Twenty-one years old!
Over the next twelve years I began eating out and was drinking more. My proportions increased and my activity level slowly decreased. The pounds slowly started packing on over the years. I gained approximately ten pounds a year for about eleven years. I did try to (unsuccessfully) loose weight over the years, but it never stuck.
Then in the summer of 2012, I was 31 years old and had reached 200 pounds. I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and my physician had already talked to me about my cholesterol. Below is a picture of my blood pressure being 150/74. I was finally put on medication when it reached high 100's/90's. It was at this point that I realized I needed to change. Really needed to change.
Almost four years ago I decided to try a personal trainer. When I went to the gym I would only use the elliptical and it slowly got boring and I would quit. The weight machines scared me and I had no clue how to use dumbbells! Plus I was self conscious going to the gym. Lyndsey was approximately 6 months pregnant when I met her. She showed me a few exercises, but after she had the baby I quit again.
The following spring she emailed me and we met up again. She had me do what should have been a normal workout and I barely made it through. I couldn't breathe! I felt like a tool! It was then I decided NEVER AGAIN! Never!
This was a slow process for me since I needed to learn to workout, learn to eat healthy, learn to have smaller portions, and more. A year ago I had lost almost fifty pounds (see picture below). I was ecstatic, but then my world changed when my ex-husband walked out a year ago and filed for a divorce.
212 lbs (on the left) versus 170ish lbs (on the right)
I have not quit during this past year, but I have definitely not done what I needed to do to continue to be healthy and loose weight. There was definitely a time where pizza & ice cream were my go to meals. Although I am not proud or happy with this I also understand it was part of my healing and in the end I have not quit. It was during my brother's open house (June 2016) when I saw a picture of myself that it finally clicked again for me. I don't want to live this way.
June 2016
I had gained approximately 25-30 pounds over the past year. My workouts have resumed since this photo (above) was taken and I am getting back on track with eating. The good news is I never quit working out during this time. I just wasn't doing what I needed to in order to maintain or loose weight. I try not to beat myself up and just keep moving...
Inspiring!
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