled across DietBet, I instantly thought this would be a good match for me. I need a weight loss program that will hold me accountable and the link to financial goals also provides motivation. My philosophy is to focus on gradual and sustainable changes to positively affect my emotional, physical and mental well-being for a lifetime.
I need to commit to this journey now. I have broken my goals into several shorter term goals (I am a notorious list maker and planner). Initially, I would like to lose 50 lbs (Eek - that sounds like a lot!). I want to focus on 10 lb increments until I reach 165 lbs (that would return me to my weight during freshmen year of high school). Once I reach 165 lbs, I will re-evaluate and continue to work towards greater weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes.
I have attached a photo of myself at 165 lbs during my freshmen year of high school as motivation to return to this size (at this weight, I was a size 5 in jeans!). I am so hopeful that I will be successful in my attempts to lose weight -- I really struggle with staying motivated when it comes to weight loss.
Small changes I would like to focus on this week (List #1):
- Take an initial weight as a baseline (and possibly, measurements) (I haven't stepped on the scale in at least a few months)
- Begin drinking 64+ oz of water daily (carry a water bottle at all times - keep back up water bottles in the car in case I forget)
- Begin taking a daily multivitamin
Here it goes! <3