Introducing myself
 

I posted in the bio, but I wanted to post here and officially say hi to everyone!

My name is Jackie, and I just turned 34 a couple weeks ago. I've been married to a wonderful man for 15 years, and we have 4 awesome kids (ages 6-13). I homeschool, and am a part time self employeed photographer.

My highest weight was a few months back at 306. I started about 1.5 months ago on my healthy journey. I refuse to think of myself as dieting, because I want this to be a lifestyle change not only for myself, but for my family as well. My dh was diagnosed with diabetes around the same time, and it was a real eye opener for me. Our health isn't guaranteed. Our lives aren't guaranteed. I don't want to hurry death up for me or my children because of my eating habits.

I've had issues with my weight since I was a teenager. Although looking back I would kill to be that size again. And I'm g oing to kill to get there... Kill the old me that overeats and under-excercises.

We recently bought a house, but just prior to that I had reached my highest ever weight. For years my weight has kept me inside the house as much as I can manage. I hate going outside. I hate being seen. I totally DESPISE shopping (for ANYTHING.. especially clothes and food), etc. I just feel like a monster all the time. So my 4 walls becomes my sanctuary. And I hate it. I used to be outgoing and have friends. Now I have me, my husband, and my children.

And you... my internet friends.

So I decided it was time to REALLY and truly do something about it. I gave up my dr peppers... my one true addiction. Gave them up and haven't looked back. I miss them occasionally but I make it through one craving at a time. When I looked this morning, I was down 21 lbs. I have a lot to lose, and I know it will take me at least a year and a half.. probably more to reach my goal weight (which is 153). I'll put this out there... very ashamedly. My starting weight was 306. I'm now 185.8. My goal is 153... half of me. I have speech all laid out for that day!

My goal is to have lost enough weight by May to feel comfortable enough in my body to have a boudoir session done for my husband for our anniv. We will see... I think I'll still be over 200 by then, so I may weight. I don't know if my self esteem issues will stop me.

What do I need help with?? Everything. I need meal ideas, recipes, food advice. I desperately need someone to push me to exercise. I do so much better with challenges, or competition. Somethign to give me a REASON to get my big booty up off this couch.

I'll do all I can to help you also!! To be the support you need on a bad day, the cheerleader for you when you accomplish a new victory. I'll do my best to help you along the way.

Well, that's me... long winded. LOL

Hi Jackie,
Welcome to 3FC. Look forward to getting to know you and hearing more about your lifestyle change and journey.

Learn

Welcome! As a fellow "newbie", I'm in the same spot you are! You have the right attitude and I'm sure you'll do fantastic!

Welcome Jackie :)

Thanks gals!! :) I am excited to be part of the group, and can't wait to get to know y'all.

I will say my weight now is NOT 185.8. It's 285.8. Guess that was just wishful thinking. hahaha

Welcome Jackie! You Have Come To The Right Place For Love, Support, And Information, This Site Will Be One Of Your Best Friends.

I Look Forward To Learning More About You And We Too Will Be Here To:cheer2:YOU ON!

TALK TO YOU SOON

:welcome2: Jackie!

You will find lots of great advice and support here. Looking forward to getting to know you!

Welcome baby, I'm so glad you're here. I hope you join our exercise thread. I look forward to getting to know you better.
All my best,
Faith

Welcome Jackie! I'll look forward to seeing your updates and progress. You can do it!! :)

Hello Jackie and Welcome, and A big Congrats on the new you, the weight loss and the lifestyle change. you should be very proud of yourself.
I am new myself, and I have found a wealth of information on 3FC and it's keeping me on tract.
I wish you the best of luck!

Welcome
 

Hi, Jackie.

I'm almost 44, a home schooling single disabled mom to one amazing almost 5 year old daughter. My highest weight was 352 lbs. Several of my family have died due to poorly managed diabetes, including my father, 2 years ago this week. So you post really caught my eye.

Several diabetic friends of mine have gotten themselves into remission with the book that helped me heal my metabolism from hypothyroidism. It was written by an endocrinologist.

The Schwarzbein Principle by Dr. Diana Schwarzbein has been successful in helping more diabetics get into remission than anything else I know of at this point and is definitely worth a read. Could be of help to your whole family as it has been for mine. She also has several cook books and meal plans that were a huge help to me feeding a community of 7-10 folk when I originally started.

My daughter has watched me work very hard to reverse morbid obesity and is growing up with no other examples than healthy eating and an active lifestyle. We made The Schwarzbein Principle part of her home schooling once she started reading and she learned from before she could walk how to shop for organic veggies and fruits.

She is almost 5 now and can lift half her body weight in deadlifts 200-400 times per day, which she does both for fun and to train for entrance into an elite Irish Dance troupe. Since reading The Schwarzbein Principle and adopting many of her guidelines, all the people that live with or hang out a lot with us lose fat and gain muscle the same way I do, even if they don't follow every rule in their personal lives. It's really remarkable.

Nutrition is only one of several steps in her book to heal your metabolism but it sure helped me. I also recommend Lauren Brooks Ultimate Body Sculpt and Conditioning with Kettlebells and hiring an RKC coach to train you, your husband and the whole family (cheaper and more effective than a gym membership). I did and I lost 80 pounds of fat and gained 15.5 pounds of muscle in the last 15 months. There is no better gift you can give your family than healing yourself.

I believe so strongly in the power of whole foods and kettlebells to heal the obesity epidemic in America's youth that I've started a blog (still under construction) called, "Get Strong, Stay Strong & Pass It On" aimed at adults who are obese using kettlebells to heal their bodies and their lives, then finding 10 obese youth that remind them of their own youth to pass it on to before they have to suffer the same way.

So glad you found this awesome community of winners! Let me know how I can be of service, I'm here for you.:hug:
RW

Thanks so much everyone for the warm welcome!! I'll check out the exercise thread, sweetcakes. :) That's one area I definitely need to work at!

RW, thanks so much for all the information! I am definitely going to check that book out. It sounds great! I truly want to be a better and healthier influence and example for my children. I don't want them to grow up with issues such as diabetes, morbid obesity, low self esteem, no confidence. My oldest son (the only one of my children that has ever had any issues with weight) already has low self esteem and no confidence. Since I've changed our eating habits, he's dropped a lot of "weight" (just happened to coincide when he shot up in height, and he won't let me weigh him.. but he's dropped pants sizes and just LOOKS so much thinner). It's great because I see him eating his veggies with no complaints (even when he hates them... he's a very picky eater!), and is willing to try new things. He's already nearly 13, so my influence on him is limited in years. I just hope I can make up for the bad influence I've been the last 12 years.

I have no idea what kettlebells are. I'm off to google!

Hi Jackie. I love that you are looking at this as a "healthy journey". Your motivation in contagious and I look forward to getting to know you.