Chasing away Chubby

How I got fat…

Posted lodyangel on August 14th, 2007 | Filed under General

My name is Melody and I am a single Mother with 4 kids. When I was in High school I was a runner…track and cross country. I used to be able to run a 6:00 minute mile! Once I ran 16 miles all at once. But those days are long gone, and I am here, overweight and miserable and looking to get back in shape.

Why I became overweight? It’s not like it was a conscious decision. It’s one of those things that sneaks up on you. I had my first child while I was in High School. After I graduated life just took over. I was going to college, working 2 jobs, and raising my son on my own. There wasn’t time to workout. After a few years I got involved with the father of my youngest 3 children. After a few years the relationship became abusive. He is a (now-recovering) alcoholic and he used drugs back then. He became using crack and became abusive…both physically and mentally. Mental abuse is much worse then physical abuse. I would rather be punched in the face countless times ten to be called every dispicable name in the book. He cheated on me repeatedly and for some reason I stood by him regardless of how bad things got (self esteem?) until one day in 2002 things blew up and I got sick of it and had him arrested. We broke up for 3 months and I lost 30 pounds. We got back together and I swear we would not have lasted if I had not had baby #4. We moved in together and things were better then the first time, he stopped the drugs, but I couldn’t take his drinking and I left after 18 months. By this time I gained all the weight back plus some. We are still a “couple” but we do not live together and never will again. He has been sober now for about 8 months and is doing great. During this time I got diagnosed with arthritis and fibromyalgia. The arthritis is the worst, but has gotten 100% better since I have been running. (Which doesn’t make sense since bang your joints against pavement is suppose to hurt! Lol!) During all the bad times I turned to food. It’s embarrassing the amount of food I used to eat. It was MY drug and my comfort. I have been trying to lose weight for years now only to lose a few pounds and then gain it back. I have had excruciating stomach problems for several years now. If my stomach became empty I would be in terrible pain and sometimes would end up in the ER. So now I ate to stop the pain. I began my newest endevour to lose weight in Jan and by April when I hadn’t lost anything i got mad and went to the doctor. They ran all kinds of tests, and all sorts of scopes and things, and all they know is i have inflamed lymphnodes in my stomach and I have gastritis. No clue why! So it was the last test on July 3rd that broke the camel’s back-so to speak. I had to have a procedure done and had to be on a liquid diet for 24 hours before and then nothing to eat after midnight. The surgeon was running way behind and i didn’t get taken back into surgery until 3:30! It was almost 6:00PM by the time I left the hospital. 42 hours without solid food. Something in me snapped that day. I began only eating one meal a day and eventually as i have gotten more active have branched that out to a very light lunch (under 500 calories) and dinner. Dinner is usually whatever i want but I try to use my head and not go overboard. I don’t count calories or anything. Then my Sister started walking and i did too and before long we started running. I had been struggling with running when I found the C25K. I skipped the first week and dove right in. I repeated week 2 because I was having such shin pain and the rest is history.

I am here today weighing in at 216. My starting weight was 228. I have lost 12 pounds thus far and am shooting for 61 more! I am 5′9″ tall.

I have a life goal of running a marathon. I have alot of obstacles in my way to reaching my goal, but I am determined. I am not gonna let anything stop me this time. I will weigh 155, I will run a 5K, a marathon, and maybe one day a triathalon. That’s what I want and this time NOTHING is gonna get in my way.