My journey to health, fitness and weight loss started 3 years ago after my daughter’s wedding photos arrive.  I could not deny what I saw.  A beautiful bride and a very unhealthy, fat mother.  I decided that day that I would do whatever it took to change.

I was not a fat child.  I started to gain weight in high school when I took a job as a baker in a Donut Shop.  At my graduation, I topped off at 180 lbs.  Lucky for me the Donut Shop went out of business.  I took a job next at Gilmore’s Department store.  Seeing all the pretty clothes encourage me to lose weight.  I was very motivated and managed to get down to 125 lbs!  It was during this time that I met my future husband.  We married and started a family and as typical my weight started a slow, gradual increase.  I kept telling myself that it was just baby fat but at my daughter’s wedding, I could no longer say it was baby fat. 

My decision was drastic, I decided to have Bariatric Surgery.   This is NOT something to be taken lightly.  I am very thankful that my insurance company required 6 months of weight management with a certified physician.   My beginning weight was 234 lbs.   This program helped me learn why I was eating, what I was eating and how I was eating was all wrong.  I managed to looe 40 lbs in 6 month working with this program.  I barely qualified for surgery but I was determined to go through despite all my families’ objections.  Here is how I did it:

  1.    I needed to MOVE.  Not exercise, just move.  I made small changes like taking stairs, parking my car as far from stores as possible.  I started walking 15 minutes in the morning and evening.  I eventually worked up to 30 minutes.  I also took 10 minutes each morning to do strength building.
  2. I ate when I was not hungry, I ate when I was bored, and I ate when I was stressed.  I ate all the WRONG foods.  How did I figure out this you ask?   I journaled.  I was reluctant because I figured it would be too much work and I hated calorie counting but my nutritionist hooked me up with a program that did it all for me.   MY FITNESS PAL is the secret to my success!  I downloaded it on my computer and was totally amazed at how many calories I was eating.  I was able to make changes to low calorie foods and track my progress.  This program also provided tips, exercises and recipes. 
  3. I also learned I was eating too fast and my portions where out of control.

I am out of time today but I will continue with my story…………………………